EDGE
3.Resistance
Welcome
to Edge 3!
Following on from our last issue on ‘Change’, we are back for our third issue with a new editor and new look. For now, we plan to be predominately digital publication, and thank Open College of the Arts for their backing in printing 100 copies of issue 2. The past few months have seen a number of challenging changes in our political landscape, with Brexit, continuing austerity, and of course Trump. We present ‘Resistance’. When all seems bleak, finding strength to move forwards. As ever, we interpret this in individual ways and hope that you enjoy the journey....
Helen Rosemier
THE FRENCH RESISTANCE Roselyne Quilis Edwards I was born and brought up in France, so 'Resistance' for me equates to the French Resistance to the Nazi occupation during the Second World War. The French Resistance was a movement which refused to accept the Vichy government which collaborated with the Germans after the Nazi occupation of France.
The French Resistance
In the South of France where my family lived, some Resistance organisations were determined to help the allies win the war. My father belonged to a youth group whose aim was to join the allied forces preparing to overturn the Nazi domination in France. Unfortunately, their group was caught and my father was taken to a labour camp in Czechoslovakia. Luckily, they were liberated by the Russians at the end of the war, but the long years spent in these camps and the memories of this experience scarred him for life.
FRENCH RESISTANCE
Roselyne Quilis Edwards
1
I was born and brought up in France, so ‘Resistance’ for me equates to the French Resistance to the Nazi occupation during the Second World War. The French Resistance was a movement which refused to accept the Vichy government which collaborated with the Germans after the Nazi occupation of France. In the South of France where my family lived, some Resistance organisations were determined to help the allies win the war. My father belonged to a youth group whose aim was to join the allied forces preparing to overturn the Nazi domination in France. Unfortunately, their group was caught and my father was taken to a labour camp in Czechoslovakia. Luckily, they were liberated by the Russians at the end of the war, but the long years spent in these camps and the memories of this experience scarred him for life. We should count ourselves lucky to live in relatively war free times even though we have witnessed the horrors of the Syrian war from a safe distance. Although our generation has not directly witnessed any war, it is easy to forget that the founding principles of the European Union were to bring the European countries together to sign a treaty in which all the participating member states would be at peace with each other. This treaty has worked for over seventy years and, through exchange programmes like Erasmus, the young people from the different countries see themselves as Europeans and make friends with each other regardless of their country of origin. However, cracks are appearing in the Union and we are witnessing a new rise of nationalism as in the Thirties. I fervently hope that
the peace clock will not begin to run anti-clockwise.
Roselyne Quilis Edwards
Ceramics for Beginners
Let’s face it, potters make throwing a pot look easy. Before I tried it for myself, I had expected the clay to yield with relative ease. What I hadn’t anticipated was the enormous strength it takes to push against the firm clay. Centering is hard work! Just when you think you have grasped control, the clay suddenly becomes soft and pliable, teetering on the edge of collapse. The pot pictured above was a personal triumph. That is until I tried to remove it from the wheel and lost control of it.....
Holly Norris
Antibiotics Antibiotic resistance is going to kill us all! An attention grabbing headline, but is it true? Well, it’s certainly a serious situation and getting worse. Feeding antibiotics toAntibiotic farm animals to help growth means resistance resistance is going to kill us all! is growing to an old antibiotic called colistin. This was An attention grabbing headline, but is it true? Well, it’s certainly a serious situation shelved in the forFeeding humans due to animals sometotoxic effects and 1950s getting worse. antibiotics to farm help growth means but resistance is growing to an old antibiotic called colistin. This was shelved in the is given to farm animals in the UK. China has moved to ban 1950s for humans due to some toxic effects but is given to farm animals in the UK. China has moved to ban it in their animals recently. Colistins used to be the drug of it in their animals recently. Colistins used to be the drug of choice for resistant infections in humans, but is not working so well now. choice for resistant infections in humans, but is not working so well now.
As a doctor, I try to give out antibiotics in a responsible way which I know sometimes is not what a patient with a cold As a doctor, I try to give out antibiotics in a responsible way which I know sometimes wants to hear! is not what a patient with a cold wants to hear! In some countries you can buy antibiotics over the counter in In some countries you can buy antibiotics over the counter in a pharmacy, I wonder much peoplehow use them when they shouldn’t? Every use adds to the bacteria a pharmacy,how I wonder much people use them when they working out how to overpower the medicine and carry on existing the same as we do. The World already estimates 700,000 die every year around shouldn’t? Every use Health addsOrganisation to the bacteria working out how the world from drug resistant infections…so sadly at the moment we wait with bated to overpower the medicine and carry on existing the same breath.. as we do. The World Health Organisation already estimates Catherine Levey 700,000 die every year around the world from drug resistant infections...so sadly at the moment we wait with bated breath..
Catherine Levey
Being Mindful
“Life is a series of natural and spontaneous changes. Don’t resist them – that only creates sorrow. Let reality be reality. Let things “Lifenaturally is a series offorward natural and Don’t resist~them that flow inspontaneous whatever changes. way they like.” Lao–Tzu only creates sorrow. Let reality be reality. Let things flow naturally forward in whatever way they like.” ~ Lao Tzu
Sue Parr
We live in a tiny hamlet in rural West Dorset. Our sitting room has South-facing double doors that back out onto the garden and the fields beyond. When the weather is warm it is a little idyll. Spring arrives. Doors flung wide open, the natural world and the domestic space inside often merge. So far nine different types of bird (one a chicken) have decided to come inside to visit. I remember one particular encounter from two years ago. Swallows often pop in, have a brief look around to gauge whether it’s a suitable nesting spot, then fly out again. Instead of flying straight out, this swallow got a little disoriented and panicked. Blinded by fear and desperation, it couldn’t find its way out. It kept retracing it’s flight, over and over. Around and around the room he flew. After what probably felt like an eternity for the poor little creature, it decided to rest a while on the top book shelf. He sat breathing and being there, just as things were. His anxiety visibly started to fade as he came back to the here and now. After a minute or so he took off and flew straight out of the French doors to the freedom outside. Sometimes when life gets on top of us, we can be so desperate to find a way out of our emotions that we can lose our sense of direction. This encounter taught me that it can be helpful to sit still, take time to just be, allow yourself to notice where you really are in this moment. Then after getting your bearings it’s easier to take the best course of action. Move towards those things that are important in life, rather than trying to avoid and move away from those things that are difficult. Powerful changes can occur that way. I am so grateful for the lessons I learn from the natural world every day. Sue Parr
Resistance Dyeing Resistance techniques in dyeing textiles are used in cultures around the world. In the context of my travels and research for the OCA textiles course, I have looked particularly at the Miao peoples of South East Asia, Japanese techniques and Indian textile production. A dye is prevented from penetrating a fabric either by stitching or clamping by physical means, or applying a water resistent medium to the fabric. Such media include wax, tree gums, mud and rice paste. In the piece opposite I have used wax applied with a tjangting in stages between colours. The process of layering was very similar in design to reduction linocutting. What better inspiration for the theme of resistance than the humble limpet. If you have ever tried seperating one from a rock, you will know what I mean!
Holly Norris
Holly Norris
Helen Rosemier
Helen Rosemier
For the women of Aleppo The bloodshed in Syria is still fresh on the stones of its ancient cities and those of the thousands of houses destroyed during the war. Not so long ago these were homes for families where people went about their lives like we go about ours. This war has been both very close and very far from us, too close for comfort but too far away for us to be afraid, and we have become so used to hearing about it that we soon forget the news of new deaths every day in Syria, Afghanistan and other zones of conflict. And yet in these places there are women who are still weeping at the loss of their husbands and children. And yet in these places there are women who still face the choice of death or rape by marauding soldiers. And yet in these places there are women who have lost their homes and livelihood and who recoil in fear of what the future holds for their newborn babies. We must resist becoming hardened to the news of distant wars and insensitive to their plight.
Roselyne Quilis Edwards
ed to hearing about it that we soon forget the news of new deaths ery day in Syria, Afghanistan and other zones of conflict.
R THE WOMEN OF ALEPPO
Roselyne Quilis Edwards
Resistance to change a desi
Both have p designed di
Hotel Artemis, Cyprus, based on the temple to Artemis at Ephesus, Turkey in 5th century BC. The hotel was built in 2011. Photo taken in 2017
Anna Goodchild
ign for mass accommodation
plants but ifferently.
Bodmin jail. Designed and built in 1776. Decommissioned 1920
Anna Goodchild
Helen Rosemier
Who are we? Holly Norris A graduant from the OCA textiles course, I am a printmaker and mixed media textiles artist based in Portland, Dorset. I regularly exhibit at various galleries around the county. www.hollynorris.org
Helen Rosemier Living in East London with an American, five cats and some fish. A very long term student of Photography with the OCA. I like to look at the world and make pictures of it. http://helenrosemierphotography.co.uk/
Roselyne Quilis Edwards Born in France, I read English at university in Montpellier before a Psychology PhD at Manchester University. I retired early having taught French for 20 years in higher education. In 2009 I started exhibiting with my local art society before enrolling for a degree with OCA. I am now on my second Painting module.
Catherine Levey I’m a second year arts student of the Open College of the Arts and live in Nottingham. I’m interested in expressing hidden emotions through contemporary portraiture. Instagram: @profmeme Please look me up and say hello!
Sue Parr I live in West Dorset and am currently studying for a BA in Painting through the OCA. Contact: sueparr000@gmail.com
Anna Goodchild I am a photography student and have just started Level 3 – I loved the end of Documentary Photography & adored Digital Image & Culture. I flourish on cross-discipline work and really enjoy the company of students from other pathways who like to think differently about their work.
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