There is a palpable atmosphere when you’re sitting inside a building so old. It seems to breathe and groan. You can sense all it has seen and it has a distinctive smell of its own. Every time the bus went by the whole building shook; giant floorboards trembling underneath me and glass cases rattling. At one point I heard horse hooves pass by on the road and I wondered if I’d actually gone back in time.
If I had worried about sitting still for too long I needn’t have done. I was drawing from the collection in the Museum of Cambridge. The items I wanted to draw were on display, so that meant drawing in the museum itself, with visitors milling around and through glass cases. Challenging circumstances, but thankfully I was advised to come at a quiet time. The lights in the room I was working in, were on a timer, and every two minutes of no movement (obviously my drawing hand didn’t register!) they went off! Which meant I had to stand up and wave my arms every two minutes. Great for my circulation and not so great for my focus on the drawing!
I was made to feel very welcome by Alex Horn (Engagement Officer) and Beau Brannick (Collections Officer) who even moved one of the items on display so I could get a better view of it. I was shown to my quarters by Alex who had set out a table and chair specially for me.
My first visit was to paint a Fenland Love Token. Such a romantic idea for the shy Fenman. He would make two sweet little bows made from three ears of corn tied together. With one token pined to his on smock, the other would be given to his partner at church one Sunday, to declare his love and propose marriage.
If she had it pinned above her heart the following Sunday, she had accepted his proposal of marriage. The tokens would be worn until the couple were married and the wedding would happen before the ears of corn shelled out. I love this object, although it was quite difficult to draw through the glass case and with less than ideal lighting. It forms part of my Spell For Love. Such a modest and humble item imbued with such meaning.
My second visit was to capture something altogether darker. A Witch Bottle. I love the warped logic of protection against witchcraft. The actions people took are exactly like witchcraft themselves. It was thought that iron and salt had protective properties against the havoc and chaos witchcraft could reap, but people also created their own natural concoctions to safeguard their houses, also placing shoes, dead cats, rats or witchbottles up the chimney to stop witches gaining access to the house.
This extraordinarily shaped bottle was found very locally to me, in Cottenham Cambridgeshire when an old manor formally housing Catherine Peyps (a relative of Samuel Peyps) was demolished in 1947.
Inside it has strands of silk and cloth which are now adhered to the walls of the glass. Such a mysterious object, and unusual shape with rich colours and reflections. This will form part of my Spell For Security featuring measures we take to protect ourselves, sometimes practical, often magical, or spiritual which help us to feel more in control.
If you’d like to see a timelapse of me creating these two pieces click here.
Many thanks to Alex, Beau from the Museum Of Cambridge for making this trip possible. If you haven’t been I urge you to visit!
These paintings are nearing completion. If you haven’t already, make sure you subscribe, (you will be entered to win a print!) to be the first to see the finished reveal and have access to the originals.