murder, mayhem and meditation, all in a day's work

children and dogs go well together!

The first murder was at 5.30 am!!! It was a rabbit thinking it was safe when 3 large dogs found it.  It was in rabbit heaven shortly afterwards and its remains were ...well I won't tell you where they went or how they reappeared shortly afterwards!  The second murder was a particularly horrid one.  Helen, the bullied hen couldn't take it any longer and although separated from the beastly Rob Titchener cockerel, was so under his spell that she couldn't resist one last kiss and he sat on her good and hard and although rescued by the by now despairing Granny, given rescue remedy and put back in the hen hospital, breathed one last sigh with his name on her lips (beak but lips and last sigh are poetic licence) and went to the hen heaven.   

Meditation with Grace was a bit jumpy but my goodness after dealing with all that murder and its aftermath, it was a fairly short break in what had started as a rather violent war zone Sunday morning.

murderer's profile

buddha again

Of course, then on the long dog walk, the conversation went from rabbits and hens to past generations of the family who had once upon a time walked the same walk.  Willa skipped ahead, not that interested in the philosophy of rebirth but Grace, ever eager and with ears open for any nugget of distraction, cartwheeled her way along the path beside me and my philosophical friend Peter.  We carelessly perhaps remarked on how difficult it now is for our bodies to do cartwheels or stand on our heads but how easy it still is in our minds.  I, for one, was a very good stander on my head and quite good at handstands but now I am a watcher of the same activities by her.  So, when the chat moved on to where people we had known had winged off to, I suggested that the real part of you, the bit which lives in your inside and which is represented by the Buddha in the summerhouse doesn't change when the body changes into its different stages.   It enjoys itself in the young body, it watches out from an older body and then when the body gets too old to go on, it departs to wherever it departs to and if it really wants to come back, it gets a chance to choose where to go and who to go to.  There are no mistakes made here, you get exactly what you have wanted so that is why it is best to decide what you do want next when you can!

domestic abuse at Granny's house!!!! The Titchener Tale

Rob and Helen 

If you listen to the Archers (as I do at the moment) you may be up to speed on what I call the Titchener tale.  A dark tale of domestic abuse of a particular kind!!! The bad boy is Rob Titchener  who managed  to ingratiate himself with everyone in Ambridge, the home of the Archers. He manipulating Helen into believing that she should do just what he said and made sure that she couldn't see her friends or family.  She became a almost a prisoner in her own home.  When Helen finally tried to leaveshe somehow managed to stab Rob with a knife he had just given her!!!! It  was in defence of her son Henry but she doesn't remember that yet.  It doesn't really sound believable does it (and of course it is just a story) but I have seen something similar happening here within my own household!  My two new hens, a cockerel and a hen, both very smart chicks, Buff-Orpingtons no less fell into the same pattern.  The bad boy cockerel bullied the kind golden hen which had to be rescued and put into the hen hospital.  He wouldn't let her move or talk to the other hens at all and when no-one was looking he pushed her head under a log and sat on her.  I had been going to call them Posh and Becks because they were so smart but I have decided to call them Rob and Helen.

not really to be trusted

Grace draws the dogs

This sort of story is one you don't think you'll ever come across in real life do you?  But beware the signs....The bully marginalises the victim and doesn't allow them to see their friends or family but manages to keep up a smiling face to others.  

What we did to reestablish good relations between them was this.  We put the Rob cockerel in with all the hens next door who he had been schmoozing with his charm through the fence and they realised quickly what he was really like and they gave him a really good bashing.  He was so pleased when he was rescued and he has been quite gallant to Helen hen all day, allowing her to eat whatever she likes and to talk to her friends again through the wire fence.  The moral of this story is that the bad person needs to see just how bad they are through the eyes of those they are trying to schmooze into thinking they are perfect!  Watch out Rob Titchener, watch out our golden Rob Buff-Orpington Titchener.

Meditating with the grandchildren

2 girls, 5 dogs, rainy walking

They are here again, 2 small girls for 10 days, full of fun and movement and at the end of a busy year of school and Singapore and travel.
Meditating at the start of the day is a bit tricky so I decide to wait until we have walked the dogs and had breakfast and got the day underway and then I say..."Look girls, I haven't had a chance to meditate yet and I wonder if you would let me out to my meditation space now to have a little quiet time?"
"Why do you meditate?" they ask.   I just say that "when I go to my meditation hut and meditate, I leave all my worries behind. Would they like to come too? Would they like me to show them how to do it?"
Oh yes they would! So, that is that! No long meditation for me but perhaps a chance for them to find a space where the hurly burly busyness of everyday can be left behind for a bit.
In the hut there is the bric-a-brac Buddha who presides over the summer house. He came from a jumble sale and is rather fine. I introduce him to the girls, they have seen many Buddhas in Cambodia and Vietnam which is close to where they live and they say, they know about meditation, all about meditation. Well, I say, let's try mine. So we do!
"The Buddha is telling us about being still" I say, "he is all about stillness and he is telling us that we have a stillness in us too and this is how we find it: we shut our eyes and put our hands on our knees so that our eyes and hands stop moving. And then we listen, we listen for the smallest sounds there are, first, the birds, then further to the murmur of cars on the faraway road. Can you hear them? and can you use your hearing to listen right out beyond the stars and moon and right to the place where the moon is hanging? I tell them THE word which Father Laurence uses and they stay quite still for at least 2 minutes. They said they liked it and we talked about finding a place where you can put your worries away or just give them to the bric-a-brac buddha.

Granny agrees with Annapoorna, Without me you're pants!

I bet you don't think of the world you live in being filled with another world??? The world of the great beings, the great Gods of mythology are all there even though we can't see them.  We can feel them though and when we think we are being successful or not or being in love or not or feeling jealous or resentful of full of kindness and good will, it is those great godly forces playing around.  You may or not have heard of Annapurna but she has the job of feeding the world.  She is the one who does the growing, the harvesting, the processing, the milk delivery, the fine fine art of the patissier is hers, the work of farmers and agronomists, of chemists and grocers, of wine merchants and jam makers all depends on her.  She does it without asking any return but there is a story which we should take to heart because it shows that if we aren't grateful, even if we don't know who is providing our good living, she can turn her back on us until we learn our manners.  This is the story.

In ancient Hindu tales, Annapurna is the consort of the Lord Shiva.  In a moment of what turned out to be foolishness, Shiva claimed that as the world is illusion, Annapurna's role was really not necessary.  In her female way, and don't you recognise this O women and friends of mine, she got the hump and said the equivalent of get your own dinner then Shiva!  She departed from the world and everything went badly wrong.  Crops failed, food disappeared, people starved and nobody was about to say that this was an illusion.  Shiva had to apologise in order for Annapurna to reappear and the abundance which is hers to reach our larders and fridges.   Can't you imagine the conversation in the heavenly realm when the apology was wrung out of Shiva!!! Now if Annapurna was anything like today's women which maybe she was or wasn't, she would have been muttering under her breath or even out loud.  "you, the all powerful creator of everything we see, would just be pants without me!"

40 years of Art in Action, will you be there

Some of us were there at the first Art in Action 40 years ago!  It was quite a small event then, just a few tents, artists and sculptors, pancakes and pimms, books and oh yes, doughnuts!!  Do you remember or did you come along later as a visitor, a helper, a volunteer?  Were you there in your pushchair?  Did you go to the story telling? were you in the crèche?  Did you bring your dog?  Are you coming this year?
This is an update of what it will give you, you can read what is in store.

For friends, supporters & creators of Art in Action

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Only 2 more sleeps!

The weather is still hot and sticky here at 11:22pm, as I write this; or maybe it's just me. 

I have just got in from helping Ian, our transport guru, unload glass-topped desks for Metalwork and Jewellery, maps for the Welcome Tent, books for the Bookshop and twelve little benches for Storytelling. 

I'm still humming the Magic Flute from Saturday's very successful performance by Opera Anywhere in the Amphitheatre. 

I tromp around the site, occasionally jumping on breeze-block plinths in the sculpture area and striking a pose like the Queen of the Night. 

The tents are all up and most of the entrances are in the right place; apart from in Staff Refreshments where, due to 'marquee misalignment', the ever-patient Frosts and their team cannot move between the kitchen and the dining area! 

It's all coming together nicely, otherwise and, as I walk through the tents, I now see fresh, white, volunteer-painted screens waiting, full of potential - like a blank canvas, for the artists to arrive. 

Candice, our garden nursery manager has just consented to allow Subhada and her Odissi dancers to use her office in the potting shed as a changing room. 

Two more days and all the artists will be here! 

We have had two events on the Sunday before the show starts: a drinks reception for the village, where we give out complimentary tickets to help make up for the chaos and squashed verges, and a dedication service in the little church of St Mary the Virgin. 

The prayer of dedication goes like this:- 

"Look down, good Lord, on this village of Waterperry, its church, its people, its house and especially at this time the forthcoming festival of Art in Action. Guard, guide and keep its many participants, visitors and staff. May the event reflect the glory of your creation, remind everyone of your supreme benevolence and reveal your peace at all times. Through Jesus Christ our Lord. Amen." 

Ok I'm off to bed; first appointment tomorrow is 6am meditation in the ballroom with volunteers staying in the house. 

I guess there is no other art show like ours. 

Yours ever, 

Simon Buchanan
Organiser 

P.S You can see the map of the festival on the website here

Looking forward to seeing you from this Thursday

The whole team are excited to be welcoming you to our 40th and final Art in Action. 
There will be plenty of special activities on and we hope you can come and share a very special celebration of arts and creativity.  

Thursday 14th – Sunday 17th July, 10am – 5.30pm each day.
Gates open from 9am, refreshments available.

View the daily programme for all events and activites here

How to get here... By Car Parking is FREE. Arrive early to avoid congestion. Sat Nav: OX33 1LG (Route from M40 for cars and other vehicles below 3 tonnes) Get off at Jcn 8A and take A418 to Thame. After 3.5 miles turn left at Mill Rd (to Shabbington).  After 3 miles turn left onto Clifden Road (towards Waterperry). Continue to Art in Action. By Bus From Central London  - Oxford Tube, 01865 772 250, oxfordtube.com.  Coaches run every 10-20 minutes from Victoria, Marble Arch, Notting Hill Gate, Shepherds Bush and Hillingdon.  - Oxford Bus Company, 01865 785 400, oxfordbus.co.uk  The X90 coach service runs every 10-20 minutes from Victoria, Marble Arch, Baker Street and Hillingdon. By Train From London (Marylebone) head to Haddenham & Thame Parkway Station. From the station forecourt, take the 280 Arriva Bus (every 30 min) to Wheatley alighting at The Triangle bus stop near The King’s Arms where a free courtesy car service will be provided. From other destinations head to Oxford Station From stop R7 in Frideswide Square (about 100 yards from the station), take the 280 Arriva Bus (every 30 min) to Wheatley, alighting at the Triangle bus stop near The King’s Arms where a free Art in Action courtesy car will be provided. For information on the 280 Arriva bus service, phone 0871 200 22 33 or visit their website arrivabus.co.uk For full travel details click here > Practical Class Tickets Tickets are available on each day of the show and can be purchased from the Practical Class Ticket Tent which opens from 9.30am. Practical Classes available this year range from Clay & Pottery, Jewellery & Enamelling, Printmaking, Sculpture, Textiles, Papermaking, through to a wide selection of Painting & Drawing classes from some of the most respected artists in the country. Tickets range from £8.50 to £15. Most classes have three daily sessions (but some vary so check when booking): 10:30am - 12 noon / 1:00 - 2:30pm / 3:30 - 5:00pm Junior Practical Classes are available for children aged 4 – 10 years (£6.00 each) with three daily sessions: 11.00am – 12.00noon / 1.30 – 2.30pm / 3.00 – 4.00pm The Practical Classes Teachers are all artists or art teachers. They also have a joint display in the Teachers Exhibition Tent and most of the works are for sale. It’s a wonderful opportunity to see a wide variety of art created to a very high standard. (Online tickets are now closed) View the Practical Class timetable here >

Online Tickets If you want to beat the crowds then we suggest you purchase your e-ticket now via the website. Tickets are valid for any day of the festival. Remember if you have any queries about the 2016 festival, please call Rachel, Patricia, Lauren, Seren or Dominic here at HQ on 020 7381 3192.  Click through to ticket purchase > Don't forget to bring Kit in case of adverse weather: Waterproof Jacket, Golf Umbrella and Wellies. Also bring sun cream and sunglasses and a hat. Water is available but bringing a bottle is useful. Bring some cash - cash points are very popular and queues can be extensive. You can use cards for most art purchases, though. Dogs - Well-behaved dogs are allowed on a short lead. Please remove any dog litter. Food - Throughout the day at Art in Action, there is a wonderful choice of delicious food and beverages. Available from 9am each day. Watch behind the scenes on our social media channels All of our social media channels for you to follow the latest news: Facebook: @artinactionfestival Instagram: @artinactionfestival Snapchat: artinaction Twitter: @artinaction1 YouTube: @ArtinActionUK Our latest film  Watch the last few days of preparations in our latest YouTube clip here. And you can keep an eye out for lots of snippets throughout the Festival on our YouTube, Facebook & Snapchat channels.

Taking shape at Festival HQ! The Welcome tent is up. The Sculpture Exhibition taking shape in the Walled Garden area. Last week's sell-out concert of the Magic Flute in the Waterperry amphitheatre. The Zendo area is finished and looks particularly inviting.

CASS Art Summer Giveaway The Cass Art Summer Giveaway is back for 2016 and this year it's bigger than ever with over £15,000 worth of prizes. From luxury art sets to high end stationary, art classes to art prints - there's something to capture everyone's attention. For your chance to win, enter here before midnight on 31 August 2016.

“Happiness is not in the mere possession of money; it lies in the joy of achievement, in the thrill of creative effort.”

Franklin D. Roosevelt

Art in Action
4 St Oswald’s Studios | Sedlescombe Road | SW6 1RH | London | UK
info@artinaction.org.uk
020 7381 3192

To friends, artists and supporters of Art in Action

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getting ready for Grandchildren.

Grandpa takes his annual swim

Waiting for you!

 It is that time of year when Grandpa has his annual swim and he and I start to prepare for the abracadabra girl and her sister and for those other abroad children and grandchildren to join us here.  The preparations include getting new bath toys for Benji, sharpening the box of crayons and making certain there is enough drawing paper for Isla and putting out the croquet set for Arch.   We make certain that there is everyone's favourite family food and we watch the raspberries for signs of ripening. This is our favourite time.  It is as if every bit of nature and every part of the house and garden know that the family are coming home and everything perks up.   But we know that it will be short and that you will all be going back to your own homes again and because we don't want to feel sad then, we absolutely know we must keep up our meditation.  Sometimes that means getting up really early to be sure to spend that precious time reaching out towards the unchanging presence that meditation indicates is behind all this activity.  We wonder if you will remember this about us when we are gone as well as remembering the cheerful colourful busy times of being together.  We wonder this because this practice definitely is our choice of legacy to you all.  You may or may not want the household possessions, you may or may not like the pictures or the old brown furniture.  But will you search for us in the places we used to meditate, will you find that we are unchanged in that other reality.  Who knows? We can only meditate and hope that you will.

Tractor rides too