A light shines through

It’s a beautiful, sunny morning as I walk through the gate and along the side what is obviously a historic property. It’s been kept in good shape through the years and the flowers are in full bloom

A woman is picking fruit from a large, shady tree up ahead, which turns out to be bright red cherries. I make a mental note to come back and try them out.

It’s a perfect morning for exploration and I discover several art exhibitions housed in a large number of spacious rooms, there’s a music room and even a dance room. At a table outside a green door, a gentleman stands looking intently at a piece of wood that might need restoring. Or is it beyond repair?

A friendly chat with the manager in charge sends me to the biggest find of the day. A large art workroom where, even at this early hour, a woman is chipping away at a large piece of oddly shaped wood. She wipes the sweat from her brow and smiles as she confesses that her chosen craft is physically hard and hot work. Especially in summer, I think to myself. She is clearly enjoying herself despite the challenges of the work

Several spacious working tables are clustered in the centre of the room, surrounded by shelves with all sorts of treasures: paper, paint, collage materials and to my greatest joy, some pottery equipment. Apparently a ceramic kiln is housed behind one of the locked doors. My interest is peaked. Next door is a printing press. Several women have made their way to the studio this morning and eagerly tell me about the upcoming exhibition and summer fest that the Mohr-Villa is hosting. Their work will be exhibited alongside the colourful program for the Sunday afternoon. “Hopefully the weather is pleasant too” one of them add.

In a reflective mood, I head home some time later. It seems like no coincidence that I should land up so close to a creative centre. There are so many options and opportunities that are waiting to  be brought to life here. It’s time to get back into the flow of creative work, for my own work, and  also, for the first time, I am considering  offering courses. It will be a new challenge for me and I  am quietly optimistic that some of what I’ve learned over the decades could be useful to others too.
There is a light that shines through the opening door