Chris Linacre

St Mary's Church Scarborough

2012-02-24T08:52:00.000-08:00

St Mary's Church Scarborough is where Anne Bronte is buried and how apt her poem transcribed below

In Memory of a Happy Day in February
Blessed be Thou
for all the joy My soul has felt to-day!
Oh, let its memory stay with me,
And never pass away!
I was alone,
for those I loved Were far away from me;
The sun shone on the withered grass,
The wind blew fresh and free.
Was it the smile of early spring
That made my bosom glow?
‘Twas sweet;
but neither sun nor wind
Could cheer my spirit so.
Was it some feeling of delight
All vague and undefined?
No; ’twas a rapture deep and strong,
Expanding in the mind.
Was it a sanguine view of life,
And all its transient bliss,
A hope of bright prosperity?
Oh, no! it was not this.
It was a glimpse of truth divine
Unto my spirit given,
Illumined by a ray of light
That shone direct from heaven.
I felt there was a God on high,
By whom all things were made;
I saw His wisdom and His power
In all his works displayed.
But most throughout the moral world,
I saw his glory shine;
I saw His wisdom infinite,
His mercy all divine.
Deep secrets of His providence,
In darkness long concealed,
Unto the vision of my soul
Were graciously revealed.
But while I wondered and adored
His Majesty divine,
I did not tremble at His power:
I felt that God was mine;
Anne Bronte

Bark

2012-02-20T06:48:00.000-08:00

Snowdrop

2012-02-20T06:47:00.000-08:00

Fred

2012-02-12T10:15:00.000-08:00

Who will be my Valentine?

2012-02-07T12:53:00.000-08:00

Applications are now being received
You must have the following needs, desires and qualities

Can laugh in the face of adversity
have a wicked smile
have a beautiful smile
must smile daily
(in fact a range of smiles to suit all purposes is required)
plays board games not bored games
love music
charming and witty and of course intelligent
chooses words wisely and frequently
(overtime may be required on occasions for long evenings of debate)
be honest, open and truthful
share PJ and duvet days
collectively seek and find shells and pebbles of interest
admire the sunrise
celebrate the sunset
embrace life
have a dream conducive to mine
can pick the highest blackberries
enjoy shared cooking
come to the theatre with me
view fine art
admire the magnitude and minutiae of this universe we share
remember to pluck that stray hair on my back
never remind me I'm due a waxing
hold me tight
hug me long
snuggle me safe
ravish and cherish me
tell me I am beautiful
have strong knees for the day you get down on one
pick me flowers
sing to me
choose me first to be on your team
check I still like butter
be prepared to grow old gracefully and of course disgracefully with me
hold my hand
cherish my spirit

All applications to be received by Valentine's Day
PS Not for the faint hearted
PPS This job description may be added to by mutual consent

Leading us home

2012-02-05T07:07:00.000-08:00

When the world we know is upside down

And answers elude us

That's the time to dig deep within

To all that we know in our souls

Stride out and inhale

All that beauty which surrounds us

Weave yourself in the circle of love which you can so easily reach out to

Throw away the hurt and embrace your love for yourself

And exhale all that pain and become the magnificent you again

© Christine Rose Linacre February 5 2012

January Sunshine

2012-01-28T06:22:00.000-08:00

Tomorrow I will Rise

2012-01-15T14:25:00.000-08:00

Tomorrow I will rise and a new day will dawn
Tomorrow I will rise and take more steps
Tomorrow I will rise and count my many blessings
Tomorrow I will rise and watch the birds fly high
Tomorrow I will rise and start my next adventure
Tomorrow I will rise and sing to myself
Tomorrow I will!
But tonight I will snuggle deep and dream of the amazing life I have yet to live
Sweet dreams

14 January 2012
© Christine Rose Linacre

Finding a Voice Part 2

2012-01-14T16:55:00.000-08:00

January 13 2012
Throughout my life for as far as I remember
A wee small voice has accompanied me
At times it would rise to the surface
For the sake of the protection of others
often it was hushed and spoke to me of its great wisdom
Many times it came out squeaky, as if afraid to give voice to the thoughts it was pursuing
It would burst out in song, never quite hitting the right notes
But eventually it soared with my spirit and lifted me
Finally, at last I have given it wings so that my voice may be heard
No more will it be silenced
Because once set free it is limitless, insatiable and unstoppable
Let my voice now pour and gush like a stream gathering momentum as it flows to the river and on to the sea.
© Christine Rose Linacre

Only Words - finding a Voice

2012-01-13T03:33:00.000-08:00

Words have been my medium, pun intended, since as long as I can recall. Over the years I have composed thousands and apart from the first seven you see here these are all that remain.

A few years before my brother Mick passed he quoted me a poem about spring, which I had written back in 1966- I just stood there open mouthed as he recited it perfectly- I should have asked him to re write it down for me but the lines which I do recall are- Do not worry do not fret, spring will return soon I bet. Ha ha I was only 11.

I dedicate these words to all those people who have touched my spirit- and may my voice grow in confidence and allow me to get back to my writing.

Namaste

Media Lies

I'd closed my eyes to the loss and pain

And focused on the blueness of the stains on the wall

That defied the medias's claims that One Coat Covers All!

I chose to forget the fun, the laughter, the adventures we had,

Crowing over bargains which were more important than a dented car

Your Kid at Christmas glow as you rendered the same song

with finer lyrics

The tent, a sanctuary with candles flickering as its victims flitted too close

The stars, the meteorite storm and the planet that appeared at 3 am

Wishbone Ash and you made me complete,

Body Mind and Soul.........

You enfolded me and nuzzled a soft kiss on my cheek and it all came flooding back

And I was drowning

And I wept for what we had had,

and what I wanted was a paint to extinguish the stain.......

But I know the media lies.

Early 1990s

The Kingfisher

At 30 I thought it quite unfair

To be expected to wait

10 more years for my life to start

Sod that!

I wanted the advantage

Easy, I thought

First came the list

A tangible one that could be measured

And duly ticked off or struck out

One by one and sometimes two by two

Like Noah in reverse

The kingfisher eluded me

and like the rest I had to wait..

That vivid flash of lightning blue

was an anti climax.

It paled into insignificance

When compared to the golden shimmer and quiver

Of a thousand strands of cobwebs

Darting and criss crossing the grass

A trap, set to trip.

It wasn't the eye that enhanced that scene

It was the simple pleasure of sharing

With someone who could also marvel at the spectacle

With awe and respect

A mutuality.

I didn't put them on my list..

The cobwebs in sunlight and the mutuality

But if I had, I would have had to wait like all the rest,

For 40.......

River Dearne Barnsley August 1995

Sculptures

I was sitting in the park yesterday

having chosen Joe's bench

against the coffee and company at the Bothy

It was cool enough to wear a jacket

And warm enough to feel the sun in my hair.

It's an ideal vantage point.

The park falls gently down to the river

with my hill rising in the distance.

The trees are still full of leaves

but are replete for this year.

They have started to shed

small green acorns which were sprinkled at my feet.

I considered gathering a few

but decided to collect them another time

when the nuts are brown and lustrous,

their cups paled and detachable.

I felt at peace, alone yet not alone or lonely.

Two women in the distance were admiring a sculpture

and muffled voices of other explorers came from behind the hedges.

My feet didn't quite touch the ground

and I wondered whether Joe was a large man.

The plaque claims "He loved it here"

And then I wondered about you

My spirit friend.

You were there with me,

Your arm around my shoulders

My hand at rest on your knee

Our bodies gently inclined to each other

Head to head, hip to hip, thigh to thigh

No words were required or offered

I knew it would be like this

I know it will be like this.

Bretton Sculpture Park November 1995

Cry Wolf

The snowdrops came out a week ago

But rather than thrill they simply mewled

like wolf cubs,

a mere hint of a lie, battered by the rain

and suppressed by the smothering clouds.

The first dawn chorus stirred the memories

and the sun picked out the shoots of daffodils

and wide mouthed crocuses amazed with their vivacity.

The evening sun searched every contour of the fells,

proudly flushed, glowing and replete.

Slowly, it faded away to tease some other soul

Who claims they're happy with their celibate state.

CRY WOLF!

Barnoldswick, February 1996

REASONS

Reasons can be so unreasonable.

They start off quite simple,

a bit like Maths at school:

If a = 2 and b = 4 , what is a + b?

Easy, it’s six isn’t it?

My first reason for meeting you was elementary;

A chance to really talk with you.

Driving to meet you that day , the interlude

in my plans was an unknown quantity.

I had no formula, only a rough plan:

Meet, eat, talk and part,

Which we did ever so easily,

With laughter and smiles and a wave.

The second time the formula was clearer

and more predictable:

Meet, eat, talk , laugh, smile wave and part

In variable undetermined quantities.

Mood driven.

And we did, ever so easily,

Hand in hand in thought provoking silence,

Tentatively and shyly exploring fingers.

A brief hug and a gentle kiss

Before the wave goodbye.

I lay here now attempting to determine the formula

The reasons why I need our next meeting

And I’m plunged into calculations beyond my own comprehension.

And it is no longer a matter of a + b = 6

Each meeting or contact adds to the formula exponentially.

Now my expectations are talk ³,laugh ⁴, smile ⁹

Hug ^x, hold hands ^y, kiss ^z

Are you any better at maths than I am?

June 1998

All our Mothers

She stands before me in her tartan dressing gown
The image of me at 19
She hands me the tiny bundle
The image of her when newborn
I look in awe at her perfection
And see within the scene the mirror behind us
And there they line up looking beyond
To the scene of their own creations
To an outsider it would seem like something was amiss
A time anomaly between the image and the reflection
But the reflection is as it should be
And her reflection goes back to her mother
And her mother’s mother
And her grandmother’s mother
And on and on and back and forth
Separate and separated
but never apart
united by love

New Beginnings 2012

2012-01-03T06:34:00.000-08:00

Well to say last year was a challenge would be an understatement. Career wise, the highlight of the year was being invited to be Artist in Residence at Burton Agnes Hall and also being invited to the preview of the launch of the Hepworth Gallery in Wakefield .
On a personal level the year started with a diagnosis of Diabetes which I felt was such an insult to add to my existing mobility issues and the year progressed with an operation in August, a house fire in December and concluded with something way too personal to discuss here. The consequences of all of this leads me to focus very much on myself and where my career and personal life go from now on. I have never been one to allow life to get me down for too long and I am looking forward to an eventful year.
Out of all the tribulations I know I have a bright future with some exciting new things ahead of me.
Work wise I plan to focus on reaching more Galleries and I have a very big one in mind. I am also going to work on more designs and one is about to be released via Jencel .
I have also been working in collaboration with the Garden Room Restaurant in Braithwell and I will be doing an Art Bites session there on January 17th. Follow the link for more details of that it is going to be a lovely day - I am really looking forward to it.
In February I am offering classes at The Occasional Bead Shop in conjunction with Celia of Jencel .
April 16th to 30th I am back at Burton Agnes Hall as Artist in Residence returning to be part of Sheffield Open Up with my friend Beth Eastwood for the first 2 weekends in May. Phew busy times ahead ! I have more plans for the rest of the year but will tell you about those closer to the time

Doubt yourself and you doubt everything you see. Judge yourself and you see judges everywhere. But if you listen to the sound of your own voice, you can rise above doubt and judgment. And you can see forever - Nancy Kerrigan

Home Sweet Home

2011-10-25T08:10:00.000-07:00

I spent a lovely week at Burton Agnes Hall on the Red Bus Gallery and I am kind of sad to say that I am the last artist to have an exhibition there - during the winter the interior of the bus is being brought back to its former glory and it will be used for special occasions and events. The picture above was my view from the bus, looking towards the gardens- I just had to capture that azure sky which graced us all week.
The Artists in Residence in the Summer House were Madeline Pick and Quentin Budworth . Madeline and I already know each other and it was great to meet Quentin - I think we made a lovely eclectic mix.I hope you can find time to go and look at their work
Daily Affirmation which I feel is so apt ...

As I learn to love myself I can feel the love and joy from my own heart flow through my body and radiate out to others

On the road again

2011-10-14T14:10:00.000-07:00

I am setting off early tomorrow morning to set up an exhibition in a big red bus! I will be be taking up residence on the Red Bus Gallery at Burton Agnes Hall

I will be there from Saturday 15 October until Sunday 23 October - I hope to get a lot
of work done and plan to clear some stock which doesn't quite fit with my latest designs so watch this space for the bargains - If you are in the vicinity of Burton Agnes Hall please call in and see me - the Hall is open 11am to 5pm

Spring Flowers

2011-10-12T01:43:00.000-07:00

Ok so these are a tad out of season but on this gloomy autumn morning I wanted to brighten your day

Each is available as a printed card £2 plus postage - happy to write your message and post to whoever you want to share one with- been thinking of incorporating inspirational quotes too - watch this space

Tyneham Village - home is where the hearth is

2011-09-14T14:12:00.000-07:00

Tyneham village made me feel so sad - click on the link to read about it - here is my selection of photos taken there

Holiday Photos -Beach and Groynes at Blue Anchor

2011-09-14T14:04:00.000-07:00

Our 2 weeks in Somerset and Dorset seem so long ago now and of course I have been so lazy updating my blog - I plan to do a few quickies, with just a few words from me allowing the photos to reveal the story.

Ok last one about my new camera :-)

2011-08-11T02:02:00.000-07:00

For my birthday Pete arranged for us to spend a day with a professional photographer, Chris Gilbert of Ravenseye Gallery in Derbyshire. It was a bit of a worry whether I would be able to given my recent and unexpected health blip but luckily I was able to make it on the day. We spent a full day with Chris until early evening and what he doesn't know about photography and nature isn't worth knowing! After morning coffee and discussions we set off with Chris at the wheel and visited 3 different locations. I have chosen my favourite photos from each place to share with you.

Nostell Priory

2011-07-23T14:07:00.000-07:00

We visited Nostell Priory today and I managed to test out the camera again. I took a few long shots but these three close shots are my favourites - if you click on the image you get to see it more clearly

Yorkshire Sculpture Park

2011-07-17T07:38:00.000-07:00

I am so lucky to live close to the Yorkshire Sculpture Park- here are some photographs from today's visit - our timing was impeccable as the rain hit us as we drove home

An Early Birthday Present

2011-07-16T10:33:00.000-07:00

I will give you three guesses what it is

Exhibition at Cadeby Church 18 June 2011

2011-06-17T04:15:00.000-07:00

Six artists from the ArtS64 group are exhibiting at St Johns Church, Cadeby , Doncaster on Saturday 18 June 10am to 4pm The exhibition is in conjunction with the Churches Conservation Trust Midsummer Tea Party.
As a member of ArtS64 I wil be exhibiting alongside the following members:

Robin Garside

Lynn Sturman

Sheila Bury

Sharon Cooke

Yvonne Kirby
Wonderful talent as I'm sure you will agree
It would be lovely to see you there

Credit Crunching Cheerfulness

2011-06-07T13:08:00.000-07:00

I'm not sure if you have noticed yet but I am the eternal optimist. Every threat can be percieved as an opportunity, and so yesterday when I deleted the database which manages my website I thought what a perfect opportunity to totally redesign it. Of course this thought came to me after some unpublishable thoughts :)
Last week I was given food for thought from a friend, who suggested that given the current climate it may be time to look at making a more economical range of jewellery . My initial thoughts were around how I pride myself on the quality and creativity of my work but then I got to thinking that that need not be a bar to working at a different price range. So here we have 90 or so pairs of earrings and each one different - to retail at £4 each - it's just a pity I deleted my database but if you are interested in buying any pop over to my Facebook page and leave a message on there for me

Open Studios at Westgate Studios, Wakefield

2011-05-24T09:45:00.000-07:00

On Wednesday 25 May between 5pm and 9pm Westgate Studios will open their doors for anyone to come along and talk to the artists and see works in progress. I will be opening my studio - A13 where my theme will be umm err

The launch of the Hepworth Gallery in Wakefield

2011-05-20T14:53:00.000-07:00

Tonight I had the privilege of attending the launch of the Hepworth Gallery here in Wakefield. Barbara Hepworth was born in Wakefield and it is so wonderful to see much of her work back in her home town. I first saw her work back in the 1980s when the Yorkshire Sculpture Park opened.
Here are some photos I took of the night - expect more in the future

More from Burton Agnes

2011-05-15T14:52:00.000-07:00

The time just seems to have flown since my Artist in Residency at Burton Agnes Hall and I am back to the old routines and waiting for a chance to put my ideas into action. My head was so filled with amazement of the beauty of the Hall and the gardens. Here are some shots from my favourite part of the garden which is the purple one- I have plans to translate these particular memories into some batik work.