My presentation day at mima with very positive response to my initial proposals for the commission and people raised some interesting questions. I am to further develop my proposal and we will meet again in a months time.

Myself and Claire met with Rene Porteous, the life of the famous Glynn Porteous. An amazingly interesting person which I will meet again in June to record her stories. Rene invited us to her lovely home, sharing her unique collection. An amazing evening, thank you Rene.

Preparing for a session with mini_mima and mima_dreamers.

It was a much quieter morning then anticipated, we had four families the first day and three families the second day, but was a lovely mornings spend with local families.

The thursday afternoon I met with all the mima_dreamers, lovely young people, which I hope to meet again. We recorded a session or fortune telling stories about they history, dreams and family. Look forward to hearing all the recordings.

My afternoon session was at mima’s education room working with young students, Sandra Goody and staff from the Learning Disability Child and Adolescent Mental Health Service.

We had a great creative time, continued making playdough and coming up with some amazing forms and colours this time.

I am looking forward to meeting the students again.

The morning session was at the Whinney Banks School, where we met with 20 lovely pupils and they teachers. It was a very enjoyable morning the pupils helped me come up with some amazing ideas. They created patterns and shapes that I could use in my sculptural creation for the mima’s garden.

It was fun of making playdough, creating and decorating.

Here are some of the amazing creations.

The afternoon together with Claire we went back to Saltholme, the RSPB to meet Mike Gee and his colleagues volunteers, to explore the breathtaking, building with panoramic views of this huge wetland… We took walk in what was cold, snowing and hailing conditions, to explore this amazing site. I was recording our session, but not a surprise, most of my recordings are from the strong winds and shaking cold hands, with few voices in the distance…. it was so cold, so we only managed an hour and a half and we had to turn back. I have to go back and explore this site further, but perhaps in the summer when all the birds are back.

I met with Kerrie Page at mima’s office where we discussed the possibilities of organising an event – a story telling evening. It would be an opportunity to meet with a local historian, the oldest family of Middlesbrough, two poets and members of the local walking group. I am very interested in uncovering social and industrial history of the area, I have recently met with Ray Mallon, and I am interested in exploring something he said about local people, having quite hard exteriors but underneath soft and generous.

Next I visited one of the oldest foundry in Teesside. At one time there were about 140 Foundries in the Middlesbrough district, William Lane is the only one still operating today.

Founded in 1862 by 3 Lanes that all lived on Smith Street Stockton; William Lane described as a ‘Brass finisher’, John Lane a ‘Brass Moulder’ and James Lane a ‘Blacksmith’. The original Foundry was located on Middle Street, Stockton.

In 1907 the business relocated to the current site on Forty Foot Road, Middlesbrough. The new site was in the heartland of the Iron & Steel making district of north Middlesbrough, and many of these nearby businesses were everyday customers for what was described as a ‘breakdown & jobbing foundry’.

A new foundry building was constructed on site in 1939, the original foundry is now used as a store for patterns. This is a brick building with 7 coke furnaces in the floor, these were still used (though only occasionally) until 2001.

The company remained in the Lane family until 1976, when it was sold to neighbouring Steel Business, Parson & Crosland, and descendant Roy Lane remained with the company until 1984. John Webb was appointed General Manager of the company when it was taken over, and in that year he took on Stuart Duffy and Dave Stuart as 15 year old apprentices, Stuart is now a Director and shareholder of William Lane and remains ably supported by Dave.

Myself and Claire had the pleasure of meeting with Stuart Duffy and Dave Stuart and very much hope to work with them on my project.

ARMA visit

Day three morning session was in collection stores with Tosh, Mike from RSPB Saltholme,  Creative Apprentices, Alice and Helen, Charlotte Graham and Barbara Taylor, discussing selected artworks that reflects local personal heritage, history and industry, followed by a sound recording.

The afternoon session was back in collection stores with Macmillan Academy students, Charlotte Graham, Barbara Taylor and Beth Moseley.

In the afternoon we visited Cleveland Ironstone Mining Museum in Skinningrove, where we wore met by David the guide. David, a very interesting character with amazing connections to this iron mine, his grandfather, uncle and father worked, all they lives here, took as on a two hour authentic underground experience.

This was a long and busy day but full with very exciting ideas.

Amazing stones starting with ironstone produced at Cleveland Ironstone and other near by mines.

My second day at mima Teesside Archives working group local historian, Creative Apprentices, Alice and Helen, Tosh Warwick Learning and Events Officer,  Stuart Pacitto and Michelle McCarthy.

Through discovering photographs, books, audio scripts we talked about peoples personal memories of Middlesbrough industrial history and I tried to capture segments of they stories.