Connection Creativity & when Community come to your rescue!
8 MINUTE READ
*Lots of interesting links in this months email - Brownie points if you make it to the promised cat content at the end of the email before getting distracted... but please do get distracted!
Connection
April saw us hosting the first of this years 'Co Living For Creatives' Programme (CLFC) here at The Mill France.
I was joined by:
Tahney - Arts Writer, her partner Reece & their rescue pet rabbit Enzo - our first rabbit guest here!
Anita - Amsterdam based Artist & Writer.
Gabi - Art Writer and one half of the @The White Pube Art Writing/ Critic Duo based in UK - Liverpool.
Gary - UK - Brighton based - screen printer & owner of theprivatepress.
Rob AKA Supermundane - UK - London based Graphic artist & poet & writer Artist - on his second visit here.
If you want to read more about how it went Gabi & Gary tell it in their own words:
Gabi has beautifully written a review here of her time at The Mill - you can listen to her read it also (which made me cry)
Gary also wrote some lovely words and has some stunning images of his experience here
See here for more information about The Co Living for Creatives Programme including dates later this year.
The White Pube have a book called Poor Artists coming out soon - co written by Gabi - you can pre order here
Supermundane has a book coming out also you can pre order it here
Check out The Private Press shop here for some beautiful prints by some of the UK's finest Contemporary artists. Gary & I are planning something exciting for 2025.
Sign up to Art Writer Tahney’s email for some gritty/ en point art musings/ reading lists/ artist interviews/ reviews & beautiful Vlogs.
Creativity
Last week I had the pleasure of hosting 5 Women Artists from California: Nancy, Niki, Courtney, Fern and their group art teacher Melisse.
By Niki
It wasn't quite the experience we had planned, but perhaps it could be described as a more Authentic experience? Spot the unexpected surprise in the photo below - Clue: That's me at the front on the bottom step, FYI - I'm not sitting down cos I'm a Lazy Host!
Visiting US artists with Me
Connection
The day before the artist group from California arrived, carrying a big basket, full of heavy linen sheets I slipped on the stairs... wearing, ironically... stupidly slippery slippers.
I told myself the pain in my ankle and up my leg was only a sprain. It could only be a sprain as I did not have time for it to be anything more. I was far, far too busy for it to be anything else. There is never a good time for this to happen I guess. I was wrong... spiral fracture of the fibular... not part of the plan.
What I've learned and why I chose to write about this here, is not to garner lots of sympathy and attention, but because it highlights what Community means.
The 3 C's have always been part of the ethos here.
Connection, Creativity, Community has always been part of the Bee/ Circular Mill Stone/ Hexagon logo - in fact that's what the 3 elements signify.
I've written and talked before about creating a place of community.
I've written and talked about how welcoming the local community have been ever since I arrived 5 1/2 years ago.
I am affectionately referred to by the local lady in the post office & the Mayors office as ' Notre Anglaise' (Our english one) as I am still the only English person in the village.
Today I'm writing about how the local community, my neighbours Daniel, Helene, Alex, Patrick, my friends Martin, Shelley, Mimi & Vincent, my friend Victoria ordering things on line foe me, my eldest son Oscar (who managed to 'work from home' in France instead of the office in London, a group of 5 women artists who I'd only spoken to over zoom. ALL of whom came together as a Community to help me.
It's brought up a few things in me for sure... some great material here for a psychologist I'm sure!
I'm a stubborn, independent, perfectionist, whos always pretty much done everything herself, and has strong sense of duty when it comes to delivering what has been promised. And I'm definitely more used to taking care of others. All this makes me perhaps (a teeny bit) not the easiest person in the world to help!
But what this misadventure has shown me is how strong this community is. How determined they are to look after each other.
How friends have enjoyed stepping in and being local tour guides and dinner companions… and the ultimate flexibility and kindness from virtual strangers, coming to stay and ending up taking care of me… which was so not what they signed up for!
I'm learning that community is a two way thing, about receiving as well as giving.
That helping another human in distress is a natural instinct.
And that despite being the stubborn, independent, perfectionist who's better at looking after others than herself... despite all that...
I am loved.
A healing that I didn't know needed to happen.
So much gratitude for all that I'm learning... not just new hopping skills and 'Bossing It', in the kitchen with my Alan Sugar-esque office chair on wheels!
And for those of you who made it to the end... Your prize! Here is the cat content I promised 😻
Bonus Rabbit photo of Enzo - by Tahney