All who wander are not lost. J.R.R. Tolkien

All who wander are not lost. Roisin Markham 

I came across this quote during my internet wandering a few weeks ago. I liked it so much I wrote it on a beach stone and it now sits on my desk.
What does it mean to you? let me know in the comments or tweet me
I keep bumping into it... For me it resonates deep into my need for exploration, pottering about, being in nature and nurturing my soul.
Last week as work projects came together and milestones were meet the Christmas season rolled into town. Everyone in our house has been sick and in and out of school/work... so preparations have been less then on target. Ah it will be all fine on Monday midnight and if its not it will be what it is and we shall have a 5am start anyway.
Unusually for me (being self employed) I had a Christmas party to go to - I have a small group of twitterbloggerFBratti that have become good friends, we try to meet up every month or so and keep tabs on each others blogs, work and lives. Suz @VibrantIreland suggested that we should go to #Winterville and in October it seemed like a good plan. It turned out be be a great plan,I'd trust her implacably to plan a tour and event anywhere. About two weeks ago I suggested we make it an over night plan which developed into complimentary rooms at Dooley's Hotel on the Quays in Waterford, it was wonderful to be looked after so well. Catherine @Foxglovelane and Dee @Greensideup are part of the posse and this time out we were joined by Susanna @ZwartablesIE.

We had excellent lunch and drinks at Bodega. We had such a laugh sitting in the window, enjoying good food and great company. As with social media mavens they were photographing their food and tweeting it - I still find that funny! Then there was chat about devices, apps and the best of! As we tweeted and chatted @Bodega joined in and as Lunchtime became well 4pm Colm came over and introduced himself. I enjoyed that.
As we left to go and enjoy the festival on the street of Waterford it was dark and felt very festive. While they flew down Helterskelters and went on merry go rounds I enjoyed the bright lights and laughed along side them.

Light show at Winterville, Waterford.

When people are together hanging out cameras, phones capture laughter fun and the scene around them. But what we experience is just ours. Even in a group our experiences are collective and individual. There photos were joyful and playful as were some of mine but... my favourite shot is the one of shadows...

showing the development of the top image

Even in a city of bright lights with lots of people about I find a moment to capture a shadow of nature and the illusion of a person reflected on to a very different streetscape. Sometimes it suits me to wander...
Have a lovely Christmas I hope it is full of all those things you love.

'a stitch in time', threaded Stories Commission

The finished piece hangs in my studio this morning.
I've loved working with the community and staff around St.Brigid's Family Resource Centre their stories, memories, fragments, harsh realities and Waterford city's social history from 1984 - 2009.

woven stylised St. Brigids cross, Roisin Markham 2011

These threaded stories were collected from staff and the community that use St.Brigids it is positioned in front of a large montage of artefacts, documents, photographs, newsletters, newspaper articles, annual reports, strategic plans, etc. I ran workshops, interviews and there was an open invitation for people to send in their memories and stories. Staff were invited directly via a worksheet.
Their are two other pieces to go with this work. A poem and a future kit.
I'll be away working the weekend, it is nice to think of the work in my studio space settling over the weekend.
I'm presenting the threaded stories commission, 'a stitch in time' tonight at a Pecha Kucha in Glencree Peace and Reconciliation Centre at an event organised by Bluedrum.
Documentation of the work will be wrapped up and presented formally by the end of June.

Holly, seeking traditions & associations

Holly, Roisin Markham

I'm doing some research on Holly, otherwise know as Ilex aquifolium or in Irish An Cuileann. I have researched some of its uses and varieties and associated history. But I was wondering did you have any tales or folklore around holly? Would you like to share them?

Great post on http://www.gardenplansireland.com which I will quote
Our native holly plant has a strong association with Christmas on this isle, one which can be traced back as far as the time of the Celtic druids. These “wise men” regarded holly as the king of winter, its over-wintering evergreen leaves and bright red berries reaching the height of their glory on the winter solstice (December 21st). 

After that time the druids other revered plant, the oak tree would displace the holly, then rise in power as its leafy coat became renewed by the oncoming spring. 
You can click here to read more information on there site.

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Holly

Gorey Family Play Day

Gorey Town Park 2 -5pm, Saturday 1st August 2009.
The one and only place to be on the bank holiday weekend. You can go to Wexford on the Sunday and the Tinahely agricultural show on the 3rd but the first of August belongs to Gorey and the excellent afternoon of activities planned for family fun in the town park.
A free family fun play day as part of the 150 years celebration of Gorey Town Council. Hosted by Wexford County Council it is a welcome addition to the summer schedule.

I have been working with the Arts Officer in Wexford CC, Rosaleen Molloy to plan some ARTS fun. It has been great fun to think about what different age groups might want and engage in.
I'll post the full list when I have it.
So far Ballygarrett Art Studio has organised or is directly involved in:

• I live... here place a sticker on the map to show where you have come from for the day.
• Community Circus performances plus play and learn
• Jigsaw search and make
• That’s rubbish – but can it be art? Transforming rubbish into something, exploring the afterlife of an object in reuse, recycle; coffee cups & plastic bottles into objects, aluminium cans into metal sculptures. Demonstration & make and do.
• Flying things. Paper planes, kites (things to run around with)
• Newspaper Flappers. Draw fish, decorate them and cut them out. Grab a newspaper and flap the fish in one of the Newspaper Flappers races.
• Bui Bolg ‘Fox in the Bin’
• Face painting
• Knitting circle for some full on clackity clack show and teach session for all ages (if your a knitter come and join in bring what your working on and sit and knit with others)
• Demonstrations of traditional crafts: Willow weaving, Spinning & weaving, Felt making, Pole-lathe turning

There will also be sports, traditional games, messy play, a DJ, climbing wall, skate boarding action, clown, puppet show and lots more...

See you there!

Celebrations and the marking of time

I became another year older yesterday. I have chosen to celebrate not with a party or cake or drinks but with an invitation to celebrate by marking time in a significant and personal way for me.
I've circulated an request to family, friends and neighbours to write something on a sheet of newspaper and give to me. Then I am going to make tight thin tubes out of all the sheets of newspaper and weave them in an urn.

There are other pieces to the project. I will post as it unfolds. I've gotten two pages already. So lovely the thoughts in them so personal, honest and heartfelt.

If your looking for a different way to celebrate; marking of time, rites of passage, someone special I can facilitate and design something for you. I am open to talk with you about a special event or workshop based on using art and soul for celebrations, occasions or closure, email me ballygarrettartstudio(at) gmail.com.

The studio is a good place for gifts with a difference. If you are looking for gifts I work on commissions and have a range of affordable and excellent paintings, textiles and collages for sale at the studio.