Inspiration Explotion

Yesterday was one of those days that was so full of inspiration and imagery
it could feed me for a whole year.
Firstly a talk by Peter Rendall Page.
I could listen to sculptors talk forever...then Orchids arrived in the post.

Next on the way to the Tagore Poetry Festival organised by Alice Oswald I stopped twice, once to for a girl dressed all in black whose top hat blew off as she whizzed down a country lane on her bicycle, then again for a black crow who had been stunned by a car. On arrival at the festival at the grand Sharpham house, the performance Artist Ansuman Biswas(who lived in a box in gallery for 2 weeks, before Mr Blaines circus) dressed in black flowing robes was singing down the stairwell, whislt throwing paper Oms, which he later set fire to. He had very beautiful feet!


Being Tagore

So much happened but the highlight for me was my friend's aunt Josephine who sat in a bath reading whilst the lovely Croation house keeper added more bubbles to cover here modesty!
I tried to pursuade the poet lauret Andrew Motion to go in and sit on the loo. I could see he was very tempted.


Artist Alice Leach.


Drawing round the music of Martin Holland.

The Evening was amazing, the bunting I had hung was the perfect partner for the poet's words. The very funny Matt Harveyy admired the verticalness of it and I loved Zena Edwards sing-song work.
l also met photographer, Alice Carfrae who told me she shot a wedding where a Lama and a Ladybird (in a matchbox) were bridesmaids!
The 3rd Alice in Wonderland.

On stage at the Great Hall

A lovely morning at the Tagore festival at Dartington Hall. I had a little tear in my eye as the children read their poetry, but the star of the show was the school cow.

Tagore quote bunting and apple blossom

Oh irony! How sad I've been whilst making this...having had my joy temporarily knocked out of me, but I know blossom, friends and art will bring the laughter back. Right... lets prepare for the 18 guests (old school pals) and a puppy that are coming to stay! HAPPY EASTER! x

The poetry Cow is named...

...and kissed! Our life sized paper mache cow, Simon Cow (the children's suggestion, honest!) is almost finished.
The Children are now writing poems about cows over it before it's appearance on stage at Dartington for the Tagore festival.

Poetry and paint

Here's pics of the work I'm doing with my daughters school for the Tagore poetry festival.
Firstly we looked at a list of around 100 words and acted them out physically. Then each child chose 3 words and painted how the words felt to them. We will then create a poem.
We are also making a life size papier mache cow, which we'll cover with poetry.
It was such fun and great to get the kids doing really big messy paintings outside (in the sun!) Some of the words chosen by kids that have been ill were very moving.
more pics here

Tagore Festival

DON'T LIMIT A CHILD TO YOUR OWN LEARNING
FOR HE WAS BORN OF ANOTHER TIME


I'm fortunate enough to have Dartington Hall on my door step. This year there is a celebration of the indian poet Tagor. He came to Dartington in the 1930's sharing his words and vision. He shunned violence and trusted the power of Art. He also had some great views on how to free up the eduction of our children. There is also a poetry festival at Sharpham organised by local poet Alice Oswald.
With my daughters school I'm creating Art, poetry and a life sized cow. I'm also planning the decorations at the poetry festival. So far my idea for the children to all wear Tagore style beards, as modeled rather fetchingly by myself above, has gone down well.
(His beard is apparently held in the Dartington hall archives!)
I'll post more of our creations for this exciting project soon...