BOOK LAUNCH

On Wednesday, 6th September 2017 Andy Wild and I will launch our book of Wordsworth's best-loved, shorter poems - illustrated by contemporary Lakeland artists

The launch will take place at The Brewhouse at Burgundy's - a wine-bar and exhibition space here in Kendal, Cumbria (UK) - starting at 18.30

YOUR INVITATION!

You are all welcome - so book your flights now!

The small exhibition (one evening only) will show the originals of the art work published in the book. There will be music and some readings but essentially it is a celebration and a chance for Andy and I to meet and thank our contributors personally

BUT WHY WORDSWORTH?

William Wordsworth

William Wordsworth (1770-1850) is largely responsible historically for putting the 'Lake District' on the geographical/cultural map for he was the first major English poet to celebrate this beautiful part of England. 

Even today - in Cockermouth, Ambleside, Grasmere, Rydal Mount and beyond - his association with this region is palpable, with the Wordsworth Trust dedicated to preserving his memory and influence on English literature

Lake Windermere from Orrest Head - James Baker Pyne (1800-1870). This is how Windermere would have looked to Wordsworth himself

The basic idea for our book, therefore, was to invite contributors to select a short poem by William Wordsworth and illustrate it in their own style and in a medium of their choice 

We pre-selected the poems and distributed the file to anyone interested in participating

We were thrilled at the response and this is my chance to introduce you to the regional artists who made this book possible

ANDY WILD (1)

The front-cover illustration is by Andy Wild whose acrylic work is characterised by intense colours, textured paint and fluid shapes

Andy is also co-editor of this book 

Andy Wild

This first painting (above) was inspired by a sequence from 'The Prelude' in which Wordsworth recounts his crossing of the Alps on foot in 1790. At that time this ancient 'pass' into Italy was little more than a steep, very rugged donkey track

 Simplon Pass, Switzerland

Andy's painting captures much of the drama of that journey with its 'black dazzling crags',  cascading waterfalls and 'unfetted clouds' represented here by a swirl of colours in which Andy's characteristic 'snake' shape (it's not a snake!) cuts its path from left to right

Detail

The idea of a front cover with an 'abstract' painting (Andy might disagree with this definition!) is quite bold as it is not a style or genre one might necessarily associate with an early 19C 'Romantic' poet but then these are contemporary illustrations and it pays to be bold sometimes!

But not all the submissions worked quite so well!

For example, the short section we had selected from Wordsworth's 'The Thorn' describes a thorn bush that is 'old and grey', and 'overgrown with lichens' - a 'wretched thing, forlorn'

MAT JimDogArt

Mat JimDogArt's submission did not fit this part of the poem. 
Had we included the poem in its entirety, his wonderful painting would have been entirely relevant and self explanatory. 

However, without the full poem it would have made no sense to our readers - that's why we dropped the poem from our list. 

However, so vibrant was Mat's wonderful tree that we had to include it - hence it's well-deserved, 'honorary' position on the inside front cover

When we talk about Wordsworth's 'best-loved poems' then I guess this next one - the first poem in our book - must be at the top of our list. 


TRACY LEVINE

It is - of course - 'I wandered lonely as a cloud' - illustrated by Tracy Levine's beautiful acrylic/mixed media painting:

Tracey Levine

Tracy was kind enough to allow us to take a detail from her original canvas  - the better to fit our elongated page - but if you have been lucky enough to see her recent exhibition at Brantwood then you would have seen this fine painting it in all its glory 

The photograph above shows the painting in its entirety

For me this painting is very atmospheric. The daffodil heads appear to be floating over the ground - above a soft, purple/pink haze. Beyond that, the small copse gently recedes into the distance giving this delicate landscape focal depth

Gorgeous!

It's worth mentioning at this point that throughout his life Wordsworth changed his poems, leaving a number of variants extant

Wordsworth by Benjamin Robert Haydon, 1818 (chalk drawing)

For example, the 'host of golden daffodils' was once a 'host of dancing daffodils'. Such changes made throughout Wordsworth's life created some problems for us when making our final selection

By and large we have used the Penguin edition (2004) edited by Stephen Gill but we have taken some poems from other editions since they contained versions more familiar to regular readers of Wordsworth

ANDY WILD (2)

Andy Wild's sumptuous illustration for the poem 'I travelled among unknown men' is another fine example of his work - full of rich colours, textures and those intricate patterns that liquid paint can form under the hand of a skilled painter

Andy has a Green Door studio next to mine on Market Place, Kendal so I often get to see these vibrant paintings being made - very exciting!

MARGARET AUGER

Margaret Auger's delicate watercolour (above) perfectly illustrates Wordsworth's poem ('Lines written in early spring') in which he reflects on a world in which 'every flower/Enjoys the air it breathes'

Moreover, Margaret's line and wash drawing exquisitely captures the fragile beauty of these 

delicate flowers. It is an example of subject and medium in perfect harmony

MARISA CRANE

Marisa Crane's illustration (above) for 'Near Dover- September, 1802' is an example of the wide range of media used by our contributors

Here she has used mixed media textiles on canvas - including an engraving of the poet himself and other Wordsworth ephemera

The result - an enigmatic and intriguing work that I particularly like for its ephemeral quality, sensitivity to texture and colour modulation

JAMIE BARNES

While we have, by and large, selected poems reflecting aspects of the Lake District, Wordsworth himself was much travelled and frequently wrote of places far beyond his beloved Cumberland

Jamie Barnes

'Composed upon Westminster  Bridge', for example, is perfectly suited to Jamie Barnes' monochrome etching (above) in which he unerringly captures the grey, smoky feel of early 19th Century London

Jamie's studio is also on Market Place, Kendal so occasionally I get to learn  - or at least discuss - some of the techniques he uses to produce his work

This one in particular is a subdued yet beautifully executed etching and is a view of the bridge and a London skyline that Wordsworth himself might well have recognised!

SARAH REID

Inevitably, landscape features much in our book for artists are often drawn to the challenges the lakes and mountains of Cumbria present  landscape painters - past and present

Sarah Reid's hauntingly beautiful pastel for 'It is a  beauteous evening, calm and free' captures exactly the latent spirituality that informs Wordsworth's poem

The solitary figure gazing contemplatively across a dark stretch of water encapsulates the tranquility of the moment

Pastel is a very subtle medium and for me the sky - to select just one part of this atmospheric drawing - is an absolute triumph!

SUE DAVID

Sue David

Sue David's monotype (above) for Wordsworth's 'Nightpiece' shows how evocative a few precisely incised lines against her own 'black-blue vault' can be

 It is almost Japanese in its (apparent) simplicity - with a majestic, dominant yellow moon against the sky's 'unfathomable depth'

I watched the various stages in the evolution of this exquisite image and know how she struggled to get the moon just right - well, it works and is a marvellous and very apposite   contribution to our book 

MIKE HEALEY (1)

Mike Healey - acrylic on canvas

The first of my two contributions to the book (above) was painted some years ago when I lived in France. What you see in the book is a section of this canvas.  

This painting was sold at an exhibition in Thessaloniki, Greece in 2014 and all that remains today here in the UK is the print that you will see exhibited at the Brewhouse.

Detail

It was originally inspired by an actual rainbow I saw in the Montaigne Noir region of SW France where I was living at the time. 

The splash of white represents a white bird that came from nowhere and suddenly passed in front of me as I was capturing the moment on my camera. The white acrylic paint was applied using my finger in one, 'brave' movement!

 The painting was actually done in my studio in Carcassonne some weeks later but the emotion I felt at the time is not unlike that expressed in Wordsworth's poem - hence its inclusion in this book

CLARE WHISTLER

Clare Whistler

Clare Whistler's amazing photograph (above) of a Celandine is deceptive, shot as it is from directly above the bowl containing the plant itself

The overall effect is painterly but without invalidating its strong, photographic quality and integrity. The delicacy of both flowers and stems is beautifully observed

I like this image enormously!

TRACEY ESCOLME

Tracey Escolme

Tracey Escolme's charming papercut is another of my favourite images in the book, not least because she has clearly taken such care to incorporate (visually) all the elements in Wordsworth's poem

Moreover, she does all this with a delicate wit that is quite beguiling.

For example, note (no pun intended!) how she represents Wordsworth's mention of 'song'  by those few notes of music seemingly floating on the breeze. Even the clock shows the  'full half-hour' the poet spent watching the butterfly

 However, Tracey's delicate handling of her scalpel reveals far more than mere technique for behind this delightful and original illustration lies a very sharp, observant eye

LYNN HAMMEL

One of the challenges we faced as editors was fitting some submissions into the elongated shape of our pages - Lynn  Hammel's 'woollen' church (below) is a case in point

Lynn Hammel

It's proportions were such that we could not enlarge it sufficiently, even if we turned it sideways. However, there are times when the charm and quality of a work  - such as this one - cries out to be included

If you enlarge the above image even further you will see more clearly the craftsmanship that has gone into this 'portrait' of a small, country church - the kind that 'poor Susan' might well have known in her own village

Each element, each strand of wool is glued in place onto the canvas, one small piece at a time - only the sky is painted!

This charming picture is  also full of wonderful period detail. Note, for example, the tiny architectural details on both gable ends and the wonderfully executed, cross-hatched lead windows on the chapel itself

Magic!

MIKE HEALEY (2)

Mike Healey

My second contribution (above) is a small collage based on a real dream I once had. Like many other people I suspect, I often dream of flying - hence the male figure in his pyjamas!

The 'backdrop' is hand drawn, using children's paint - the kind you buy in large plastic pots - while the architectural 'floor' is taken from a 16th Century architect's manual by Jan Vredeman de Vries

It's all a bit of a 'mash-up' but I hope it captures Wordsworth sombre mood in which, as so often with this poet, memories of death hover

SAM MOULD

Sam Mould's hanging canvas is just that, quite literally - a painted, partially coiled canvas that hangs suspended by a cord

At the time of writing this post I have not actually seen this work in the flesh but both Andy and I really look forward to hanging it at the Brewhouse

The idea that Sam has actually used water from the river Duddon, mixed with 'Cumbrian earth' to make her pigments is taking conceptual art to deliciously provocative heights

Bring it on, Sam! We love it!

HELEN STEER

Photographers have frequently found inspiration from the lakes and mountains of our region and we are lucky to have two fine examples in our book

The work of Helen Steer, for example, is widely respected and admired

Here we are lucky to have a perfect example of her sensitive response to sunlight on water and the subtle, infinite regression and colour permutations that make up a Lakeland sky

'There's joy in the mountains', says Wordsworth - to which Helen has added a focal depth and tranquility that is utterly engaging

BRIE WHARF

Brie Wharf

If further evidence were needed of the range and variety of work included in this little book, then look no further than Brie Wharf's delicate wire 'drawing' (above)

Wordsworth's poem is about the death of 'Lucy'. 'She is in her grave', he laments 'and, oh/The difference to me'

Part of the poignancy and charm of this tiny, recumbent female figure is created by the shadow it casts on the wall behind - giving it a gentle, somewhat fragile quality

This captures perfectly the sadness that underpins Wordsworth's gentle lamentation

LEE GASCOYNE

I very much like Lee Gascoyne's enigmatic painting (above) but it would be fair to say we had some difficulty fitting it to any of the poems we had originally chosen

In the end we persuaded Lee to let us chose an alternative poem to the one originally selected. Lee was gracious enough to agree!

The poem we chose is about the narrator's slow 'discovery' of the unnamed woman who is the subject of this reflective, somewhat discursive poem

Detail

The mirror image in Lee's painting - in which a man appears to be taking a photograph of them both - is a modern take on Wordsworth growing recognition and appreciation of his wife/sister/lover

Lee has told me that the mirror  in his painting was partly prompted by the mirror in Jan van Eyck's celebrated 'Arnolfini Portrait'

Jan van Eyck (1434)

There is some debate as to whether the wife shown here is pregnant or not. In Lee's painting, the young woman is - courtesy of a cushion up her jumper!

I have no idea why there are cardboard figures in the foreground or why the mirror is encased in a rubber tyre but then that is an intriguing part of this enigmatic, mildly disturbing picture

PETER BROOK

When Peter Brook first submitted his work for our consideration he presented us with two images - one of which was a photograph of his initial painting in situ, set against the same landscape his oil 'sketch' itself has captured

This was too good an opportunity to miss, for it shows landscape and its representation harmoniously linked in one, beautiful image

Detail showing original oil sketch

The poem itself explores the relationship between reality and imagination or the work of 'fancy' constructing its own, internal 'soft ideal scene'

This composite image does just that - but using paint on canvas and photography, juxtaposing one against the other

DANNY CLAHANE

The last image in our book is a photograph of a slate carving by Kendal-based sculptor

Danny Clahane 

The lines are taken from what many critics and readers regard as Wordsworth's masterpiece - 'Lines written a few miles above Tintern Abbey'

Although we have not included any extract from this long poem in our book, Danny's 

work provides a fitting end to our celebration of a great poet and the work of eighteen contemporary artist for whom the Lake District has a special connection

Footnotes/Credits

This is my blog so the comments and observations in this posting are entirely mine. If you would like to comment on this posting, then please do so. Constructive comments are always welcome

 I would like here to give special, heartfelt thanks my co-editor Andy Wild whose creative input and administration skills have made this book possible

Thanks also too to printers Alistair and Andrew at mtp-media, Kendal who helped us shape this book

MOREOVER

Elizabeth Tracey's work is currently on view at The Brewhouse, Burgundy's

Gorse - Elizabeth Tracey

Andy and I would like to thank her for allowing us to take down her exhibition for one night so that this book launch could take place. He exhibition continues until 31st October

We would also like to thank Janice Benson

Although this is not a Green Door production, she and the team have be very supportive in helping promote this project

ON SALE FROM WEDNESDAY

The book will be on sale at the launch on Wednesday 6th September and at selected outlets thereafter 

It retails in the UK at £7

If you would like to order your copy then simply email me at mike.healey@hotmail.com

Dove Cottage, Grasmere

If you would like to know more about the work of the Wordsworth Trust, then click on the link below:

WORDSWORTH TRUST

If you would also like to learn more about those artists who have contributed to this 'small but perfectly formed' publication, then visit the Green Door website:

GREEN DOOR

For those artists who are not part of Green Door, please access their work via their individual websites

All contact details are given at the back of the book itself  - so the sooner you buy one the sooner you can find out more about all these talented artists!

MIKE HEALEY