Chettle Week

Just back from a great week, painting in Chettle, with Clare Shepherd, the best tutor I know.

Chettle has a tiny village hall, where you still have to feed the electricity meter. 18 of us use it as a base to explore new ideas and revisit old ones. There is always a waiting list and I make sure of my place by booking for next year as I leave.

Chettle is in a time warp. Most of the time all you can hear are the house martins swooping and chirruping and tractors of various sizes coming and going to the farm next door. Harvest is in full swing and at night great alien lights appear over the fields (generally attached to combine harvesters)

The village hall is next to an orchard of very old apple trees, sometimes inhabited by sheep. Opposite is a field which frequently has a herd of Jersey cows. During the week a girl came past with a two month old calf, whose long lashed eyes looked far too big for her head. She is being trained to walk on a halter so she can be taken to shows.

Everyone greets you, if you are working outside, everyone stops to chat. It's a gentle rural community, with a shop and a post office that's open sometimes and no street lights. A very special place.

I came back feeling refreshed and sure that my work has moved on, I have lots of ideas to explore when I get into my new studio.

And now the packing starts.......