Finding a Key to the Door

Another week has gone by and we have been celebrating our "youngest" reaching 21! We've had a couple of family gatherings and it was a treat to have all 4 of the "kids" home for a few days.

When Kate asked Suki what sort of cake she would like Suki asked for a Hungry Caterpillar carrot cake!

Out there in the world, well in my very small corner it has just been announced that our local Cork County Council has granted planning permission for West Cork Music's landmark multipurpose arts venue and education hub in Bantry.

They say it will be 1,970 sq m & will feature a 270+-seat auditorium, dedicated education and rehearsal spaces, and a café and public plaza.

I think Bantry is a pretty decent place for the arts already, with a very popular annual literary festival as well as traditional and classical music festivals at Bantry House. I hope this new venue will be able to compliment those along side providing new opportunities.

Kate attends the existing music school in Bantry and everyone seems very excited with the news.

I am sure there are probably more important things the council could be doing and there will be critics, there always are, but for me it's a positive move. This area attracts so many artists and I think we can all benefit from experiencing more creativity in our lives.

In other news I am getting a new front door 😊

A couple of years ago I got a friend of mine Frank, to make me a bridge. I love my bridge! I asked him if he would make me a new front door.

The old one has served us very well for 40 years but has its problems. We tried various ways to deal with the drafts but it really is on its last hinges

Frank has never made a door before, but relished the challenge, so it is a bit of a gamble as I wanted something a bit different. We've had a lot of toing and froing trying to come up with ideas and overcoming problems. One major one being Frank getting a pretty serious hand injury. This week he sent me a couple of progress photos.

We are also considering the fittings, I have another friend who is a wrought iron worker and I'd really love to incorporate that in some way.

It might seen like a lot of fuss and bother over something as simple as a front door but I am trying to implement some of the philosophy of the arts & crafts movement of the 19th century. Seeking to restore integrity to design through handcraft, material honesty, and the integration of art into everyday living.

I have always been a big admirer of William Morris and his fabric designs, he advocated for an art that served society, arguing that design should bring beauty and meaning into everyday life. So I decided to try both metaphorically and practically to bring this concept to my own front door.