Experiencing awe and cultivating empathy.

Experiencing awe and cultivating empathy....

I wonder if this is why I need to go and see the sun set, to experience awe. Is this a basic need of mine?

Luckily, the sunsets here in Whitstable are stunning, we have a clear view across the sea, with the Isle of Sheppey becoming a wonderful landmark, that can be used to chart the suns movement through the changing seasons. As we approach the longest day, the sun moves across to the east of the island and sets impressively in the sea, its reflections enhancing the experience.

Sunset over Whitstable.

One of my favourite experiences during the summer months is to swim in the sea, towards the sunset. Even with my eyes closed I can see an orange glow and follow the trail of the reflected sun as it swooshes up and down in the waves. I have tried to capture this feeling of immersion, in the seawater and in the glow of the sunset by producing a dry-point print, titled 'Immersion'.

I have added text to accompany my images in the book.

This image is one of many artworks I have chosen to put into a small book, named 'People to Place- Reflections and Reminders', along with minimal but well thought out text, I hope to remind others of the simple joys of making time to go out, observe and be in the moment, connecting to the wonder of the natural world.

Find joy in the simple pleasures of life.

So, with another open studio date coming up soon, I have been busy printing a couple more books, using the fabulous Risograph machine at Intra studios in Rochester. This machine, about the same size of a large photocopier is a mechanical wonder. Simply put it can be seen as a mechanised screen-printing process. I make the original artwork, it then thermally cuts the 'master' stencils that are wrapped around the ink cylinders, then I press the button and I can choose any number of copies from 1 to 1000!

Risoprint machine in action.

I love the fact that there are many great colours of inks to choose from (and eco-friendly soy water based too). There is a wonderful 'flat gold', a deep indigo blue, my favourite Teal and about 6 more that can be used either separately or overprinted to create so many more colours. The machine can take A3 photocopier paper and thicker card so I have been able to produce many hardback covers for my books using the same process.

Printed covers drying on the rack.

Recently I tracked down Rob Hopkins, co- founder of the Transition Network, a positive global movement based in Permaculture. He is studying the power of imagination and regularly writes a blog about this subject.

Recently he wrote a blog in which he interviews Tony Whitehead of the RSPB, who during the spring months takes people out to listen to the birds dawn chorus. The interview looks at the subject of awe, which Rob had been researching. He asks Tony, 'I was reading some research recently about awe, which talked about how there's something about when people experience awe, that their brains work in a particular way that is really powerful for cultivating empathy. Maybe that's part of what you're saying people experience?

TW; 'And beauty as well....But I think awe comes into the simple every day experiences such as listening to blackbird song. And it starts at that point. That simple point of beauty and contact and everything else really devolves from that in terms of relationship. And I think people are more willing to act and advocate on behalf of wildlife and nature if they have that original experience of awe or the sublime or just that connection. Just that connection.'

'Immersion' image and text.

So my little books have a big message to spread. Which is go outside, connect with nature and enjoy the awesome natural phenomenons that we are gifted with on a regular basis.

 

So...

'Go outside everyday, into nature and feed your soul.'

My next open studio event will be soon, on Saturday the 16^th of June. It will show the new progression on from my current art project 'Hearth and Home'.

The exhibition is open to all from 11-5pm in my straw-bale studio.

The studio has a Facebook page of its own, to look at its 'life story', look up www.facebook.com/Green-Build-Tankerton

10% of all sales of this 'Hearth and Home' artwork will go to our local homeless charity in Canterbury, 'Porchlight'.

I love to teach others and facilitate space for them to create, so I run art and design workshops throughout the year. These can be either 1:1 or for a small group and I charge from £15 per hour.

The next ones for the exciting and accessible art of Gelli-printing are on most Wednesdays and Fridays. throughout May and June. They run 11-2pm and cost £40 pp including all materials and refreshments.

My own personal art page can be found at www.facebook.com/RoseClarityArtist I can be contacted on 07432679164 or clare@people-to-place.co.uk

Light and Illumination.

What is it with sunsets? I do love the magical transitory times of a day, the times when the light changes, and as I am not a regular early riser, I especially love the transition between day and night. Dusk is a wonderful slowing down time, especially in the Summer when the spectacular sunsets can be enjoyed by the whole family on the beach.

Tankerton sunset.

The reflection of the setting sun in the sea is a natural gift if we choose to observe it and even more special is the feeling of swimming in the sea, eyes closed, heading towards the warmth of the setting sun. A treasured memory indeed in the depths of any cold, grey winter!

The path up to the sky.

A few weeks ago we had a log burner installed in the living room of our home and I surprise myself by now looking forward to the darker evenings and the increasing chill of the next season. We needed to make a hearth to put the burner on so we laid some concrete and I have been busy playing with the surface. I collected some beautiful leaves from the garden and used them to imprint their delicate undersides and overall form into the damp concrete. The result is a very personalised hearth that hold precious memories now of an abundant summer. The leaves I chose were Honesty, Passion fruit, Grape and Hop. Not only are their leaf forms very beautiful but they are also imbued with another layer of symbolism that could be the start of an interesting tale or two on a long dark winters evening.

Laying the leaves in wet concrete.

I enjoy observing the way that the light changes due to the season or the time of day. Recently whilst walking along the coast the sun was very low, about to set but had seemed to shoot out its last rays along the surface of the water towards the shore and it lit up the yellow Horned Poppy in a way I hadn't anticipated. It glowed! Luckily I had remembered to take my mobile phone with me and the camera on that is great for recording such sights. It's not the best, I also have a small digital Olympus and a larger digital SLR Cannon, but the mobile always allows me to capture any moment, to record it so that I can revisit that feeling of discovery and joy another time. It helps with my artwork too, I can revisit that time and place and refresh my memory if I am struggling to obtain the variation of colours needed in a piece.

Sunset glow.

This week I have been collating all my past blog posts so I could pass them onto a friend who will help me edit my book. It's been a long time coming but I am keen now get it out there. Re-reading the blog posts has been very interesting, seeing how each season often inspires walks, reflections and illumination. Themes seem to come up year after year and it is encouraging to know how much in tune we are with nature if we are able to get out regularly and walk amongst it.

Yellow beauty.

I came across a really nice article via a Facebook group that I follow called Treesisters, there is a link to it here. The article looks at 3 ways to connect to nature, one is to create a 'sit-spot' where you go regularly and observe the natural world around you and another is to go on a walking quest, a practice where you walk alone for 2-6 hours.

Walking with others is a joy too.

Personally I find even a daily 15 minute walk can bring great awards such as peace of mind if you allow yourself to be immersed in the very act of walking. This can be achieved both in a busy city and in the countryside. It is the act of giving yourself permission to just be, to walk and to observe without judgement. Perhaps this is why sunset walks are so attractive and satisfying. I for one, cannot help but be affected by the phenomenon of a setting sun. It quite simply 'fills you up' and when the experience is shared with loved ones it is truly wonderful.

A well worn path towards the sunset.

I will be opening the doors of my beautiful straw bale studio once again this year to exhibit my own and Alison Lees work as part of the Canterbury Festival, the theme is still 'The Spirit of Place' as it is an ongoing art project based in Kent.

Sunset and bubbles, could it get any better?!

You can keep up to date with our explorations and discoveries by looking at www.facebook.com/EastKentSpiritOfPlace

Open times are 11-5 daily on the weekends from 14-29^th of October. We can be found at house number 25 on the Whitstable trail. Please see the webpage www.ekoh.org.uk for more information.

 I can be contacted on 07432679164 or clare@people-to-place.co.uk

Walking Weather

Walking Weather

As inhabitants of an Island, I believe we are very adaptable; we have to be as the seasons come and go and we seek to make the best of whatever situation we have. Plans for days out come and go too, depending on the weather the plan can proceed with jubilation or we can adapt the plan to include the cold wind, rain etc. 

Changeable Weather

Surprisingly, not many events get postponed in the UK, we carry on regardless and in doing so, I think we appreciate the sunny, bright, dry days even more.

The weather has been hot for the last week and any walking for pleasure is best done in the early morning and evening. I tend to prefer the evening time when I venture out just before sunset and walk towards the sea, where the sun creates wonderful reflections as it sinks over the horizon.

Contrails cutting through the sky.

I have been surprised at just how many people do the same thing recently. There have been evenings in the last week where it was busy with people just looking and watching the sun go down. There were groups down on the beach, more people up on the grass slopes above, couples walking along the prom towards the sunset and many more on The Street as the tide receded and more of its shingle bank became visible. It heartens me to see this.

 We need natural wonder in our lives and to see a sunset in all its glory blaze forth over the sea is an impressive and humbling sight.

Sunsets

As we were watching the sunset over the last week we heard it referred to as a 'Turner'. JMW Turner loved the light on the Kent coast, especially at Margate where the newly built 'Turner Contemporary' celebrates his connection with the place.

Sunset colour spectrum.

'Have you seen my study-sky and water. Are they not glorious?Here I have my lessons day and night.'JMW Turner, on looking out of his studio window.
I wonder what it is that fascinates us with sunsets. I am not alone when I say this, in fact I am never alone when I watch sunsets, there are often others watching, observing and being in that moment as it happens. That is perhaps what is the fascination, it connects us to ourselves, each other and the bigger picture; the universe!

Sun Dog.

The bigger picture has been on my mind this week, I have swam in the sea and thought of its reach all over the world, the ebb and flow of the tides, the covered and the uncovered and wondered why this element that is so lovely to swim in on a hot day is so frustrating when we have to change or adapt plans if the weather changes and it pours down.

Walking on water with the sky reflected...

Water. I feel inspired by it and its changeable nature. I will follow Turners example and study sky and water. I have an exhibition soon and walking, sky and water will be my muses.