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.

Cheryl Beer & LegaC Contemporary Dance Troop at D13

 

 

 

 

As you know, The Dragon Tree took up a great deal of my life over the last year. One of the groups that joined me on that journey was LegaC Contemporary Dance Troop, funded by Arts Care Gofal Celf.

 

 

The girls did a wonderful dance to my Mermaid Scales piece, based on the rhythm of sign language and we filmed it down on a private beach at my friend's farm Morfa Isaf.

 

 

 

After the Dragon Tree funding had finished and the initial tour ended, the troop asked me if I would come with them to D13 Dance Festival and sing Mermaid Scales live with them.

 

What a treat and a great way of saying thank you to them for all their incredible work & to thank the wonderful Laura Jenkins, who is the Dance Development Manager, currently on maternity, and Zosia Jo who co-choreographed the pieces and is now covering Laura's role at Arts Care Gofal Celf.

 

I sang live with them on stage and it felt amazing, but to be honest, whilst performing it was hard to see the whole picture.

 

 

They had also choreographed a piece of their own about The Body Politic to one of my older tracks called French Baguettes which was a song co-written with Jeff Beer from my Award Winning Album Little Fish: Bare Bone Songs back in the late 1990's.

 

Well, I can not tell you how absolutely awe inspiring it is to watch a group of young women dance to one of your songs!! I wept at the end. And to be honest, when I watch it back, I weep every time!! Mostly I think because I have watched these young women grow so beautifully as dancers and as people over the last few years, and it is so very moving to watch someone else's interpretation of your work, through another genre.

  

 

 

 

Thank you, thanks a million, no, thanks a squillion to LegaC and even more so to Arts Care Gofal Celf who are genuinely making a difference to the arts community, visibly building self worth via the arts and creating a platform for all artists to come together and collaborate. BIG respect!

 

 

Split Blogging

 

I have decided to split my blogging!

 

As you will have seen in the last post, I have started a new blog called The Tethered Fairy Ring and this will be dedicated entirely to my own journey in creating this new production, from now through to the performance tour ... so it will be a bit like the journey we have just taken with The Dragon Tree. In fact, the new storyline dove tails out of The Dragon Tree. You can find out all about it by going over  and becoming a member of The Tethered Fairy Ring ...

 

http://tetheredfairyring.blogspot.co.uk/

 

 

So, what about this blog? Well, this blog will become the place where I write about all the other things that are going on in my life!! All my community work, collaborations, performances and arts experience outside of the sacred space of The Tethered Fairy Ring ... It will be my personal perspective on being a freelance artist of many genres, in many different settings ...

 

I suppose this blog is a community 'me' ... a 'we' me! Whereas my creative work for The Tethered Fairy Ring is my very private and personal creative space, a space that I found out I need in my life, through my Fusion Inspire journey. It is not new for me to combine all the arts in which I am involved, to inspire others ... it is new for me to make space to ensure that I can work in all those mediums to inspire myself ... and I want to keep that space in a very safe place ... and where safer than inside a fairy ring!

Fusion through glass

Remember how in the beginning of this journey I showed you the work of my inspirational friend Sherrall Morris .. I felt as though the piece of glass she had made represented what it was that I wanted to achieve ... a fusion of different elements to make the whole of who I am creatively ...

 

When I started touring The Dragon Tree, Sherrall sent me this lovely pendant that she had made me for good luck ...

 

How poignant that now the piece is fused in such a way that you see it totally as a whole!

 

The eye is aware that there are many pieces of glass, but they are seen as one.

 

Thankyou Sherrall. I wore it throughout the tour.

Thanks Simon!

Although literally 100's of you have been sharing and tweeting about #thedragontree for me, for which I bless you and send you much love ... the other person in addition to Mark Jones in my last blog, who has been so wonderfully supportive, tweeting and asking his connections to re-tweet #thedragon tree is the actor who is in the clip:  the very beautiful, Simon Morgan- Thomas.

 

When he smiles, he lights up the room!

 

I met Simon at Mess up the Mess, which is a youth theatre company in Carmarthenshire. I was doing song writing workshops and he was an actor doing african drumming with the young people. We clicked straight away. Well, anyone with a room full of african drums is hard not to like!

 

So, I asked Simon if he would be Dafydd, the main character in The Dragon Tree, but he wasn't available for the whole of the shoot schedule. This led me to the idea of having many incarnations of Dafydd, linked by wearing the same hat, scarf and braces. Infact, it was Simon who inspired me to write The Dragon Tree book by asking me the back story of the character.

 

Simon was fabulous! I went to see him perform at Dylan Thomas Centre in Swansea and was blown away. I met his parents and what a lovely family they are.

 

I chose the Mad Man clip as a show reel because it is one of my favourite clips from the 50 minute film. I had no idea that Simon would get right behind it and work so hard helping to get it out there!

 

He managed to get the likes of Karen Price from Media Wales on board tweeting, Chapter Arts Centre and even The Film Agency for Wales ... for which I am so grateful!

 

If you need an actor who not only is creative, imaginative, daring and lovely to be with, but committed to supporting the arts and helping others ... then look no further than ...

 

 Simon Morgan-Thomas!

 

Here's his equity details ...

Equity No. 322 839

Spotlight Pin. 2610-1275-5430

 

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 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'

Dragon Tree Arts Installation at St.Cadoc's Church, Trevethin

 

Dai collage looked a treat in St.Cadoc's church

We had 2 volunteer lighting technicians join us, 14 year old Cory and 16 year old Spencer.

 

 

And their lighting lit Dai up a treat!

They did a great job!

 

 

I decided to put Dai on the floor. I wanted him on the stage area sitting with the uke lads but he was so big, he took up half the stage!

 

 

 

Afterwards, Liz , one of the church volunteers, asked if Dai Collage could stay behind!!

I think he might have liked to, but he will be busy in galleries speaking my lyrics in welsh again, very soon!

Behind the Scenes!

You know, being a film maker, singer, song writer, installation artist, author, director, editor, performer & musician isn't all

as glamourous as it may seem!!!

Was up at the crack of dawn yesterday doing all the little things that make a big difference, like the dreaded IRONING!!

And today, we were up at the crack of dawn to go and pick up the van ... we've been loading it all day! It's like a jigsaw puzzle!

Days and days of work for under 2 hours of perfromance! It will take us longer than that to drive to Trevethin, St.Cadoc's church from our home in Carmarthenshire!

And today, you've guessed it, my old friend stress has come back with a vengeance!! He's attached to my back whispering panic-y things in my ear just now. I take a deep breath and say with a smile,' what will be, will be' but stress knows me well, and he's a persistent so and so who will not rest until he has drained me of all sleep and rational thinking!

#thedragontree JEEPERS CREEPERS!!! I'M TRENDING!! well, almost!

 

JEEPERS CREEPERS!!!!

I put my show reel from The Dragon Tree, called Mad Man, on Youtube on Saturday and then I asked all my facebook friends to share it, tweet it & help me to reach out to

a cyberspace audience!

 

AND IT HAS HAD OVER 13,000 VIEWS

IN 5 DAYS!!!

 

I am utterly and totally blown away to have a piece of my work, that I have written, performed, filmed, directed, edited & produced ...

an idea in my head that I have made real,

reaching out across the world!!!

 

Thankyou so much to absolutely every person that has shared & tweeted, re-shared & re-tweeted

 Mad Man ...

 

If YOU would like to help me too, then please feel free to share or tweet this link

with your chums.

#thedragontree

 

Thanks muchly

Chez xx

 

 

Buy your copy of The Dragon Tree Concept Album on Bandcamp

Thank You Pressies!

 

 

Big thank you to everyone who has written to me thanking me for The Dragon Tree experience, from a Dad who can't believe his son's input, to audience members who have been compelled to email. I am absolutely blown away!

Had to show you this lovely little thank you gift of flowers and a welsh doll from Johnstown Primary School Eco Council, who performed the Dance of the Ribbons at Altwallis Wind Farm, NBGW and St.David's Cathedral.

Good Luck Cards

Just wanted to say thankyou so much everyone for all the lovely Good Luck Cards that I've received throughout the tour. I can't put them all up on here but this one is from Jo Day Lewis, one of my oldest and dearest friends, we met in what seems like another lifetime when we were fresh faced teenagers training to be Learning Disability nurses!

The Dragon Tree Show Reel!

 

Here's a 4 minute clip of the Dragon Tree film for you to get an insight into the full film. Please feel free to share this from youtube with your chums ... would love it if you did.

Thanks a squillion!

The Dragon Tree & The Goddess

 

Had a wonderful afternoon tpday with Carol Lovekin who has very kindly lent me her beautiful hand made banner for The Dragon Tree in Trevethin 28th February at St.Cadoc's Church 6.00pm. T'is the banner she kindly lent us for Celtic Womenfest last Summer, so I'm very excited to be taking her Goddess on a new adventure! The banner will hang behind us on the stage.

Carmen Jones of Trevethin

I'm also planning to hang Sam Collins' Dream installation from the lighting rig so that it hangs over the pews above the audience heads.

 

Then my arts installation will be on stage with me and the other musicians.

 

I'm being joined by Amanda Painting on piano and the Ukulele lads form Swansea Ukulele Group as well as Sam Collins and some of the chidlren from Bigyn Primary School are also coming to Dolphin Dance.

 

I'm so excited to go back to Trevethin. It holds many happy memories for me from when I was Artistic Director of Carmen Jones of Trevethin with TSP Voices and many community groups. It is a beautiful church that transforms into a theatre space.

 

After the live performance we will watch my Dragon Tree film on the big screen.

 

Be fabulous to see you there folks!

 

Dancing ribbons with the Eco Council

 

I had an email today from Miss Brunt, the teacher who has been leading and co-ordinating the children from Johnstown Primary School Eco Council in their ribbon dance, based on the work they did with Fiona Winter when we filmed at Altwallis Wind Farm, whilst taking part in the live performances of The Dragon Tree.

 

The children have a gift for me and would like me to call in tomorrow to pick it up.

They would like me to bring my guitar and perform my Dance the Ribbon song ..

 

So that they can dance for the other children and show them what they have been doing with me.

Sounds like it will be fun.