Get Started – Bedford Court (Weeks 1-2)

“Well this looks different!” Exclaims Margret as she enters her sitting room, which Jim and I have completely covered in bubble wrap! We’re inviting the tenants in the flats to move across the bubbles, without shoes. We turn the lights down and begin to use other senses to explore our new sensory environment. It no longer feels like a sitting room.

How will you pop the bubbles? Press, pop, squash, crack, burst!

Our movement challenges get a little more adventurous, as we begin to use different body parts to travel across the bubbled floor. Elaine is particularly good at setting the challenges! Splits, headstands, forward rolls, heel walking races, jumping, body rolling.

There are lovely magical moments of concentration when we are just listening to the sounds we are each making.

 “It sounds like cracking fire”

 “I can hear heavy raindrops in the room.”

With giant paper we explore different ways of rolling paint with the help of recycled found objects spinning on the end of sticks; bits of fan parts, sections of old printers...

 What can you see? Train tracks, rivers, steps, a swarm of bugs, clouds.

Woops and yelps of joy fill the sitting room today with the presence of two desk fans, raffia hand held fans, tinsel and balloons – we discover they are a great way to jazz up a game of tennis and raise the temperature of the room. Mary and Jim are in a game of 'Tinsel Tussle',  Mary develops a unique way of keeping the tinsel afloat. "How are you doing that? Show me!"

Jim brought in his hand-made mechanical drawing machines for the group to try. The most noticeable quality of these drawing tools – is they take charge of your arm and dictate a certain kind of movement. What a great way to stop us worrying about 'what' we are drawing, allowing us to focus on the process. Everybody was eager to try the variety of tools, mastering a technique for each, embracing chance and accidental discovery they provide.

With each drawing tool we adapt our approach, get lower to the floor, lower our arms, our shoulders, move our eyes closer to the paper, inventing new games for each of us to try.

We notice the moving shadows, layers of colour, where the inks blend with felt tips, graphite, wind and our breath. It’s calming and pleasing to hear the tenants complimenting each other and patiently enjoying watching each others’ approach.

 “So glad he is joining in” Mary says as she’s watching John working low on the floor fully immersed in the colour and motion of the drawing tool.

Bryony and Jim