Frances Morris & legacy...........

Over the past few weeks conversations with my tutor have highlighted to me how important my legacy; my life experience of growing up in the countryside is. It is significant and relevant that I tell this story and demonstrate the emphasis of tactility in play and making. To involve the younger generation in the investigation of the materiality of the landscape in order that they can learn about the physical world around them and set the seed about the possibilities creativity can bring to their lives.
I attended the lecture of Frances Morris Director of  Tate Modern last night which confirmed my thoughts and the importance of my role as an artist. She spoke about artists being 'time travellers'; we do not operate as static beings we express our life experiences through our work; we tell 'our' stories. She herself says she is who she is because of the many artists she has worked with Louise Bourgeois being one a highly inspirational woman who worked as an artist into her 90's!
​She spoke about the role of 'The Gallery' 'The Museum' in todays economic climate referencing the new generation of independent galleries and how The Tate will carry on/sustain their place. Because of its main ownership (Department for Culture, Medium & Sport) I feel, it has restrictions and as a director her job is a difficult one in respect of having to please everyone, tick the right boxes be ethically responsible etc. When asked a question from the audience about how she sees the future of the Tate she spoke about the need to bring everyone into the realms of the gallery space; to make it accessible to non creative people, to make it immersive so everyone can get something from it, that you don't have to have an art education to enjoy art.
​She spoke a lot about the need to involve people, to not have a closed art institution that 'play & creativity'  go together. I could not agree more but am amazed that it has taken this long to be recognised or highlighted!
​It made me reflect on my dissertation 'Childhood Play to Practicing Artist in the 21st Century'  2016 my own experiences as a child, how much this influences my practice now as an adult and the importance of my knowledge and the need to pass this on.
​With last nights talk still fresh in my mind my experience as a child growing up in the countryside is fresh in my mind. Cameras were expensive things to own back in the 70's and photos were not taken like they are today. I have very few images of this time as a child and it is the haptic memories of embracing and immersing myself into the landscape with family and friend that sit deeply within me today.
​I remembered I had the remains of some wild flowers I had picked and pressed in 1976 and found them (see pic above) These are the only ephemeral physical things I have of that time. They are now one of the most important things I own. They are the archaeological remains of my landscape childhood, they are a reminder of processes that I have within my practice today my  legacy and the need to shout about it!!! 
​As Frances Morris said last night 'Bring back play we bring back process'