Sensory Overload

With foreign holidays becoming ever more exhausting (not to say expensive), I have become a real fan of micro vacations in the UK. There is so much to explore in our immediate vicinity that I doubt I could visit everywhere, even if I tried.

So when we had two days free last week, we set off to Godalming and the Watts Artists’ Village. I’d read about both in a magazine some time ago and, being an Arts and Crafts fan, felt I should explore it myself.

The chapel exterior Image: Karen Costello-McFeat

An act of kindness

What appealed to me most was the mortuary chapel designed by Mary Watts for the residents of her village. Not only was this a stunning example of design and craftsmanship, but it showed an enlightened social view. This was not a gift to be handed down from wealthy artists to the grateful locals, but something that the villagers participated in creating. Her husband, GF Watts, believed that through assisting in the decoration of the chapel, the people would have a much closer connection to it.

To this end, Mary immediately started pottery classes at her home studio in Limnerslease, teaching them simple terracotta techniques. While her husband funded the construction, she was responsible for the design and execution. The building and exterior were completed in four years (1895-1898) and the interior in a further six. Considering the complexity of the task, this is indeed impressive.

Set in what must be the most stunning graveyard in Britain, the chapel is reached via a steep brick path almost to the top of the hill. It is surrounded by flowers and ornate gravestones with views to the Downs beyond.

The power of symbols

Everything in it and on it is symbolic. The unusual shape of the building – a circle bisected by a cross – represent eternity and faith. The intricately carved door shows the serpent of evil overcome by the cross of Christianity. Inside, the hierarchy of heaven is made explicit in the circle of the domed ceiling (God) through the angels and cherubs down to man and the natural world.

The mortuary chapel was designed to be a final resting place for those awaiting interment or cremation and it is cold. After half and hour or so, my husband had to go outside to warm up, but came back to marvel once more. For this is not a place to glance around and leave. It is decorated from floor to ceiling in the most exquisite designs. We had to take it by degrees, for our senses were completely overwhelmed. The more one looked, the more one saw. The more one looked, the more one was drawn to the loving spirituality of the place. The kindness that prompted its inception and construction spoke to you from the very stones.

Throughout were pairs of opposites (some angels face the viewer others turn away) through which Mary reminded us that life is a balance between opposing forces. Though most of the symbols were Christian, other faiths featured too, showing Mary’s more cosmopolitan view.

Suffer the little children

What touched me most were the small flowers at the bottom of the frieze. These were made (I imagine under strict supervision) by the children of the village and represented the flowers to be found nearby. This attention to detail and inclusiveness makes the chapel very special indeed.

Child’s play Image: Karen Costello-McFeat

These flowers, and most of the other relief decorations on the wall, were made using gesso – a mix of plaster and glue, which is applied over felt shapes. I’m sure the children enjoyed using this oozy, messy medium and suspect the painting was left to the adults.

The village and house

Having thoroughly exhausted our grey cells with all that magnificence, we returned to the gallery. Luckily, there is also a very nice cafe. After being duly refreshed, we set off the see the artists’ home. Though barely known today, GF Watts was to art what Tennyson was to poetry in the Victorian age. He was a mega-star. His home, however, was modest by the measure of those most showy times. It is beautiful, but much of the space was used as studio (his and hers) and retained the exquisitely artistic feel of a real home.

Since they were changing over exhibitions, we were only able to see the section containing Watts’ sculptures. Though a little un-PC (his most famous one is of Cecil Rhodes) they were nonetheless magnificent. An absolute perfectionist, Watts would work and rework his pieces until they met his exacting standards, which in some cases took decades.

If you would like to learn more about the village/gallery, please check out: https://www.wattsgallery.org.uk/about

Refreshed once more at the cafe and beguiled into buying gifts at the elegant shop, it was time to find our hotel.

An inn fit for a tsar

Situated on the High Street is a wonderful inn, which was to be our haven for the night. Suffice to say, it was elegantly decorated and served lovely food. We were even treated to live music during our evening meal.

Since it is on one of the main routes to London from the coast, it has been visited by any number of significant people, but my favourite was Peter the (not so) Great who after eating astounding quantities with his companions, immediately skipped town without settling his bill. Lacking fame and royal connections, we paid ours.

A day of sunshine

Our trip coincided with the only sunny days we have enjoyed this month and we were determined not to waste one minute of them. Close to Godalming, is the Winkworth Arboretum, which I have always meant to visit but been put off by the distance.

Daffodils and blue skies
Image: Karen Costello-McFeat

March is perhaps not the best month to go, since so little is in leaf, but the magnolia trees were impressive as were the views. Alas their Access for All path was a little optimistic in its signage. My off-road scooter just about managed (though I was shaken about rather like a salt-cellar). I pity anyone who attempts it with anything less sturdy. But being amongst such magnificent trees, smelling the leaf litter and feeling the sun on my face was enough to make me very happy indeed.

And if this were not enough, we stopped for coffee on the way home at Nymans’ gardens. The cafe was full, but the grounds were not and to my joy, their accessible route was a breeze. A little further south, a good deal more was in bloom and we relished the bushes bowed down with the weight of camellias and rhododendrons. And the ground level was replete with daffodils and crocuses.

Nymans Image: Karen Costello-McFeat

We returned home somewhat dazed by all the gorgeousness. Each of our senses had been filled to capacity. High on delight, we were ready for the weekend and for me, a rest.

After these messages, I’ll be right back

The last few months have been a tad tumultuous with wonderful highs (my son’s visit) and distressing lows (my mum’s ill health and the anniversary of the Ukraine invasion). The dismal weather has not helped either, ‘For the rain it raineth every day.’

But today the sun is out (well, some of the time), my mum has made a good recovery and Ukraine is still holding on.

Floral sunshine Image: Karen Costello-McFeat

Our planned week’s staycation has been truncated to two days – but I’ll take whatever I can get. So tomorrow, we’ll set off for the beautiful town of Godalming and indulge in a leisurely immersion in the Arts and Crafts movement at the Watts Gallery and artists’ village. I shall report back on it next week.

Meanwhile, as I prove derelict in my blog writing duties, my husband came up with a great idea. Why not ask your readers what they would write a blog about this week? Genius! I look forward to hearing what you have been up to and/or pondering.

Wishing you rich and interesting times.

Art is not just for artists – Part 2

Last week, I looked at art from the perspective of the observer. This week, I plan to show you the many benefits art can bring to the participant. My focus here is mainly on the visual arts – so I can include photos. But really, the arts span a great range of activities from music, to dance to literature. All of them have similar benefits. All of them are life enhancing.

Observation studies

The greatest gift that studying art, in my very amateur way, has given me is to enhance my vision. Subsequent to taking an art class at my local school with a truly gifted teacher, I started to see the world differently. The shape of things, the details and the colours all became more vivid and more alluring. The world, in a nutshell, became infinitely more fascinating and beautiful.

And with that came the desire to capture that beauty in my own way. Because art doesn’t need to be gallery worthy to be a joy. We can keep a private art journal and never show anyone if we wish. But if we are willing to share, encourage and inspire each other, so much the better.

Colour and form Image: Karen Costello-McFeat

I took a photo of my pencil shavings because I loved the combination of the orange and green and the contrast between the tiny shards of colour and the wiggly forms of the shavings. Later, I incorporated them into a picture.

And the best thing about participating in art is that it allows us to focus with some intensity on our project. If meditation is a struggle, I’d advise trying some form of art. Whilst chewing our pencils or practising our piano scales, we are seldom able to concentrate on anything else. Our mind clears and we find ourselves in the zone – a Zen like state of peace.

An antidote to a crazy world

With the current news cycle, one might be forgiven for thinking that the making of art was a rather frivolous occupation. This Saturday was emotionally enervating as we stood with Mariia at the vigil marking the second anniversary of the full-scale invasion of Ukraine. It’s been a tough week.

Yet, rather than being less important, art and creativity become even more important during such times. Nick Cave puts it perfectly when he says:

Yes, the world is sick, and yes it can be cruel, but it would be a whole lot sicker and a whole lot crueler if it were not for painters and filmmakers and songwriters – the beauty-makers – wading through the blood and muck of things, whilst reaching skyward to draw down the very heavens themselves.

Nick Cave, Red Hand files 274

And as if to prove his point, on the Sunday, we attended a music fundraiser for Ukraine. Many of the same folks were present, but here they joined in song and dance and amazing cake. The tears were swept aside by the act of creating together.

Art therapy

Ever since the First World War, when soldiers were given simple tasks such as basket weaving to soothe their frayed nerves and tortured souls, we have been aware of the very great benefits art can bring to those suffering from mental afflictions.

‘Art has the power to heal wounds and soothe souls.’

Grayson Perry

The mental health charity, Mind, lists some of the benefits art can bring including giving participants an alternative way of expression than talking. It can help flexibility in thinking and aid in self-awareness. It even seems to make participants more comfortable in therapy.

For those dealing with physical impairments, it is something that can be enjoyed at home. If you are unable to work, it is a great boon to be able to create. We all want to give to the world, and this is one way that we can. My amazing friend Sarah Rose (see below right) has used craft as part of her campaign to improve hospital care for patients with multiple and complex needs. They were invited to create their own bunting and together it creates a powerful message.

Create!

In a time of destruction, create something.

Maxine Hong Kingston

Wise words indeed. Just as kindness is an antidote to cruelty, art is an antidote to destruction. And the act of creation helps relieve the sense of helplessness we may feel in the face of so much annihilation.

Art supplies

So let’s get started! The great thing about art is that you need so little to begin. A pencil and a piece of paper will do. For colours, only the primary ones plus black and white are necessary, since every other one can be made from them.

I confess that I have a bit of a stationary/art supplies addiction – but as addictions go it is pretty harmless and inexpensive. What I would recommend is buying the very best supplies that you can afford. I recently indulged in four Caran D’Ache watercolour pencils. They really are superb!

Of course, with so many amazing things on the market, it is rather easy to get carried away. I love the convenience of pencils and paint pens, so I’m sticking with those at the moment. You may prefer watercolour or gauche. The mediums you enjoy viewing are likely to be the ones you’ll enjoy using.

Many people shy away from art with the refrain ‘But I can’t draw.’ Of course, Da Vincis are few and far between, but we can all learn. A great way to start is with colouring, since the design is there and you simply have to work out the colours that blend together nicely. Postcards double as thoughtful missives and the act of colouring is a perfect way in to mindfulness practise.

Wise owl Image: Karen Costello-McFeat

Once you feel a little more confident in your fine motor skills and colour choices, you can work on copying. (All the best artists start this way.) My 15 Minutes Art book has encouraged me to work with different mediums – soft pencil, bold paint pens – and is helping me learn to draw efficiently

And of course, there are endless options of courses, workshops and videos on YouTube and the internet.

Playing

And once you are feeling a little more confident, you can start to play. I use the word very deliberately, because if we make our scribblings more formal, we may just lose the creativity and zest that we are looking for.

Everyone has the potential to be an artist; you just have to tap into your imagination and let it flow.

Grayson Perry

In play, we allow for mistakes and imperfections. Should we be pleased with an idea, we can always do it again more carefully. Just as in writing, we need to get thoughts on paper first before we try compose more formally.

Messing about Image: Karen Costello-McFeat

Home economics

The great thing about making art is that it can fund itself through what you save on cards, gifts, wrapping paper etc. In a time of mass production, a bespoke card or carefully wrapped gift gives more pleasure than its store bought counterpart. It is also a very cheap form of entertainment!

You have everything you need

All day and every day, we are bombarded with messages to buy, buy, buy. Yet, we already have everything we need.

And then, I have nature and art and poetry, and if that is not enough, what is enough?

Vincent Van Gogh

The best things in life are (or nearly free). Foraged seed heads and feathers, pine cones and pebbles make elegant arrangements.

Foraged treasures
Image: Karen Costello-McFeat

A song in the morning will lift the spirts; a doodle a day and journal writing helps to keep me sane. When we make art part of our way of living, we can start to make our world a truly beautiful place.

Art is not just for artists – Part one

Art is on my mind at the moment. Everywhere I turn, I am reminded that it plays a significant role in our lives. At home, I am immersed in a sequel to The Artist’s Way; I’m joyfully working my way through my 15 Minutes Art book and reading whenever I get a chance.

My home town is positively flowering with art on every corner. The beautiful Towner Gallery, below, is hosting the prestigious Turner Prize and, knowing a good tourist attraction when it sees it, Eastbourne council and the gallery have filled the town with art events, sculptures and installations.

If you are interested, here is the website with all the attractions: https://townereastbourne.org.uk/whats-on/eastbourne-alive

The Towner Art Gallery Image: Wendy Barton

Because art matters

In this time of austerity cuts and a cost of living crisis, one may be pardoned for asking why precious public money is being spent on something so frivolous. I hope to answer that question below, but essentially, it is because life is filled with uncertainty, difficulty and hardship that we need art to uplift and inspire us.

For the benefits of art to be felt though, it needs to be available to everyone. Once, when taking a taxi to the Towner, I got chatting with the driver. Despite living in the town, he had never been, because he did not feel that it was somewhere for him.

I mentioned that it was free, that it was funded by his council tax and though some of the exhibits were a bit bonkers, there was always something worth seeing. If nothing else, the building is a gorgeous space with a lovely cafe.

Because the problem with Art with a capital A is that more often than not it puts off the very people who would benefit from it.

The enemy of Art

My driver was smart and articulate. I suspected that the thing making the gallery off-putting was what my family refers to as ‘art bollocks’. Please excuse the language, but it makes me incandescently angry that the notes accompanying works of art are often entirely unintelligible to even the most educated reader.

At the opening of the Turner Prize exhibition, I bumped into our former MP who said he thought he must be rather stupid, because he really didn’t understand what the artist’s notes were saying. There is nothing wrong with his intelligence. And if a former MP finds them threatening and demeaning, it doesn’t give much hope to the rest of us.

Here is an example of art speak on an earlier exhibition by the Turner Prize winner, Jesse Darling. ‘… how Darling explores systems of power, such as governments, religion, ideology, empire and technology, can be as fragile and contingent as multiple bodies.’ (Dr Giulia Smith on History is What Hurts: The Politics of Debility) Confused? You will be.

I mentioned to the taxi driver that the notes were deliberately obscure and to ignore them. Yet, when I bumped into him again, he still hadn’t been.

Ironically, when you hear Darling speak, he is completely natural and a rather sweet young man, trying to get his message across as clearly as possible. His slightly chaotic exhibition sought to show ‘the messy reality of modern British life’ and if they had used that quote, I suspect more people would have responded more positively to an installation that might be confused with an assemblage at the dump.

That said, I love modern art. These artists are stretching and provoking. They demand that we engage with their art rather than passively enjoying it. Grayson Perry said that ‘Art is the mirror that reflects society and prompts change.’ I’m not sure that I would credit it with such power, but it is an element of all the threads that together shape us as a society. His wonderful book, Playing to the Gallery is a must read for anyone bamboozled by the modern art scene.

Community art

That said, it is possible to engage an audience young and old. Throughout the town, there is an ‘Elmer trail’ of elephants painted in a variety of styles. The Towner one replicates the Lothar Gotz mural on the gallery wall. The trail takes you all around the town and it is a fabulous way to entertain the kids during a rainy half term.

Use the arrow to see more.

Though doubtless designed for the under 10s, adults are equally charmed by these adorable elephants. They simply make us smile. Thus, the first purpose of art, to uplift us, is fulfilled.

Public art

The best art, to my mind, is public art. Storing precious art works in a bank vault with the hope of it accruing value is the most cynical (and in my mind criminal) waste. Artists do what they do to be seen and to express their thoughts. Just like writers and poets and musicians, they have a theme – or an argument – that they wish to make and which their art expresses. Darling’s is that contemporary life is messy – just like his carefully curated, messy installation.

Mary Shemza and Michael Rokowitz’s The invisible enemy should not exist.
Image: Karen Costello-McFeat

Outside the Towner stands the magnificent sculpture that once graced the fourth plinth in Trafalgar Square. It is made entirely from recycled date cans. Why? To visually present the cost of the wars in Iraq to the people and the environment. Prior to these conflicts, Iraq’s main export, after oil, was dates. Now, of the 30 million date palms in the country, only 3 million are left.

The sculpture of the Winged Bull at Nineveh, upon which this was modelled, was destroyed by Isis, but many others of these sculptures were taken by colonial powers – including the British. The artist is noting that not only have cultural treasures been lost, but the economy that supports them.

Whilst reminding us of Iraq’s dispossession, this impressive work also brings joy on an aesthetic level. We are moved and inspired by its presence. Art has transformed a negative to a positive.

The role of public art is beautifully and comprehensively put by AmherstMA.gov.

Public art adds enormous value to the cultural, aesthetic and economic vitality of a community. It is now a well-accepted principle of urban design that public art contributes to a community’s identity, fosters community pride and a sense of belonging, and enhances the quality of life for its residents and visitors.

AmherstMA.gov

The presence of art in a town can bring economic as well as personal gains. Tourists are flooding to this exhibition and boosting local business. The locals are rightly proud of their town as the backdrop to so much exceptional art. Our shared experience brings us together.

Next week, I shall look at the personal benefits that art can bring to our health and sense of well-being. I hope you will join me then.

Little Flags of Hope

Miniature daffodils
Image: Karen Costello-McFeat

By mid February, my love of winter is waning. I’ve had enough of wind and rain and mud; of being swathed in layers of thermals and woollens. I long, instead, for floral dresses and the warmth of the sun.

It’s been a hard winter emotionally too. Week after week, I hear of ill-health or tragedy encompassing those I care about. I am ready for something more positive. Though I cannot in any way change the cycle of news in my own milieu nor the world, at least I can rely on Nature to wave her floral flags that semaphore hope is on the horizon.

Mimics

The first flowers to arrive in my garden were the paperwhites and snow drops; their pale blooms mimicking the frost so recently passed. Then, as the sun’s strength increases, the flowers take some colour from its hue and daffodils, crocus, primroses and forsythia take their places.

When I did my daily perambulation of my yard today, I could not believe how much more was in flower. Last week, there was almost nothing, and today a great array.

A tiny primrose sheltering under the step.
Image: Karen Costello-McFeat

Let there be light

As every housewife knows, the clear sparkling light of early spring is a mixed blessing. Whilst the garden basks in its newfound beauty, the home is illuminated in all its less than perfect state. Cobwebs and dust concealed by winter dark and low lighting, suddenly come into focus. If the garden were not such a lure, I am sure that I would get on with more cleaning.

Instead, I drink my morning coffee in the kitchen and admire the mini rainbows cast upon the table as the light is filtered through the stained glass. I look outside and see the leaves of the great Austrian pine silvered with sunlight. I inhale the scent of paperwhites I have brought inside. Such perfume is wasted on the open air, I reason.

Much more fragrant than furniture polish
Image: Karen Costello-McFeat

Revivals

And it is not just me who is revived by the abundance of life unfurling all around me, the birds too are becoming noisier. The skies are filled with crows, their ragged wings rowing through the limpid air. Mr and Mrs Magpie come each day to haunt my garden and feast on the abundance of insects just now hatching in their millions. Out front, my beech hedge, with dead curled leaves, still hosts dozens of sparrow who choir to each other relentlessly. I know they are in there – but they are impossible to see.

Perfect camouflage – even in winter
Image: Karen Costello-McFeat

Fickle February

February is the month of lovers, and like lovers, it can be fickle. One day, you bask in its admiring glow, the wind a warm caress upon your face; the next, it has withdrawn all its affection, leaving you cold and disheartened.

Though in future weeks, winter may yet claw back its jealous hold, its days are numbered. The season is moving as insistently as an incoming tide, ever forward. Each day a little lighter; each day a little warmer.

And each joyful bloom reminds us this is so. Spring hopes – eternal.

Pain Management

Lying awake last night, I was pondering what to write for this post. By Wednesday evening, I’ve usually started planning and finding images, but this week has been a very full one (in a good way). What, if anything, could I bring to you? What has been on my mind?

Unfortunately, the answer came rather quickly: pain.

One of the reasons that I was lying awake was because my legs felt like they were being covered in boiling oil.

Fortunately, an hour or so before, I had taken some very strong CBD oil, which, in combination with my other medication, would eventually calm things down. Without either of them, I would be beside myself.

Catch -22

Ironically, the best thing for me to do to reduce these MS symptoms is to exercise. This is seldom painless, but it is the only way that I can ensure mobility. Sadly, it often leads to further discomfort later on, but lack of exercise would only lead to greater spasticity. I can’t win!

And though my legs experience the worst of it; at night especially, other parts of my body hurt or ‘go to sleep’, have violent pins and needles or spasms. Occasionally, I suffer the wonderfully misnamed MS hug, which rather resembles being caught in the ring with a heavyweight boxer. Sometimes, folks mistake it for a heart attack.

Pain is invisible

Like so many of the symptoms of MS, this one is invisible. But no-one wants their discomfort to show on their face, so they smile and brush it off. Self-pity is taboo. No-one likes a moaner. Indeed, writing this post, I am acutely aware that some might read it as just that: a ‘feel sorry for me’ piece, but it is not. Read on and you’ll see why.

While chronic pain is itself physically disabling, it keeps close company with depression. Knowing that one will never get better and in fact only get worse, is hardly a formula for optimism. But I have found that when we acknowledge and indeed embrace our reality, suffering can be transmuted into something else.

Pain as transformative

When I was younger, I was constantly puzzled by the position taken by a number of religious leaders that pain could be a good thing. How could it be a good thing? No doubt, I thought, such messages were given by those who didn’t endure pain or loss at all.

Yet, with all that has happened, I’ve come to realise that they are right. Mental and physical pain takes us out of the general swirl of life and lands us on a little island where we need to take stock and decide whether our circumstances will destroy or make us.

The most brilliant, compassionate and eloquent writer on such matters is the musician, Nick Cave. In his weekly post in The Red Hand Files (https://www.theredhandfiles.com/) he tackles readers’ heart-wrenching situations and finds a way to transform them. He has taken his own suffering as a prompt to help others with theirs and in doing so found a deep and meaningful calling.

Though in nowhere near the same league as Nick Cave, I too have found that suffering can bring an entirely new perspective on life. Though I could certainly do without the pain and the restrictions that disability brings, I am more calm, more cheerful and more accepting than ever.

The purpose of this blog was to show that no matter what life throws at you, there is good to be found. We need not be crushed by circumstance. I also wanted to draw attention to the unspoken world of the disabled and give it voice.

For disability and pain stick together like jam on toast. And so I’ll finish with a request that when you meet or interact with someone with disabilities that you remember that there is so much more that they are dealing with than meets the eye. Just getting out has shown great courage.

So many disparage the disabled, perhaps through ignorance or fear of prejudice, but I hope that you can greet them with compassion, understanding and friendship. We are not so different, you and I. *

  • My last comments were prompted by a distressing (to me) article in Country Living where a beautiful young woman found herself paralysed after a catastrophic illness. She writes, ‘As a disabled person, I don’t feel I belong in many places, but in the countryside, I feel free- until I experience a stranger’s question or stare.’ (Country Living, March 2024) In an age where we show acceptance of so much, perhaps it’s time we included the disabled in that too.

DakhaBrakha

One of the great pleasures of hosting someone from another land is that you get to learn all about their country to a depth that would not be possible without actually going and living there.

If you’d asked me about Ukraine two years ago, I would have said that it was once a part of Russia, that it was ‘the bread basket of the USSR’ and that Stalin was utterly evil to them. I may even have been able to find it on the map.

Mariia has encouraged us to learn more of the history and culture and especially about the music. She is rather an aficionado on the subject and has shared her knowledge.

DakhaBrakha ‘at home’. Image: Andriy Petryna

A unique sound

One of her favourite bands is DakhaBrakha. The group’s name means give and take in Old Ukrainian and their live performances are certainly a transfer of energy from band to audience and back. How would I describe them? I would venture to say that they are folk music for the 21st century; they describe themselves as ‘ethnic chaos’.

Chaos is perhaps too strong a word for a group whose musical talents are extraordinary. The vocals and instrumentals are worthy of any classical quartet – but there is a little controlled chaos in the unexpected, joyful turns their compositions take.

They met at the Kyiv Centre of Contemporary Art and their shows definitely have the flavour of the theatre. But I get ahead of myself.

The reason I am writing this is because for the first time in an age, I went to a live gig. Mariia – using her inimitable charm – managed to source a spare ticket even after they had sold out. My son, Greg, who had seen the band in Portland, Maine had very thoughtfully and kindly sent her two tickets for Christmas. But Mariia wanted us all to go. I would have to swallow my anxiety, organise the dog and stay awake to join them. I’m glad to say I succeeded in all three.

Close to home

The venue was nearby at the Attenborough Centre on the University of Sussex campus. We couldn’t ask for anything more convenient.

Dressed to impress in our Ukrainian shirts

And the venue was more than kind. Since these were standing only tickets, we had to notify them that I’d need a seat. Upon arrival, they escorted us to the auditorium and pointed out our reserved seats close to the stage but cordoned off from the audience. As I was a little worried about infection, this was an additional boon.

The warm up act came on promptly and was so strange (this is Brighton remember) that Mariia whispered to me that it was a deliberate ploy to make DakhaBrakha look normal. I laughed. The singer was seriously alternative and I’m not quite sure how she made her music. This is how she is described on Sound Cloud. ‘Bunty is the avant-pop project of artist and vocal improviser, Kassia Zermon. Best known for pioneering underground experimental vocal loop shows and fronting UK leading Dub act Resonators.’ Confused? Don’t worry – she was actually brilliant. One just had to relax and go with it.

The main act

Now sufficiently ‘groovy’, we were ready for the main act. The band came on punctually and launched into their new work. This was rather more melancholy that their usual fare, but they were, after all, trying to highlight the plight of Ukraine in this dreadful war.

Stage set Image: Mariia Matrunich

As an act of persuasion, this was a gentle one. The music was moving in a way that political commentary never could be. Combined with the incredible animations that reeled out behind them on stage, it was at times heart-rending.

A multimedia experience

The influence of theatre is strong with this group. Their costumes, which hark back to Cossack and traditional dress, nod to their country’s history and folk culture.

The animated backdrops give a visual dimension to their songs. The one below has the house symbolically sheltering the people underneath as ribbons of blue morph into drones falling from the sky.

Ribbons to rockets Image: Mariia Matrunich

It was, as my daughter-in-law said, extremely moving.

A unique sound

Just when I was longing for something a little more joyous, they broke into my favourite track ‘Spring’. Click hear to listen: https://soundcloud.com/mirian-gabaidze/dakhabrakha-vesna-autumn?utm_source=clipboard&utm_medium=text&utm_campaign=social_sharing

It takes you through a spring day, beginning with birdsong and increasing in tempo and energy as the day takes hold and then back to the quiet as dusk falls and the birds return to the shelter of the trees. It’s rather long – so have patience.

And for those wanting a slightly quicker fix, I’ve included a clip from Jools Holland’s show, Later. For an incredibly quirky band, their popularity has grown exponentially and they now have an international following.

Having found the courage to venture outside my comfort zone, I plan to reach further still. The arts have so much to offer and I plan to be there to receive.

And I shall conclude with this outro.

In performance

Fifteen minutes

Soon after I was diagnosed with MS, my nurse offered me a course on managing fatigue. What a gift! Here was an opportunity to find solutions to the most troubling and disabling part of the condition.

Each week, I went along and gained insights: some helpful, some less so. But the one thing that struck was the notion that I should measure activities by time and not by task. This was a novel idea. It was also one that took a great deal of effort to adopt.

After all, most of us think of completing a project as one entire, fluid action. We set time aside to do it, yes, but that is flexible. We do not stop half way through. Or a quarter. Or an eighth.

Managing fatigue meant slicing time into portions that you could cope with. For me, that was about fifteen minutes. Despite recovering well, I still find it the ideal amount of time to work without the consequences of fatigue and brain fog.

Mini breaks

Sadly, not this kind of break. Image: Danny Mc on Unsplash

Battering myself against this truth got me nowhere. I’d soldier on, vowing that I could easily do more only to find myself, half an hour later, prone upon the sofa or feeling nauseous.

Slow learner that I was, I hadn’t realised that half an hour broken into two with a short pause in between was quite manageable – or even an hour or more. The breaks were key, whether is was to sit for a while before resuming a walk or stretching and getting a drink when writing.

Though I hope that none of you reading this suffer in the same way, I do think that little parcels of effort paradoxically get us further than when we are faced with huge tasks.

This week, I’ve been pondering all the wonderful things one can do in fifteen minutes that enrich our lives. If you have a quarter of an hour, you may like to try some.

Journal

I’ve finally got back to my journaling and doing it regularly and seriously. I am aided by the woman who started it all’s new book, Living the Artist’s Way, by Julia Cameron.

I’ve written about The Artist’s Way before, and this is a sequel. Whereas before, she wrote about the creative journey, here she focuses on guidance.

And with so much uncertainty in my life at the moment, it is exactly the help I need.

You can think of guidance as heaven sent or from the depths of a benevolent subconscious, but if we trust the method, we can use it to find solutions to even the most complex issues and subsequently, a greater sense of calm.

Read a poem

This Christmas, I was given a gorgeous selection of poems which I added to one I bought in Maine. Poetry seems to be luring me back. I once wrote a great deal of it and reading and being inspired by these verses seems to be a prelude to my own renewed practice.

The perfect short read

One can, of course, guzzle poems as sweeties from a jar, but I like to take my time. When teaching, I instructed students to view them as condensed short stories and give them ten to fifteen minutes to read properly. A good poem is like a very dense, and very satisfying morsel.

If you find one you love, write it out in a notebook or even strive to learn it. The beauty of it is revealed through time and reflection. Here’s one of my favourites from Watching Swallows.

Thaw

Over the land freckled with snow half-thawed
The speculating rooks at their nests cawed
And saw from elm-tops, delicate as flower of grass,
What we below could not see - Winter pass.

Edward Thomas 

Make a nourishing meal

With new science showing the link between good physical and mental health, eating properly becomes an imperative rather than a life-choice. Convenience and high fat foods are less convenient when they result in diabetes or Alzheimer’s. And despite the popular assumption that cooking a wholesome meal is time consuming or expensive, I rarely spend more than fifteen minutes on a light meal and no more than thirty on a main one.

Homemade soups, flavourful salads and pasta dishes can all be easily whipped up in quarter of an hour and include a good portion of your fresh fruit and vegetables. Fuelled on deliciousness, your fifteen minutes will be productive too.

Turkish pasta topped with olive oil, spring onion, yogurt and za’atar spice. Image: Karen Costello-McFeat

A side dish with sliced apples, carrots and other raw fruit and vegetables is always a great accompaniment.

Take a walk in nature

Yesterday the winter sun shone brightly and I took the dog to a gorgeous park not far from where I live. Hampden Park is elegantly landscaped and densely populated with ambling visitors and a wide array of wildlife.

On the lake, I spotted a military-looking heron in his grey uniform, three large swans, dozens of mallard ducks, moor hens, coots and, I believe an Egyptian goose. This colourful and unusual creature is probably one of the many exotic escapees now living wild in the UK.

Hermione didn’t know what to chase first.

The combination of fresh, cold air; a gentle walk serenaded by birdsong and hints of spring bursting in every corner was an excellent tonic for the spirits. Immersion in nature for as little as fifteen minutes is enough to improve one’s mood. Add a little exercise and meditation on a bench and much of one’s daily self-care is satisfied.

Make art

I thought I would end with my latest daily exercise. I spotted this book whilst browsing in Much Ado Books. Whether it was the charming style of the illustrator or the chiming with the topic for this post, I decided to purchase it.

After all, a good doodle always gets me into a great mood and learning a little about colour and shading is a bonus.

Time well spent

My list of 15 minute exercises is rather longer than we have space for here. I attempt to do them all regularly and find that despite the handicap of my fatigue, my days are generally productive.

A short time to meditate, learn a language, or take a nap can be incredibly refreshing. Mixing the cerebrally taxing and physically restful allows an abundance of projects to be completed each day. And if you only have five minutes? You can read my blog!

Better Together

This week marks the nadir of the year, with Blue Monday falling on the 15th. Festivities over and days still short, we are all feeling a bit low. For most of us, this will pass in a few weeks as the spring flowers burst into bloom and we wake to sunlight instead of darkness.

For many others though, loneliness is a way of life. It is estimated that chronic loneliness affects around 3.83 million people or 7.1% of the adult population. (Campaign to End Loneliness). This impacts their mental and physical health and the well-being of the nation. Those living with health conditions and in deprived areas are the most seriously affected and although the problem may seem overwhelming, I do believe that we can all play a small part in alleviating this form of suffering.

Reaching out to the isolated

I am blessed with so many friends and family who selflessly connect with others. Whether it is helping at food banks, assisting the elderly with tasks or buying shopping for a sick friend, they are all bringing a great deal of joy and fellowship to those who need it.

Volunteering for a good cause Image: Tim Mossholder on Unsplash

And if your schedule has no room for volunteering, there are plenty of organisations happy to take your donations. These are as necessary as the volunteers themselves.

With need so overwhelming, it is best to start small. A text or call to someone you know who is isolated, a visit if you have time, can transform a lonely day. I know I could not have made it through my various health crises without the constant and loving messages that helped be through the worst.

The national issues which exacerbate loneliness: poverty, ethnicity and long-term health conditions are not always something we can personally affect. We can, however, vote for MPs who take their needs seriously and campaign for fairer and better conditions.

Eating together

The best way to start is close to home. Something as simple as a shared meal can do wonders for alleviating loneliness and brings a plethora of benefits to children.

When we eat together, we take time to talk, to hear each others’ stories and concerns. We feel valued and connected and the meal itself, however simple, becomes elevated. I’d rather eat beans on toast with my family than a gourmet feast on my own.

Boxing Day tea. We don’t normally eat this much!
Image: Karen Costello-McFeat

And living alone is no barrier to enjoying this form of togetherness. I have been truly inspired by a number of single friends who regularly get together for a shared meal or who bring each other extras from their own cooking or baking. Few things are more wonderful than unexpected homemade cookies!

And if cooking for a crowd seems daunting, more and more of us have realised that we don’t have to do it all. My craft friends were round on Monday for candle making and lunch. We each brought a course or part of one and we had a wonderful repast. No-one had the stress of planning everything and we each enjoyed the variety of different contributions.

Making together

Next to eating together, my favourite activity is making together. Each Monday, I meet with friends to do various crafts: some sew, some paint, draw or create. We drink coffee and share stories and hopefully, end the session with something to show for our ‘hard work’.

My friend Jane and I had attended an art workshop and when it ended, we still wanted to do something. So craft club was born.

Of course, there are an infinite variety of courses on offer, but the costs can sometimes be prohibitive. That said, I have enjoyed numerous courses over the years and found quietly working together to be a great way to connect with others over a shared enthusiasm.

When Jeff, Mariia and I were making chocolate, my husband said that what made it special was that we were doing it as a group. Though much has been written about the benefits of shared activities, it boils down to the fact that it is simply more fun.

Taking a risk

Every year, my lovely neighbours, the Morrisons, put on a brilliant party between Christmas and New Year. They send out the invitations, make elaborate preparations, write quizzes and decorate. Then they wait.

Because offering your company, your home and hospitality involves risk. As anyone who hosts knows, there is a terrible moment when you think everyone will cancel, or that the meal will be a disaster, or that they won’t think much of your home etc etc. Some are so paralysed by this fear that they never host at all.

Arriving early, we had a chance to chat with our host! It was soon heaving.
Image: Mariia Matrunich

And, of course, sometimes things do go wrong. But if you have invited friends, it’s unlikely they will criticise. Hopefully, they will laugh with you over the disaster. It may even make them feel less intimidated by hosting an event themselves.

Making compromises

So what makes us so reluctant to share our experiences? The answer is that to do so involves a lot of compromise. Few of us enjoy capitulating to the wishes of others and the modern world conspires to make such compromise unnecessary.

Don’t want to watch a programme with your parent/partner? No problem, you can watch your choice on your own TV or iPad. Don’t like what’s on the menu for dinner? A frozen one can be made in the microwave and taken to your room.

Yet, though indulging our whims may temporarily appease our egos, it will ultimately make us unhappy, because we will be increasing the amount of time we spend alone.

Negotiating and agreeing on what we do together strengthens rather than weakens bonds. We do need to ensure that the quiet ones are heard though and their wishes heeded too.

It may mean that sometimes you do/eat/watch something that is not very appealing. However, it is almost certain that it will also open up new ideas and experiences you would have missed on your own.

As a member of a book group for over thirty years, there have been a handful of less than brilliant books, but there have been a plethora of wonderful works that I would never have spotted on my own. And even if I didn’t particularly enjoy the book, the host often warms me to it with their enthusiasm and insight. Thus our meeting becomes transformative.

No man is an island

John Donne’s beautiful sermon establishes that we are interconnected and interdependent. For him, our union rests in the belief that ‘ all mankind is of one author’ (i.e God). Yet, we do not have to be a believer to see the truth in this. Man, like most animals, is a social creature who needs the interaction and support of his fellows to survive.

From the food we eat to the clothes we wear, it is a huge collaborative effort.

Making connections at the Ukrainian craft fair Image: Mariia Matrunich

If we can remember this, we can perhaps shed our more selfish impulses and find instead the joy that doing things together brings.

The Three Chocolatiers

January is a dull month. The excitement of Christmas and New Year is over and spring still seems far off. So if you are looking for a way to cheer yourself up – might I suggest chocolate making?

My husband expressed an interest in making his own chocolate and I bought him some rather lovely ingredients for his birthday. And once you have made your own chocolate, no other will taste the same.

When Mariia discovered that we do this, she wanted to take part. Thus, the three chocolatiers were born.

Our latest recruit Image: Jeff Costello-McFeat

Simply delicious

Of course, we do not make chocolate like the professionals. Pouring it out onto marble slabs and tempering it is way beyond us, but perfectly delicious chocolate can be made very simply indeed. It just won’t be as shiny as the commercial kind.

The ingredients are surprisingly few and readily accessible. I buy ours on-line where I can get the highest quality cocoa and cocoa butter. It may look expensive, but it makes more chocolate than you and your friends can eat. How much you make each session is up to you. My husband, who takes the expression, ‘Less is more’ and turns it into ‘If less is more, just think how awesome more is’ tends to make a kilo at a time. (Don’t worry. You don’t have to eat it all at once.)

Take five ingredients Image: Karen Costello-McFeat

Getting ready

If, like us, you want to make very bespoke chocolate, you may have to do some preparation in advance. You will need all your fillings to hand before you start making the chocolate.

Mariia loves toasted nuts and seeds and so filled little jam jars with a variety to choose from. Dried fruits need to be chopped small and I’d recommend dates, apricots, cranberries and my favourite, dried white mulberries. Candied peel is also delicious, so if you have some left over from making your Christmas cake, now is the time to use it up.

What to choose? Image: Jeff Costello-McFeat

For this batch, I decided to make a caffeine addict version using coffee beans and cocoa nibs (raw chocolate). A brief bash with the mortar and pestle ensured that my coffee beans would be well distributed in the moulds.

Chocolate for caffeine addicts
Image: Karen Costello-McFeat

Kitchen moulds

Silicone moulds can be expensive, but there is no need to invest in them yet. Jeff and Mariia (remember the more is more bit?) love to use muffin cases and tins for theirs. Being a little more restrained, I use mini muffin cases and this time a madeleine tray which made the most adorable chocolates. Silicone bar moulds are quite reasonable, but you might need to purchase a few if you want to make more than one bar!

Mini muffin tins plus cases make perfect sized treats Image: Karen Costello-McFeat

And here’s how to do it

For the ingredients, take equal quantities of cocoa butter and cocoa chunks/ powder and place in a heat proof bowl over a pan of simmering water.

Melting the ingredients over a gentle heat
Image: Jeff Costello-McFeat

Don’t let the temperature get too high (you only want to melt the cocoa) and avoid getting water in the bowl.

Stir it constantly until the mixture melts and blends.

The next bit is a matter of taste, but this is how we like it. Add a cap full of quality vanilla essence, a tiny sprinkle of salt and sugar to taste. You can use any sweetener, but we found that brown sugar works best when it comes to setting. Add a tablespoon of sugar at a time until you have the flavour you like. We have ours quite bitter, but you may like it sweeter.

Ready to pour

Once the chocolate is sweet, shiny and smooth, you are ready to pour it into the moulds. Turn the heat off, but leave the bowl above the water so that it doesn’t harden.

For ease of pouring, I took a measuring cup full of the liquid chocolate to pour into the moulds.

Mariia demonstrates the technique
Image: Jeff Costello-McFeat

Depending on what texture you would like, either pour the chocolate over the waiting fillings or add it at the end to give an extra bumpy texture. (Or both!)

The Long Wait

Now all you have to do is set it aside somewhere cool and wait for it to harden. If you can, leave it overnight.

When perfectly solid, peel out of the moulds and enjoy.

These were set aside for craft club
Image: Karen Costello-McFeat

These chocolates are perfect for sharing and gifts. Though a word of caution: if you get too good at it, you may never escape your kitchen.