My dearest mother Sue has been undertaking a course in stained glass near her home town Polegate, on the south coast. This is something she has spoken about this since the day I first toddled towards her open arms as a nipper in my jumpsuit. I have always looked up to her creative approach and am so pleased she is finally indulging her creative path. I watched with wide eyes her decorate and re-decorate the 4 bedroom house my brothers, sister and I were brought up in; wallpapering, tiling, woodworking (having built a chicken house from a pencil drawing she made whilst camping at a farm in Edale), painting, staining etc. Each task was done with such intuition, lack of fear and pure creativity. She would always encourage us kids to make and create; cards, gifts, outfits, drawing and paintings. I recall holidays where we were to take sketchbooks and draw scenes from the English campsites we visited. However she never seemed to have the time (bringing up 4 children, taking in students, working full time etc.) to persue her personal artwork, until now...
Retirement and a move further along the coast has been a revelation. She is free from the endless phone calls at all hours where she would switch on to work like a light. Her one person bungalow with small picturesque garden is positioned across from three duck ponds with the final one at her garden doorstep. She has a wier running down the side of her home which is a joy to hear the minute you pull up outside the house and switch the car engine off. It is wonderful to see from the garden, wildlife coming and going with the seasons. She has recently undertaken home improvements having a woodburning stove installed into the lounge which has proved very beneficial in this weather!
Mum has also built and erected her own wood stores at the gate to the duck pond and alongside the house with a sheltered roof in place. She tells me that she is taking advantage of the government initiative providing grants to reduce carbon footprints and she is having solar panels fitted to the roof to generate electricity and hopefully sell back to the grid energy she produces see here for more info.From my position on the boat and interest in sustainability, I look at her with awe. Going back to the stained glass. She recently sent me these images of the two pieces she constructed during her evening class. As with most tasks she approaches, she seeks advice, reads up and always has a go and these are classic examples of her ambition. For a first time at this fine art, I was blown away. The colours and compositions are wonderfully appealing. I recall her telling me through laughter on the phone the time it took to cut a curve in glass and now I look at these photos and what I see is perfectly formed arcs and organic shapes. Her patience ceases to amaze me. Like the kind samaritan she truely is, Stanley Charlwood an old neighbour who taught me and mum a thing or two about gardening as he was a regular winner at showing homegrown veg years before it got trendy, is sadly unable to get outside to his garden so giving him the butterfly stained galss piece he is able to bring the outdoors indoors.
Mum is already planning the next piece to go between the lounge and conservatory at her bungalow. I am putting in a request for a piece to go on the boat without a doubt!
