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That Mr Moon on his green cheese diet, shed the bulk of his body weight in just four weeks. Starved himself to the width of a scimitar, he did, lost all his curves. Well, nearly all. But within a month, he’d piled it all back on again, plumped right up to a pasty sphere. Of course, faddy eating doesn’t work. He keeps on yo-yoing, never learns, and confining yourself to only one of the food groups can’t be healthy – look how pale he is! Maybe all that bingeing on dairy has triggered lactose intolerance. It was one of those slimming regimes endorsed by the stars - how to lose weight the Milky Way. © Melanie Branton 2019 #OurPlaceInTheSevenHeavens #2019 #May #May19 #Poem #SpokenWord #MelanieBranton #EnglishRivieraUNESCOGlobalGeopark #NaturallyInspiring #sevenheavens19 #exhibition #ArtizanGallery

This vampire fang of a moon protrudes from the lip of the night, sickles me with its scythe point, sucks all the blood out of me once a month, grows bloated on its scarlet drink while I blanch moon-pale and wane. Thirteen times a year my tide goes out, my iron drawn to a horseshoe magnet Thirteen times a year my tide comes in. Suckled by the sky’s midnight breast, I wax moon-shimmery, moon-full, drink the night to a shrivelled witch’s dug, fattened on its blood. © Melanie Branton 2019 #OurPlaceInTheSevenHeavens #2019 #May #May19 #Poem #SpokenWord #MelanieBranton #EnglishRivieraUNESCOGlobalGeopark #NaturallyInspiring #sevenheavens19 #exhibition #ArtizanGallery

The shore line gained, high above wave crashed rocks. Unsteady feet on an uncertain edge of windblown grass. Waves in patient lines, queued from the horizon Shore bound, waiting to land, not knowing where Gulls wheeling, whooping, shunting, shouting, screeching. Gave rhythm, where time was of no concern. A sky factory painted blue, was calm and confident; Lines of textured clouds with strokes of gossamer white, Gave peace where there was no conflict. The sun disappears from view Tired from balancing on the horizon. Repainting the whole sky, Changing every colour, More shades of red Than a woman could ever paint on her fingers. A concoction of colours, crescendos into symphony Hotter than iron in a blacksmith’s furnace, Gossamer white now toasted hot orange. Their only moment of glory in the transient sky. The world stood still, Relieved of the day. Birds now landed tired of playing Fat bees fully fed, no longer buzzed For it was only the waves, Sent from far away where the sun was still shining. Rhythmically lapped the shore unable to stop. © Paul T Sowden 2019 #OurPlaceInTheSevenHeavens #2019 #May #May19 #Poem #SpokenWord #PaulTSowden #EnglishRivieraUNESCOGlobalGeopark #NaturallyInspiring #sevenheavens19 #exhibition #ArtizanGallery

My eye is a little scapegoat running around on the moon which is rock face, soft face, anchor of light. I kneel and my knees are bathed in light. I swing and it keens my tilt and move. I gasp as the shine shivers along the back of my hand. This push-me-pull-me angel trails its fingers through the tide. Tracts of darkness dissolve now ocean’s a box which opens. © Susan Taylor 2019 #OurPlaceInTheSevenHeavens #2019 #May #May19 #Poem #SpokenWord #SusanTaylor #EnglishRivieraUNESCOGlobalGeopark #NaturallyInspiring #sevenheavens19 #exhibition #ArtizanGallery

Tonight there were oceans in the sky quicksilver currents I could see through with my fish eye view of the universe. I wanted to test my sight by counting the lights on the shores of the Plaeides. They had gone in that small movement as I went to fetch a diagram of stars. Sky became milk thick white as full moon’s wake in the waters. I can’t look up sisters in space count them or count on them for guidance for plain sailing. They’re tricksters and starspeak is a wave form my senses can’t decipher. I tune my ears to airwaves coming off the ocean – her mouth is always open for crying out for laughter. © Susan Taylor 2019 #OurPlaceInTheSevenHeavens #2019 #May #May19 #Poem #SpokenWord #SusanTaylor #EnglishRivieraUNESCOGlobalGeopark #NaturallyInspiring #sevenheavens19 #exhibition #ArtizanGallery

The milky white moon Sits on a cloudy, restless, ominous night sky As a celestial night watch man Beaming her natural light As she guides sailors and fisherman From the rough seas of the English Channel Into the safe haven of the Bay As the easterly wind whips, stirs her tumultuous & destructing winds The gravitational pull Swells and bulges the raging tide Boats anchored; Ships braced Biding their time for the tempestuous, wild sea to abate The moon’s witnessed The good, the great and the infamous Have graced the Bay’s mercurial waters Napoleon, billeted on the Bellephoron A brief respite Before, his pending exile Brave soldiers marched From our slipways Leaving their footprints on Torbay’s history As they sailed On D-Day Unaware of their fate The Bay She harbours her secrets Historical shipwrecks Sleep, silently on the sea bed Home to an abundance of sealife Dog fish dart in an out of the portholes Barnacles and anemones stick to side of the rusting hulls Cuttlefish’s squirt their ink at passing predators As morning breaks The sun rises over Thatcher’s Rock Refraction glistens like diamonds On the quiet, still, tranquil sea No evidence Of the previous night Peace and calm restored For another day in the Bay to be adored. © Shelley Szender 2019 #OurPlaceInTheSevenHeavens #2019 #May #May19 #Poem #SpokenWord #ShelleySzender #EnglishRivieraUNESCOGlobalGeopark #NaturallyInspiring #sevenheavens19 #exhibition #ArtizanGallery

We met and you explained, orange and ping pong ball in hand, how moons will wax and wane and so effect the tides. How, with a compass we can find a fluid version of our way based on iron in the planet’s core which shifts almost unseen over the years. How magnetism can only go so far to help us find our way. © Rosie Barratt 2019 #OurPlaceInTheSevenHeavens #2019 #May #May19 #Poem #SpokenWord #RosieBarratt #EnglishRivieraUNESCOGlobalGeopark #NaturallyInspiring #sevenheavens19 #exhibition #ArtizanGallery

It’s perhaps difficult to imagine that in the late 18th Century, the picturesque rolling hills of Dartmoor were not well thought of; the few Georgian visitors this rural area did receive passed through quickly, finding little pleasantness in its baron landscapes. It wasn’t until the mid-1800s that this perception was turned around and it was done so by the work of Victorian artists capturing these dramatic landscapes in stunning works of art. Now it’s resoundingly seen as one of the South West’s finest natural beauty spots and for many Devon artists the allure of Dartmoor is still an unmissable subject for their work. One such artist is Simon Fowler who this August presents his own homage to these tors and valleys in his exhibition, “The Changing Colours of Dartmoor”. Coming from a family of artists it was at a young age that Simon discovered a passion for drawing, painting and creative endeavour. Starting with oils in his early teens under the instruction of his Grandfather, a prolific and well-established Bristol artist, he benefitted from instruction from a wide array of family members, producing across ceramics, sculpture and woodcarving as well painting in a variety of mediums. Their experience and knowledge would prove to be invaluable and today Simon is endowed with a significant artistic talent of his own as a result of this early tuition. Having only recently moved to Devon, Dartmoor and the surrounding landscapes have proven an abundant source of new inspiration. New scenes have also led to new practice and Simon has found a transition from canvas to board, with the addition of a new range of Italian pigments to his stock of oils, has added a new vibrancy to his work allowing him to push his colour palette to new levels. “For anyone who has walked and loved the moors that are on our doorstep here in South Devon, Simon’s exhibition is a must see. His accomplished, traditional style will enthral any Dartmoor enthusiast and for those who haven’t had the pleasure of exploring these vast landscapes a viewing of his work is undoubtedly the next best thing.” Julie Brandon, Owner Artizan Gallery Now 59, Simon has painted continuously all his life endlessly inspired by the great outdoors where he has spent most of his adulthood. A caver for 35 years on the Mendips and a keen motorcyclist and angler has built a connection with the landscape which he now cannot help but express in his work. A further 12 years spent boat building and restoring mostly wooden boats, lead to wood carving and sculpture for a long period. For the past 25 years, after training in forestry, woodland management and horticulture, he now works as a garden designer, offering a new exploration for his creativity on a grand scale. “I feel I have a strong bond with the landscape we live in and I try to reflect that in my art,” says Simon, “The joy of painting is the learning and after 45 years of working in oils, it is pleasing to know that the learning never ends.” The exhibition will be hosted at Artizan Gallery from 20th - 31st August with an artist preview event on 23rd August, 18:00-20:00. For more information on Artizan Gallery visit www.artizangallery.co.uk. More details on “The Changing Colours of Dartmoor” can be found at www.art-hub.co.uk/sf19. #Exhibition #SimonFowler #TheChangingColoursOfDartmoor #August2019 #Dartmoor #coloursdartmoor19 #artist #ArtizanGallery

In July 2018 I enjoyed a very memorable cup of coffee at The Noble Tree in Torre which would go on to kickstart a central programme of work at Artizan. Preparations were in full swing for our Summer Open exhibition which was due to be hosted on the high street in Torquay thanks to the support of Fleet Walk Shopping Centre and we were getting ready to welcome 250 artists to Torbay to exhibit for the Summer season. It was a huge opportunity not just for us, but for the representation of culture more broadly in Torbay; a high street location, with extensive footfall and enough space to share, we were determined to ensure it showcased our diverse arts, culture and heritage to town centre tourists. I’d been introduced to Melanie Border, Coordinator of the English Riviera UNESCO Global Geopark, and was off to meet with her to discuss how the space could be used to engage audiences with our UNESCO designation. What I’d thought would be a conversation about us taking some promotional materials and directing people to key Geopark sites, evolved into something far bigger which one year one is still celebrating our unique heritage which gained us the designation. Our UNESCO status was not a new realisation for me at this time. I’d been aware of the Geopark for several years and knew how significant it was to Torbay; having a partner who is a geology graduate gave me little choice but to be aware of the bays significant scientific interest, and in 2016 we even visited the 7th International Conference on UNESCO Global Geoparks which Torbay hosted. More recently, I had seen Melanie speak passionately about the Geopark status alongside Donald Knaack (aka the Junkman) at the launch of the 2018 Cockington Scupture Trail. His interactive installation made entirely of recycled materials sent an environmental message to love mother earth through his unique style of percussion. As we sat down for our coffee, Melanie told me about the upcoming “Global Junk Jam” which was on the horizon, a livestreamed event between worldwide global Geoparks with a performance conducted across sites by The Junkman himself. This would go onto be a huge success in October, connecting schools from 9 Geoparks across the globe. I told her a little about our work the Summer Open we were embarking on and how many of our artists were regularly engaging with different aspects of the Geopark albeit with different levels of understanding. It was as yet an untapped opportunity to connect the designation to our work but one we knew there was scope to explore. And it just so happened that the English Riviera Geopark Organisation team already developing the exact tool for the job in the form of Associate Partners. This new network would invite a second tier of organisations to work with ERGO, be associated with the Geopark and run projects that would advocate for and educate on our UNESCO designation. I immediately saw the potential for Artizan; the opportunity to fly a banner for the Geopark, extend their message and potentially even mobilise our artists to do the same, it was a perfect fit for our ethos of celebrating Torbay. One year on, and that coffee, along with a substantial amount of other work of course, and now we are literally flying a banner for the Geopark, or at least a swing board outside the gallery, and 13 Geopark Ambassador Artists are doing the same. Made up of thirteen creatives from the region, all of whom take inspiration from the landscapes and heritage recognised by the designation, these artists celebrate our significant home daily through their creativity and give visitors the chance to take away truly unique memories of their visit to the English Riviera UNESCO Global Geopark. Each artist is a wonderful representation of Torbay’s creative community and help to tie the heritage and culture recognised by the Geopark designation directly back to the geological significance of our coastal region. The opportunity for these artists to gain recognition for their work through this UNESCO badge whilst also acting as advocates and educating audiences on our Geopark home, is a great example of how ERGO and its partners work to celebrate this exciting status. Most recently, alongside our Ambassador Artists, we had the honour of being involved in the revalidation visit, a process which occurs every four years to ensure standards across the network are maintained which would decide of Torbay retains its designation. Inspectors Professor Setsuya Nakada and Dr Manfred Kupetz, joined us for drinks at the gallery with our artists where we had the opportunity tell them more about the programme and how our artists are offering an accessible avenue to learn about the Geopark through art. For us, it was a really inspiring evening, to hear our artists talking proudly about their association and being excited to be out there promoting the designation through their practise. The visit also provided the opportunity to screen our first Geopark Ambassador Artist interview with Chrystine Jones produced by The Shorely, a digital publication delivered by the Great Place Scheme. Working in pewter, Chrystine is one of the makers based at Cockington Court and her artistic journey began when she attended the 7th International Conference on Global Geoparks hosted in Torbay in 2016 and she found herself inspired by the geological significance of Torbay. Not only this, but we were delighted to see the inspectors presented with work by another Ambassador Artist, Beth Hill, as a parting gift from their visit. And all this from one cup off coffee a little over a year ago. Being an Associate Partner of the English Riviera UNESCO Global Geopark is an exciting opportunity for us to remind our audience that our culture lives and breathes around us in everything we do. The Global Geopark designation recognises the contribution that is made by the landscape, people and heritage of Torbay to our culture and our lives, and these are values that we are proud to share as a community focused arts hub. We cannot wait to see what the future holds for our Geopark Ambassador Artists and the work they’ll be able to do for Torbay under this banner! We'll be hosting an Exhibition of Geopark Ambassador Artists’ work on display at Artizan Gallery until the end of August where visitors can also find out more about the English Riviera UNESCO Global Geopark. For more information on the Geopark visit englishrivierageopark.org.uk or to find out more about the Ambassador Artists visit art-hub.co.uk/englishrivierageopark. If you'd like to know how your organisation can work with the Geopark Ambassador Artists, contact jacobbrandon@artizangallery.co.uk. #EnglishRivieraUNESCOGlobalGeopark #GeoparkAmbassadorArtist #August2019 #Exhibition #artist #ArtizanTorquay #ChrystineJones

Every month, courtesy of Beach Hut Magazine, we bring you a “Culture Update”, a quick look at events and happenings from venues across Torbay that come under this unassertive heading. Like any title it serves an obvious purpose, to encapsulate the feature it precedes, but it perhaps does a little more than this or at least the first word does. It’s a word that is increasingly treated with trepidation, intrinsically linked with a certain type of person or referencing a certain type of activity, suggestive of exclusivity or inaccessibility, that has become the home of a “not for the likes of me” mentality. In short, when we use it as a label, culture is a dirty word. When engaging audiences is a critical concern for us this is the sort of tedious minutiae that sticks on our head for weeks on end. Who might we alienate with our choice of words and more perplexingly how do we begin to talk about what we do without using the “c” word? And why are we increasingly disassociating ourselves from something which is so fundamental to our lives in the first place? The definition of culture that has come to dominate, the one that perhaps calls to mind opera glasses and record breaking auction sales, is perhaps the least representative of what the word actually means, “that complex whole which includes knowledge, belief, art, morals, law, custom, and any other capabilities and habits acquired by man as a member of society” (Edward Tylor). To exclude ourselves from culture is to exclude ourselves from society. By reducing culture to this narrow strand and placing ourselves outside of it, we undervalue the contribution we make to culture through our own self-expression. Barriers are built unnecessarily between our galleries and our green spaces, our bars and our ball rooms, our pubs and our playhouses, but ultimately, they all contribute to the same social pool. We can’t say for certain how we go about changing this mentality, but we’re fairly confident we won’t get any closer to finding a solution by taking the word out of our vocabulary. So, for everyone who wasn’t put off by the title of this article, consider sharing it with someone as a little reminder that culture is not a dirty word. #BeachHut #CultureUpdate #July2019 #Culture #CultureIsNotADirtyWord #ArtizanTorquay

Discover work of Arthub artist Simon Fowler at The Reuben Lenkiewicz - Fine Art Festival this August. #SimonFowler #ReubenLenkiewicz #FineArt #ArtFestival #August2019 #artist #ArtizanTorquay