Searching the South West

September, the time of year that is often a new beginning for many.

This month is the start of my next chapter and involves Mike and I searching for property. This is to set up our new venture: a residential arts retreat with eco credentials and teaching and connectivity at its core. With a convenient base in the centre of Frome it's been operation house hunt from our makeshift office:

North West Somerset has become our preferred region

and it's been a case of booking in as many viewings as we can for the time we're here

In between viewings we've had the great excuse of 'perusing the local area' and as we're on the hunt for new additions to our ever expanding collection of furniture/decor it's been great to keep an eye out for 'that next thing'. 

Our first weekend found us at Frome's Independent Market, which had a great turn out

and was where we picked up these delightful milk bottles:

A friend then introduced us to The Walled Garden at Mells, which served a great spot of inspiration and gave us the much needed refuel of tea and cake!

a truly beautiful set up

with lovely views

it will definitely stay on our list for future revisits!

We found a great spot for lunch one day at the Oakhill Inn

and as we travelled west to Watchet we stumbled across the Contains Art gallery

An ingenious project which we think is just great!

It's also part of the very exciting Somerset Art Weeks which we're hoping to catch a look of whilst we're here.

Mike has been working super hard co-ordinating all of our appointments - even as we relocate the office on the road! A break down near Weston doesn't deter, appointments are booked in from the beach:

and the car dealership!

Yesterday we had a bit of R&R and took a trip over to Clevedon. We visited the place last year and fell for it in an awful lot of ways. We found out about the Curzon Cinema after our initial visit and the fact that this is the first and oldest cinema in the UK we just had to pay a visit to it this time:

We were so glad that we did too - we were given a back of house tour!

it was great to see these original seats from 1912

and all the old projectors - wow!

So a busy few weeks and lots more to come! 

Watch this space for update #southwestjourney #househunt

An end to the beginning...again

After the emotional roller coaster that is finishing the degree, the summer has already played out some new tunes... Remember the house I was saying goodbye to last summer? Well, it took a little longer to go than we had intended and just last week I packed it all up and sent its furniture off to store.

It's funny how we can become attached to objects, furniture in particular. I have a house full of pieces acquired from secondhand stores, the stories in them much more appealing than anything you can buy off the showroom floor or the warehouses of IKEA.

That house had been in our family for some 50 years. So many memories shared, so many meals had, such laughter, such joy and only in recent months has it been so sad.

It was pointed out to me that I would be the last standing member of our family in that house, I would be the last one to see it for the very last time. It felt fitting then after clearing it of its contents that I take one last walk around and say a fond farewell to each of its rooms. I had left some mirrors up on the wall for the new occupants - what stories these mirrors have seen and been told. As I said goodbye I noticed my reflection and with my camera to record the last moments I took a self portrait in each of the mirrors I encountered. Looking back in makes for an interesting collection, what do you think?

It will now be some months before I see that furniture again when I will be ready for starting a new venture. I hope to map the next stages of my creative journey on here, or find room to share it elsewhere. 

What a great document this blog has turned out to be; mapping my end, charting my beginning and setting the stage for my future.  

Graduation!

So this is it - the day it's all come down to. 

I've waited 10 long years for it and you know what - it paid off:

  I GOT A FIRST CLASS HONOURS!!

 I'm so glad to have shared the experience with so many amazing people

: congrats Creo - we did it!

Welcome to the show

Our degree show is up and we're open for business: Welcome to the Creo Degree Show!

I've had two great pieces of news this week: firstly, prior to opening I received notice that I was going to be awarded The Chartered Society of Designers Student Award, for all the work I had done on the course during the last year. This was nominated by the tutors - wow! what a shock! The awards ceremony took place on the preview night of the show and I presented with the 'already on my wishlist for the library' book the art of looking sideways (how chuffed was I!?)

I also found out that I've been selected to exhibit at New Designers (which is very exciting) and will be making the most of these last few weeks at NTU before I do :)

My family made it down to the show, which was great, so I gave them a tour of all the work - I'm so very proud to be part of such a talented bunch of people!

So that's it - up for a week then a speedy take down, before prepping ourselves again for exhibiting in LONDON!!!

Setting up the show

The last few weeks have been stupid busy with degree show set up and realising that this is the....end of the degree :(

Mike has been helping with the bases to our display stands

(shhhh, he's been a bit like our secret technician ;)

We've been prepping the boards ready for display

and erecting them in place ready for hanging up the show!

I tried out various arrangements for my space...

...after getting moved a couple of times...

I'm glad I was convinced to include my drawings however

They really helped tie the whole thing together!

The studio was laid out with all our back up work

It's just a real shame that it couldn't be out with the public show.