Current Focus - August 19th 2024 - (almost) monthly update
Newish subsection, monthly- unsubscribe from this separately if you prefer - to let you (and more importantly ME) know where my current focus is - broader than the posts section. Comments welcome!
Research (PhD)
I have been editing and re-writing my methodology chapter - I won’t bore you! - it’s the theoretical side but any excuse I can get I am out there drawing which will also all be included in my landscape chapter! I have just finished a week self-directed residency in my campervan in the borderlands of England and Wales - see below.
personal
Finding time to tend and nurture my land - a small patch of urban garden, which over the last twenty years has been loved into growth by me. Today I have been picking damsons and blackberries and deadheading the flowers.
The damson plum has a rich historical lineage, believed to have originated in the ancient city of Damascus, from which its name is derived. As the Roman Empire expanded, the damson plum became an important item of trade, particularly in Britain, where its cultivation persists to this day. Prior to World War II, damson jam and damson cheese—a concentrated fruit paste typically served alongside cheese—were commonplace in British households. The fruit was cultivated not only for its culinary uses but also for its deep blue skins, which were utilized in the dyeing of military uniforms, pottery, and carpets. However, following the war, the prominence of the damson plum diminished significantly. It is only in recent years that this fruit has experienced a revival, emerging once again as a ‘fashionable’ fruit! Maybe it’s a retro crop?
Every time I come home there’s a lot to do but it’s great exercise and very rewarding. I am going to research growing a food forest in the UK - maybe in this house…or the next, or part of a community scheme somewhere.
In my time in this house, stewarding this land (22 years or more), I have planted lots of trees and the Asian Pears which are three years old now are fruiting heavily. They taste like a cross between and apple and a pear. Yum!!
art
My solo exhibition is happening this month at The Guildhall in Much Wenlock, Shropshire. So far lots of friends and new friends have visited and sent back lovely messages and there has been some sales. Thank you very much - feedback is always welcome.
If you read about my new studio last time and saw its virginal picture you can see it here now I am fully installed. At the moment I have some illustration work to do there and there’s a large painting on the wall to complete.
Have updated my Etsy shop if you would like to purchase - more to update as and when.
reading
Now reading ‘Staying With The Trouble: Making Kin in the Chthulucene’ by Donna J. Haraway which is a complex and thought-provoking work that explores how humans might reimagine their relationships with each other, with other species, and with the planet in the face of environmental and social crises. Haraway, a prominent feminist scholar and philosopher of science, introduces the concept of the "Chthulucene" as an alternative to the Anthropocene (a term often used to describe the current geological age dominated by human activity) and the Capitalocene (a critique of capitalism's impact on the environment).
In the Chthulucene, Haraway emphasizes the importance of "staying with the trouble," meaning that rather than seeking escape or simple solutions to the complex challenges we face, we should commit to working through these problems together, recognizing our interconnectedness with all forms of life. She argues for making "kin"—building relationships and alliances not just among humans but across species and with the earth itself.
Haraway's writing is characterized by its interdisciplinary nature, drawing on biology, philosophy, literature, and feminist theory to challenge readers to think differently about their place in the world. The book advocates for a more ethical and sustainable way of living, one that acknowledges the shared vulnerabilities of all living beings and the need for collaborative survival.
In essence, Staying with the Trouble is about rethinking and remaking our relationships with the world around us, emphasizing the importance of solidarity, responsibility, and creativity in the face of ecological and social challenges.
I am also reading ‘Art From Your Core: A Holistic Guide to Visual Voice’ by Kate Kretz which offers many in depth questions for contemplation by artists. The book encourages artists to explore their personal histories, emotions, and beliefs in order to produce art that resonates on a deeper level, both with themselves and with their audiences. Kretz emphasizes the importance of self-reflection and honesty in the creative process, guiding readers through exercises and strategies to tap into their "core" or essential self. Kate Kretz is also known for her thought-provoking and often controversial artworks, which tackle difficult social issues such as violence, consumerism, and the objectification of women.
Thank you to Jacqueline Calladine and Liz Ruest for recommending this book. They also write great substacks / websites and are part of my small but important group of artist friends - four of us who meet fortnightly with an agenda - we talk about art practice and politics, ways of being and doing. We are online and live in Canada, the U.S. and England - not a bad spread for four people. We bring our life perspectives and concern in a safe space. We feel free to question the narrative in all senses. Maria Epp writes here. I love her variety and energy.
I also belong to a book group looking at Patanjali’s Yoga Sutras and Sanskrit - weekly (based in the UK but online)
Another Eastern Philosophy group - weekly - currently looking at Michael Singer's 'The Untethered Soul' (me and American/Italian friends online)
A monthly Yoga Sutras group - online in the U.S. and me here in England
I hugely cherish these honest and searching conversations
current ideas and recent trip
How to do more self-directed residencies.
Part of my trip last week was spent in a field in Herefordshire (Greener Camping Club site) with Mary Price, artist based in Bristol, amongst the fruit fields, meadow grasses and silence which that county offers. We both love to paint and absorb nature quietly, but we shared food, ideas and insights together too.
Here’s my van under the moonlight. Bliss.
I sat barefoot as the chill air descended, a pale hare dashing past me as a tawny owl serenaded me. The earth breathed me and my feet felt its heat. Bats skippled past my head and the silence enveloped my heart.
Here are some drawing / painting clips:
Here’s Mary working on her long and beautiful concertina book. Her work is here on instagram and here on Substack. I will write more about our residency another time.
other writing
nothing new in these last three sections at the moment!
current grapplings
organisation
socials
art:
https://www.instagram.com/clare_wassermann_art/
degrowth and a more natural living: https://www.instagram.com/clare_wassermann_naturally/
Such rich and vibrant sketches and I look forward to hearing more of your little residency!
Connect with much of this! Your artists, ideas & discussion group sounds fabulous! Food forests have been dwelling in my mind for years as something I'd like to do...now I'm heading back to land again the desire to plant and grow is strong... instinct to root myself with place again maybe.