Last week was a very exciting week. Gavin, Charlie and I set off for Italy to spend the week with
Woolly Wormhead and her family just outside Sant Archangelo in the North East of Italy.
 |
| Woolly, Tom and Aran off to a wedding - copyright susan crawford 2011 |
With four avid photographers, Woolly, Tom, Charlie and myself all armed with our cameras at all times, there have been a LOT of photos to go through. In the end, I've chosen a small selection for the blog that I think sum up our time there.
The camp we stayed at is known as the Mutoid Camp, which is the base for a group of sculptors and artists who make the most amazing pieces out of scrap.
 |
| Copyright susan crawford 2011 |
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
The sculptures are larger than life and are dotted all around the camp.
 |
| copyright susan crawford 2011 |
|
|
This first sculpture is by the lovely Lou, who made us very welcome on the first night of our stay, inviting us to a barbecue she was hosting. Later in the week, Lou was to get married. Unfortunately we had to fly home on the morning of the celebrations which was a real shame.
 |
| copyright susan crawford 2011 |
|
 |
| copyright susan crawford 2011 |
|
|
|
|
This huge 'man' is one of a number done by another camp resident, Debbie who makes incredibly detailed and intricate sculptures, particularly for their scale.
 |
| copyright susan crawford 2011 |
|
This huge beast stands at the entrance to Woolly's plot. Its scale can't quite be appreciated here but it is over 10 feet tall. Many of the sculptures on the camp have been done as communal projects so I unfortunately don't know the details of the artists for all the works I have shown.
Gavin and I slept in Barp which Woolly used to use to get around in. Charlie was in a separate trailer
 |
| copyright susan crawford 2011 |
|
and Woolly, Tom and Aran were in the 'silver decker bus'
 |
| copyright susan crawford 2011 | |
|
Sant Archangelo is a beautiful, Italian town, which has built up around a walled centre.
 |
| copyright susan crawford 2011 |
This is the view from about two thirds of the way up the hill
 |
| copyright charlie moon 2011 |
This it the beginning of the ancient walls rising above the town.
 |
| copyright susan crawford 2011 |
And of course amazing typically italian streets. I love the shades of green and pistachio, coral, pink and terracotta all blending into each other in this photograph. High up one of these winding streets is a small museum - a button museum! It is a fabulous museum with buttons from 1700s through to current times, and with a huge number from the 1920s-1940s which made me very happy.
 |
| copyright susan crawford 2011 |
|
 |
| copyright susan crawford 2011 |
 |
| copyright susan crawford 2011 |
 |
| copyright susan crawford 2011 |
 |
| copyright susan crawford 2011 |
 |
| copyright woolly wormhead 2011 |
The owners made us extremely welcome offering us iced tea and cake whilst we studied the collection and even had a small range of 'overs' from between the 30s and 50s from which I purchased a small number! I'll share these another time though.
One of my favourite day trips was our visit to
San Marino, which is only 30 or 40 minutes from Sant Archangelo and rises up on the horizon in front of the camp. It is apparently the oldest republic in the world. It is also very wealthy and very, very pretty. Cars are parked part way down the mountain that is San Marino and then the rest is done on foot. The views are spectacular, stretching across Italy in all directions.
 |
| copyright susan crawford 2011 |
 |
| copyright susan crawford 2011 |
|
The streets though are very, very steep so I would recommend good walking shoes!
 |
| copyright susan crawford 2011 | | |
|
|
 |
| copyright susan crawford 2011 |
|
|
|
|
|
|
Three year old Aran made light work of all the steep climbs! However you are rewarded at the top with some very nice restaurants and cafes to sit, recover, eat and drink - I'm good at that bit.
 |
| Me - copyright woolly wormhead 2011 |
 |
| Charlie - copyright susan crawford 2011 |
 |
| Gavin - copyright susan crawford 2011 |
Back at camp there was some work to do as Woolly had photography to do for both her forthcoming Bambeanies booklet and also a retrospective she is beginning to work on. I couldn't resist getting involved and taking some photos of Woolly's work myself. A particular sculpture features heavily in Woolly's photos, which is known as the Time Machine - a result of a collaborative project by the Mutoids.
 |
| copyright susan crawford 2011 |
It has many parts, sides and shapes which Woolly has used to great effect. I actually managed to catch her at work when she wasn't looking!
 |
| copyright susan crawford 2011 |
 |
| copyright susan crawford 201 |
As you can see from the photo above, Woolly persuaded Charlie to do some modelling for her. I took a couple myself in an attempt at Woolly Wormhead style -
 |
| copyright susan crawford 2011 - hat woolly wormhead |
 |
| copyright susan crawford 2011 - hat woolly wormhead |
|
|
I will most definitely return to Italy. It was everything I hoped and more, but most of all I want to thank Woolly, Tom and Aran for making us so very very welcome and sharing their little part of Italy with us.
for now
Ruby xx
4 comments :
oh no - there are sunglasses marks on my face!
So glad you had a wonderful time, even more glad you came - it was lovely to have you.
And it goes without saying that you're welcome back any time :)
Looks like you had so much fun!
Fantastic pictures! Thanks for sharing.
Looks as if you had a great time...love the photos, scenery is fantastic and model looking lovely.
Post a Comment