Honeybees and Heartburn

22/11/2024

30/09/2024

I painted Doves Over Kabul when we withdrew troops and left the hapless populace to the Taliban. I painted Doves over Gaza last Christmas during the brief ceasefire after the terrorist invasion of Israel on 7th October. I painted Falling Doves - Beirut on Saturday. It doesn’t offer any answers but it helps me think about the terrible suffering we inflict upon one another and how grateful I am for being able to live in peace. Men fight. Women and children are displaced. Why?

16/09/2024

I saw this online and it made me wonder … what top ten books have shaped your life and fuelled your creativity?

« The man who read the world: David Bowie’s son launches an online book club in his honour. Something not well known about Bowie: he was an avid reader, sometimes finishing a book in a single day. Rock star David Bowie was “a beast of a reader,” according to his son, Duncan Jones; so Jones decided to start an online book club to honour his literature-loving dad. The official Instagram account of the late rock star dubbed it the ‘Bowie Book Club’. David Bowie’s literary tastes were wide-ranging; including classics such as Gustave Flaubert’s ‘Madame Bovary’ and ‘The Iliad’ by Homer; novels such as A ‘Clockwork Orange’ by Anthony Burgess and ‘Infants of the Spring’ by Wallace Thurman; together with a wide variety of nonfiction works: history, biography, art, architecture and more….. even the Beano!

Three years before he died, David Bowie made a list of the one hundred books that had transformed his life – a list that formed something akin to an autobiography. It’s telling that among Bowie’s final public statements was that this list of his Top 100 books was offered as part of the David Bowie Is museum exhibit. As Bowie has apparently left no memoir behind, the closest that he ventured to autobiography is this list of books. Some he chose because he wanted his fans to read them, but many selections have a deeper resonance in his work, in that they fuelled his creativity and shaped who he was.

25/08/2024

Hi folks
I'm exhibiting my art in Hertfordshire in September at the Aldenham 6th Annual Arts Festival and also at The Henderson Hub, alongside other local artists. I hope you will visit and enjoy the art on display.

Here's a sample of one of my original pieces being show for the first time
"Let The River Run – Come the New Jerusalem
£85
Media: Expressionist study in acrylics and wax
by Suzi Clark 2024
Taken from imagination, inspired by the 1988 song by Carly Simon, used as the title track on Working Girl https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=CRV5sHgdH2Y

“Let the river run – let all the dreamers wake the nation.
Come, the new Jerusalem.
Silver cities rise – the morning lights the streets that lead them
And sirens call them on with a song.

It’s asking for the taking, trembling, shaking,
Oh, my heart is aching
We’re coming to the edge, running on the water,
Coming through the fog, your sons and daughters …

We, the great and small, stand on a star
And blaze a trail of desire through the darkening dawn.”

I love this song just as I love “Jerusalem” whenever I speak at the Women’s Institute and the women get to their feet and sing it with all their hearts.

William Blake writing in 1804, yearned for a lost paradise but spoke of a better future based on love, justice and spiritual values. Carly Simon’s song is both hopeful and prophetic.

My painting combines nostalgia with a new world which appears in the sky beside an ageing sun and a red full moon. A pyramid suggests ancient wisdom rediscovered – or perhaps not. A series of waterfalls can be harnessed in new ways or feared for flood. Will nature bail us out?

We can find our way to a “new Jerusalem” – perhaps – but only if we can see through the fog of conflict. We are, after all, standing on a star, aren’t we?"

Suzi Clark is a writer, an events company director, and a public speaker for community groups based in and around Hertfordshire.
https://wwwshakespearesauntie.co.uk

12/08/2024

Happy Steelpan Day! Make happy music …

27/06/2024

Every time I witness Shakespeare I despair of being a writer. How could one man be so brilliant?

Now and then there’s an English summer’s night that moves beyond the entertaining to the sublime. Last night Shakespeare’s rip-roaring Henry V in the unique setting of Verulamium’s Roman theatre was such a night. Presented by Changeling Theatre, stunningly directed by Rob Forknall, on behalf of Ovo … I was fortunate enough to witness the unforgettable young, energetic troupe of passionate actors swing from comic genius to high drama - each and every performance a delight.

'We few, we happy few, we band of brothers.'

Shakespeare’s sly affection for the common foot soldier Pistol is well demonstrated as a dramatic foil against a truly majestic performance by Henry V, the charismatic young King. Challenged by the French Dauphin who sends an ironic gift of tennis balls, he gathers a mighty fleet and invades France. Roll on Brexit, one might think.

Clever, simple production values echo a chessboard. The deadly game is on.

Just the right mix of saucy audience ribbing in true Shakespearean tradition is skilfully blended with the occasional topical reference and teasing of our French cousins to make the audience chuckle with wry delight. Light touches of contemporary dance and music add to the thrilling spectacle from start to finish.

Most extraordinary of all - this same company performed Noel Coward’s gleeful « Present Laughter » the previous evening with hilarious panache.

As a dedicated Ovo season-ticket holder, I can’t wait for the next production. Who needs the aggravation of getting to a West End production when we have such fine theatre on the doorstep ?

Promo photo credit Ovo.org.U.K.

22/06/2024

And the rain has stopped just in time!

02/06/2024

As I struggle to finish my second book in the Sookie Trilogy, it’s easy to get distracted by a good book by someone else!

A few months ago Silver Tent Sister Christina Jackson spotted this book and thought of me, knowing how I love colour in my painting. Since then it has been treasured and well-thumbed - more than ever this week as I prepare for my first whimsical talk and demo on the subject of Art for the WI. Modern paints are easy to acquire … but the original pigments have fascinating, even bloody origins. For example, red ochre rock was the cause of the 1863 massacre of Aboriginal tribes by white settlers at Beltane, 540 miles north of Adelaide. Pink is traditionally taken from the tears of sea snails. Bright blue was from Afghan crushed lapis lazuli- still used by paint manufacturers Winsor and Newton. I will think about that and be mindful when I paint, more so than ever. And grateful for such a thoughtful gift.

Back to my own writing!

19/05/2024

The loading had begun? Suzi Clark original artwork acrylic/mixed media 2023 - inspired by Neil Young’s After The Goldrush.

01/05/2023

Yes, I’m sorry, I’m playing the guitar in the kitchen rather than writing the next chapter of my book. But my excuse is that it’s the First of May and Jose Feliciano’s was the first recording of this. He also features in my next book -a true story. My stiff fingers make it difficult to play but I don’t want to give up playing just yet … another year, maybe?

21/04/2023

Just returned from international artist Katherine Soutar-Caddick’s first art holiday in M’hamid at Dar Al Fananna - The Artist’s House - Katherine Soutar Artist
Katherine is an extremely generous teacher, sharing her expertise to draw out the artist in each of us. I’ve only been painting since lockdown ie April 2020 under the guidance online of professional Dutch artist Renate Van Nijen - so it was so rewarding to be part of this select group. She taught us a range of techniques and showed us how to explore and play to develop our artwork.
The house is on the very edge of the Sahara desert - the equivalent of a Wild West border outpost - it took 2 days to reach from Marrakesh but along the way we stopped off to visit fascinating, little known places - ancient “Kasbahs”, libraries, potteries and palaces- all perfect for collecting inspiration to use in our art.

The home owned by Katherine and Abdul Rahman is a beautiful, traditionally built sanctuary of red mud walls around a small courtyard garden covered by morning glory. The hospitality freely shared despite their fasting for Ramadan by the nomadic Al Saharawi family of Abdul was warm and genuine - his brother Ali’s cooking - three meals a day and unlimited mint tea or coffee “nus nus” made with milk, was delicious - fresh ingredients for vegetarians and meat eaters alike- rounded off with platters of fresh orange slices dusted with cinnamon and sugar. We were lured away from our artwork by the head of the house- an adorable but firm Mother Cat called Bissbossa - The Beautiful- who rounded us up along with her four adorable new kittens every time food was on the table. Up on the roof, the air was filled with birdsong, the bleating of goats, the scratching of chickens abd thé welcoming snuffles of the Home Boys, Campbell and Sami the camels - who would bestow tickly kisses in return for digestive biscuits. With our palms decorated so beautifully with henna by Abdul’s sister Farah’s best friend Kinsa, I smile every time I look down at my hands. I’m rejuvenated, re-motivated and ready to finish writing Honeybees and Heartburn … at last.

17/03/2023

Talking about An Eventful Life to 130 members of the St Albans U3A last week - such a privilege to entertain an audience for an hour with stories - some poignant, most very funny - and songs. I sold 10 copies of my first book Butterflies and Baked Beans afterwards ☺️ I’ve done over 20 talks in the past year so far, and hope I’ve inspired others to tell their stories, too.
Now all I need to do is buckle up and finish writing Honeybees and Heartburn ❤️‍🔥

25/02/2023

https://www.facebook.com/671952501/posts/10161920922927502/?d=n

14/02/2023

Heartburn or oesophageal cancer is the sixth most common killer cancer in the U.K. so don’t ignore symptoms or mask them by taking Rennies, Gaviscon or other over the counter anti-acid medication- please see a doctor - or encourage others to do so. Don’t lose a loved one, as I did. ❤️‍🔥

Thinking of my Valentine 💌 dear Jani - John Detre - today ❤️