the suitcase: July 2012

Just back from a most inspiring trip to Leeds and Wakefield.

View from my hotel window

I went to attend the Land2 Close to Home Symposium, hosted by the East Street Arts, and private view on Friday 20th July. It was an intensive day of talks and papers, discussions, listening and observing and networking. Sadly I didn't get to meet Iain Biggs, as he could not attend. I had very much looked forward to meeting Iain. My very best wishes to you, Iain.

Iain Biggs

I enjoyed the day and it gave me a kick up the backside. I met some interesting and like minded people, it is always refreshing to talk with people who stand out from the rest. I regret not having had time to check out the bric a brac shop next door.. that I noticed on the way there. It looked great, and I will have to come back to investigate further.

Leeds at night

In the evening I flaneured around Leeds and stayed the night in a hotel. I went to a quiet bar to take notes from the day whilst observing goings ons around me.

Leeds Parish Church

I walked to Leeds city centre and stumbled into Leeds Parish Church, where I admired the space and appreciated the quiet ambience and thinking space. I lit a candle too.

A beautiful violinist entertained me and all of the market square in the sunshine at 9am. I had breakfast, read the paper and enjoyed the moment of newness and sudden freedom. I felt strangely emotional most of the morning (and I think some of this was there already yesterday and last night) - in a good way - but had to pretend I had a cough as I fought back the tears. I think I felt some sort of much overdue release. Stress has plagued me over the past eight months. Suddenly today, for the first time in as long as I can remember, I felt free to think of nothing. No plans to make (well, none immediately anyway) and no acute work issues looming or haunting or slowly killing me..

Just me in a summer dress feeling like 15. Bare arms and legs and plans to have more time off. I found it so hard not to show my strange mixture of happiness, freedom and some peculiar sense of enormous longing.. and loneliness.

Maybe this is the repressed feelings from months of torture at work, leaving my body, to fly off into wherever. It was a special day.

After the breakfast and violin concert, I visited Leeds Art Gallery. Lovely space and probably my favourite event of the day. A Wyndham Lewis painting, Praxitella (1921) caught my eye and stayed with me all day. Another Wyndham Lewis, Female Nude, was another favourite.

A Zebedee Jones painting also interested me, as I have met Zebedee a few times. A gentle soul, unlike some if his friends.

The Calder (Chicago Black c1952) and and Keith Milow's fibreglass Untitled Horse 1972, also excited me. The fibreglass reminded me of the smell in that studio I used to spend do much wonderful time in.. Rewind restore revisit, I wish. I so still wish.

Then a swift in and out and glance of the Sarah Lucas show at the Henry Moore Foundation next door (well, almost) to the Leeds Art Gallery. This was purely to tick the box I have been there and seen the space. I think not a lot of SL's work. I did get inspired though, to go back to casting concrete. SL's concrete casts were super poor.

2xbananas and 1xapple at the market, bus 110 to Wakefield. Free City Bus from Wakefield Bus Station to The Hepworth Wakefield. Great building and space. Lovely time spent in there. Barbara Hepworth is a fave. Tools and images of her at work; wow. Reminds me of another similar solitary journey and adventure many years ago to Barbara Hepworth's Garden and studio in Cornwall. A very memorable and heart warming experience, just like today.

Bus 96 to The Yorkshire Sculpture Park (YSP) - almost missed the bus but the driver kindly stopped for me. Fast drive on the bus to YSP. When I arrived, wow. What a place. I wandered around the fields with sheep all around me. Actually, I enjoyed that so much, that I think that was the highlight!

My gps tracking of walking up the 71 steps

Great day, tired legs but happy and sunny day. Then bus back to Wakefield and the train at 17.17 to Kings Cross. Bus 17 to Archway and W5 from there.

After all this I cooked a fabulously simple yet tasty pasta with lots of broccoli, creme freche, garlic and lots of Parmesan.. Big glass of wine and time to reflect (and write this!).

I will travel again soon. What have I been waiting for!!? Next is Margate, Turner Contemporary and then Scotland, I think. Robert Mappelthorpe shows happening there this summer/autumn. Just read Just Kids, Patti Smith and going to see Patti Smith in September, and she is still so much about Robert Mappelthorpe.

Then, of course, in 3 weeks, New York here we come.

Thank you Yorkshire, for the freedom.