Showing posts with label workshops. Show all posts
Showing posts with label workshops. Show all posts
Thursday, 20 August 2009
At the Chalk Pit. 16 August 2009
I decided not to set up my workstation today and spend the day walking around the Chalk pit, observing, occasionally chatting, planning and getting ideas together.
The first thing I did in the morning was go into the caves, understandably one of the most exciting aspects of the site for youngsters and adults alike. In a world of increasing concerns over health and safety, or more to the point, concerns over litigation due to perceived inadequate attention to health and safety, it is liberating to explore somewhere that is out of bounds, but accessible.
Everyone I spoke to that grew up around the Chalk pit has been in the caves. It seems like a kind of rite of passage if you grow up in Paulsgrove. The myth and the history of the place entwine making this a really exciting place to visit, especially on you own.
I scrambled up and went into the tunnel. It was bright outside but as soon as you get inside and go to turn around the corner it is pitch black. I didn’t have a torch so used my camera flash to navigate through the space, looking at the photo as I went so as not to trip over. The images here are a navigational aid rather than a documentation of the space.
The rest of the day was spent walking around, looking for clearings and dens, blackberry bushes, apple trees and the one elusive pair tree. Sitting in the far west of the site up the top of the hill listening, watching and drawing.
The first thing I did in the morning was go into the caves, understandably one of the most exciting aspects of the site for youngsters and adults alike. In a world of increasing concerns over health and safety, or more to the point, concerns over litigation due to perceived inadequate attention to health and safety, it is liberating to explore somewhere that is out of bounds, but accessible.
Everyone I spoke to that grew up around the Chalk pit has been in the caves. It seems like a kind of rite of passage if you grow up in Paulsgrove. The myth and the history of the place entwine making this a really exciting place to visit, especially on you own.
I scrambled up and went into the tunnel. It was bright outside but as soon as you get inside and go to turn around the corner it is pitch black. I didn’t have a torch so used my camera flash to navigate through the space, looking at the photo as I went so as not to trip over. The images here are a navigational aid rather than a documentation of the space.
The rest of the day was spent walking around, looking for clearings and dens, blackberry bushes, apple trees and the one elusive pair tree. Sitting in the far west of the site up the top of the hill listening, watching and drawing.
At the Chalk Pit. 15 August 2009
I was a bit late to the chalk pit and got grief from Billy Butcher and Calvin (both ex armed forces), “you wouldn’t make it in the army”, they told me, and they were right.
After a good hour of conversation and drawing in the stones on the path I followed a route they suggested around the chalk pit, and then set up my gazebo in the same place as the day before.
The weather was more overcast and windy than the previous day so I set up my workstation and rested heavy stones on my drawing to stop it blowing away. The first couple of hours were good, quieter but this allowed me some time to get a few of the ideas together.
I had had a few problems with my hotel the previous night (I had been double booked) and needed to find somewhere to stay and mentioned this to one of the elderly dog walkers in passing. He offered for me to come and stay with him, he had a spare room. I was really touched by his generosity and although I didn’t stay I popped round to his house at the end of the day to say thanks.
At about 2.30/3pm I had attracted a good group of under 12’s that were interested in what I was doing and engaging really well, until a slightly older group decided to ‘join in’. They were interested for about a minite and then started being destructive. Starting off by taking the stones off the drawing they proceeded to throw them at each other, then scaring off the younger group and turning their attention to my equipment. After nearly pulling the gazebo down I decided to pack up so that all my stuff wouldn’t’ get destroyed.
I sat with next to my stuff for 10 minutes (as it was a lot to carry but I couldn’t leave anything) whilst getting a bit of verbal abuse and then walked with full arms to the car whilst having stones thrown at me. I put the equipment in the car and walked back to the pitch to clear up the stones and the group of 6 ran off.
I felt real sense of failure that I hadn’t been able to engage this group, anger that they treated me so badly and concern for any work I might design for this place.
Luckily I bumped into the family of nine I had met the day before and they lifted my spirits by bringing drawing of ideas they had from our previous conversation, and chatting again for well over an hour about how the chalk pit could be improved for families. We also spoke to neighbours of theirs consisting of two grandparents (that I had met the previous day), one parent and three young children.
This was an emotional day oscillating between kindness and violence, friendship and disrespect, passionate interest and apathy. I learned a lot about this place today.
After a good hour of conversation and drawing in the stones on the path I followed a route they suggested around the chalk pit, and then set up my gazebo in the same place as the day before.
The weather was more overcast and windy than the previous day so I set up my workstation and rested heavy stones on my drawing to stop it blowing away. The first couple of hours were good, quieter but this allowed me some time to get a few of the ideas together.
I had had a few problems with my hotel the previous night (I had been double booked) and needed to find somewhere to stay and mentioned this to one of the elderly dog walkers in passing. He offered for me to come and stay with him, he had a spare room. I was really touched by his generosity and although I didn’t stay I popped round to his house at the end of the day to say thanks.
At about 2.30/3pm I had attracted a good group of under 12’s that were interested in what I was doing and engaging really well, until a slightly older group decided to ‘join in’. They were interested for about a minite and then started being destructive. Starting off by taking the stones off the drawing they proceeded to throw them at each other, then scaring off the younger group and turning their attention to my equipment. After nearly pulling the gazebo down I decided to pack up so that all my stuff wouldn’t’ get destroyed.
I sat with next to my stuff for 10 minutes (as it was a lot to carry but I couldn’t leave anything) whilst getting a bit of verbal abuse and then walked with full arms to the car whilst having stones thrown at me. I put the equipment in the car and walked back to the pitch to clear up the stones and the group of 6 ran off.
I felt real sense of failure that I hadn’t been able to engage this group, anger that they treated me so badly and concern for any work I might design for this place.
Luckily I bumped into the family of nine I had met the day before and they lifted my spirits by bringing drawing of ideas they had from our previous conversation, and chatting again for well over an hour about how the chalk pit could be improved for families. We also spoke to neighbours of theirs consisting of two grandparents (that I had met the previous day), one parent and three young children.
This was an emotional day oscillating between kindness and violence, friendship and disrespect, passionate interest and apathy. I learned a lot about this place today.
At the Chalk Pit. 14 August 2009
I arrived half an hour before I was due to be on site and already had one person waiting for me. It was no surprise that this was the gentleman that left a message on my phone earlier in the week. Over the course of the next 3 days I gained a real insight into the Chalk Pit from his perspective (he is a retired 5 times a day dog walker). He had a particular interest in the ecology and history of the site and had a lot to say about the destructive and negative impact of the youth at the Chalk pit. Many that I met over the next 3 days shared his passion for the place.
I set up my Gazebo, tables and large-scale map/drawing that I had produced in the studio and before I had finished getting set up I was already getting interest. I had a constant flow of people coming over and talking to me, telling me how they used the chalk pit, aspirations and concerns about it, the history, ecology and stories ranging from the sublime to the ridiculous.
Two thirds of the people that I spoke to during the day were under 14 (the rest were predominantly over 50) and it gave me a real insight into how the chalk pit was currently being used and the kind of things they like doing, and what made the place special for them.
The most memorable aspects of the first day were being shown the newts and the bike jump, talking to a family of nine, including two parents with 5 children under 12, nan and uncle, for over an hour, listening to the tales of Billy Butcher, from WWII to UFO’s (and lots more), talking to the community wardens and chatting to groups of up to 8 children at a time about caves, football, playing man hunt, riding bikes, peregrine falcons and lots more. I commented to one young boy that “is it just boys that come here”, he rode off on his bike and came back a few minutes later with sisters and their friends.
I set up my Gazebo, tables and large-scale map/drawing that I had produced in the studio and before I had finished getting set up I was already getting interest. I had a constant flow of people coming over and talking to me, telling me how they used the chalk pit, aspirations and concerns about it, the history, ecology and stories ranging from the sublime to the ridiculous.
Two thirds of the people that I spoke to during the day were under 14 (the rest were predominantly over 50) and it gave me a real insight into how the chalk pit was currently being used and the kind of things they like doing, and what made the place special for them.
The most memorable aspects of the first day were being shown the newts and the bike jump, talking to a family of nine, including two parents with 5 children under 12, nan and uncle, for over an hour, listening to the tales of Billy Butcher, from WWII to UFO’s (and lots more), talking to the community wardens and chatting to groups of up to 8 children at a time about caves, football, playing man hunt, riding bikes, peregrine falcons and lots more. I commented to one young boy that “is it just boys that come here”, he rode off on his bike and came back a few minutes later with sisters and their friends.
Tuesday, 18 August 2009
A warm welcome
12/8/09_I just had a message from an irate Paulsgrove resident about the prospect of a play trail at the chalk pit. He didn't leave his name but I'm hoping that he will come and see me on Friday, Saturday or Sunday. There is obviously a lot of passion about the chalk pit, I just hope I can find a way to channel it.
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