Volcanos melting down

So it begins...We are packing for the imminent house move. I have spent the last three days emptying and packing shed and garden stuff, nevermind the house. I have moved probably half a ton of clay from one place to another, only to have to move it back at a later date. The futility of life... The house feels sad that we're going. It looks forlorn, stripped of our pictures and pottery, our life. Chris says she has switched off her emotions, I'm finding it difficult to let go. Got to let it ride. Will have to say goodbye to the house ghosts too... will miss them.

An army of removal men

It's silly really but I felt a little sadness to today. We finally got some dates to move house, exchange of contracts could be this friday, which means we may be leaving within two to three weeks. I know we're moving on to much bigger and better things ( why else leave such a wonderful house?) but I still feel very sad and quite retiscent about going. Started clearing my shed today, having a bonfire tonight, whilst quaffing wine and reminiscing about 8 years of my most favourite place in the world. From my shed I can see the rest of the garden and the house, whilst surrounded by all my tools and instruments. It's always been a place to retreat to when things got.../get stressful. I can't believe how much stuff we've got. Ok, how much stuff I've got! My woodworking clamps filled a box. So did my underglaze colours... I will need an army of removal men.

inSPIRED

Yesterday saw the private view of an joint exhibition of photography, half moi, half Rich, my boss's husband. The last week has been abit manic, waiting on prints from the postie, framing cleaning, painting... I kept trying to get across how important it is to keep the gallery clean, using gloves to handle photos etc... people who have never mounted art exhibitions just don't get it. And my tools kept going missing.... AAARGH! I am a quite patient, mild person (I like to think ) but I turn into a demon when people take MY tools and handle MY work!

Anyway, it all got mounted and the private view went well. Mum and Dad turned up which was a very nice surprise. Chris's parents also came, my friend Mathew with wife Anne and daughter Hannah, the Head of Service came, Arts Officer for WLDC, even the Mayoress showed her face.

Richards parents and in laws came and were very complimentary. We were both as nervous as hell!

It runs right through christmas untill February.

ps. the exhibition is titled "inspired" hence the blog title...

I know it was abit stressful...! (everyone said I was unbearable) but it was such fun mounting a show, something I havent done for ages. Me and Chris did major shows when we were running our failed pottery business, 10 years ago. We learnt alot of lessons from that time, the best one being, if it needs doing-do it yourself!

Hopes and expectations

I've heard your voice El and it's beautiful, so keep on down the line. I know that exact feeling, but from a potters viewpoint, you've got to believe in yourself and cancel those doubts in your mind. Teaching is in a way better than creating. Life advances. I am frozen in a moment at the minute and don't quite know how to escape it.

The irony of freezing a moment in time

...Working towards a show of photos at the Hall titled Inspired. Heres a link to take a peek at some of them http://www.flickr.com/photos/mr-shaun/It's a joint show along with Richard, my boss's husband. Been an odd time, getting stressed about moving house, which is still lurching from survey to survey, stressed about new job in september back at the centre, and quite shaken by the events previous, thanks el for the advice. Life is far stranger than fiction.

The universe is a set of giant cogs and flywheels, endlessly churning and clunking, sometimes lining up, most times not.

They all lined up again the other week, Im not quite sure the significance of it, Im sure there's a lesson to learn somewhere.