Touch – that most primal of senses – is at the core of any artist’s sensibilities who works with stuff. Individual mark of hand is offered through the artist’s touch of material ‐ perhaps an ever precious factor in our increasingly technological and virtual world. “We touch things to assure ourselves of reality. We touch the objects of our love. We touch the things we form. Our tactile experiences are elemental.” *Anni Albers 1965 
 Things are completely full on in the studio at the moment. Something has had to give and I’m sorry to say that it’s been this blog. Above is a stunning basket form made by Dail Behennah. She and I, along with Maggie Shaw who paints beautiful, evocative canvases, were invited to exhibit together by Lizzi Walton for the Stroudwater Textile Festival. As you can see if you click, on the link there are many excellent artists and exciting events which made up this year’s festival. It is also possible to download a PDF of the festival brochure which is very good. Our exhibition at the Museum in the Park, Stroud is called Touch. I would say that in the physicality of making, touch is fundamental to my creativity. I think through my fingertips: rough, smooth ‐ warm, cool ‐ stiff, flimsy ‐ thin, thick ‐ hard, soft – light, heavy. How does this piece hold itself? What is its nature? Enquiry through this sense is particularly pertinent in the recent lead studies I’ve been working on. Five of these are in the show. (Images of these to follow in future post.) *On Weaving, Anni Albers, Wesleyan University Press, 1965. ISBN 0-8195-6031-6
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