Wednesday 22 October 2008

Tameside: Libraries and Art Gallery


I've been doing storytellings to very sweet 4 & 5 years olds in Tameside libraries. It's meant taxis at 6.50am and breakfast on the station, but I'm not selling books, so at least there's no suitcase to haul. You can tell it's getting colder though - look at the coats on the people on the Wednesday morning train!

We've had the usual fun, with school classes brought into the library for an hour at a time, and I've been looked after really well (thanks Jennifer!).

This 'Smudge' is by Georgia Lindsay, a little girl from Manor Green School, who came on Wednesday afternoon. She's only 4 years old - isn't it great? We had a no-show on Wednesday morning: the school forgot. Fortunately only the 2nd time that's ever happened to me. I filled the time doing big drawings for the library, then got onto a computer to do a bit of work. I'd brought my sketchbook, so I also did a bit of work on my story (see Lila and Sausage).

I forgot my sketchbook on Tuesday, so had to draw my train sketches in biro, on the back of the day's itinary:


Actually, Tuesday's visit had an added bit of excitement. Remember i told you about my exhibition for next year? (see Really Exciting News!). That will also be in Tameside, in the Central Art Gallery. I haven't yet seen the space, so Katie Kennedy came to meet me at Droylsden Library, sat in on my last storytelling, and then took me over to see the gallery.

It's a lovely space: quite big, with a very high ceiling, in a slightly quirky, Victorian building that also houses the Central Library. There's a welcoming area adjoining the gallery room, with a manned desk and a horseshoe shaped, glazed counter, ideal for selling my books once the show's up.

We met up with Ruth Lomas, a very creative lady, who devises and manages all sorts of interesting educational projects in Tameside, that revolve around reading. She arrived worn out from presiding over her Schools Book Challenge semifinals (a wonderfully successful idea: a sort of cross between Who Wants To Be A Millionaire, University Challenge and Give Us A Clue!). We all sat in the space and brainstormed ideas for my exhibition. We want it to be as lively, child-friendly and interactive as possible, with various kid's projects, competitions and challenges to go with it.

I would quite like to set up a blog just for the show, for children to give feedback and add ideas of their own. I'm going to do a children's illustration competition (the prize will be work hung alongside mine in the gallery). Ruth is going to help to set up a sort of treasure hunt through the illustrations, and Katie is going to get schools to come in and work with me in the space, maybe making their own books. Plus lots of storytellings!

It's all so exciting. I still keep waiting for someone to tell me it's all just a big joke! If you want an invite by the way, do let me know!

This is my Wednesday evening train man - even though he was sitting opposite, only a couple of feet away, I don't think he noticed me drawing him. He must have been miles away!

8 comments:

Anonymous said...

22 october 2008. The picture of the mouse is from my daughter who is called Georgia Lindsay if you want to update the page. It looks really good and Georgia is very excited to see her picture online. She would be even more excited if she could see her name on the web!!!

Many thanks

Anthony Lindsay
aajgl@tiscali.co.uk

Lynne the Pencil said...

Consider it done! Thank you for letting me know.

Say a big 'hello' to Georgia for me - I love her Smudge drawing. She is very talented, quite possibly the best in her class!

granny grimble said...

I just love the drawing of smudge, what a talented little girl Georgia is. Her work reminds me so much of yours Lynne at that age!
It sounds like you had a very exciting day on Wednesday. It's a shame that you have to wait till next summer for the exhibition, but it's going to take a lot of organising isn't it?

Lynne the Pencil said...

Fortunately a lot of the organising will be done by the gallery, but I still have to choose all the work and devise a lot of the children's projects.

weechuff said...

What a lovely drawing of Smudge! Georgia is a very talented little girl. Tell me, do the people you draw on trains ever realise that they are being sketched, and if so, what is their reaction?

Lynne the Pencil said...

Yes, sometimes. Mostly they do their best to pretend they haven't noticed! Sometimes though we strike up a conversation and I show them my sketchbook. It often depends how close they are sitting.

Olha Pryymak said...

hi, Lynne! Thanks for leaving the comment on my Urban sketch. Your train people are fantastically drawn.
The guy on the last sketch totally looks like my friend Karim! I will send him this link, ho.

Lynne the Pencil said...

Maybe it is him... wouldn't that be cool!