A Postcard from - Durham

Where Adults Dress Up as Wizards and go fighting in the woods

“I’ve just seen a bunch of adults dressed up as wizards fighting in the woods with plastic swords and axes”

Mr. Dean thought he’d stumbled across a disagreement or a fight, but no, just a reenactment of the Deathly Hallows.

Durham is a thriving University City, and the wizards were students. Parts of the Harry Potter franchise were filmed here at Durham Cathedral Cloisters, and with some of the student halls located in the old Castle on the hill next door, it’s easy to see the connection.

I like the idea that today's 18-year-olds can feel comfortable attending lectures on the Classics, Geography, Maths etc by day, dressing up as wizards, and play-fighting in the woods by night. Delaying that transition from child to adult and keeping a sense of play alive in their lives.

This would not have been possible when I was 18, even at 11. I was once seen by my peers playing ‘Horses’ in the woods at school with three other friends and mercilessly teased. We were accused of still being children (by other children) when we should have moved on to smoking behind the bike sheds. With hindsight, I’d clearly have been better off sticking with the horsey set, but that’s peer pressure for you, and it has been refreshing to observe first-hand a little evolution taking place.

Plenty of familiar student activities have been observed these past two weeks, mainly drinking games after sporting activities, which do not seem to have changed much since ‘my day’ or since the Vikings started them.

Student life dominates the City. Doors marked ‘Classics Dept’ and ‘Music Dept’ are throughout the center of Durham. Students, tutors, and the occasional swishing gown can be seen leaving and entering these doors at all hours of the day. Students also row on the river, cycle to classes, and run the paths that surround the city.

I have a close friend I met at university. We’re both in our fifties now. She finds herself working with a group of people in their twenties and thoroughly enjoys herself; she has a phrase she uses, ‘Vampiring off the youth’. Their energy is infectious,and it gives her a lift, I get it, I can feel it.

We are staying on the river, our motorhome is parked up at the local rowing club facing the water where we wake most mornings to the sounds of boats coming off their racks, gentle chatter and oars splashing in the water.

One night after dark, there’s quite the sound from across the river, I can’t quite place it, it sounds like a rave has popped up in the woods opposite. First wizards, now ravers? But no, it’s a running club, up to thirty, all lit up with flashing lights and neon colours with music blaring as they run by.

The energy is infectious, different, and nostalgic. As Mr.Dean and I walk around, we both reminisce, sharing various university tales, and it’s inspiring. I find myself walking further than I have for many weeks and even going for a swim at the local pool.

What does this mean for my work? Again, I would say there has been an influence. These images were started before our visit to Durham, but I’ve been adding to them and hope to have a collection of 6 paintings finished by the end of the year. Here are the first four; there’s a playful element that I’ve been keen to develop since I finished The Artist Way. With the animals coming out of the paintings there’s a clear nod to Harry Potter and I’ve been really enjoying painting these with no end result in mind, the goal has been to paint images that best reflect the ideas in my head.

I have no doubt these will eventually become art prints or greeting cards but for now, they are just a place for me to play with my imagination and see where it takes me.

We’ve not been in the UK this late in the year since 2019, so the cold weather and the rain have been more of a novelty than a hindrance, which brings me to the reason why we are still in the UK and it’s something that fits in well with the idea of magical moments, we’ve been waiting for the arrival of Arthur, who I’m pleased to report arrived safe and well in early December and allowed us to finally turn the motorhome South for what’s left of the winter…

I’d also like to wish you a very Merry Christmas, wherever you are in the world. I’ll be back here again next weekend, but I’m looking forward to a week off, during which I can indulge in reading, sketching, some old movies, and lots of delicacies. I hope you are, too!