Connection Creativity & when Community come to your rescue!
*Lots of interesting links in this month’s 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 year's 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 the UK - Liverpool.
Gary - UK - Brighton-based - screen printer & owner of theprivatepress.
Rob AKA Supermundane - UK - London based Graphic artist & poet & writer - 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 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.
The White Pube have a book called Poor Artists coming out soon - co-written by Gabi.
Supermundane has a book coming out, also.
Check out the Private Press shop 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.
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!
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 fibula... 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, and Community have 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 has been ever since I arrived 5 1/2 years ago.
I am affectionately referred to by the local lady in the post office & the Mayor’s 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, who’s always pretty much done everything herself, and has a 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 😻
