PP3 part 6

Paddy's Wigwam - aka Liverpool Metropolitan Cathedral. Fascinating seeing Coventry at the start of the week and this at the end. Oddly enough, whether because of being in the round, or the darkness and richness of the glass, it has a far more spiritual feel to it. We both loved the space, the light, the feeling of enclosure. BUT much more difficult to film and photograph. Staff tremendously helpful and chatty, and a visitor I chatted to turned out to be Piper's taxi driver at Fawley Bottom! Libby as usual was chief bag carrier (see image) but still smiling!

In the afternoon we gave ourselves a break and visited the fabulous Klimt exhibition at Liverpool Tate which showed so many works I'd never seen previously plus those of Hoffman and Schiele and the inevitable Mackintosh. But why do they have to make the notes of each work so small and place them so low down - even I was having to stoop but my long legged colleague was bent double reading them and in agonies by the end.
This was followed by the inevitable 'ferry cross the Mersey' - how could one avoid such a trip and it afforded great views of the Liverpool skyline - plus I spotted a Mick Jagger look-alike having a Super8 session?! In the evening we chanced upon the Olive Press where the Maitre D was wonderfully friendly and helpful and even gave Charles a free Peroni glass with which he is highly delighted.

PP3 Part 5

Another run early morning, meet Charles for breakfast and a good fry up helps awaken the man. We set off on time to meet Jeremy and Pam (see 759 mile dinner date, 12 August 2007 on http://frankbrangwyn.blogspot.com but are held up by roadworks, a fuel stop, a level crossing and slow traffic so are 20 minutes late at the rendezvous in deepest Snowdonia. Now it so happens that in deepest Snowdonia there is no mobile reception - not that I normally rely on such contraptions - but it does not make exchanging information easy. Jeremy has changed his car since the last time we met and he can't recall what vehicle I possess, meanwhile he and Pam have hared up the road to look for us? The chances of us recognising each other were slim. Anyway, as I was wandering around aimlessly they turned up and we decided, given the rain, that we would decamp to Jeremy's house to discuss tactics.
The thing is, Jeremy is not only an artist in his own right, but hugely knowledgeable about the region and also a leading light in Gwynedd Museum. A real coffee - the best in the last week - revived flagging and damp spirits and Pam and I decided to make an itinerary of Piper locations. Meanwhile Jeremy had managed to contact Gwynedd and arranged for us to see their Piper sketch, assuring us meanwhile that the cloud cover would rise mid afternoon. So we all drove down/up/across/whichever way the map is pointing to Bangor where we photographed said image and then attempted a late lunch. The only place open and without a queue looked OK but it transpired that the kitchen staff had gone on strike and we waited and waited until Pam (every home should have one) banged on the desk (not metaphorically but actually), not once but twice, following which we were FINALLY served.
Thence back to Snowdonia and Piper's favourite places and Jeremy was just brilliant taking us along the valleys, pointing out roche moutonne, viewpoints, places Piper stayed etc - despite the fact that the mist hadn't lifted as promised and the rain hadn't stopped. I was elevated to A4 paper holder and stills, whilst Jeremy became tripod carrier and Pam umbrella attendant. Brilliant!
Eventually the afternoon turned out to be successful although the weather played with us continuously. Drove to Liverpool, arriving about 8pm.

PP3 part 4

Went for another drizzly morning run - the garbage collectors (or whatever their PC name is now) yelled out - 'Hey, Mrs, the bus stop's back there'.
The B&B has been inundated overnight with foreign students and, as with the tea room yesterday, we wondered what we were doing in a student B&B at this age - we feel we deserve better!
We booked out but left our luggage in a spare room and drove to Machynlleth to see the Piper/Britten exhibition at MOMA. We enjoyed the exhibition, although small, and were pleased to note that it had the support of Clarissa Lewis, Piper's elder daughter, from whom Mike Goldmark is still trying to gain copyright permission. The adjoining Tabernacle was a wonderful space - I'd love to give a lecture there! The town was fascinating, some individual shops, sustainable household and decorating goods, art shops, trendy clothes, organic food etc, presumably some rejuvenation from the Centre for Alternative Technology? We would love to have visited CAT but again time was of the essence. We did have time to pop into a Deli almost next door to MOMA and buy some flavoured vinegars, Welsh mustard (red, fiery and dragon-like since you ask) and a pork and apple pie for Charles' lunch - which he pronounced superb, best pork pie EVER, thin crisp pastry with a lattice top, tasty filling and not all fatty.
Back to Dolgellau to collect all our bags, sort out what we may need in the afternoon, and pack Megan in very carefully on the back seat, taking care to cover her with light waterproofs so no-one sees her - if it rains we'll have to get wet!
This time we drove almost back to the English border to a spectacular waterfall called Pistyll Rhaeadr, which, for reference, isn't near anywhere. Now if the romantic artists and writers were awed by Gordale Scar, what would they have felt faced with this. The fall is higher than Niagara, it was very fierce the day we were there because of the previous days rains, and quite majestic, with a fairy bridge half way down from which spray flew into the air almost reaching the top of the fall.
Feeling joyful to be faced with such a beautiful natural phenomenon, it was at this juncture Libby discovered she had lost her little bag containing not only the lens cloth, but more importantly her memory card with images of Coventry, Ironbridge and Sid.
Yes, you've guessed it, 'Libby's lost her memory' was the continual tease during the remainder of PP3!
And thence back north to our next B&B on the edges of Snowdonia.

This sign explains why Charles keeps getting the navigation wrong!

PP3 part 3

Another run this morning in the drizzle but helped wake me up. Rather a mediocre breakfast and a drizzly day altogether, gradually maturing into rain and then full scale downpour. We arrived at Caernarfon to film the castle - unfortunately I had assumed that much of the land round the castle would belong to same but it turned out that Piper's views were from across the stream and up the hill. Across the stream was fine to accomplish except that Libby was again the donkey whilst Charles strode ahead manfully with the light meter. We had a cup of tea in a tiny tea shop inhabited by squillions of little old ladies in twinsets and pearls and permed remains of hair and began to feel out of place. Driving up into the hills behind the city we spotted some of the buildings in Piper's work but again they'd obviously irritatingly re-assembled themselves in a different order since his day.
We stopped at the Inhospitable Chip just before closing time so all they could offer Charles was chips (personally ugh! Tiny Belgian crisp chips fine, but British soggy, forget it) - Thence to Beaumaris where Charles had spotted a beautifully made model of a fishing vessel last year when we were filming Brangwyn's stained glass. And the shop was open for once and the boat was still there, which, by his reckoning meant it had to be - so Megan was purchased and placed carefully on the back seat - as if we have sufficient room for her as well!
From there to a beach somewhere near Rhosneigr to attempt to find an abstract in shells and detritus, a fabulous beach with seaweed of all colours and stones (the images were not orchestrated), great fun except that we both got hopelessly wet. On the drive back we looked in vain for a suitable stretch of wall to film (again to match one of Piper's) and finally found something near the Menai Bridge.
Thence a long drive back to Dolgellau - not the distance - but the rain was horrific by this stage, the light had gone, the spray was everywhere. Arrived back at the B&B, laid out our equipment to dry, donned raincoats once more and scurried into the town for a meal - which was really excellent - Y Sospan - very good, fresh produce, freshly cooked, relaxed atmosphere, no pretension. Highly recommended. And we drank an Australian red wine named Anglesey and felt much much better! (For some reason I could not persuade this page to accept the Y Sospan details so you'll find them on PP3 part 7!)

PP3 part 2

Went for a run along the river before breakfast, glorious, that warm wet smell after a night of rain, ducks and other waterfowl waddling about their business, the fishermen starting to congregate. Met Charles for breakfast and the cooked chirped him up greatly - yog for me!
Headed off to Ironbridge but sadly delayed by some interminable telephone calls. Spitting but not raining heavily so just about managed to film and photograph the narrow gorge, the elegant bridge and the amusing toll sign. Unfortunately there are substantially more trees now than there were in Piper's time let alone Fritter or Robertson whose view we were comparing with Piper's, and the Jackfield Museum view was obscured by huge building works on the river side. Charles bravely tackled the undergrowth in front of the Museum but reported back that the buildings aren't the same colours as in Piper's work and the church had moved itself - artistic licence I guess. there are so many museums in the valley we'd have loved to have visited but I hadn't factored in time unfortunately - and we were already delayed.
And on to New Radnor to interview Sid Burnard, an artist in Driftwood which obviously appeals since my podcast is titled DRFITWOOD (see www.libbyhorner.com and http://phobos.apple.com/WebObjects/MZStore.woa/wa/viewPodcast?id=277719748). Charles ate a pork pie en route which purported to have a world-wide reputation but to the expert wasn't much cop. I was finally persuaded to have a coffee at an OK Diner mid afternoon because I was flagging. We arrived unfortunately much later than planned but Sid was absolutely charming, gave us another reviving coffee and then started telling us about his long and varied career and showed us his wonderful driftwood sculptures - it's the birds I like, especially Deirdre made with some burnt wood which appears to replicate her feathers (Sid and Deirdre below). A wonderful enthusiastic good-hearted man. the interview should be launched in August hopefully. Oh, and New Radnor appeared to have some exceptionally old buildings - but it's only Norman whereas Old Radnor is Saxon! Age is, as noted yesterday, relative.
A beautiful drive over to Dongellau, stunning scenery. Arrived about 8pm, dumped our bags in the B&B and rushed into town for much needed sustenance.

PP3 part 1

Drove up to Film Farm yesterday and this morning we loaded up the car with all the film, sound, lighting and camera equipment, just managing to squeeze our bags our bags on the back seat - not mushroom inside. The meteorologists are threatening the 'worst weather week' this year so we also have the HUGE umbrella.
Succeeded in getting Charles out of the house by 9am and off we set for Coventry which we reached without too many wrong turnings (the navigator and not the driver being at fault you understand). Staff very friendly and allowed us to park right next to the Cathedral which made unloading the bags a trifle easier - said bags were left by the entry desk where staff were most vigilant, one old dear (88 if a day) reprimanded me sharply for opening a bag and asked if I was with 'the nice young man with the camera' which pleased youthful Charles no end. Mind you, age is all relative.
Luckily there weren't too many people about which helped our thesis that Piper's works are unpopulated. However the rain was more of a problem (glad of the BIG BROLLY) and there were long spells when we were standing around waiting for an organ recital to finish, school children to retreat or the rain to cease. I've always loved the ruins of the old cathedral but this time looked more closely at Basil Spence's architecture and of course the Baptistery window which we were there to film. It is a frightful shame that some pieces of glass have been broken and covered over with duck tape! The work that must have gone into those windows, Patrick Reyntiens appears to have painted on almost every pane of glass, and of course all the cutting and placing and leading was his work - I'm in absolute awe. Just before we left a visiting American soul choir were given permission to sing - what a treat, the bass notes were glorious, they were so happy to have the opportunity to perform spontaneously in such a glorious building, and all the visitors were in raptures.
We finished at Coventry about 3pm and had a leisurely drive to Bewdley where we stayed the night in a B&B by the river - delightful town with a fabulous old(e) world(e) sweet shop, and an off licence with a selection of ciders the like of which I have never seen before.

Ketchup

Arrived home 29 June hoping to catch up on mail etc and in doing so discovered a note from the BSMGP, organisers of the 2 day conference at the end of the month - Aspects of 20th Century Glass, that they require the digital images for each talk by 10 July - since I am due to leave 6 July for another week's long filming - this means that I have 6 days in which to write the lecture I'm giving on Brangwyn's stained glass, plus learn a completely new programme, never having given a digital lecture previously! Plus catch up, rid the house of encroaching spiders, attempt some sort of gardening, and prepare for the next PP - thoughts of re-reading June Osborne's book on Piper's stained glass faded into insignificance. Somehow, by dint of working until about 9pm each evening all deeds were accomplished, together with a batch of raspberry jam (our own fruit), and invitations to a 180 NOT OUT! bash in August to celebrate the 90th birthdays of my mother and father in law.
Unfortunately it does mean that I am not feeling as refreshed as I should do for this next week, and Charles is similarly hard pressed and somewhat exhausted having had Jobear Webb staying all week working on the Charlotte Bach film (see http://www.charlottebach.org