“Elsewhere” in a Studio 36 publication
“Elsewhere”, my piece of St Loy Cornwall washed up in St Loyes Exeter, has found a small niche as part of Studio 36’s second COVID publication.
Working with Gold
Migration can kill
Since my wander around St Loyes with Rosie King, I’ve been continuing to think about migration patterns. The daily migration of workers on Sowton Industrial Estate became particular obvious to me during “The Birds of Sowton Industrial Estate” as it emptied of cars at the end of the working day. How do we make this migration pattern less harmful? How can we persuade people out of their cars and onto their bikes/feet?
Building community in St Loyes
I’m delighted that Josh Hamilton, the Community Builder in St Loyes, now has a page on the Working with Gold website, which lists a gajillion activities and groups in the area.
“Angel of the SW”
Set on a high point within Ludwell Valley Park, Exeter, the Angel’s weathered steel reflects the rust-red warmth of the local stone. It serves as a focus and an anchor, helping to tether us and give us a sense of place in an ephemeral and rapidly changing world.
Community Star Gazing
Following the “Star Spangled Kyrangle”, it’s great to see the idea of Community Star Gazing taking off around Exeter.
23 or so ideas for place-based activities in communities
While I was developing the original proposal for the Working with Gold programme, I came up with many ideas for events and activities. There were too many to be able to do all of them, so instead of losing the ideas I turned them into resources for schools and communities.
“Star Spangled Kyrangle: Winter Star Lore”
The two events of the Star Spangled Kyrangle were opportunities to bring people together, and encourage them to be attentive to their place, surroundings and nature. The night sky holds many myths and stories in its depths. It has spoken to humanity since our earliest times. We too can step outside and look up, and gaze at the beauty of the night sky, and wonder.
“Elsewhere”
Not far from Land’s End, there is a small south-facing bay comprising St Loy’s Cove and Paynter’s Cove. Not many years ago, storms washed up a large chunk of metal onto the top of the beach. Now, it has been resettled to the M5 Services at Junction 30.
The horrible histories and additional alliterations of St Loyes
As part of Working with Gold, I have been writing some nuggets about the area for the website. Here, then, are its Horrible histories, Ghastly geographies, Problematic politics, and Nasty numbers.
“Listening to Silent Spring” audio
“Listening to Silent Spring” is a piece of sound art, based on a listening walk around east Exeter on the 50th anniversary of publication of “Silent Spring” by Rachel Carson. The sounds I noted became the script for the piece. The work is mostly silence, which allows the listener to become aware of their own ambient soundtrack.
“Q is for Quarries”
“Q is for Quarries” is an A-Z trail that allows people to discover the distinctive Heavitree Stone used to build the red skeleton of Exeter.
Are you TiCL-ish?!
I originally created the A-Z trail around Heavitree Stone sites on Placeify. But then I came across TiCL, who were really enthusiastic about adding “Q is for Quarries” to their portfolio of Exeter trails. So now there are two versions!!
“The Birds of Sowton Industrial Estate”
Many of the roads on Sowton are named after birds, and there is other evidence of bird life to be found. The Birdman and I hatched a plan for a walk to discover the birds, both real and imaginary, of one of Exeter’s most neglected ecosystems.
“Star Spangled Kyrangle: Perseids Shooting Stars”
The Perseids in August are one of the most prolific meteor showers. They take their name from the constellation Perseus, the point in the sky where they appear to come. So on one Monday in August people gathered together on the Kyrangle in Digby to look up as the skies darkened and the planets and stars appeared.
Q-Day!
Today was the day when we launched the Heavitree Quarry Trails on Exeter’s historic Quay! Performances, leaflets of ready-made trails, A-Z trail, umbrella website, and all!
“Heavitree Stone Regular”
Steven Bramble designed the alphabet. I turned it into the font used on all the Heavitree Quarry Trails outputs. I’ve made it available to download it for your own use too.
I made a trail!
When Steven Bramble suggested designing an alphabet of Heavitree Stone, I immediately thought of its potential use in an A-Z. I came across Placeify some years ago, powering Exeter University’s Sculpture Tour, and the two things came together as an idea for a trail.
Warwick Road mock-up
A small example of how Minecraft can be used to imagine our place, to the extent of forming part of an official Exeter planning meeting!
“See Exeter by Minecraft” at the AWEsome Art Fair
“See Exeter by Minecraft” is a series of old-style railway posters and a postcard, created for the utterly imaginary St Loyes Tourist Board. A second postcard was created for the equally fictitious St Loyes Education Board, and a very one-off poster for the totally fabricated St Loyes Astrophysics Board.
“Minecraft my home” meetup during Art Week Exeter
“Minecraft my home” is an ongoing activity as part of my “Working with Gold” programme of public art in St Loyes. It is a re-creation of St Loyes as a world in the Minecraft game. During Art Week Exeter, I held a meetup to explore the world together, share what we have been creating, and build more stuff.
Art Work
Art Week Exeter is a go-go! And it turns out that I had a bit more in show than I thought. The main event (for me) is “Minecraft my home”. The Minecraft St Loyes world is available to download and play online, and on Saturday 26 May I’m holding a meetup to share our explorations and creations.
Minecraft my home
Create giant sculptures in your neighbourhood
Pave the streets with gold
Turn your home into a castle
Subvert urban design: cover it with flowers
We made a font!
Over the last few months, I’ve been collaborating with local artist Steven Bramble on producing an alphabet and font for the Quarry Pod.
“Minecraft my home”
“Minecraft my home” is a re-creation of St Loyes as a world in the Minecraft game. The Minecraft world lets residents explore their neighbourhood in a new way and imagine new possibilities for it.
D-Tour
My ‘thoughts looking sidewards’ about travelling the D bus route in Exeter, from the vantage point of my home office.
“What three words…?”
What three words…? is an online tool that captures in a simple way what places mean to people. It is aimed at encouraging people to pay attention to place. Between January and March 2018, I used it as a way of gathering insights into people’s views of St Loyes as a place to live and/or work.
Building with the Quarry Pod
I haven’t written much about the progress of the Heavitree Squilometre Quarry Pod. It’s been a period of research then consolidation and creative pondering, by turns fascinating, inspiring, and great fun!
Playing with Exeter City Futures
Last night I finally met Minecraft, and had my first lesson in moving and building from a 10-year-old.
What are the places that mean something to you?
What are the places that mean something to you? What three words…? started out as a coding exercise. I’d been learning Javascript, and wanted to put it into practice.
FALAFELS
FALAFELS stands for Free Art Friday Exeter St Loyes Loves Anagrams. You have to think about it a bit!
Launch of “Working with Gold” website
Pop over and take a look at the new website for “Working with Gold”, or get in touch and get involved with the programme on Facebook, Twitter and Instagram @workingwithgold.
Rejection letters
In the spirit of sharing the uphill struggles as well as the good times…
“Working with Gold” in Digby News
One of my undertakings as Artist in Residence with Digby Community Association was to write about my work for the “Digby News”, that is published each November.
Exeter City Council grant for “Working with Gold”
I’m delighted that Exeter City Council have agreed to part-fund “Working with Gold”. The money is a Grass Roots Grant, which comes from the Community Infrastructure Levy.
“Working with Gold” design
I’ve been having a play, and come up with a logo for “Working with Gold”, and I think a working design. Hope you like it!
Regeneration with Lynn Bailey
Yesterday I had a great meeting with print artist Lynn Bailey, who had come to Kaleider to hear my talk on Working with Gold. She had produced work responding to Mincinglake Valley Park for the dissertation part of her Fine Arts masters.
Northbrook mouth to source
Twas on the day of the autumn equinox that Diana and I decided to walk the Northbrook from mouth to source.
Working with gold, weaving with data – talk content
Further to yesterday’s post about my five-minute talk “Working with gold, weaving with data” at Exeter City Futures, I thought I’d share more of the talk content.
Working with gold, weaving with data
Exeter City Futures’ Connect events are an opportunity to share ideas on the big problems that they believe Exeter needs to solve as it transitions towards becoming energy independent and congestion free. At the Autumn Connect, I presented my developing vision for a programme of art in St Loyes, aimed at nurturing a sense of place and building community.
What does it mean to be Artist in Residence, literally in residence?
I’ve been playfully exploring my local area for a number of years, its history, geography, biodiversity, archaeology, and myth – some invented! This Kaleider Lunchtime Talk was a shout-out to anyone with an interest in any aspect of place-based art and/or who lives in St Loyes.
Clare and Rosie go for a wander
My ideas for an artist’s residency in St Loyes Exeter are gathering momentum. I’m close to putting in my first grant application, and on Friday 28 July Rosie King kindly joined me on a walk around the ward. It’s an area ripe for an artistic response!
Digby Community Association are supporting “Working with Gold”
In past years they’ve kindly supported my mad-cap safari concerts. Now Digby Community Association, within St Loyes, is another key supporter of “Working with Gold”.
Laying foundations with the Quarry Pod
The Heavitree quarries have been voted by the people of Heavitree as the next theme for the Heavitree Squilometre. Of course, the quarries are actually in St Loyes.
Clare’s Open Studio
For Art Week Exeter, I thought I’d open my newly-painted garage studio up to the world. Complete with kettle and lots of cake. It was a chance to show some of my work since 2014, and to ask for ideas for art in St Loyes.
“Songs in the Neighbourhood”
Along Broadfields Road in St Loyes, the roads are named after English composers and it’s always summer. A goodly number came and joined Sine Nomine in serenading the neighbourhood with the music of each composer on their eponymous street corner.
Coming soon… Art Week Exeter… eek!
Three days to the start of Art Week Exeter, 13-21 May 2017, and I’m burning the midnight oil prepping contributions to an installation and an exhibition, one concert, one talk, and two days of open studio. So here’s a nice soothing sunset…
Blackberrying for beginners
Clare Bryden. Blackberrying for beginners. Resurgence Magazine, Sep/Oct 2013.
Shortlisted essay from the Resurgence & Ecologist Nature Writing Competition.
“A Suburban Serenade”
It happened! Possibly not one of the daftest ideas I’ve had, but must be one of the dafter ideas I’ve pursued.
“I have a dream” … for Exeter Bus Station!
I have a dream of a mix of local retail, local business, charities and social entrepreneurs, artists’ studios and housing.
A lane of two halves: one year on
Last year, I did the first half of a walk down the 1800s route of Woodwater Lane. I managed the western half as far as the Retail Park, before giving up due to the rain. Exactly one year later, I completed the journey.
Pilgrim at the Northbrook
I intended to spend the morning re-reading Annie Dillard’s Pilgrim at Tinker Creek, but instead spent the morning reading around it. So after lunch, I allowed the sun to call me out for a walk down by my very own Tinker Creek that is the Northbrook.
Buy this
Brueggemann: “the yearning for land is always a serious historical enterprise concerned with historical power and belonging. Such a dimension is clearly played upon by the suburban and exurban real estate ads that appeal to that rapacious hunger.”
Municipal-planting-rowan jelly
There’s a rowan tree planted beside the bus stop on Grecian Way, and this autumn it’s laden with bright red berries.
Autumn audit
In honour of Silent Spring, I spent two hours wandering around my neighbourhood and listening. Listening not just for birds, but for everything, including all those sounds we usually tune out.
Richard Long woz ‘ere
Today was the first time ever, at least for years, that I’ve seen another deliberate blackberrier in Ludwell Valley Park.
Hanging out in Ludwell
It was late afternoon when I walked down to Ludwell Valley Park to pick blackberries. I’d just started, around a kink in the hedge and mostly hidden from the gate, when I heard lads’ voices.
Woodwater plants
The house martins were gathering and sporting on the wing, prior to departure for warmer climes, and Mark Lane from Wilderness Guide kindly popped over to see what plants we could find in Woodwater Lane in September.
Smash and grab
I cycled to the dog-walkers’ field above Ludwell Valley Park. I found blackberries. I picked blackberries. I cycled home. I made blackberry water ice.
The not-knowing
Sometimes the mystery and the not-knowing are more satisfying and enjoyable than solution.
Olympic mythogeography
I’ve always had a problem with buses. Mythogeography tells me to get on a random bus, and see where it takes me for a set number of stops. But I’m able to end up here there and everywhere, even when I’m just trying to get home.
Summer fruits
I was away from Exeter for a couple of weeks, and when I returned (though I returned) I remained absent. It was several days before I remembered it was ‘high summer’ and there was free fruit to be had in Ludwell Valley Park and along the suburban margins.
Stone of St Loyes Chapel
Much of the stone used to build St Loyes Chapel looks as though it came from Heavitree Quarry, but there were many other types of stone there.
Heavitree quarries
When did the Heavitree quarries stop being worked? The old maps provide some evidence.
Quarry Lane
Seeing the stone in St Loyes Chapel made me want to walk back up Quarry Lane and look for evidence of the quarry.
St Loyes Chapel
It’s a pleasant little segment in Rifford Road, set in a garden surrounded with metal railings. There is a bus-stop in front, and it is very ease to miss St Loyes Chapel altogether if you don’t know it is there.
Maps
Once upon a time I saw a very old OS map of Exeter in the Treasures of the British Library exhibition. Now through the miracle of Google, I know that it was the Drawing for the first edition Ordnance Survey map of Exeter. 1801 Maps OSD 40.(3).
Woodwater by night
I spent a day immured in the office at the computer, feeling wintry-cold while it rained and rained. By night-time, I was completely frowstie at being stuck indoors. As the rain had pretty much dried up, I decided on some mythogeography. Going for walks at odd times, like 10.30pm, follows mythogeographical principles, after all.
In the ‘burbs
I found this marvellous book from 1892 in the Westcountry Studies Library, now Devon Archives and Local Studies.
Woodwater wander
As a birthday treat, I promised myself a walk down Woodwater Lane, from home to water to wood to home again. A satisfying experimentation in exploring the present day.
From wood to water
Yesterday, cycling down a section of Woodwater Lane, I noticed a corn cockle in the bank. It struck me that I have cycled down the lane many a time, walked down it occasionally, picked blackberries at that time of year, but I have never really paid attention to it.
Ludwell life
It was a happy accident that the house I bought when I moved to Exeter is very close to Ludwell Valley Park. It is my slice of countryside in the city, where I can wander down enclosed lanes, through fields of nodding purple grasses.
“Working with Gold: Art in St Loyes” (2013,17-19)
My vision: Through an programme of public art in its broadest sense to nurture a sense of place among St Loyes residents and workers, and build community.
