Hi there.

Thanks for popping in. I do hope you are coping with the heat! We’ve had a few storms and showers, which are very welcome. But you know what they say about the weather in England. If you don’t like it – wait a minute!

I wanted to tell you about our rather splendid day out yesterday. It was a Dave plan. During the week he had asked me

“Fancy a day out on Saturday?”

“Sure. What do you have in mind?“ Because you can rest assured that Dave is a man with a plan…

Up early on Saturday, dressed and out the door by 10. First stop: Ticehurst, a beautiful art gallery called Greenfinch, off the main drag. There was a lovely woman from Maidstone called Judith, giving a talk and demo on reduction lino-printing. Learned so much! And what was really impressive was that she had only been doing it for 7 years. Her work was astoundingly good. She said that the moment she went to a beginners class back in 2019 and started carving, it hooked her. Much like I was when I discovered pottery in 2018. The minute I touched the clay, I had found my happy place. Where’s yours? Please tell me it’s Papercraft and Clarity!

Next stop: Newhaven. Remember a couple of weeks ago, I told you about that fab exhibition we went to down there, called 50 years of print? And that memorable evening with Orla Keily and Anthony Burrill? Never to be forgotten – to be gently taken out of the memory box and savoured from time to time. Well, Dave had found out that yesterday was the last day of the exhibition, and that the printers from Wadhurst – who were actually organising the gig – were selling the original prints straight off the walls from 2pm. All proceeds were going to a charity called Artsemergency. Clever. The rules were very simple: one print per person. £30 a print. Prints behind glass not for sale. Prints with red dots not for sale. First come, first served.

So we parked up by the fresh fish shop on the other side of the harbour (ice box in the car, ready to pick up Sunday lunch on the way out of town), walked across the famous swing bridge, and made our way to the art space on the wharf. There were already a lot of people milling about, and there was a definite queue forming. In true English style, we join the line, established a good rapport with the lady in front, then I left Dave there while I took a stroll around and decided which one I would love. Picked a few back ups, just in case the people ahead of me in the queue picked that particular one. It was easy for me. A whole section of Orla Keily prints. I was very drawn to the two girls, but wasn’t holding my breath – anything original and signed by Orla would be perfect. Dave did the same, and found a rare one from Anthony Burrill. I took photos…

On an aside, I learned a long time ago never to get emotionally attached to anything material. I had an Audi TT once. It was my pride and joy. I loved that car. Then it was stolen out of our garage, never to be returned. I had been like a woman possessed. Spent at least a year scouring the region, obsessively searching for my beautiful British racing green Audi TT. Of course, it had probably been chopped up and exported for parts, but the point is, I had to learn a valuable lesson: never get emotionally attached to an object – even if you own it. So there in the queue I was just enjoying being part of something exciting, and happy to be lucky enough to own ANY print. I watched a woman in the queue ahead of us getting frantic, because each print she had earmarked for herself was being chosen by somebody ahead of her. Dave and I quietly kept checking on the two we particularly liked, and they kept quietly winking back at us.

Then it was our turn. The older gentleman asked me to show him which I liked and we talked while he took the print down – thumb-tack holes and all. Turns out he was the organiser and owner of the print shop Harvey Lloyd Screens in Wadhurst. What a gentleman. He made sure I got the signed one I had set my sights on. Then Dave was escorted to his choice. Helluva print. We were so chuffed!! Paid our £60 and skipped off back to the car in the rain – via the fish shop.

Ahh look. This one is entitled FRIENDS. No wonder I was drawn to it.

Bought some delicious real Kent cherries from Faversham from a roadside trailer on the way home. Perfect Saturday. Thank you Dave. I am learning that you really do have to carpe diem – seize the day.

Love and Clarity,

Barb x x x