Poetry in motion: Swindon Diamonds – Oh I love this!
Idly scrolling through Facebook as you do, I came across a video. CREATE studios made the film and it features Swindon Community poet, Tony Hillier and his poem ‘Swindon Diamonds’. I somehow managed to miss it – never mind, I’ve found it now.
It’s wonderful! Share it far and wide. Swindonians need to see it! 🙂 It references so many wonderful Swindon elements. From the GWR toDeacon’s jewellers to the Mechanics’ Institute to Gilbert O’Sullivan and XTC , Ken White …. the list goes on and on and on. Much like Ariston washing machines used to … except they don’t now …
Community poet Tony Hillier created and reads the poem, performing it at many of the key locations mentioned in it.
The poem, a celebration of Swindon and its achievements, was commissioned by Swindon and Cirencester-based motor dealer, Pebley Beach. They did so as part of the firm’s support of Swindon 175, which marks 175 years since the railway arrived in the town. Swindon’s CREATE studios filmed and edited the piece….
…. The poem touches on cars and trains, but other Swindon innovations too, from the World War Two Spitfire to Garrard record decks. Landmarks including Canal Walk, the Mechanics’ Institute, and – of course – the Magic Roundabout are all name-checked.
The video even includes Tony playing table tennis in Quarry Road play park, while reciting a verse of the poem.
Well done to Tony and to CREATE studios. Super, fab, stirring stuff.Poetry in motion: Swindon Diamonds is really wonderful.
Hello listeners. I hope you’ve been enjoying the sunny weather. I certainly have. I LIVE for this time of year. It was great though that it was such a lovely day yesterday for the Children’s Fete 2017.
In case you missed my previous post about the Children’s Fete here’s a bit of background: ‘
‘The Children’s Fete is Swindon’s oldest summer event, dating back to 1866. Organised by the Mechanics’ Institution, it ran until 1939 with the outbreak of the Second World War. The tradition was revived by the Mechanics’ Institution Trust in 2003 and has run since.
The most popular tradition was the cutting of the cake, a tradition which the Trust still maintains by providing a free piece of cake to all children on the day.’
Children’s fete organisers: Hannah Parry, Daniel Rose, Tom Falding, Bob Barrett
Now – just a few photographs of the fete. Including me queuing up to get on a carousel. As my mate Carole Bent has named me: ‘Angela – if there’s a carousel there’s a horse with my name on it – Atkinson’. Here’s the proof!
Daniel Rose and helper the Mechanics Insitute
Plans of railway village conservation area
Falding’s Fandangoes
Swindon Wildcats
And finally a motley trio – I bumped into Carole and David with their chops round a 99 when I arrived!
I do like share a bit of good news on this blog listeners. And this is certainly that.
Now if it were left to me I’d have a place in Swindon’s art collection for dozens of Swindon artists. But until that’s possible it’s great that, in addition to works by the fabulous Ken White, both Creative Wiltshire and Swindon Borough Council have acquired works by David Bent. Because they both absolutely deserve to be there. So hurrah!
Swindon Borough Council are delighted to announce their most recent acquisitions to the Collections via the Creative Wiltshire project
‘These new works include a stunning landscape painting and prints by local artist David Bent. The painting, Beach House West of Looe, from David’s Landscape Geometry series will go on display from 19 July until 18 November as part of ‘The Lie of the Land exhibition’, which explores Modern British Landscapes from the Swindon Collection. This exhibition will also feature artists such as Richard Long, Mary Fedden, Roger Fry and Vanessa Bell.
The Museum and Art Gallery has also obtained two prints from his innovative Aerobot photo collage collection which were first exhibited at the nearby Royal International Air Tattoo. David is credited as leading a new movement in modern aviation art.
This work has been purchased by the Creative Wiltshire project, which aims to acquire works by creative people across Swindon and Wiltshire.
The project is funded by the Heritage Lottery Fund and also recently secured a work by Swindon artist Ken White for the Swindon Collection as well as ceramics by Sasha Wardell, Trevor Chaplin and Patricia Volk, paintings by David Rolt, and prints by Howard Hodgkin and Joe Tilson.
Creative Wiltshire has also purchased David’s work (including books, a box set of Movement 2000 and prints) for the Wiltshire and Swindon History Centre and said “We are delighted that Swindon has acquired these wonderful works by David Bent. David is a talented and popular artist who has such a strong connection with Swindon and the surrounding area. It has been a pleasure working with David to select the works for Swindon and for the History centre and we feel they provide a fitting tribute to David’s long career. We hope visitors will enjoy discovering his work in forthcoming exhibitions.”
David said: “I am proud to have my work represented in the prestigious Swindon collection, sitting alongside works created by a number of great artists that have inspired and influenced me. I am equally pleased that the Wiltshire and Swindon History Centre have chosen to acquire a number of pieces.”
For further information please contact Nicki Western, Marketing Manager, Swindon Museum and Art Gallery, 01793 466560 or emailnwestern@swindon.gov.uk‘
David Bent David Bent lives and works in Swindon. His long career has taken him all over the world. Born in Dover, he has travelled extensively. His art shows the influences of the places he has visited, as well as his fascination with current affairs. In recent years he has been strongly associated with the Red Arrows, who have inspired a number of paintings within his Art of Flight series. David was recently awarded the rare distinction of Honorary Companionship of the Royal Aeronautical Society in tribute to his work. He is the first artist in 30 years to be awarded this.
Question: The Aerobots series is a departure for you. What was your inspiration?
David Bent: I am inspired and led to a certain extent by my general interest in science and technology, but nature and the human condition are also big influences on me. As a practicing artist, I always aim to infuse my work with the power of personal observation, skill and insights.
For me the relationship between Art, Science and Mathematics can be described as a drawn circle with a small gap at the end. Art is at one end of the open circle and science at the other. They are very close if you are prepared to jump the gap, if not you have to travel all the way around the circle and they become a long way apart. I like to jump the gap.’
Creative Wiltshire Creative Wiltshire is a five year project which started in 2015 and aims to acquire work by creative people from Swindon and Wiltshire to fill significant gaps in the collections across Wiltshire.
Wiltshire Local Studies, based at the Wiltshire & Swindon History Centre in Chippenham, received £178,000 HLF Collecting Cultures grant towards the five year project totalling £213,550 and materials are being acquired by accredited museums in the county of Wiltshire and Borough of Swindon, including Swindon Museum and Art Gallery and the Salisbury Museum.
‘The Children’s Fete is Swindon’s oldest summer event, dating back to 1866. Organised by the Mechanics’ Institution, it ran until 1939 with the outbreak of the Second World War. The tradition was revived by the Mechanics’ Institution Trust in 2003 and has run since.
The most popular tradition was the cutting of the cake, a tradition which the Trust still maintains by providing a free piece of cake to all children on the day.
The event has become a popular and recognisable part of Swindon’s calendar once again.’
In 2106, as part of Swindon’s 175 Celebrations, the MIT staged an AWESOME Children’s Fete
And they want to stage it again this year – 2017. But they need your help. This is taken from the Facebook event:
‘After a very special 150th Anniversary event in 2016, which coincided with the 175th Anniversary of ‘New Swindon’ and had over 8,000 people attending, the Mechanics’ Institution Trust, Swindon is pleased to announce that Swindon’s oldest community and cultural event is taking place again for 2017!
THE CHILDREN’S FETE 2017 ‘A Community Celebration of Swindon’s Culture & Heritage’
Saturday 8th July from 12pm to 8pm
The event will take place in the GWR Park on Faringdon Road where various amusements will take place for the entertainment of young and old.
INCLUDING: Circus entertainment by Falding’s Fandangos Arts and Crafts by Artsite Kidz
Dance from the Global Group of Unity
Live Music by Swindon Shuffle
PLUS LOTS OF OTHER ENTERTAINMENT INCLUDING SPORTS, FUNFAIR AND OTHER FUN.
Cake will be given out to the children and refreshments provided at moderate charges.
This is a FREE town-wide event for all ages… Please share this with your friends and family.’
Dig deep
As I’m sure you can imagine fetes like this cost a lot of money to put on. This year they need £15,000. 8-10,00 people attended last year’s. If everyone one of those people donated just £1 that would go a long way. £2 each and job done! Or if only 500 people give £10 each that’s also job done.
It’s important that this event is free to attend so that children from all backgrounds can enjoy this town-wide celebration, therefore we can’t rely on ticket sales to cover our costs.
Costs of holding the event (things like toilets, security, insurance, first aid cover etc) have gone up significantly in recent years meaning the event now costs thousands of pounds every year to take place. We’ve were fortunate in receiving a grant from the Big Lottery last year which covered most of the main costs, but we are unable to apply two years running. ‘
After last year’s fete one little boy said it had been the best day of his life! How fantastic is that?
So please, help make the 2017 children’s fete the best day of another child’s life and contribute was you can. As a well-known supermarket says: ‘Every little helps.’
When I first started this blog I was familiar with the work of Ken White. As time went by, and due entirely to Katie Hopkins (it’s a long story which I’m prepared to dine out on. 😉 ) I came across David Bent.
Since then I’ve got to know Caroline Day, Susan Carr and Terry Humphries, the lovely people at Artiste and the Post Modern and Tim Carroll. Most of them have been represented on this blog with the exception of Tim Carroll. And that situation must be adressed soon.
This post though features David Bent. Because I wanted to mention that he’s exhibiting at London’s RAF Club during July and August 2017.
I must stress that this exhibition is hosted by the RAF club for their members. But don’t despair! Many of the pieces can be seen in Swindon – the Swindon Open Studios event is a perfect opportunity. Indeed a number of the originals can be seen at Open Studios – something that David has taken part in since 2002.
Aside from the that private visits can be arranged to David’s studio or there’s his website: http://davidbentstudio.com
David’s had lots of local exhibitions including: The Great Western Hospital , Open Studios, Radnor Street Chapel and Artsite. Not that this is the first time he’s gone beyond the SBC boundary! 😉
This painting was also included in the exhibition at the RAF Museum , London 2012 – 2013 that David and his lovely wife took 60 kids from Churchfields Academy too … & introduced them to the Red Arrows. Lucky them!
