Thursday, August 21, 2008

Dr Fenwick Lawson


I am such a proud daughter. My father, Fenwick Lawson is a sculptor and he has just recently been honoured with an Honorary Doctor of Letters from Durham University. It was a wonderful day.

He is now going to be made an Honorary Freeman of the City of Durham - it's going to happen in next month.

Then a little while after, a bronze of his sculpture of 'The Journey' is going to be unveiled in Durham City in Millennium Square. I don't think I am allowed to give out the dates yet so I won't mention them - yet! It's such a tremendous thing to be happening to both him and my mam who have both worked so hard all of their lives. They are both 76 and are still working. Mam is a Durham quilter and a fantastic writer of stories.

'The Journey' is the history of Durham City. Fen carved it from elm trees in 2000 and it consists of six over life-size figures carrying the body of St. Cuthbert. This is what Fen says about it:

"The Lindisfarne community arrived in Dunholme (Durham) in the year 995, around one hundred years after fleeing from the viking raids on Lindisfarne. The Monks, with the uncorrupted body of their Saint, founded Durham as refugees.

With this significance in mind and some nerve, considering Rodin's "The Burghers of Calais", I saw this epic journey as a great theme for a sculpture: a journey of faith, a journey of hope and a journey of love for fellow man; a brotherhood: by that I mean an association of partnership, of community, forged by the necessity of co-operative effort. I experienced this same concept while growing up in the mining village of Craghead near Durham. Without these fundamentals, the community could not survive - the mining community, whether man, woman or child, they are all interdependent for their lives.

The sculpture was started in 1997 using seven elm trees. Elm relates to my experience with the character of this wood, which I often use. It is a very vigorous wood and, when split, presents a vitality of movement in the form of it's growth which I can develop. The idea of movement, implied in 'The Journey" itself, is a main factor in the visual language of the sculpture. The movement suggested in each of the six figures; the movement in the different attitudes of the heads; the suggested movement in and between the unfinished / finished hands; the movement expressed by the chainsaw on the surface and in the carved line."

You can see more of Fenwick's work on his website and on mine - 

http://www.anannaimage.com

http://www.fenwicklawson.co.uk

      

Friday, August 1, 2008

Ananna Image


Ananna Image website is still being worked in by the wonderful Demi Gounari. Already there has been a great deal of positive feedback. It amazing just how many women out there relate to the images of motherhood - they are such sensitive issues as we all feel such guilt sometimes and it is good to be able to laugh about it - it kind of takes the guilt away. This image is 'Kali'. She is the consort of Shiva and is a bit of a woman warior but with the heart and protection of a great mother. When I was drawing this image back in 1996 I had such a full house of children - teenagers. I was a divorced mum trying to do a full time degree, 50 miles away! and working in a pub in the evenings as well as trying to help start up a business. I was shattered. Kali is the epitome of motherhood - the juggling of all of the things that we do as mothers. Evolution hasn't really served us well - we need more arms! It is strange though that if we keep all of the physical things going - the washing, shopping, ironing etc. we are seen to be good mothers. If we don't we are judged not to be coping very well. Whether good mother or bad mother on this basis is such an indictment - why should we be able to do all of this on our own?  Why should we be judged by the status of the housework? 

Friday, June 27, 2008


Gosh, I think I am going to get into this. Today has been colecting newspapers with articles about Fenwick - they are coming over tonight and I think he is going to be very supprised. Son number 2, Alex the chef, said that he would make a watermelon sorbet and had my mouth watering until he said I should buy a pako-jet or something - alot of money so no sorbet! He has just come back from Cambodia because he got ill out there. More at home now - the house is bulging at the seams. Husband, two sons (one with girlfriend) three dogs (bichon's) and all in a two bedroomed house - so much for downsizing and making life easy!!!

Thursday, June 26, 2008

Blog Fog

I am just coming to terms with this blogging thing so if the design of my page is a bit strange please forgive me - I will learn - I am determined.  My father, Fenwick Lawson received an Honorary Doctorate from Durham University on Tuesday 24th June. He is a well known sculptor and probably well known for his lack of suits! He mostly wears denim but this time he had to buy a suit! By the time he was robed he looked like Dumbledore! Fenwick is as wise and as nice as Dumbledore so I guess if the cap fits.....
Here he is with my mam, Joan who is also a wonderful quilter and writer (although she won't admit it).