We are celebrating our fourteenth birthday this month and have been looking back through the archives.  We found this fab picture of us, courtesy of Louise's daughter, that shows us in the early stages of the company.  Not sure about my purple hair but we look so young!  We are certainly busy with all the paper work lined up on the desk and of course as always we are loving our work.  Happy Birthday to us. 

It's the end of an era for me and my allotment of 12 years and I have to say goodbye to my vine that I eagerly planted on the plot so many years ago.  

This vine started its life as part of the award winning Chatham Vines, a commission that FrancisKnight worked on with artist John Newling.  The commission saw the installation and nurture of a vineyard of 32 Pinot Noir Vines grown hydroponically in St John's Church, Chatham. At the end of the commission the vines were given out to the community to take them home and plant them in their gardens.

I have taken care of my vine, I've pruned it, fed it and encouraged it to grow. This year it has flourished, enjoying the weather and providing me with one of the best seasons of bunches and bunches of juicy red grapes.

The vine will now stay in place for the next allotment plot holder who will take on the stewardship and continue to encourage and appreciate it.

During April and May we organised and delivered an 'Aspirations' activity for Kent based charity Porchlight.   The activity follows on from our Lost Room Project which explored the relationship people have to belongings.  Continuing with this theme we were delighted to bring artist Nicola Flower back on board to run creative workshops under the title of 'Belongings'.    

During the Friday morning activities at Involve, a charity working at the heart of the community in Maidstone, participants brought in their own personal belongings and were encouraged to share their memories and stories.  Nicola worked with the group to explore drawing, textiles, collage and illustration, culminating in each participant making their own individual puppet. 

Photographs by Manu Palomeque

On one of our regular trips to London we took some time out to visit The Whitechapel Gallery to see Art Capital: Art for the Elizabeth Line.  This exhibition revealed the artists' ideas for new public art due to be unveiled across London from December 2018, commissioned by the Crossrail Art Foundation. A bit like a bus man's holiday for us, but none the less fascinating to see sketches and maquettes by British and international artists.  

That afternoon we were due to meet Price & Myers to discuss the Light Artwork being developed by Esther Rolinson for Rochester Riverside so it was good to see their name on the drawings produced by Yoyoi Kusama for her installation at Liverpool Street.  Good to know we're in safe hands.

With the Rochester Riverside commissions on our mind we were drawn to the neon works inspired from 1960s Soho by Gordon Young and the bronze and aluminium boiler plated texts by Damon Almond.  We particularly like the drawings by Conrad Shawcross with the note: "Dear Mum, For your 60th birthday.  All my love to you and thank you for everything. Conrad"  Although mum obviously had to loan it back to the Whitechapel Gallery for the exhibition! On until 6th May, catch it if you can.