About Smiling

There was a lot on social media around New Year 2020 which reflected on the last decade. What have you done? What have you achieved? Where have you got to? Then, of course, how much have you ticked off your bucket list; plus the inevitable ’30 by 30’ lists – 30 countries to visit, 30 capital cities before you’re 30.

Now obviously I've missed that specific boat. And 80 by 80 just seems silly. Far too frenetic – no time to stand and stare!

But no one asked me what had made me smile in the last decade?

Or what continues to fill me with so much joy that I’m smiling about it now, just being minded of it.

I won’t pretend that this image recreates my ‘smile of the decade’ moment but it definitely represents a multitude of ‘good smile to think back on’ moments.

Fountains Abbey, North Yorkshire
the antithesis of '30 by 30'

The story has a bitter/sweet start.

I had created the image alongside after Kate died, remembering the last workshop she ran at Fountains Abbey, the last time we saw her. And I wanted to work on something new which celebrates the good things in life; the smiles and laughter at that workshop; the 40 years of memories Ian and I have vested there.

And the new memories; creating this image for Ian’s birthday; being so excited that I gave it to him 4 days early – in Betty’s Tea shop at Harlow Carr; of re-visiting and searching for the exact spot, the exact shooting location, with our close friends from Edinburgh.

This image is about taking time and remembering to smile.

Take care

Paddy

January 2020