turn around

Joe with Sophie. I can't define how difficult it is to have my manchild leave, how heavy the heart is and yet the enormous pride in his ability to go and make his own way happily in the world.
{Pentax Spotmatic}

one year later

Almost exactly a year to the day I blogged about test shooting a Canon AE-1. I complained about several things; shortest focal length of 60 cms (simply not good enough for me, my friends) it's inability to render colour accurately and it's all round sluggishness. Hmmm, I sold it on.
However. Time marches on and a month or two ago I stumbled on another Canon AE-1. I admire many photographers who use one, especially when you get results like this, and as for the beautiful pictures that Marion takes…
So in the spirit of perseverance and thinking maybe I just had a dodgy one last time I gave this one a try.

My old complaints I had before with Canon v.1 are still there with v.2. So the lesson learned is this. When you find the tools that work for you, give you the results you want and help you find your voice, no matter what it is you are creating you are bound to flourish and enjoy. If the connection isn't there, move on…à chacun son goût.

breathing space

I've just found lurking on my hard drive some photographs taken way back in April and forgotten about in the drama of the last few weeks. So I'm planning on spending the next little while sorting and uploading photographs; updating my website; giving my flickr the kiss of life; opening my shop and most importantly beating my house and garden into order. 

My show went really well. It was a record amount of visitors for me and it was a really valuable experience, not just financially. Unlike many shows where you only get to mingle at the private view, shows like these give you a great opportunity to meet people and talk about your work (in French! argh!) and understand who really responds well or feel affected in some way and who just really doesn't get it or like it. I've decided my sculpture is very much like Marmite, and that pleases me. Nothing is worse than ambivalence. Of course the vagina comments were pretty regular, twice they were called ashtrays and I got a long, boring lecture from someone who felt I really should get with it and start using a digital camera as film is so old-fashioned. Sigh. Plus, having a rather French-looking name gives me chance to listen in on the English speakers who assume I am French, highly entertaining I tell you.

I have had to pull out of the next exhibition I had lined up, but I honestly think that I would have ended up rocking in a dark corner if I pushed myself to do it. I really need to calm down for a while and I have other, less demanding projects to keep me busy.

In other news, Harry is making an excellent recovery. He has another hospital visit tomorrow which should be the last for a while, but sadly he had to cancel a visit to see his parents this weekend as apparently punctured lungs and pressurised cabins are not a good mix. 

artistes à suivre

Today it starts. Here in France we have a four day holiday and I will be spending it at my show….

In the end, fate stepped in and I had to revise all my plans. My 3 week to do list never even got a look in, I snatched opportunities to work whenever possible and then put it together instinctively, making decisions immediately and doing away with any excess nonsense. I think it's what they call triumphing over adversity. And do you know what? It looks great and I'm really pleased with it.
So if you happen to be in the area, I'd be delighted if you come to the town of Quillan and see me there. Bring cakes, please.

a little notice

The phonecalls, visits, emails, texts and of course the kind comments on here that we have received over the past week have been amazing. Thank you all for taking the trouble to leave a message, I'm so grateful. We have also been incredibly touched and at times astonished by the generosity of thought and deed as we struggled. It's times like these that really test your mettle and we have been very fortunate to have so much help and support.  

Harry is recovering well and back home with us. The punctured lung was the most worrying and he has to sit tight for quite a while yet to give his ribs a chance to knit back together so he doesn't puncture it again. He's a truly terrible patient, refusing to be on the sofa too much and arguing when we shout at him to sit down. There are still more scans and tests to be done, but he is in no danger now. Well, apart from being arrested by the fashion police while he shuffles about in his holey joggers and Grandpa slippers.

I have much I want to share that I have been working on, and I wanted to show you Bliss, a great new magazine I have been part of, but all of that will just have to wait...

Please life, don't wee on me again for a while. Thank you in advance.

reality check

I tend not to talk about my family much on here… I like to think of my blog as a place to share with you my inspiration, my work and sometimes a little glimpse on how life is, nothing too heavy.
I mention my 3 children every now and then, but many of you perhaps don't even know that I am married.
Deep breath…

3 days ago I watched in helpless, complete horror as my husband Harry fell through a rotten wooden floor and crashed down onto the solid ground 3 meters below.
He is now in hospital with a fractured disc, 4 broken ribs and air bubbles in his lungs caused by a puncture.
The last few days we've been in shock and I keep re-living that moment over and over in my head, but above all I am so very deeply relieved that he even survived the fall, that in a slow-motion moment I thought had killed him.
I'm not really sure what to expect or how life will be when Harry comes home. But he can walk and he is desperate to get life back to normal. As my friend Nickie commented, how unusual for man not to make a fuss! But those of us who know and love him know how true that is.

I may not be around here very much for a while,  I still have to somehow get my exhibition ready which starts in 10 days and take care of my family, not to mention the financial implications need sorting. The ironic thing is I suffered a blood clot several weeks ago. Although I have now recovered it left me with a circulatory condition which makes me pretty debilitated, so it's going to be challenging to say the least, and I need this all to happen without him worrying about me and the children. It's horrible at times like these to not have your own, extended family around to support you, but we do have some truly wonderful, caring friends around who will help us get through this and Team Chaney is tough as old boots.

Please, keep your loved ones safe and never take them for granted.

the forgotten garden

In the heart of the city, left to crumble and ruin under the elements is Le Jardin du Calvaire. Only the gardener, the occasionally mildly curious and the stray cats bother with it. I think it is one of the most beautiful places I've ever seen.
{pentax spotmatic/Fujifilm 200}