THE IMPORTANCE OF TIME

The more I visit Epsom & Ashtead commons the more I realise that it is time that is of importance to me and hence to this residency. The privilege of simply walking a familiar route, and is nearly always the same route that I walk, taking my own sweet time and seeing the changes in the plants, the animals and the trees, it is enough for me. I feel a pressure to make something, a photograph or a drawing, but it is enough surely just to be in a space.

To prove that I do make something here is a photo of a Meadow brown butterfly on a thistle.

DEAD TREE

katrina Naomi, Oil Pastels on paper

Katrina Naomi, a poet, responded to one of the dead trees within the triangular pre-historic earthwork on Ashtead Common with this startling piece, which is an oppositional affirmation of life, with it's vibrant colours and inherent energy.

DRAWING

Christine Nicholls, Epsom Tree, pencil on paper

Sunday was a great day for conversation, walking and drawing, and it seems that we had some very skilled artists along, Chrissie made this elegant piece of work in less than 15 minutes, quite something.

SECOND ARTWALK

Yesterday we had almost the perfect weather for the second Artwalk of 2013, the showers typically only came when we sat down to eat or draw, the rest of the time sun and some light winds accompanied our progress. The sun has bleached the coulour out of the grasses revealing spiders webs full of seeds and grass hoppers clinging to stems.

Some very impressive drawings were made before the rain, and I hope the artists involved may upload their work over the next few weeks. For me the conversations we had were the highlight of the day.

Walking, conversation and art, a perfect day.