Extremely busy few days has just come to an end. Weather has turned rainy again, but over the weekend it was sunny and warm, which was excellent for two reasons. One, it was my son’s 35th birthday on Friday, and he and his family came up over the weekend. This meant the children could play outside, especially on the Sunday afternoon, when Oliver was having a lot of fun on his tractor on the pavement. Amy unfortunately was a little under the weather, but she hung on in there bravely.
The second reason was that it was the InPrint Open Studios private view on Sunday. This meant that I was spending all day Thursday and Friday at Bally, doing all kinds of moderately heavy work, including moving around the most crazily designed screens I’ve ever come across. Also of course hanging the artwork. Brought Bronwen up from Beccles on the Friday morning, and we hung her superb photographic piece, Unable to Find North. Tricky, because three heavy long and thin pieces had to match up. Dot brought me up some sandwiches and took Bronwen home after we’d hung her other pieces. I remained at Bally to help Mike hang his and Annette’s pictures, which was OK after we got a rhythm going! In the evening Dot and I went to hear Jacqui Dankworth at the Playhouse. Excellent seats for watching the musicians in action, which was fascinating. Not my sort of songs, really, but they were just an excuse to show off the musicians’ – and the singer’s – virtuosity. Most enjoyable. Dot accosted Jacqui afterwards because they’d met at a headteachers’ conference.
On the Saturday I had to write, design and laminate some notices, then rush them up to Bally before the family arrived just before noon. Then on Sunday, after I delivered some boxes of wine and juice to Bally at 8.45, we played music at Finnan’s dedication at church before I had to rush back to Bally for the private view. Meanwhile Dot was preparing lunch for the family, who had been to see one of Vicky’s bridesmaids at Easton. Then they all came down to hear the poetry reading just after 2pm.
That went pretty well – about 30-40 people. The picture above is of the four of us about to set off, with Caroline in pole position and Bronwen’s piece-de-resistance behind us. Over 100 people came to our studios altogether.
Today has been a little calmer, though I did pop up to Bally with some more notices, filled the car up with petrol and took a film in for processing. Speaking of films, Rupert filmed the poetry reading, which should be interesting. I’m going to play DH at chess this evening, which probably won’t be relaxing.