This afternoon we drove over to Skipton, up in the Yorkshire Dales, to hang my series of images of the “Green Man”, in the ancient parish church. I’m rather pleased with the result …. although somewhat deterred by the follow up. The space in which I have been allowed to present my work is ideal in a number of ways. In addition to which it is in the cafe area, which means that a lot of visitors to the place will have the chance to see it. It will be interesting to see how people respond to it.
I am rather nervous because of the fact that I have agreed to do two talks to accompany the exhibition. Although I am no stranger to public speaking, as a former University teacher, I have never presented this topic before. When I showed the series in Lincoln Cathedral I remember that a couple of viewers made sharp comments in the visitors’ book about my smuggling in of “paganism” to a place of Christian worship. This, of course, is far from being my intention. Nevertheless, I might need to be prepared to duck (metaphorically speaking, I hope.)
The greater challenge will be the presentation I have agreed make to children in the upper forms of junior school. It is a very long time since I had to address an audience of kids, and I think that I will need to get some expert advice from a friend who does this for a living. It should be fun …. I think. One thing I am aware of is that if a presentation to children is to succeed it will have to be very clearly focussed indeed. My expectation is that, with an audience off this kind, I will not have the problem I confront potentially with adults, in that I will not be required to deal with somebody who knows more than I do!