Luton Hoo Walled Garden Project hosted their 2012 Preview and I was invited along by Charlotte Phillips. As I entered the garden and walked along the path, the marquee glowed a warm welcome, and I was greeted by Bill and Ben the Flowerpot Men being arranged by the mother of the creator of the piece (my apologies for chopping off Weed!)
Charlotte was there to greet the artists and invitees, I checked to see that she was happy for me to take photos, then strolled around, and was soon listening to a young lad playing a series baroque pieces on the violin. A short while later I began chatting to a trio of folk Singers, who sadly had been relegated to near darkness in front of one of the several industrial heaters, which was a true shame as they played and sang beautifully, and in such dim light it was difficult to take pictures that did them justice.
One of the most striking pieces of art I spotted was a tiny piece by an eleven year old boy, and like the folk singers it was not given any prominence, but it was very creative and beautifully constructed. Over the course of the evening I pointed it out to several people, because it deserved to be seen, and everyone I brought to view it was of the same opinion, and this elicited a similar gesture from someone who took me to a very competent and attractive oil painting which I was told was by a fourteen year old boy.
I met the proprietor of Artscape once again and he introduced me to one of the artists whose work was on display, Mick Miller, and later to Charlotte’s mother whom I had met one time before when I was shooting in the walled garden one summer afternoon. Councillor Richard Stay came up to me querying where he had met me before, but before I could tell him, he had remembered. Whilst watching and listening to the folk group who had found a better lit spot further down, I used a man who was obviously enjoying listening to them as ‘audience’ by shooting over his shoulder, and was pleased that he actually applauded them at the end of one number. We got to chatting and I learned he was a Lambretta fan and an erstwhile tearer of Telephone Directories which party piece brought him fish and chips for him and his mates!
One particular lady held my fascination because of her wonderful hand gestures while in animated conversation, her face and hands were overflowing with ‘life’ and I have only put two shots in the gallery, but I probably took a dozen and they would make a wonderful flickerbook compilation!Towards the end of the evening I found myself in conversation with the two girls serving drinks, one of whom is due to go to Brighton to take a degree in photography. Altogether therefore a very enjoyable evening. I have said little about the art on display but I was taken by some very good watercolours of classic scenes, but since I was specifically avoiding shooting recognisable shots of the displayed work, I hope anyone interested will go along to see them themselves over the next few days. Several people were taking closeups with their camera phones which I felt was in bad taste, as this is in total disregard for someone else’s intellectual property.
I wish the exhibition every success, and hope these shots may whet some people’s appetite.
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