Blog 2 A Reader's Pass

As my arm has been hurting I have had to cut down how much actual writing I do. This has led me to find other things to do related to the Memoir. Yesterday I went to the British Library after getting my Reader's Pass and looked at a book by Clive Ball 'Seven Years with Samantha". Samantha was a pale blue and black 1929 Austin Seven and we met on a beach in Karachi in 1965. Because of the Indo Pakistan war , all overlanders were stranded waiting for a boat to sail to Bombay and we had a camp in the sand dunes at Hawks Bay. He hadn't written much about Karachi as his book covered a round the world trip but there was a picture of the car being loaded onto the boat as I remember it.
   The experience of getting my pass and going into the Library was exciting. This was a library, as in the past ,with helpful , efficient librarians and silent reading. There were public areas and cafes and people eating sandwiches but there was also a stillness and sense of learning. I met an Australian lady who was researching Hannah Marshman a distant relative who was the first English woman  missionary to India in about 1800. I wondered how many people had special stories to tell of relatives and who we all were walking around this big space.
   I have also been dyeing old linen that mum had stored in bright colours of India. I have decided to make a textile quilt about my journeys. I don't know what it will look like as it is process led and will evolve. The old linen and lace is natural fibre so takes colour brilliantly. There is something wonderful about enjoying pure colour for what it is and layering different colour lace to see the colours react.
  I am only allowing about 15mins of handwriting a day, its annoying as I want to get the rough finished for proof reading but I am having to go with reality and allow other ideas to surface. I enjoyed my library experience and went to Mughal India Art exhibition too. There was a lovely minature showing a locust and a Monarch Butterfly wing- both insects I remember- watch this space.....

Blog 1 - Starting a Memoir

Writing age 9yrs with charcoal burners and my Dad in Syria.

Among my Mum's papers I found the two sheets of paper, pot marked with typewritten punctuation. The tightly packed text had bled out on the Indian paper through age but I was looking at myself age 11yrs and the account I wrote of the day when the King of Nepal and I celebrated our birthdays together on June 11th 1966. This together with my Mum's diaries has encouraged me to join The Memoir project 500 handwritten books which will be based in the Brooklyn Art Library. This is run by The Sketchbook Project. My Mum had always intended to share her writing but the need to work and life in general got in the way. Her death has encouraged me to share my rather unusual childhood and to look at how my travels influenced my work as an Artist .
The hand writing has caused some physical problems because I got a bit over enthusiastic and am now having to rest and try different activities.
I have decided to go on a personal journey this year which will involve travel , The Memoir and some art work under the heading Interwoven Journeys.
www.sketchbookproject.com