Our Christmas Party at the beginning of December now seems a million miles away but the memory of members renewing friendships and enjoying the lecture on Victorian and Edwardian ecclesiastical embroidery by the scholarly Mary Schoeser, is still fresh in my mind. In the face of declining church membership in Britain, the subject could seem at first glance to be dull and unrelated to contemporary life but Mary quickly dispersed such thoughts by showing us an outstanding range of embroideries. Altar frontals, banners and related items took on a new dimension as we marvelled at the quality of design and technique reflecting a strong desire to produce only the very best to enhance the purpose and architecture of the buildings. It was also interesting to note that it was frequently the wife of the incumbent priest who carried out the embroidery, often in collaboration with an architect; one way at least in which she could improve her own status in the parish. In a now secular society this is a rapidly diminishing art form and we must do all we can to preserve and appreciate this historic heritage. Only the highest standards of workmanship will do for such a public spaces and well meaning but poorly designed embroidery must be discouraged. Today, Jane Lemon and the Sarum embroiderers produce outstanding work for some of our major cathedrals, e.g. Salisbury and Bath Abbey, and our own member Glenys Grimwood has also created a wide range of excellent church embroidery over many years.
At the time of writing this letter I’m sitting in bed with a head cold contemplating a snowy landscape of white rooftops and distant forests. All plans for visiting local schools and meeting a young graduate in fine art from the Marie Curie Academy of Fine Art in Lublin have evaporated. Meanwhile I’m confined to our flat in a well-heated and insulated communist block in Sanok, S.E. Poland. My resources are limited and sometimes this can be an advantage for there is more time to think and contemplate. Thankfully there is some reading matter to hand, a frank and engaging book by Julian Baggini Welcome to Everytown (Granta publications) extracted at the last minute from W.H.Smiths at Gatwick airport. Its theme is ‘A journey into the English mind’, an appropriate choice for someone leaving the U.K. for a country which is just celebrating 20 years since the collapse of the Berlin Wall. This book is a philosophical gem thoughtfully and amusingly written by a shrewd observer of the English way of life. To understand the British psyche, Baggini stepped out of his own comfort zone (Bristol) and went to live for six months in Rotherham, South Yorkshire with the postcode R66 which has the most typical mix of pensioners, struggling families, aspiring singles and so on. During his stay in ‘Everytown’ he read the most popular newspapers, looked at the highest rated TV programmes and listened to the nations’ favourite radio stations. He took the kind of holiday most people take and ate what they ate. I cannot detail in this letter his revealing observations, you must read them for yourself but it does give you a fascinating insight into the English mind and way of life.
As artists we are also observers, keeping sketchbooks and making notes on things which intrigue and attract us. When we create an art work in any media, we are trying to communicate something which is essentially unique to our view of the world. If we are completely honest in our intentions and are able to combine skill with sensitivity, we might create something which resonates with a few or a lot of people. This is our ultimate hope, to make a visual connection with others so they might see something in a different light and maybe prompt them to explore their own creativity.
Stepping out of England to live in a different culture can be challenging but immensely stimulating. Trying to understand the Polish mindset calls for a lifetime’s investigation. A country whose outlook has been restricted by communism for virtually 50 years does not change overnight. Coming to terms with a turbulent history and changing from communal to individual thinking and enterprise is a long and often painful process but there are signs that this is beginning to happen assisted by funding from the E.U. I’m really looking forward to meeting other Polish artists and teachers and reporting back in a future newsletter.
Szczesliwego Nowego Roku (A Happy New Year) and every good wish for a creative 2010.