Archive for May, 2008
posted by Cptn
Devon is the new California, doncha know. And one of the indicators are the slew of fine wines that are popping up, so it’s with great pleasure that we can inform you that friends of the republic Kenton Vineyard (’nestling in the foothills of the Haldon Hills’) will be opening its gates to the public from Sunday May 25.
And to celebrate the vineyard’s first birthday, and the uncorking of English Wine Week, there will be a first birthday celebration, with cake. Plus, an exhibition of painting by Jo Talbot Bowen and vine trails are free for the afternoon with a fun nature trail for children under 12.
During the week (May 25 to June 1) the vineyard will be open every day from 11am to 5pm, for the rest of the open season, which ends on September 25, the hours will be Thursday and Sundays 11am to 5pm.
With barely time to take a sip there’s a behind the scenes tour on Tuesday may 27 at 3pm (£6) and Saturday May 31, noon to 4pm there’s a fundraising event for RNLI, with all trail proceeds going to the charity (£2 adult) with a wine quize and prizes and refreshments.
And the wine week ends with a bookable tour with the winemaker, it takes an hour and you get a glass of the stuff.
Phew, you’ll need to put one to chill now.
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May 23rd, 2008
Agriculture can be a bit of a hot potato, in more ways than one, which is why a group of experts got together at the stannary stump of Exeter University’s Centre for Rural Policy and Research to discuss “Is Devon’s Agriculture Fit for Purpose?” And here’s what they told us.
“The jury consisted of key stakeholders including Devon County Council, Clinton Devon Estates, Small Farms Association, Duchy College and Churches Together in Devon. They heard evidence from five expert witnesses drawn from the county’s land management, environmental and research communities who had 15 minutes to present their evidence and then be questioned by the jury.
“It is known that agriculture is a major contributor to national emissions of methane and nitrous oxide, both powerful green house gases (GHGs). There are a wide range of actions that potentially can be taken to reduce GHG emissions from agriculture and it is against this background that the jury considered Devon’s current ability to face the challenges posed by climate change.
“The first witness to present evidence was Dr Dave Chadwick, a senior research scientist from North Wyke Research, who gave an overview of the issues pertaining to methane and nitrous oxide emissions. He identified examples of best practice such as not exceeding crop requirements for Nitrogen; spreading manure at appropriate times and conditions; and establishing permanent grass and woodlands.
“Paul Gompertz, director of Devon Wildlife Trust gave his personal perspective on the issue that Devon’s agriculture was not fit for purpose, arguing that Devon’s agriculture cannot be thought of in isolation and there was a need to do more than just produce food from the land. There was also a need to transform food production and distribution systems.
“A University of Exeter employee based at Riverford Organic Vegetables, Mark Howard, argued for a no confidence verdict, pointing out that agriculture needs to reduce its dependency on oil as current farming and food industry practices were essentially converting fossil fuels into food. This could be changed by the use of organic production systems, addressing food distribution networks, minimising food importation and expanding the use of renewable energy. In response to a question from the jury he agreed that reducing the estimated 30% of food ‘wasted’ in the home would make a contribution to reducing GHG emissions and agreed that Devon farmers had a role to play in educating consumers.
“The regional director of the NFU, Mel Hall argued that there were more positive than negative opportunities by having a more diverse industry; biofuels, Rural Development programme funding, local scale solutions for farming and flood management to name only a few. The key issue is about being prepared and knowing what the food the industry needs to do to respond to new challenges. She advised that farmers can adapt but will need assistance in responding to the climate change agenda. It was noted that farmers in the uplands face particular difficulties in adapting given their current precarious economic position.
“The final witness of the day was Mark Robins, RSPB regional policy officer and chair of the Regional Environment Network. He argued that chances for biodiversity, in particular farmland birds ability to adapt to the rapid shift in climate change were slim. He felt that the case for the cultural and symbolic strength of farming in Devon meant that farming should be at the heart of finding solutions to the climate change challenge. It was not something that could be left for the government and agricultural policy but required mobilisation of Devon’s communities, environmentalists, farmers and consumers.
“The verdict from the Jury was that “We believe that Devon’s farming is fit for purpose today. In terms of the future, the jury is outâ€. The Jury made the observations and recommendations that there is a need for a strategic overview of the county and improved understanding of land use planning. There is a need to develop likely scenarios of future change and build a strategy around these. The jury had some concerns about science and research and development, recognising that it is a national issue but were concerned to ensure that the county and the farming industry were linked in to sound research and science. This would help inform the industry to make the changes that are necessary. Finally, more active market place experiments were necessary as this would be the only way to find out if farming is fit for purpose by testing the theories.
“Dr Matt Lobley, Centre for Rural Policy and Research was encouraged by the jury process developed in conjunction with the County Council, he said ‘The jury represented a range of key stake holders and high powered opinion formers who all agreed on the verdict and backed the outcome in a short period of time. This endorsement will assist in influencing decisions made across the county as the organisations who can make a difference all have a shared understanding of the issues.
“He added, It was a great way to canvas opinion and the expertise of a large group of people. The recommendations will go to the Devon Rural Network who can give a steer of the type of priorities for the future and it is hoped that this will influence decisions made across the county. ‘
“The jury concept as a means of tackling complex subjects has been trialled by the government with the citizen jury.”
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May 22nd, 2008
posted by Cptn
If you’ve spent an afternoon watching youngsters and oldsters crabbing on the Appledore sea front, you’d be forgiven for wondering how the whole town turns into a massive arts festival from Thursday May 29 to Sunday June 1. But arts epicentre it becomes for the Appledore Arts Festival, attracting the great and the good.
Over the next couple of days we’ll be looking at a couple of the artists who are taking part in this year’s Appledore festival, but for now, content yourself with a brief overview of what’s going on on the North Devon shore.
The theme for this year, fittingly enough, is The Earth, for as Satish Kumar, director of Resurgence says: “The Earth has inspired great art for centuries. It is a wonderful, natural muse.”
And there’s a literal usage of earth for some of the artists. Jill Abey and Jackie Smallcombe use cob for sculpture and sculptured buildings.
Sculptor Peter Randall-Page will be present, talking about Granite Song, a collaborative project with the photographer Chris Chapman, which celebrates their local mid-Devon landscape. And sculptor David Brampton-Greene will be on hand, as will potter Svend Bayer.
Paul Lewin will be running a two-day masterclass in the rare pigment of Bideford Black.
Add to that the films, dance, artists trail open gardens, door knockers, and you’ve got an excellent wide ranging event for all ages.
To find out more, of what’s happening on Thursday, Friday, Saturday or Sunday, visit the website. Or download the brochure.
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May 22nd, 2008
Back at the start of March there was the fascinating ESRC Festival of Social Science Week. We mention it now because Claire Packman’s article (below) included, among others, Tony Hill, who’s taking part in the Flipside Film Festival tonight in the Laws of Nature/Downside Up event, at Plymouth Arts Centre at 8.30pm. Read on to find out what science and art can do for each other, and get a quick insight into Tony Hill
“South-west-based artists found themselves head-to-head with scientists and social scientists at a unique event in Exeter.
International experimental filmmaker Tony Hill and Falmouth artist Robin Hawes were among the invited speakers at Science in the Dock, Art in the Stocks: Convex/Concave, a one-day public workshop.
Part of the ESRC Festival of Social Science Week, the event took place at Gallery Terracina, an old warehouse that sits on the dockside between the river and the canal at Haven Banks, Exeter. Against the background of an exhibition of work by Nicky Thompson, Deborah Robinson and Caroline Burke, other speakers included sociologist of science Professor Harry Collins, expert in animal vision Dr Julian Partridge, ocean biologist Dr Samantha Lavender and psychologist Dr Ian Gordon.
“Convex/Concave brought together artists and scientists to share ideas about vision and perception and to engage with one another’s work and modes of representation,†explains Deborah Robinson, artist in residence at Egenis, the Centre for Genomics in Society, based at the University of Exeter, which organised the event.
“The gallery has been fulll for the whole day and evening,†says Gallery Terracina owner Cristina Burke-Trees. “The access to scientists and artists in such a relaxed atmosphere really appeals to everyone and we had some very interesting discussions.â€
Director of Egenis Professor John Dupré says the experience was productive for everyone.
“Complex biological and biotechnological phenomena seem very different from a sociological or visual arts perspective,†he says. “Bringing the different views together in context can be illuminating for all sides.â€
Tony Hill’s work has been shown at many art galleries, including Tate Britain, and at international film festivals. His short films explore different ways of looking at the world.
“The medium of film has great potential for seeing in ways unlike normal perception,†he says.
“Using a wide range of unusual techniques I am exploring familiar environments in such a way that we must see them with new eyes.â€
Many of Tony’s films have been made with purpose-built equipment. His ingenious camera mounts enable complex and seemingly impossible movements.
He showed short extracts from a number of his works, including Too See, Downside Up, Water Work and Expanded Movie. He also showed the whole of the brief but remarkable A Short History of the Wheel.
“I’m trying to undermine our perceptual habits and recreate a sense of wonder,†he says, an aim in he which he succeeds admirably. The audience was spellbound.
Ways of seeing are very much at the heart of the work of Robin Hawes, who showed a series of photographic images produced as part of Private View: The Nature of Visual Process, a collaborative project with cognitive neuroscientist Professor Tim Hodgson.
“My creative practice revolves around the ways in which evolution and the human brain have shaped the nature of our internal experience; our understanding of the external world and the influence this has in determining a common notion of ‘reality’,†Robin says.
“This project highlights the interanlly constructive and indiosyncratic aspect of visual perception. In essence, each time someone contemplates a work of art, that work of art is re-created internally by the brain. The project set out, in part at least, to make visible this hitherto internal, unique and unshared nerological event.â€
In his closing summary Professor Bob Witkin expressed his concern that society tends to centralise science and marginalise the arts, particularly in education, where children are encouraged progressively to detach from their own visceral experience in interpreting the world.
Responding, Professor Steve Hughes, co-director of Egenis, who conceived the workshop, expressed the hope that events of this kind, which reveal what artists and scientists share, will help to reverse any marginalisation of one by the other.
• Tony Hill, Laws of Nature/Downside Up event, at Plymouth Arts Centre at 8.30pm. £6 (or £4.50)
(Image from Tony Hill’s Downside Up)
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May 22nd, 2008
From today you can catch everyone on the Flipside – the Flipside Film Festival in Plymouth, that is… which kicks of tonight at 6pm at PCAD, and runs until May 31.
Our compadres over on D+CFilm have been getting their outtakes in a twist about this film festival which mixes making and viewing films with the dreaded act of thinking.
The whole set up includes films in a flatpack – that’s shed to you – in the middle of the city; films which celebrate non-mainstream views; those made using endangered media and more – including a start performance from Don Letts.
Check out D+CFilm and its multitude of stories and comment or the Flipside site for more.
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May 21st, 2008
posted by Cptn
Totnes Young People’s Theatre will present a double feature of murder, mystery and a gang of rampaging pirates on Friday (May 23), which apparently isn’t the usual sort of behaviour for a Friday evening in the South Hams town.
The young actors (aged between 11 and 14) of the Totnes Young People’s Theatre will present Memory of Water, a love story which brings together an inventor, the daughter of a local lord and a gang of 17th century Barbary pirates, who used to steal children from South Hams villages and sell them into slavery.
And the Exquisite Corpse, a melodramatic murder mystery set against the backdrop of the Victorian voting scandals of Totnes. When a troupe of travelling Players arrive to perform at the Seven Stars Hotel, an actress is murdered, the baker’s wife is accused and a Sweeney Todd-style serial killer stalks the town.
TYPT associate director Martin O’Brien said the Youth Theatre had been working with professional theatre producers to explore local history through drama as part of the second Tales From The Keep Heritage Lottery Fund arts project in the town.
He told the PRSD: “TYPT offers a great opportunity for young people to work with established theatre professionals and to devise new work with emerging artists like myself,†he said.
“This is going to be a great double bill and we want to show off our skills and offer more local young people the chance to get involved with the company.â€
• Memory of Water and The Exquisite Corpse are at Studio 33, Dartington College of Arts, at 7.30pm on May 23. Entrance is £1.50 for children / concessions and £3.50 for adults.
(image: Tales from the Keep. Check out the Devon Community Foundation for more)Â
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May 21st, 2008
posted by Cptn
While you’re waiting for your the next episode of Monk, or whatever it is that’s your viewing pleasure on Thursday afternoon, take a gander at the Devon County Council annual meeting, which will be broadcast live on the internet on Thursday May 22, at 2.15pm.
But don’t despair if you didn’t catch it live, you can pick up the recorded show when you fancy, either at home – or even at a library. (It’s all a bit like The Apprentice, really.) Explore Devon County Council’s interactivity.
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May 21st, 2008
– The English Game at the Exeter Northcott Theatre until May 24
posted by Cptn
Leather on willow may have long been replaced by plastic on uPVC, but as the shadow of the first Test match falls across the summer the world tour of The English Game bowls its first ball at the Exeter Northcott tonight.
According to the blurb ‘cricket and politics collide in Richard Bean’s new play, an exploration of the modern British psyche seen through the lens of a simple game of cricket’.
It might not be the subject matter you’d expect from a stand-up lefty (comedian and politics) Richard Bean who brought you Smack Family Robinson, The God-Botherers and Harvest. But word on the street is he writes genuinely funny jokes and has an eye for the unorthodox truth.
But ‘political and social tensions which underpin British Society in the 21st century and what it means to be English in 2008′ have the scent of being unfathomable and intangible, or is that a cynical defeated attitude. We shall await your reviews.
Get your tickets now, from 01392 493493 or online, ‘for an enjoyable, light-hearted dissection of what makes the nation tick’.
(Image: Headlong theatre’s The English Game, photo by Keith Pattison)
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We cannot live on love alone [donation]
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May 20th, 2008
posted by Ctpn
A bit of Greek often means more than a chunk of feta and a dollop of yoghurt, and in the case of the Farringdon Society of Arts there’s a whole Burial at Thebes thing going on, which opens today and runs until Saturday.
And what with the new age of terrorism (if we believe the hype), and the growing moral exactitude of the state (that’s government to you), there’s more pertinence to the performance than your average Crossroads or Coronation Street.
Sample some of the stunning art work from the very special Phig Billy, and listen to the actors behind the stage during the rehearsals.
Or read Stella Mew talk about Devon’s connection to Yeats.
To book, visit the Farringdon Society of Arts site.
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May 20th, 2008
posted by Cptn
Exeter-based poet and novelist Alexis Lykiard will launch his new poetry collection, Unholy Empires at a special book launch in the Exeter Picturehouse bar at 7pm tomorrow (Tuesday May 20).
“Praised by The Morning Star, vilified by The Sun, Alexis Lykiard has been compared to the likes of Juvenal, Horace, Rochester, Swift, Pope and Louis MacNeice,” according to the blurb. And “his many translations from the French have won him critical acclaim and his two recent memoirs to his friend, the artist and writer Jean Rhys, were particularly admired by critics”. That’s Jean Rhys of Wide Sargasso Sea fame, people.
Alexis will also be on hand to sign copies, and read extracts from the new collection.
Admission to the book launch party is free. For further information contact the Exeter Picturehouse on 01392 285960 or e mail exeter@picturehouses.co.uk
Meanwhile, have an amble around the writer’s site.
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May 19th, 2008
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