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Jane’s TMA Blog

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Stones folk rock

Once I was just interested in old places and ancient tombs and I kept it to myself, fearing I would be considered a bit weird. So I painted them in private to express how I felt. Then on a Valentine's weekend in Avebury on 1998, the barman at the Red Lion told me about Copie's book, TMA. I snuck around bookshops, flicking through it, unable to justify the thirty quid price tag. When I finally got my own copy - as a gift - I then stumbled across this website.

My mate Treaclechops and I signed up and reticently, in my case, started posting to it, sharing our passion for these places on days out, in our prose, in our poetry, in her photographs and in my paintings.

As a result of my joining this merry band of megalithomanics, I have now had the very great fortune to meet a goodly number of you. Last year I met baza - a real *gentle*man and all-round-splendid bloke. Since then I have met riot gibbon, juamei and lissy, who I met last year at The Devils Quoits. In February I spent a very happy few hours with the engaging, uniquely intelligent and witty FourWinds in Dublin. But this weekend, the first weekend of my exhibition, I was privileged to share my house (if only briefly) with yet more of our number.

First guest in on Saturday was the singularly gorgeous Kammer x (I love the way he always goes 'x') and his soon-to-be-wed mates Graham and Sarah. What a delightful and neat beard he sports! His inner strength and calm, his commitment and sparkling eyes were charming to behold. I wish he could've stayed longer, but alas, he need to take his mates to Avebury. Can't argue with THAT.

Later on a tall bear of a chap with smiling eyes and a cute, trim little goatee arrived... Ocifant! ...accompanied by his beloved Mikki (who has the most alluring eyes!) Boy, are *they* in love! I hardly had time to talk to them though, as a whole bunch of exhibition visitors arrived at the same time. Thank God for Treaclechops, who, over a crowded room, I could see was having a splendid conversation with them.

During Sunday's exhibition opening, I was joined by the delightful voice-over-artiste-extraordinaire Lissy and, much to Treaclechops' delight, Rhiannon. Rhiannon, the cheese tsarina of Bath, had come via Avebury and Windmill Hill. As usual, I was flitting around as exhibition visitors came and went, and didn't have the chance to speak to her as much as I would've liked. Rhiannon instantly endeared herself to me with gifts of cheese, (surely the food of the gods). What a woman!

Lissy fell in love with two paintings I had made of the Rollright stones: Rock n Rollright and Full circle, full moon. "Rock n Rollright" was sold on Saturday and I could've sold this six times over! I shall, of course, be painting some more. (Gotta meet the demands of the market!) It's really weird, because although I loved painting it, I felt it to be so experimental that I wasn't even going to exhibit it until my partner persuaded me that it might be a good idea: "Just lean it up on the piano, Jane, and get people's reaction...." Well, shows how much I know about the tastes of the buying public! Meanwhile, Lissy is wondering how she can justify spending the pennies to get herself one of the only three remaining editions of "Full circle, full moon."

Is it about the stones? The landscape? The heritage? The history? The vibe? YES! But, for me, its also about the people. Yes, YOU! Stones folk. You're bloody great, you are. Its been so fab meeting everyone so far, that I may have to have a party...

the molls of the menhirs
Left to right: Jane, Treaclechops, Rhiannon and Lissy