side stepping

I was reminded by a flurry of coincidences that it was the last weekend of the Ithell Colquhoun at Tate St. Ives. Struck mad by indecision, not wanting to abandon my post at my Enys Gardens Exhibition, I drove to the end of my track and turned....right. Towards the emerald green sea, through winding lanes of bluebells, spring growth and squirrels, to the (didn't think this through), bank holiday weekend car parks of St. Ives. Abandoning them I parked one mile out of town, reducing my 1 hour, self permitted Tate run down to 30 minutes. I mingled at the entrance with other excited sparkling eyes as keys rattled and we were let in , Go! My plan was to whizz through all of the rooms and return to the one or two pieces that beckoned me. After meeting 1,2,3 friends in 10 minutes from a wide geographical sphere , I was feeling the magic. Colquhouns work was new to me but this last year her name has got into my clothes like woodsmoke. I opened my imaginary colour pores and swept round the rooms like an absorbent paper towel ready to examine the shapes and ink blots pressed into my unconscious in later days. The more I saw, the more I left myself behind. I returned to my chosen piece and stayed wrapped in the silk of a Lilly flower for as long as I could. (Water-Flower 1938). I had to shake myself back into my body , returning from multi dimensional travels and leg it back up the sweaty tarmac hill to my sweltering car.

As I drove to Enys, I contemplated the layers of what I saw and thought mostly about the magic of side stepping our intended route. The morning had been quiet at Enys and the moment I arrived I was greeted by smiling faces of people who wanted to buy a painting who had only just arrived. As though perfectly orchestrated and impeccably timed, the day stretched out full of bluebell treasures and connections and I'm rising today with a sense of wonder of the unknown, wrapped in silky petals and rooted somewhere magical . I think the exhibition is London bound and I highly recommend turning round and going to see it.

Ithell Couqhoun Water- Flower 1938