A 20 day week



Manchester-London-Manchester-Hebden-Manchester-Hebden-Manchester-Hebden-Manchester-London-Manchester-Hebden-Manchester-Elland-Manchester-Blackburn-Manchester. lie in.

Hebden treats me well



Week two into my Hebden Bridge Arts Festival Residency and the sun continues to beam at me as I cycle to the big red bus on the canal path from Todmorden, my home for a fortnight with J & TC. Treated with boundless tlc I'm not sure I'll be able to leave come Sunday. I am making a page-a-day publication in celebration of the town's 500th Birthday. Everyone I meet has a local story, a slice of advice, an invitation. The people here are like no other and each day I like the town more. I also like the rice crispie cakes at Waits Confectioners, a 90 pence piece sweet treat.

The Wellcome Picnic






On Saturday BABL travelled to London to the Wellcome Picnic in Cumberland Market, where the local Camden Community had a beautiful day in the sunshine sharing delicious food. I managed to gobble a sandwich between bibliotherapy consultations and the constant stream of curious visitors, though the shady oak tree and light breeze kept my woes at bay.

Libraries, Picnics & Buses.






On Monday I took my Bibliotherapy Artist's Book Library to Newcastle where I parked up outside the library and opened the boot to tempt the heavy hearts of Blaydon to share their woes with me in the blazing sun, while I prescribed them some reading relief. I also described and read from some of the wonderful books in BABL to an inspiring visually impaired book group.

On Sunday I headed to Yorkshire to perform BABL on a super double decker route master bus as part of the Hebden Bridge Arts festival. Despite the fateful football cries from the pub, I was kept busy prescribing artists' books to those who were captivated by words not goals. BABL will be on the bus once more this Sunday 4th July for a free perusal between 2pm - 6pm.

Introducing Herbert Finch



I feel so proud I could pop. My magnificent magical sister breathed out a beautiful baby boy yesterday afternoon after just a few hours of labour on pure will power alone. He has a ski-slope nose, tree-frog fingers, a downy back and a loved up Aunty, (my little Finch). She is my inspiration, always has been, always will be. I'm just a big ball of love today. x

Pipeline Projects - museum commissions

I have just been commissioned by Blackburn Museum and Art Gallery as part of the open shop project, to be resident in a disused shop for a month to engage the towns residents in their vast print and ephemera archive. I will be making mapping portraits of the locals who exchange their stories over free cups of tea.

I am journeying to London a lot of late, to immerse myself in the delicious receipt books housed at the Wellcome Trust. I'm brimful of 17th century recipes and remedies eager to try out on at home. An exciting new publication is in the pipeline to be distributed at the annual Wellcome Picnic held this summer in Camden. It's all rather appetite whetting .

As determined as a dandelion



The School of Life wrote a very poignant posting on determination a few days ago. I read it last night with a dear friend whom it seemed also very fitting. Sometimes it's easy to let yourself be blown about by the wind, and loose grasp of the roots that ground you. I then opened an email from another very special friend who sent me a quote from a book written by the inspiring Monty Don,
'I remember, many years ago, chatting to a man whilst waiting for the ferry to Mull and asking where he came from and he replied in the lovely singsong of the highlands and islands, 'My people belong to Gigha' which at the time - and now- I thought one of the most beautiful and poetic ways of describing one's roots. I now know that this is how almost all Scots will say where their home is. For many of us this is impossible. We do not necessarily feel that our people 'belong' anywhere or that we belong with them. For all the pity of that I also believe that you can arrive at where you belong and that this can be a subtle and diverse thing. But it matters terribly to find out where it is.'
It's just a thought that makes everything I'm doing just now feel important on a day that felt like I was the captain of a sinking ship. Be Brave as a Lion, Determined as a Dandelion. x

Wellcome Library


I feel it my duty to inform all who may remain ignorant of the wonder that is the Wellcome Trust Library. A Library brim full of knowledge on science, medicine, society, wellbeing, magic and witchcraft. The calmest of London spaces furnished in the rich green landscape of spines/lecterns/marble/mahogany desks. Handsome scholars and helpful staff. What more does a nosey artist need.



Reading for Reading's Sake


A BABL outing to Islington Mill for an informed weekend reading event. Perfect to gather momentum for the summer, be challenged by words and meet bookish books at every turn. The reading room became the talking room. Ssssh.



Herbarium delving

The winding stairwell to the hermit's tower in Manchester Museum's Herbarium, where head Botanist Leander Wolfensholm gave the members of the 'made' collective a uniquely insightful tour of the vast Victorian collection of plant specimens. We are planning to create a collaborative piece based on some of the themes brought about by the underused archive.