In 2018 I submitted my usual three pieces to the Ribble Valley Open Exhibition held at Clitheroe Castle. The prize for winning is £50 plus a solo show the following year. As many entrants (including me) wouldn’t have enough work for a solo show, they can say whether or not they want to be considered for the prize. For the reason just stated I asked not to be considered, but somehow that got overlooked and at the opening ceremony I nearly dropped through the floor as my name was announced!
What do you do when everyone is looking your way and congratulating you? I was dumbfounded and barely managed a feeble “thank you!” Fortunately my friend Adrienne (coincidentally the winner a year earlier) was standing close by and seeing me about to go into meltdown, she suggested I show some of my late partner’s work. I heaved a sigh of relief when the museum managers said it was okay – it was my exhibition and I could do as I liked.
A year to plan sounded a long time, but I was heavily tied up with family and two of my granddaughters in particular. Apart from them I had several other visitors, including the Hong Kong family of five for up to five weeks over Christmas and the New Year.
It didn’t help that I had started being ill and was in terrible pain and it wasn’t until the practice nurse at the surgery actually read my notes that investigations started to happen. She referred me to a consultant, who in turn booked me in for a CT scan – and two weeks later some surgery.
The scan had shown a mass in my bladder and by this time everyone was assuming my cancer was back. Once again I was planning my funeral, but it turned out to be debris in my bladder, which the surgeon flushed out and I immediately felt better. Nobody took the trouble to analyse this debris, even though I was supplying regular samples of the hideous substance.
The exhibition is a minor retrospective, beginning in the 1980s through to my most recent work. My family mantra was always “make do and mend” and you can see this recycling reflected in my work, which ranges from more conventional pieces in pure watercolour, oils, batik, print & sculpture to the recycled stuff, consisting of cut/torn paper, beer cans, pie dishes and CDs etc.
Selected works:
These are bifold doors I made from old canvas stretchers to hide my old TV. Applied are old CDs that used to come in magazines promoting internet service providers. Picture 2. shows the doors in situ in my living room. Since making these a couple of years ago I have made a few portraits using this technique.
Above is the work that won the Ribble Valley Open Last Year (and thus this exhibition)
At the private view my neighbour played guitar and my middle granddaughter played keyboard and sang three songs. Afterwards my salsa teacher, Phil Kaila, got his sound system out of his car and we danced the night away!
Below a taste of the exhibition…
Willo's Blog 
Great to see you back here, Willo! And congratulations on your surprise win, and the inspired idea to include Paul’s work alongside your own. Wish I could fly over and visit. Also, very glad your bladder problem was “only” debris – why wasn’t it checked out? Or is the NHS really at such a low ebb?
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Thank you. The bladder incident is mystifying, but right now I can’t fault the NHS. Had a bit of a ‘funny turn’ recently and saw my GP. Call from the TIA clinic next day – full examination, bloods, neck scan, MRI head scan last Sunday and awaiting 72-hour ECG machine to be fitted next month. Haven’t got all the results yet, but thought the speed impressive. Watch this space!
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Wow Willo – what an exhibition! I would loved to have seen it for real – it looks fantastic.
Just popping in as I find some time to be on my laptop. I am mainly of fb and out and about now that I am so much healthier. You have been doing so much. I especially love the Mocha-inspired mirror works. Shall call in again in the winter after the festive season for a catch-up. Congratulations.
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Hello – just found your comment in my ‘spam’ folder! Why it should be there is a mystery, so apologies for the tardy reply. The exhibition took its toll on me as I was really unwell and was under a lot of other pressures at the same time.
On Friday I also had more investigations on my bladder, but won’t know more until my follow-up appointment in 4-6 weeks.
Glad you liked the mirror works, which are actually old CDs (the ones we used to get in magazines promoting internet providers etc) and my inspiration for the images comes from the work of Margaret Macdonald (greatly overshadowed by her husband, Charles Rennie Mackintosh) and her sister, Frances. I do love the work of all three and think it was Margaret who inspired much of Klimt’s work.
I love recycling and in particular using the CDs, which I find quite exquisite, though very hard to cut to shape.
If you want to find me on FB I am under Pat Willo Williams.
So pleased to hear your health has improved and you are getting out more.
Best wishes
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