It really has been a very exciting year and I have taken part in more exhibitions over a short space of time than ever before. As well as the exhibitions, there was, of course, my graduation and not only mine but my son's, too. Just a couple of months after my ceremony, Ed graduated with a Masters in Music from Birmingham Conservatoire, with the ceremony held in the beautiful building of the city's Symphony Hall. As to be expected, there was some very good music at the ceremony and we all enjoyed the occasion very much, including the delicious meal in Carluccio's that evening.
Ed in his smart gown outside the Hall It was good that Ed suggested going outside to take our pictures, as this little bridge over the canal was very pretty with the flowers tumbling over it.
Ed with Arthur and myself.
Ed with Arthur and Juliette and those lovely flowers again.
In between my graduation and Ed's, I was taking part in more exhibitions, the Open Competition Exhibition in MOMA Wales, Machynlleth and as guest artist with ArtWorks, Aberdyfi. The theme in MOMA this year was 'Myself' and for this, I did a piece based around lines from the poetry of Gerard Manley Hopkins, namely 'Each mortal thing . . . selves, goes itself - myself it speaks and spells'. These words had stayed in my head ever since I first discovered them in my teens, so it seemed only natural to interpret them in art and express something of how they related to me in my life as the years had come and gone. I see myself in relation to those around me and to what has happened in my life over the years, to the changes that have taken place, with these words echoing in my head all the while, so the piece I created travelled from myself in my father's arms to how I am here and now. The piece haunted my dreams as I worked on it, in paint and stitch, as I love to do, and I put a lot into it visually and as regards the work it entailed but, somehow, I felt compelled to do it. Below are a few images from the finished piece which I called 'Leitmotif'.
A detail from 'Leitmotif' showing myself as mother with Juliette as a baby and along with Ed as growing children. The sea and shore also stand as recurring leitmotifs in my life.
Myself as a baby held in my father's arms by the shores of Bangor, Co. Down becomes myself as the person I am now, looking at my grown children with the line of music beneath my image representing another path my life is taking at present. The spectral lines of beach umbrellas come from a drawing I made, alone, on a beach in N. Italy some years ago while Ed and Juliette are by the waves at Barmouth, N. Wales near to where my home is now.
A section of the work showing myself as an undergrad student in Aberystwyth in the 1970s, progressing to marriage and my family.
This exhibition was seen by many and my own piece was popular with the viewing public, young and old!
A little after the MOMA exhibition opened and going up while it was still on, I exhibited as guest artist with ArtWorks in Aberdyfi and was delighted to sell five original pieces here as well as a number of prints, cards and postcards. I was fortunate to be in the gallery when pieces sold and it was so enjoyable to meet those buying my work and talk with them. Below is an image of one of the pieces I said goodbye to!
This piece is called 'Swirl of Bright Water' and was inspired by watching how the sea flowed and swirled round the posts of the pier at Aberdyfi.
More recently, I have had my work, 'In the Garden, Secretly,' shown in Ireland, the first time my stitched pieces have been shown here. Arthur and I went over to steward a little at the exhibition which was 'Coded: Decoded Part 2', Prism's exhibition as guest artists at the Knitting and Stitching Show in Dublin and while there, I also met up with my sister, which was great!
Myself with my sister, Joyce and her husband, Alastair by Howth Head, Dublin - the sea draws us both like a magnet! Beautifully bright and such lovely colours but it was SO COLD!!
Work is now drawing together for my exhibition in MOMA and exciting developments are happening with my PhD, so life is full and I am so grateful to be living it!
Until the next time!
