Monday 13 August 2018

ELLIE CHANEY AND GUESTS: DRAWING IN THE COTTAGE GARDEN


After seeing an example of Anna Marie Truter's botanical drawing during the course of Ellie's research it was clear that a drawing session at the Cottage would be appropriate.  In the absence of much of Truter's work, what better way to introduce and provide context for her story than to invite people to produce new work of their own.

And so on sunday Ellie Chaney invited visitors to meet in Truter's husband's family garden to search among its plants and overgrowth, and record what they found.

Drawing is fundamental; it's a way of  developing an understanding of the world by examining it and giving an account of what you see. A way of defining the relationship between you and what isn't you.

It can be difficult and requiring of a cold eye. It can be a way of passing on primary information about personal experience or objective reality.
Equally, it can provoke a shared experience.
And if you work in other disciplines, requiring a different kind of enquiry or response  it can be like calling home.


As always we also had a number of visitors who were there to see the cottage. Dan from Greenlane arrived to work on the garden, and when the session moved indoors to avoid the rain there were questions and conversations about the building, books opened and passed around, and addresses exchanged.

Ellie's session was a great example of what we are trying to do here, to reposition the cottage as a living space with a role in the life of the town. A site for creativity, expression and serious intent, but not just something colonised by artists. Something accessible and available, to be examined and remade by whoever walks through the door.

And the drawings produced were really good.  Scroll down for more pictures.

More of this I think.






"Lovely relaxing afternoon. Great to be given space to get back into drawing with no pressure."

"A very enjoyable time spent observing in the garden. Very tranquil."

"Fascinating. Definately taught me to look at plants in more detail."












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