Blast from The Dragon Tree Past!

How lovely of  Christine Stock to put these short clips from my Dragon Tree Performance at The National Botanic Garden of Wales last year when it toured Wales funded kindly by The Arts Council of Wales. I haven't seen any film footage from the tour so it was lovely to receive this on my facebook wall. Thanks Christine.

Bit of Feedback

It's always lovey to hear what the children think and so we always give them evaluation forms ... but the Young Promoters at Pembroke Dock Community School gave me this fabulous card telling me what they will miss most about me now the contract has ended ...

And inside the card all these personal messages!!

 

 



 

Seems making children laugh and playing the ukulele is something they will remember about me and it touches my heart that me and my quirky li'l uke can bring such sunshine!

Funding Closes but the journey continues ...

I can't quite believe it, but the year of my Individual Mainline Grant has come to a close! My funding finished on March 1st 2013 but I can feel a real sense that my journey is just beginning.

I can't thank The Arts Council of Wales enough for the most amazing year only made possible through the funding, enabling me to take time out of my busy schedule as a Creative Director within Community Arts, to focus on my own creativity. I have learnt so many things, which I will talk about in future blogs. I know I initially set up this blog as a requirement for the grant, but I have really enjoyed it! It's a kind of digital diary, and I've been absolutely blown away by the support people have given me through it, with literally 1000's of people from all over the world joining me.

So, I have decided to keep the blog going! It has become an integral part of my life now!

Here's a link to The Arts Council of Wales http://www.artswales.org.uk/

Sam's Dream Installation

 

It gave me a great pleasure to be able to use part of the grant to commission work from artists who have not only become lifetime friends, but who have supported my work in the past as volunteers. I have spoken of Sam and her role in my journey before in my blog ... can you imagine how swollen my heart was to be able to give her creativity a platform in this way!

 

Jeff and I 'found' a ladder in the back of the church but it wasn't big enough to get to the rafters, I really wanted to hang Sam's Dream Installation over the pews ...

 

But as it was, it worked out for the best because hanging it from the wooden edging, enabled people to engage with it during the break

 

Thank you Sam.

 

Sam also led the children of Bigyn Primary in mind/ body movement at the St.Cadoc's Church live Dragon Tree performance

 

 

Oooo and I should add that Sam's Dream Installation is made of just some of the treasures that nature sent to me during the research phase of The Dragon tree, and she has woven her magic with willow, felt, her wonderful creativity and lots of love   ... AND ... it looks as though Sam's beautiful work is going to be a resident exhibit at The Court House in St.David's. It feels very special indeed to leave a piece of the dragon tree journey with The Court House.

 

Dragon Tree Film Exhibition: a personal story

 

In the 2nd half, the house lights went down and everyone watched my film.

 

What a strange feeling it is!!

Praying, literally, that the computer doesn't blip.

Off course it did! Technical gremlins have been as much a part of this tour as I have!!

 

 

It was a very magical time for me because I went to the back of the room, where  Lilly Mae, Jade and William were running around. They are wee little ones and it had been a long night for them. So I sat on the floor by the radiator and they came to sit with me. We all cwtched up quietly and I rocked them in my lap.

 

Then, suddenly, Jade sat up ...

'What's wrong?' I whispered.

'A mouse!' said Jade.

'Oh, it'll be fine, hush now ...' and to be honest I thought perhaps she was imagining it.

 

'Look!' pointed Jade ...

and lo and behold, a little mouse was scurrying uner the table, whizzing back and for looking for cake crumbs!

 

Well, how I didn't giggle out loud, I don't know. William (who is 5) was snoozing, i'd just got him off, and so I signed to Jade shhhhh!! and pointed at William ... who woke up.

 

He looked at Jade ...

'What?' he asked.

'Mouse!' she mouthed!

He sat bolt upright ... 'Oh dear,' I thought, 'I have a room full of people watching my film, and William has just discovered there is a mouse under the cake table!!'

 

...but bless him, he lent right up to my ear and said in his smallest voice,

'I have to go and get the mouse now.'

'William, I really need you to be a good boy. If you can sit for 10 more minutes and wait til the film is finished, I'll chase the mouse with you.'

 

He looked at me long and hard, as if trying to work out if I would keep my promise. But William has known me for 3 years, since he and his Mum first joined the choir that I use to run in Trevethin; William has performed in The Milennium Centre with me, been on residential in St.David's, and many other adventures ... could he trust me to chase the mouse with him? Was it worth 10 more minutes of waiting?

 

He smiled into my face,

'OK.' he said.

 

 

Dragon Break!! Bara brith and welsh cakes!!

 

It was so lovely to meet everyone in the break, thank you for all your kind words

and lovely feedback

 

 

And thank you for buying my Dragon Tree book and helping me to raise funds to go back to Zhodina Orphanage in Belarus as a Volunteer Musician in Residence

 

It was lovely to see so many old friends come together, bless you for your support,

it meant the world to me

 

 

I left out my working journals. I never usually display my journals, it's the first time during The Dragon tree, and I get a bit embarrassed about showing them, but I actually had a phone call from someone today saying they thought they were fabulous!! A window into my head ...

 

Thanks to the Ladies guild for keeping the refreshments flowing!

 

But before we move onto the 2nd half the evening ... let me show you

Sam's Dream Catcher ... (next blog!)

The Dragon Tree Live Performance at St.Cadoc's Church, Trevethin

What a cracking night at St.Cadoc's Church, Trevethin. Fabulous turn out!!

 

Thank you so much everyone for coming, to this, the last of the funded performances as part of my Individual Mainline Grant from T

he Arts Council of Wales

Thanks to Amanda Painting on piano, the Swansea Ukulele lads on uke, the children of Bigyn Primary school with Sam Collins

for being my extra special guests

 

Thanks to Rector Brian Pippen and Liz and the Ladies Guild for doing teas and coffees in teh break, and for making the bara brith!

Thanks to Jeff Beer for humping all the gear, driving and most of all for being

a fab sound engineer!

 

Thank you so much to The Arts Council of Wales for having given me this absolutely unbelievable opportunity this year to follow my own journey, explore my own creativity and allow me to reverse roles with the community. I have in effect, as an artist, begun to find my a new voice of my own, much in the same way

as I support others to find theirs'