Hello and thanks for joining me on Positively Packwood once
again for today's blog **sponsored in a metaphorical sense by decongestant &
cold relief tablets…I am not one of those people who does ill gracefully!**
Today in the bloggesphere I am bringing you Packwood
Follies! I was lucky enough to be invited to attend the official opening of
these incredible art installations by artist Hilary Jack last Saturday. There’s
already some blogs up with incredible photo’s (see links at the bottom) so it’s
now ‘over to me’ to do the word-smithery bit I guess!
Now, onto the facts, were this a commercial for shampoo…this
would be ‘the science bit’. Packwood House received a grant from Cadbury’s (The
Cadbury’s Play Grant) for those who don’t know Cadbury’s where have you been!?
They make the yummy chocolate in the purple wrappers, but more significantly
they are a local company based in Bournville. I always knew chocolate was good
for you and now it seems it has been very good for Packwood too!
So with the grant secured artists tendered for the job of
creating some ‘Spirit of Packwood’ art installations for the grounds. A clear
winner, Hilary Jack. Hilary is known for her work across the UK and abroad and
had come onto Packwood’s radar following her piece ‘Empty Nest’ at Compton
Verney. **There are links to Hilary and her other works at the bottom**
As with any project of this scale there were many links in
the chain; both physical (chasing off sheep) and administrative (putting
together technical drawings etc.). The Packwood Follies has been a collaborative
effort involving many people to realise Hilary’s creations and all were
recognised on Saturday.
So, onto the day itself. I’ll be frank…it was biblical. The
previous week that had bought us all that glorious sunshine (you’ll remember
there was photographic evidence only last week on this very blog) was but a
fading memory, washed away by great torrents of rain. On sitting huddled and
damp in the new café with its roaring fire another volunteer commented on
seeing a caravan flip over on the motorway in front of her on the way to
Packwood! The dangers faced to be able to tell you all about these fantastic
pieces!
However nothing could put a dampener on proceedings and
brolly’s and wellies the order of the day we all tramped over to the house to
begin our tour. I have to confess as a volunteer at Packwood I felt twinges of
guilt/panic at the prospect of so many soggy people in the house and tried to
make sure I was on a carpeted area at all times! You just can’t unlearn
conservation awareness it seems!
We were welcomed by Lucy Reid Ops manager for north Warwickshire
properties (yes we don’t know why it’s labelled North Warks either) and she
explained the process of the development of the Packwood Follies. Lucy then
introduced Hilary who spoke about how she had been inspired by Packwood to
create these pieces.
Hillary spoke about Baron Ash and his desire to restore and
reuse and how this is very in line with her own philosophy as an artist,
creating beautiful works of art from items that no longer serve their original
purpose. It’s about giving something a new lease of life. Creating a new start
for something that had been previously discarded. Hilary takes what others
would deem useless and makes them useful again. I found it interesting she used
the Morris analogy I have used to describe Packwood before in my other blogs; something
has to be ‘useful or beautiful’. In my opinion Hilary’s work is both.
Her pieces capture the true spirit of Packwood (as I told
her whilst standing in a terribly soggy Yew Garden…again feeling guilty for
being in there in such poor weather!) they are dreamy, they play with scale and
size and most importantly they have a spirit of ambition in a quiet and
appreciative way. They both stand out yet are sympathetic to their
surroundings. Both ostentatious yet whimsical, they have a fairy tale quality
to them that encourages people (as with Packwood) to take a step out of their
daily lives for a moment. To think more creatively, to imagine, dream or just
be. Their placement allows you to discover them as if for the first time, the
experience is your own.
It was a conscious choice to ‘play with scale’ after
visiting the Yew Gardens and experiencing that ‘Alice in Wonderland’
feeling Hilary explained that this was a
key feature of Packwood she wanted to bring to her artwork, the dream like
quality where all is not as it would normally be. I agree we all need to feel
small sometimes. It helps us gain perspective; it’s why people stare up at the
stars or lie back (perhaps on a giant, turfed bed) and watch the clouds rolling
past. There is a sense at Packwood that time stands still. You are allowed to
breathe out if just for a moment. It is restorative and gives you pause to
reflect.
Also like Packwood the pieces each have an underlying
message. They welcome you in, you are encouraged to explore them and experience
them for yourself but as with Packwood they were designed with a clear vision
in mind. You can appreciate them as they are, as you find them and also once
you know a little more about them (and Packwood) you discover the subtle
nuances that create such a multi faceted place.
When I started this blog I thought I’d talk to you about all
the pieces individually. Talk you through the quirky inside out house with its
reclaimed, reproduction Tudor furniture exterior. The ‘Baron Ash style’
attention to detail of the moss already placed growing on the roof giving the
impression it has already always been here, the Tardis like inside and the
leaded windows. The giant carved oak four poster bed, turfed to lie back and ‘dream
on’. The hives described on the day as ‘A boutique hotel for bugs’ created as
an ‘Ode to Packwood’s garden team’ furiously buzzing around creating this
beautiful place. But actually the best thing you can do is to come and discover
it for yourselves.
Mine was an incredible ‘First Experience’ sure to never be
replicated! I mean how often do you get to experience an art installation with commentary
from the artist herself complete with a ‘rainy’ poem outside the inside out
house from the brilliant Jo Bell and improvised story telling on a giant bed with
creative master Gavin Young!? Even the rain gave an interesting effect to the
wooden pieces creating textures and highlights that would otherwise not have
been there.
It goes somewhat without saying that for children the
imagination opportunities of these pieces are somewhat endless. I remember
thinking on the day that whilst we as ‘grown-ups’ view these things as ‘Art’
there is an element to them that allows you to suspend such adult restrictions
and just enjoy a child like wonder at discovering a cottage in the woods or a
giant bed in a field or a bee hive hidden in a bush.
As with many of my blogs I could write for hours about my
feelings, experiences or interpretations of this special place (now enhanced by
this amazing installation) but as always my advice is to have your own. Because
that is part of the very essence of Packwood, it gives you back your mind; you
have a chance to dream.
Those Links I Promised:
Talk to us on Twitter!
#PackwoodFollies
@VolunteerJessie - that's me
@NTPackwood - Official Packwood House Twitter
@hilaryjack - Hilary Jack Artist
@GavinWJYoung - Storyteller
@Jo_Bell - Poet
@SuziGuy - Photographer
@lifewithAutism1 - Photographer
