L E O N I E . W I S E

dear friends,

today being a lazy sunday (and one where our end of the jubilee line was open), we decided to take advantage of the glorious autumn sunshine and venture out into the wilds of north london – hampstead heath in particular.

everyone,

and their dog

(or bicycle)

obviously had the same idea as us

go looking for a new path to explore

& enjoy the beautiful blue sky…

try a new language

or two,

or, if you’re brave, go for a swim.

more photos up on flickr

dear friends,

i promise this will be the last time i write about SAW for a while. for someone who doesn’t really write, there’s a lot of words that are falling out of me about my experiences there… not really postcard-size posts at the moment are they?!

today, i want to write about courage…
about how what i am learning is that what tell myself is infinitely more important than what i hear from others…

being surrounded at squam by a lake of creativity i started to believe the words anything is possible.

rockstar me. by susannah. used with permission

and these three lovely wahine have contributed to my bravery, simply by being present with me; creating a space where i could safely explore myself and my creativity, whilst shedding some tears and having some belly-laughing fun.

1. elizabeth mcrellish – the squam goddess, creator of this amazing space.
so much has been written about her already. i love what denise andrade has written about her, and the photo she has shared is so amazingly beautiful that i’m just going to send you on over there to check it out yourself. elizabeth is one amazing lady i tell ya.

jen lee. by susannah. used with permission

2. jen lee – whose poem “don’t write” is one of my all time favourites because it speaks so deeply to me.
hers was my first class at squam and it was challenging to say the very least. the fear overcame me in such a rush that i was in tears for most of her class. i took it to challenge myself… explore some pieces of me as yet undiscovered.one of the things i realised when i was at squam was that i’d never really sat and listened to myself. being there was just the space (and the quiet) i needed to start doing this and i’ve been surprised at what i’ve had to say! jen invited me to examine what it was that silenced my voice in the first place. i don’t remember the exact moment that i decided this, though i have long told myself that i’m not worth listening to, so i might as well keep quiet. i could stare into jen’s eyes forever, listen to her stories, fill myself up just being around her.

andrea jenkins. by susannah. used with permission

3. andrea jenkins – whose post about ttv had me scouring vintage stores & camera shops around london for an old camera.
knowing i would get to meet her at squam was definitely a decider for me. her photos – ooh, ooh, ooh! i sense magic in every single one of them. she is so willing to share what she knows and learn from others. she is warm, so huggable and very very easy to fall ridiculously in love with. it was a class where learning felt like play, it was so natural, so easy.

really. my words don’t do these ladies justice. i love them dearly…

there were so many other amazing people i met there – i want to tell you about my wonderful cabin mates, the friends i made, the conversations i had over breakfast, lunch, dinner… words really do fail me about the amazing people, so i’ll just hold them all quietly in my heart and hope that they can feel it from wherever they are.

there was quiet conversations, laughter over wine, tarot card reading by torchlight, early morning swims, a rock-fairy, polaroids, acceptance, love.

send in the clowns. ttv by me

and the other day,
for the first time ever,
i was brave enough to quietly whisper to myself

“i am an artist”

and it feels really, really good.

* polaroids of me, jen & andrea: captured by the ridiculously talented and beautiful, susannah conway. all used with permission.

i am bursting at the seams to tell you about all my classes though this one seems to want to come out first, so here it is….

sticks & stones was my choice of class for the 2nd day of SAW and was one i wasn’t sure i would be able to bring any ideas to. i really needn’t have worried as we were given amazing direction from our teacher chris frost.

we began our day with an introduction from him. he’s done some pretty great stuff himself and one of my favourite pieces of his is called a mile from any neighbor. i love how he incorporates a story, or message, or a piece of history into each artwork… something to get the viewer to stop and really consider the whole message surrounding a piece of art.

before he let us loose in the wilds of the camp, he gave us a few things to consider including:

• site – choose a site appropriate for the piece
  does the piece encompass/highlight a particular characteristic of the site (a boulder, tree etc.)
• nature – these works are a reflection of their natural surroundings. what is the pieces relationship:
  - contrasting: difference of scale, colour etc.
  - accentuating the surroundings
• materials – choose materials (local or foreign) that are appropriate for the vision (all materials bring their own histories)
• construction considerations
  - scale
  - durability – how long will it last?
  - quality – is the human hand present?
  - are your techniques reflective of your vision?
• documentation. in almost all cases, the artworks remain on the site, decompose, destroy themselves, or just fade away
  - your documentation is often the only record of the pieces existence
  - document as the work changes or as it’s surroundings change: by the minute, day, year etc.
  - document with photography, painting, drawing, samples etc.

he also had a heap of books available for us to look at, a lot of andy goldsworthy stuff and another guy i’d never heard of before called nils udo… his piece pre-cambrain sanctuary really caught my attention.

as a warm-up we were all to have a piece of clay, the size of our choosing. we had 1/2 hour to go out and make something with it. i have got to say (and will probably say again) that everyone’s creativity and imagination was mind blowing… every single piece was different – some big, some small, some subtle and some not.

after a walk around of everyone’s pieces, he gave us another prompt – work with sticks and make something else until lunch, then afterwards we could spend the afternoon on a big piece. as we were walking around, discussing potential sites for our work i had a brainwave. as i had no clue whether i would have time to do it, i asked him for his opinion and was really happy that he thought my idea was brilliant too – he even helped me get started with digging my first hole – what a guy!

my grand idea was this…

i was thinking about the pathways all around squam that everyone has access to and what it would be like to build something to block a path. something that would confront people, surprise them, stop them in their tracks. i was thinking also about the different ways that people approach, and deal with, barriers. dependant on the circumstances, i myself would probably ignore it and find a way around, or over it, though i do know of other people who would simply turn around and go back the other way.

i started by choosing my site. it was hidden from view until turning a corner after a fairly straight piece of pathway. there also happened to be a tree growing right beside the path which was a big help with my construction.

for materials, i chose to work with what was there (the tree by the path), as well as fallen branches, and young saplings that i cut down with a saw

i dug four holes (chris did help me with the first one and with securing my first post) and found two sturdy fallen branches, which i cut into four. these were placed securely in the ground (or as securely as they could be given that my only tools were a phillips screwdriver and a small trowel that i had a disagreement with and ended up bent & useless).

next, i cut a whole heap of saplings of oak and beech and wove them through the posts in the ground. i was going to cut the leaves off originally, then decided to leave them on for additional barricade emphasis.

i was mindful to cut my saplings from various places, rather than cutting them all from one spot, and was assured by chris that cutting them is actually okay…

so, the weaving continued until i had a barrier erected that was fairly obvious. i also wove the cuttings into the sides of my barrier to create more of a blockade, leaving the middle two sections of the construction open.

i did this because the mischevious part of me not only wanted to make a statement to people about not being able to go any further, i also wanted to show them what it was that was over the other side of the barrier that was inaccessible.

i’m pretty sure i got the contrasting nature consideration covered!

it wasn’t until sunday (2 days later) that i saw this piece again when i took nic to see it as we were heading back to boston. already the site showed signs of it’s limited durability – the leaves had wilted and were dying, showing a little more of the skeletal structure of the piece beneath.

i really love how this came together. the class was amazing. my clothes were filthy and i had dirt under my fingernails that i’m still trying to extract. i had such a fun day and really loved sharing it with the group of people that were also taking part in this day – their own creations and stories are not for me to tell, though i am hoping that they share them in their own ways. every single piece created that day filled me with amazement and delight.

i think the ultimate of this piece would be the installation of a red velvet rope on an urban footpath… with a bouncer holding a clipboard checking credentials to let people by. instead of simply checking for names on a list, the guy would be asking people questions such as:

1. what kind of car do you drive? with extra points for:
   1. i don’t own a car
   2. who needs a car? i have a bike
2. what makes your heart sing?
3. what/who inspires you to live creatively?
4. when did you last go for a walk outside without your ipod?

of course, the answers would vary wildly & letting people past would have to be determined by the individual responses. still, my mind goes crazy, and the cheeky side of me is creating all kinds of mischief, simply thinking of this as an installation on the busy streets of london!

now, i’m also thinking about learning how to weld and how to make my own moulds. whether i actually do or not, is a story not yet written.

a heartfelt thanks to chris and all my classmates, for helping to make my day unforgettable.

the above photo was actually taken in provincetown, though i thought it appropriate as the opening shot for these postcards to you…

art really is a way of life…
as important to me now as breathing.

and how wonderful it was to go to SAW and be surrounded by such beauty & creativity. sometimes, i wished the magic few days would never end though in my heart i know that if i could have this all the time, some of the sparkle would wear off. i also know that i carry that magic around inside of me and can connect into it whenever i need.

speaking of beauty, check out the breathtaking view from the dock outside my cabin at squam lake… i’d been in for an early morning dip and was in the water, floating quietly in the stillness of the morning as the sun rose over the horizon. those are my footprints along the dock as i jumped out to also try and capture the beauty of this place in order share it with you.

it really is a beautiful,

beautiful,

beautiful place…

i realised on this trip that i AM a little bit country (not sure about the rock ‘n roll – i’ll get back to you on that one). these boots were found in provincetown and they completely satisfy my alter-ego’s cowgirly desires…

i’ve got a couple more posts coming, as i want to share with you some photos from a couple of the classes i did and tell you more about the wonderful, wonderful people i met. hopefully you can get a sense from these few photos of how inspiring and suited the rockywold deephaven camp on squam lake is to getting the creative juices flowing.

with love,
leonie

#17 in my 101 things in 1001 days list

dear friends,
we’re having a great time here in new england…

we’ve been whale watching,

making tiny moments of zen with gifts from the altantic ocean

and generally kicking back relaxing

this place really is quite magical.

with love,
-leonie

Every now and then go away,
Have a little relaxation,
For when you come back to your work
Your judgement will be surer;
Since to remain constantly at work
Will cause you to lose power of judgement…
Go some distance away
Because the work appears smaller
And more of it can be taken in at a glance,
And a lack of harmony or proportion is more readily seen.
- Leonardo Da Vinci

dear friends,

today has been one of those juicy lazy sundays that fill all of me to the brim. it’s been part discovery, part hand-cut chips, with a side order of photography and a sprinkling of book shopping…

large jammy dodgers, one of my current gustatory obsessions

it all began with a trip to the newly discovered (by us at least) albion caff in shoreditch (thanks remodelista!) for coffee and a jammy dodger for me, almond croissant for nic. this place is humming with people on the weekend… full to overflowing with people drinking tea from pots covered in hand-knitted tea cosies, sharing a bit of gossip with friends, or having a quiet read of the sunday paper.

colombia road flowermarket

then, it was a short wander to the colombia road flower market, where stallholders were pimping their wares – most for a fiver. it was funny listening to their monologue as they interspersed their current deal with muttered comments about wondering if anyone was listening. the market was packed full of people, shuffling along in time with the people in front/behind… some laden with flowers & plants, others (like us) with cameras. one cheeky vendor was charging £1 if anyone wanted to take photos – i guess he (and perhaps the tourists willing to pay this fee) had never heard of the photographer’s rights with regards to photos in public places.

bookstore (shot from the hip)

as well as the market, there are a ton of quirky little stores, full of people, funky art, and other goodies and we chanced upon an amazing second-hand bookstore in a couple of upstairs rooms. they had an awesome selection of paperbacks, some of which parted me from my cash, and a great view back along the flower market from the windows

image source: jessiechorley.com

next door to the bookstore is another set of stairs that lead up to a treasure trove that is part alice in wonderland, part vintage wonderland called jessie and buddug. i didn’t go in as i’ve been warned about taking husbands into stores where they can wreak havoc when bored….

why one wife now chooses to shop alone – thanks to my husband nic for the image

their website is so inviting that i do feel compelled to do another trip there just to see the shop and jessie’s altered journals in real life…

we also saw cupcakes big & small…

…and i’m now officially in love with rachel barker’s range of tableware.

the space & hubbub – our local hangout

the rest of the afternoon has been spent at our local cafe – this place is very “relaxed wellington cafe” with lazy-sunday-style music (often kiwi), great beer and hand-cut chips. we are both sitting here with laptops; nic up to some geekery or another, and me…

well, i’m writing to you.

with love,
-leonie

some bicycle inspired items from etsy.

okay, so the shoes don’t really count, but

1. they are red (my fave shoe colour)
2. my alter-ego would have a bicycle & a chic cycling outfit to match

1. bicycle bowl 2. 2 bicycle pint glasses 3. made to order 12oz cup 4. bicycle personalized stationery 5. you’re the kind of bike that fits in with my world 6. gimme a ride pocket mirror 7. mini bike bag 8. custom red retro platform pumps 9. vital bicycle – women’s eco-heather hoodie 10. bicycle part gear clock 11. red bike fork lamp 12. jonathan, don’t bring that wet bicycle in here

on saturday night, after a few too many wines, i had the all consuming desire to have a cigarette.

i haven’t smoked regularly for about three years and it was interesting to me to notice how much this desire still had control over my consciousness. it was almost midnight, there are no 24 hour supermarkets/stores nearby (i know, because i got online and checked!) and i don’t keep cigarettes in the house.

the desire to have a cigarette was so strong, i put on some shoes & went downstairs to ask the porter for a cigarette. i even considered knocking on the door of the guys who live downstairs to ask for one, as i know at least one of them smokes…

then, i thought i would either try my luck at the shop down the road (just in case they DID happen to be open) or, failing that, hail a cab and ask them to take me to the closest gas station/24 hour to buy a pack. so, out the door i went dressed in a hoodie and track pants, wandering down the road to check if the shop was open – at midnight!

at this point, logic wasn’t present. all i wanted was a cigarette, i wanted it now and i was prepared to do crazy things to get one.

i walked for a couple of minutes, got around the corner to see that the store (that the logical part of me already knew was closed) was closed. and i stopped. somehow the logic had caught up to the rest of my crazy-person self and was giving me a good talking to.

firstly i realised that anything could happen to me out there (this is london after all). i had no ID on me and wasn’t carrying my phone. all i had in my pocket was £40.

secondly i realised that, even if i did find cigarettes, i would probably buy a whole packet only to light one cigarette, take one good inhale, feel ill and realise i didn’t really want them after all.

with both those realisations, i turned around and came home. i talked to nic about the crazy person that i am still capable of becoming as i let this desire consume me, as logic gets pushed aside. he suggested to me that we buy a pack of cigarettes and keep them in the house for next time this happens.

after thinking about it, i disagreed with his suggestion as it would then make it too easy for my desire to be satisfied, which isn’t necessarily the best thing for me. perhaps next time, the desire will not be so strong, or so all consuming, or there will be another lesson for me to learn from this.

because when i listen…
really listen…
to myself i understand that sometimes that which i desire, is not at all what i need.

i wonder how different my story might be had i not turned around and come home.