07/10/2009 by James.

I felt a bit flat earlier this week, looking out at the low grey oppressive skies, spending lots of time working away researching and planning projects.

Today I decided that I had done all I needed to do, and that maybe I should do for myself a bit more what I offer for others… get outside, focus on my needs and interests and see where they take me.

Its funny how easy it can be to miss your own needs, and the value of your own time and space and well-being, when you are busy planning and running projects with others, however excited I am to be working on them.

So this morning I sent my emails, quickly did what I needed to in my studio, and went to Savernake Forest to say hello to Autumn.

Here’s a few photographs, and some lines from my notebook…

I’m back, and it feels wonderful. Back here amongst the rich, wet, glowing fullness of the forest, and back to my true self, excited and happy to be alive….

…heavy drops thud and thwack from branches down onto the thick leafy mulched floor, and I am surrounded by life.

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07/10/2009 by James.

Okay so not quite amongst, more walking around the edges, but in terms of the families’ interest in and engagement with the monument they were really ‘in there’.

It was the first time that most of the children and a lot of their parents had been to Stonehenge, despite living only a few miles away. The project was set up to give children from army families the chance to explore this local landscape, and for their parents (in this case mainly mums) to be able to share an experience with their children that is fun, and educational in an informal sense.

Some of the families don’t have their own transport and several have partners posted abroad, so living on Bulford Camp, although only a few miles away can be fairly restrictive in terms of exploring the local landscape - hence the need for the project.

We were given a tour by the National Trust team, shared ideas about what the monument was for and the role that the different parts played, and the children tried on helmets from WW2, linking with the postcards of Stonehenge during the wars that Laura from Salisbury Museum shared with us last week.

Next week its the last session back at school, so more making and exploring to come…. probably something messy and tactile, reflecting on our experiences at Stonehenge and   the interests expressed by the group.

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