Tuesday, November 9, 2021

Full circles and getting things done

 Some things take time, a lot of time.  Last year I began the conversation with Robyn about the most recent poems that would be printed to celebrate and honour her daughter Sophie's life. Over a number of years Robyn has selected a poet to honour Sophie.  We have worked together to then bring the poems into being, in a beautiful manner - beauty really mattered to Sophie (a highly accomplished young poet, who died aged 22).

Each edition is a numbered edition of 22 only, to reflect Sophie's age when she died, and I have been involved in different ways - sometimes large, sometimes small, but always with a sense of how special it is to be involved in such a beautiful honouring.

In 2019 the work was called Sometimes the Soul - see here.

In 2017 the work was a piece Sophie herself had written, Self Portrait as a Reflection see here.

In 2021 the work is called lips over a waterfall, by Nathan Shepherdson, a series of small, connected poems.

Once again I did the calligraphy for the title - simple, flowing, connecting lettering...

Along the way Robyn and I spoke of our delight in unbound books, allowing the reader to move through the book in their own way.  And this was the approach chosen for Nathan's poems.

Whilst Nathan does suggest a reading sequence, (starting with 22!), you are free to wander through the words as you wish.

For the second time, Robyn has also chosen to create a small poster with all of the poems within it - a chance for more than 22 people to enjoy the words.




Some pixelation is occurring in the photos; but the work is crisp and clear, and soft and beautifully velvety in the hand.

Robyn dropped them in on Sunday - a true delight!

Along the way, another glimpse of the most recent commission, from behind.

And the mundane continues - with lots of cards being printed and illustrated - here is a birthday bouquet!


The Red Thread finishes on Sunday - hard to believe.  The show has sold really well and it has been just wonderful to show the work of the four of us together; and to have so many people delight in it and enjoy the works. And purchase many of them.

I love seeing red dots, knowing artists are selling and people are getting to have beautiful art in their lives and their homes.

Here is a link to a video walk through I did the night before we opened - the show was hung, but nothing was yet sold.  Apologies for my rather bad voice over, but that's life! Enjoy!

3 comments:

  1. Sophie's poetry is wondrous ... what a loss, on so many levels ... and to honor her life thusly is so fitting

    Nathan's words are stunning ... I started to write down his amazing turns of phrase until there were too many and I just stopped writing and let the reading of them carry me ... heart broken in the end

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  2. thank you so much for sharing, I have gone to her website and am in awe of the poetry she wrote at such a young age

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  3. I like what you've done to honor Sophie. Such a moving story !

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