Halsway Manor Coleridge Convention

As blogs go this one is more of a call to action as there is a very interesting week of events planned at the wonderful Halsway Manor, nestled in the Quantock hills of Somerset. The event celebrates the unique cultural heritage that West Somerset has, as a source of inspiration for the Romantic Poets Samuel Taylor Coleridge and William Wordsworth.

Ralph Hoyte - Christobel

The programme combines guided walks along the Coleridge Way, plus shorter routes of special relevance to the Romantics. There are evening talks, lectures and performances plus a visual arts exhibition. With a range of onsite accommodation you may want to stay for the week, or come along to individual events, the choice is yours.

These events are to be held between 11th and 15th August 2014 and tickets for the whole or just parts are available through Halsway Manor, type in Coleridge to their search bar, or check out their whats-on page for August 2014. There is also a leaflet which reveals more still and is available for download from the Halsway site.

The event is also supported by ARTlife somerset.

Christabel Released

Last night Binham Grange was host to Ralph Hoyte's Epic 'Christabel Released', the evening was part of the Gallery4Art exhibition which built upon last year's successful show of new art works by south west artists. Binham Grange is in a stunning location, nestled between Blue Anchor bay and Old Cleeve, it's fabulous gardens and medieval rooms, sensitively brought back to life by the current owners, were the perfect backdrop for this Gothic epic - the Alabaster door frames being something to behold in their own right. 

The performance began outside in the evening sun, then parts two and three continued inside, firstly in the grand dining hall, and then finally with coffee seated on soft sofas in the more snug sitting room.

Ralph explained how he had originally fought with the idea of finishing Coleridge's unfinished 'medieval' tale of demonic possession but whilst as artist in residence with the Quantock Hills AONB he was more and more immersed in the famous poet's world and simply had to go where he was creatively being led. So as the evening sun set we sipped wine as Ralph began his and Coleridge's epic with the added challenge of spotting the join!

Ralph's reading was three hours in total, which is quite some task to stay focused and fresh throughout, but he made it seem effortless. Moving the audience and allowing us time to eat our picnics between the different locations made the evening move swiftly and also enabled us to see more of this fine Jacobean house.

When the evening drew to a close there was a relaxed discussion about Ralph's work, the other poets and writers that had influenced his ending of Christabel and whether he would be taking on other great unfinished pieces - to which he replied that he was ready to find his own 'modern' poet's voice once more. 

Ralph is also currently working on his GPS app that will  re introduce the voices of the Romantic poets back into the Somerset landscape in which they lived and roamed; this is planned for release next year and you may read more about this project in an earlier post here.

If you were unable to attend this event and are curious to what fate awaits Ralph's Cristabel - will she do an 'Ophelia' and what becomes of the snake like, bi-sexual Geraldine, then you may purchase the poem for your Kindle and read it at your leisure - do visit Ralph's website for further details.

Calling all Romantics!

Ignite Somerset along with ARTlife had invited Somerset artist's working on projects associated with the Romantic poets to talk in front of a green screen at the Engine Room Bridgwater. The premise was simple, Richard Thomlinson (of Ignite Somerset pictured above with Lynn Mowat) had prepped the Engine Rooms studio with a floor to ceiling green screen, camera, microphone, lights etc and artist's were asked to book a slot and then talk about their projects straight to camera.

Amongst other artists attending were Alice Crane, pictured above amidst filming, she was talking and sewing at the same time, a task which was harder than expected - even after years of practice. Ralph Hoyte (geolocated sound-scapes, Satsymph - pictured below) and Frances Harrison (storyteller and visual artist also below) have major projects in respect to the Coleridge Way. In many ways Frances, Ralph and myself are the three corners of the current Coleridge Way projects and the meeting was for me an essential piece of networking. Touching base and choreographing (in the loosest sense) how our works fit together in a wider scheme.

Christopher Jelley, Frances Harrison, Ralph Hoyte
The Colridgeons!

At lunch time Richard screened three short films to the Artists present, one about each of The Colridgeons (I know, there is no such word) which we had made with Richard in the last few months. I always feel very self conscious about this kind of thing even in good company, but there was nothing to worry about, and it was brilliant to catch up with others, many of which are working in parallel towards the ever present yearly event of Somerset Art Week.

The Engine Room is a stunning facility and in this age of media where we are surrounded by screens at every turn, it makes the essential bridge between the artist and the technology, something which always seems to be shifting, never solid and simple like a canvas or a book. I have always tried to embrace the new but there is a point where you try to take stock and ask simple fundamental questions like, does this effort actually add to my creative practice, is it worth the hassle, toil and energy? What is the life span, who am I connecting to, will it be gone in a moment like twitter, or around for decades? and am I happy with that, is there another way?

Gordon Field

These are impossible questions to answer, and only in hindsight will we know truly the longevity of energies spent and where possible economies were to be had. In the mean time we have to embrace every opportunity on offer, give a little of our time and enjoy the simple things like chatting over coffee, and connecting to others who have climbed a different tree of craft to your own. Build connections, collaborations, try and be at the centre, and catch those opportunities right now whilst the camera's are running.

These works will be posted through the Ignite Somerset site.

Story Boxes coming in Spring 2013

There are three artists currently working on the Rejuvenation of the coleridge way, and this summer will see the first of these works come to fruition. Christopher Jelley's storyboxes are a simple concept, and one in wide use in many places. The blue boxes (pictured) will be placed along the path of the Coleridge way this summer, find one, read the story so far, add a paragraph or drawing but no more and then leave for the next family.

Here is a little google map of where they are due to be located, all permissions will be received before boxes are placed. 'This is a really exciting project and one which all ages and abilities can get something from' said Chris. 

View Coleridge Way Story Boxes Christopher Jelley in a larger map

Each box is to be started by a different author, but he won't tell us which is which, so you'll have to guess.

Current locations are Coleridge Cottage (National trust), Porlock visitor centre (End of the Coleridge Way 36miles), Horner Tea Gardens, and Webbers Post (Beneath Dunkery Beacon)