swing along.....

We're always looking for new and interesting ways to use l'Espace, our great studio space and accommodation and last week it was our great privilege to host a group of 14 inner city young people, aged between 14-20, and regular members of an amazing London based charity called The Islington Community Theatre, established by a truly incredible young man, Ned Glasier, in October 2008 as an after school club. 

working together...

Their 8-day stay with us allowed the company of youngsters, led by six staff members, to explore new ideas for plays and projects and to  work on a new play whilst cooking together, playing games in the evening, building playwriting skills, practicing early morning yoga and cooling down in the swimming pools.   We can truthfully say they were a pleasure to have around, absolutely no demands or  tantrums, homesickness or whinges; and we even managed to join in the fun from time to time

To give you an idea of what went on, here is a page from Ned's diary:

TUESDAY, AUGUST 14, 2012 AT 10:21AM

Sometimes you become so absorbed in a place and a time that you start to forget that the rest of the world exists.  That's a pretty good way to sum up our first few days here at L'Espace, the barn which has been our home since last Friday.  

                             
  

It has been the most magical time so far - a wonderful, kind, committed group of young people; real progress on a new play that we're researching and developing; a location so beautiful and special that every now and again you stop and just stare, surprised again that you're actually here.

The days start with breakfast - bread and jam, cereal, fruit, coffee and tea.  Ella Macfadyen, who was here for the first three days, taught us a simple yoga routine and every morning Sophie Thomas, one of our young people, leads us through it in silence on the terrace overlooking the fields.  For the first three days we worked on the new play, provisionally called The Centre, all day - broken only by trips to the pool, games of table tennis and lunch.  And in the evening there are ridiculous games, activities and fun.

I have never spent so much time with a group of young people, have never been able to get to know them so well and understand what drives them and makes them think, laugh or cry.  Not that we had any tears at all - and not a fight or even a cross word spoken by anyone.  

The name of the converted barn that we stayed and worked in is L'Espace and space is exactly what it gave us - space to work and think and get to know each other in a very special and life-changing way.  That space will have a huge impact on our work in the months and years ahead.

Ned

.... showing the kids how to jive, 50s style.....

we love Billie-Jean.........

Last weekend at Les Soeurs Anglaises we were proud to host the opening of an exhibition of the recent work of local artist, American born Billie Jean Spille.  

Anyone who has attended one of our past workshops may well have had the opportunity to visit Billie and see her wonderful, unique work in the intimacy of her Rapunzel-like studio where she keeps all her current and bygone treasures; and if she was a a smidgeon younger we would invite her to lead a workshop here of her own because we just love her beautiful, unique art and style.

Billie's health hasn't been too wonderful over the last few years, but she continues to produce her art and is currently transferring some of her vintage designs onto larger canvases.  There were plenty of these to see at her show and a good turnout of visitors and admirers on the first afternoon of her exhibition.  Some of her work is still available though so please do contact us if you would like to purchase one.  Prices start a 300€ for her larger pieces.

Also available, in packs of 10, are her postcards (40€ + postage)

as well as the poster for her exhibition (20€ + postage)

Space for Thought

It been a long time coming, but at last another blog! We all lead such busy lives so no excuses - however I have been waiting for photographs of the new workshop space, l'Espace, that show it off properly and here at last they are.

Giles Stokoe, a remarkable young photographer who just happens to be living not far from Les Soeurs Anglaises (and whom we are delighted to say will be leading a DSLR photographic workshop with us next September) took the photographs one sultry afternoon last week and we are delighted that finally there is some indication of the amazing workshop space which, of course, doubles up in the summer when the huge doors are open onto the terrace.

We are organising a set of four Rock'n'Roll evenings in l'Espace over the next couple of months and will be posting photographs to keep you amused.

Because of the magnificent and prolonged Indian Summer that we are experiencing here in South West France (sorry folks), we have had a bumper late crop of vegetables. Apart from the discovery of a new variety of small, sweet, yellow tomatoes we have been experimenting with radicchios and the fabulous Italian aubergines (a form of Violetta Di Firenze grown from seed from the Italian Seed Company) to find the best flavours for next year's workshop menus.

Check out the sort of negative effect at the top of the aubergines where the sun hasn't reached the plant to turn it.... well, aubergine. Wonder if Giles could do something with the plant's photo-sensitivity.... They are absolutely delicious, by the way, and we have quite a few new recipes for Les Soeurs Anglaises cookbook which should be available for discerning cooks by the time of our first workshop in May 2011.