I was hoping to have a proper book launch, but Covid has put pay to that, so it will all happen online. It has diverted me from adding to this site. There is plenty waiting to go on here. In the meantime I have the frustrating task of setting up my online shop. Foolishly, depending on your view point, I am doing it all myself and when the blurb tells you how easy it is, don’t believe it. Still it’s all part of the fun.
As to the books. I knew I couldn’t risk having a large print run so a superb local printer is doing short digital runs for me. Originally I thought of the 10inch x 8inch (255 x 4mm) size, but he produced proof copies in A5 as well. I like the two sizes.
The larger one is ideal for the enjoyment of share reading and talking about story with the illustrations whilst the A5 is good to take with you in a school bag or similar, a bit cheaper too.
I’m also going to talk to my printer about posters and cards.
Solva Harbour is a delight, situated close to St David’s in the northern corner of St Brides Bay, it is the only really sheltered haven between the ferry port of Goodick & Fishguard in the North of Pembrokeshire and south to the safety of Milford Haven. Both Solva and Milford Haven are examples of drowned valleys or Ria flooded after the Ice Age.
At high tide the waters fill the estuary right up to the car park then low tide provides walks down past a range of disused lime kilns, with assortments of boats sitting on the sand or mud awaiting the next tide, then right to the entrance and the sea. If you are adventurous you can get round the headland to a small beach called Gwadn. Not to worry about the tide cutting you off, there is escape via the circular route over The Gribin. Whilst we have walked right down the harbour, we have yet to get round the corner nor have we walked The Gribin. Both on our to do list.
At the moment, June 2020, not much is happening anywhere, but usually there is always something going on.
A couple of comments from when the story was just a manuscript.
“I can’t tell you how much I enjoyed reading about Solva. Truly, I found it a lovely story, one I would have enjoyed telling my own children.” Becky Blake, illustrator.
“OMG I love it , I was imagining being in bed as a little girl with dad reading it to me, beautiful beautiful .Love the illustration she has captured Solva perfectly.I am going to keep my eyes open when I visit the sea today.” Janna
“LOVE the simplicity and earthiness and playfulness of SOLVA!” Jo
Having seen one of the preliminary sketches.
“She is beautiful! What a gentle and soulful face, and very Lost Words (Jacky Morris? ) in its illustration. A thumbs up from me, will really make the story come alive. A complete find. ” Kate
I said I would come back to Peter Daniels, but first I wanted to let his wife Elizabeth know and ask her if it was ok to use the video even though it was in the public domain. I emailed her and received a lovely email back which made my day, so here we go.
Firstly, as far as I’m aware there is no family connection with Peter’s family. He was born in 1937 in Salford, I went to college there for a brief period. He studied firstly at Manchester Junior Art School followed by Manchester College of Art and Design.
I discovered the following video because I wanted to double check my memory of his first name being Peter. I had looked him up probably in 2012 and there was quite a bit online, but it seems to have melted into the ether. There are a couple of passing references elsewhere, but little else, but other than auction and gallery sales of his work the video was all I could find.
The video centres around Peter’s final commission.
The story leaves a lasting impression of Peter through his journey, using his words and those of others close to the project. Right at the beginning we witness his adoption of the emerging digital technology, which now seems archaic in the light of the increased power and memory in computing and even onto our phones. Today, be it David Hockney or Grayson Perry, across the artistic spectrum it is taken for granted, a tool to aid the creative process. It was these digital advances that enabled his work to be completed and as he say “As long as people are there to look at it and are interested in looking at it, then this work is going to get its own energy its own vitality which is totally separate from my intention in the first place. It carries on, it’s a continuation that’s marvellous, in a sense this is the magic in the sense of good art isn’t it? We all hope at some time in our lives we may do a painting or two, if we are lucky, can do that.”
Peter died in 1998 and the commission was completed by Elizabeth in collaboration with the print maker David Hughes.
This layered consideration of art having three potential stages or conversations sets us firmly as participants. Firstly there is the conversation between the artist and their work as they develop and refine ideas in its journey toward completion. Then perhaps, though not always, there is the potential for the artist to engage directly with those who view the finished piece . Lastly there are the conversations he eloquently speaks of in the life and energy of the work and with those who meet it in the future, who will find meanings not envisaged by the artist. This is the legacy which enriches us all.
I never met Peter or even knew of him till our short time in his studio tree house, but he has enriched my life and I am thankful.
There is an altogether pointless interview question that asks “Where do you see yourself in five years time?”
My short answer would not have included publishing a children’s story. Ok, I’d written one, more about that in a moment, but really, a book!
For a good number of years we have holidayed in Pembrokeshire with occasional forays into the Cardigan area. I guess we have got to know it quite well. We had stayed in cottages and caravans, but this year 2012, we wanted something a little different.
It was for the week following my wife’s birthday and I found an advert for The Tree House at Nine Wells just outside Solva on the St David’s road. The weather before our holiday had been really not good. Our week was superb.
The Tree House
It wasn’t a true tree house. It was set on a bank at one end and the other was launched out into the branches of the tree it took its name from.
It was a special place. It had been the artist studio of Peter Daniels who had died in 1998 and now was a amazing holiday retreat under the care of his wife Elizabeth. I think I may have been drawn also to the shared surname and my own interest in art.
I’ll come back to the studio and Peter later.
The weather had been pretty poor just before we went, but we had an excellent sunny holiday. The Tree House is situated at the top of a valley leading down to a cove and the sea. Turning left it leads to Solva and to the right towards St Davids.
On one day we decided we would walk on the cliffs toward St Davids and on to Porth Clais. Which is what we did. The first stretch is called Morfa Common. The walking was easy,lovely sun, a sparkling sea and a soft breeze. We enjoy the wild life and are always on the look out for bird, sea life and anything that catches our attention.
Seals are always a favourite and amongst the Herring Gulls bobbing on the water was a dark shape poking out of the swell. Was it a seal, we couldn’t tell at this distance though it could well have been. A look through my binoculars revealed it to be an orange fisherman’s buoy. Which set my mind to an amusing thought. My wife thought it funny too.
We passed Caer Bwdy and then Caerfai Bays and onward, skirting the more recent chapel, (1935) which was closed and to the ruins of the original chapel and well to St Non.
You can see the newer chapel and a section of the ruin. On top of the rise is a retreat house.
Held by tradition to mark the birthplace of St David, the ruin cannot be accurately dated, but is unusual in that it is aligned north-south rather than the usual east-west. It is thought Saint Non was born around AD 475. She lived as a nun at Ty Gwyn until she was raped by a Prince Saint of Ceredigion . She gave birth to a son, who became St David the patron saint of Wales.
The ruin is thought to be on the site of St Non’s house and to be one of the oldest Christian buildings in Wales. In medieval times the chapel was one of the main pilgrimage sites and after Henry VIII the pilgrimages stopped. The chapel was converted into a house and these are the ruins you can see.
The well was thought to have healing properties particularly for eye problems. It was restored using stones from nearby ruins.
We ended our walk at Porth Clais where we caught the bus down to St Justinians and then back to Nine Wells via St Davids.
Right, I’d written the story and it needed pictures, illustrations. I would have loved to have Jackie Morris who lives near St Davids and is one of the very best illustrators, but my story wasn’t in the same league.
This has to be an all time favourite.
Anyone who has got the wonderful Lost Words book will know of Jackie Morris’s work. I heard about her from the crowd funding for the Spell Song version and then through hearing the Lost Words Blessing.
I decided to see if I could find an illustrator and started researching on line and speaking to friends. I found two both one called Becky Blake and one called Beccy Blake. I got confused because I had seen Becky Blake’s work on Facebook and liked it, but contacted the other Beccy. She wrote a lovely encouraging email but was too busy with commissions.
I contacted Becky and we met on a thoroughly miserable rain sodden day and talked. We both liked, particularly the illustrations, Peace at Last by Jill Murphy Becky liked my story and felt she would like to do the illustrations as it would suit her style. We agreed a price for her work and she set about work.
As of this moment I have only seen work for approval. Watch this space I may be able to share them on here soon.
solvasorangehat.club 