College Farm – Gillian McMillan — Rara Avis https://www.gillianmcmillan.com Sun, 29 Oct 2023 00:53:57 +0000 en-US hourly 1 Cambridge again https://www.gillianmcmillan.com/blog/2023/10/28/cambridge-again/ https://www.gillianmcmillan.com/blog/2023/10/28/cambridge-again/#respond Sun, 29 Oct 2023 00:47:45 +0000 https://www.gillianmcmillan.com/?p=15076

Cars are not allowed to park on King’s Parade in Cambridge after 9.30am so Primavera Gallery owner Jeremy Waller asks his artists to deliver their work before then. From London, that’s difficult, but Jeremy kindly invited me to stay overnight with him and his wife Sheila at College Farm, near Ely. Knowing that their surrounding fields have become a sculpture garden and that they have another gallery next to the farmhouse, I gladly accepted the invitation.

Jeremy met me at Ely train station on a drizzly day and proudly showed me Ely Cathedral, and gave me a little history lesson about the city. 

Ely Cathedral
looking up at the square, wooden-roofed tower

It’s a short drive to the nearby village of Haddenham and College Farm. After a cuppa and my nap, Jeremy whizzed Sheila, the dog and me in a fun open vehicle along the mowed paths through their fields. We saw a road of wild flowers, ponds, birds, both sculpted and real, and wild plant installations, all ready for walking visitors. Sadly it was getting dark so my photos from later aren’t worth sharing.

I hope my wild flowers do this well next year..
view of the garden from inside the farmhouse

Sheila had prepared a fine meal with very local ingredients.. tasty squash soup, beef from the village butcher, home-grown green beans and poached pears. After dinner Jeremy showed me around the gallery that they built next to the restored farmhouse. Oh my, what wonderful treasures therein! Here are just a couple of images. Happily, I even spotted two of my jugbirds!

my magpie jugbird on the right
Kingfisher jugbird in the kitchen
dare I put my work next to John Maltby's?

Early to bed and then up before light, Jeremy and I left at about 6am to drive in to Cambridge. He opened Primavera Gallery for 7am, ready to greet glass artist Frans Wesselman. Frans and his partner had driven through the night from Worcestershire, I believe. While he and Jeremy unpacked and discussed the new glass work I made myself busy carefully unwrapping my box of jugbirds. They all survived the flight and trains!

just one piece of Frans Wesselman's work
and here are my 13 jugbirds and a wee set of 4 playing card plates
Many potters are represented by Primavera. These shelves are downstairs.

Of course I spent some time exploring the whole gallery once more. There are paintings, prints, sculptures in many media, jewelry, scarves, other glassware, and many splendid ceramic pieces. Some famous potters are represented, especially Richard Batterham, Jennie Hale, Peter Hayes, Lucie Rie and Tony Laverick. 

https://www.primaveragallery.co.uk/collections/ceramics?page=8

, 

photo taken on the top floor of the gallery, looking out on to King's Parade
and here is Jeremy on the gallery's main floor, with Tony Laverick pots he's just brought in.

Soon it was time to leave Jeremy preparing to open the gallery to the public and I had some Cambridge walking time. My sister-in-law Lottie came in by bus from her home in St Neots with her grand-daughter Tabatha, and we met for coffee at Kettle’s Yard. We enjoyed a free display of embroidery by the women of Palestine. How fitting that now seems. 

Then jet-lag began to catch up with me and I chose to skip visiting the FitzWilliam Museum this time and instead headed for the train back down to London.

Thank you Jeremy, for encouraging me to make the effort to bring some more jugbirds to your prestigious gallery. What a wonderful excuse to make a long-awaited return trip to my home country! The visit to College Farm and an evening of conversation with you and Sheila was an extra special treat. Thank you both.

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