All in walking
Our lives, like footprints visible in the snow, are brief. To practice the art of living is to embrace the skills we have, to master acceptance, to change what can be changed and release unrealistic expectations. As an elder, this is an act of embodying wisdom.
I’ve found a new friend and companion, my walking stick. I visualise all the repetitive exercises I do during the day within the shape of my walking stick handle and draw my journey of post operative recovery. Round and round we go as my steps become more confident and less wobbly. A landscape of days and journey lines.
I have worked with shadows before. Taking photographs and drawing the lines they make that are a part of the object yet separate entities in themselves. Like putting a frame around pain and learning to dance with the shadow self.
History wraps itself around you when walking anywhere in England. I’ve just discovered a town with a museum named King John’s Hunting Lodge. Although King John died well before this building was erected, it is a nod to him and the town in Somerset which features plenty of historical references and old buildings.
Permission to play is a ticket to freedom. Being immersed in nature at Dartington has been about allowing myself to notice what I’m interested in, which in turn has become the focus of experimental and playful art making.
Is there still magic in the world? At Wiseman’s Wood on Dartmoor in Devon, the ancient oak trees entwine their branches to whisper their stories. You start to feel the presence of otherworldly beings all around. Strap on your boots and go!
