Saltaire - Fishing on the Canal

 

Fishing on the Canal

 

It was a gorgeous day last Sunday for a walk along the canal in Saltaire, not only were the ducks enjoying the water, but the fisherman were lined up every few metres endeavouring to catch the "big" one.

Saltaire Secret Poet

 

There was a young girl from Saltaire

 

by

 

Saltaire Secret Poet

 

These quaint poems are beginning to appear around our village of Saltaire.  One never knows where the next one will be; quite exciting I think. We all love a bit of mystery !!

 The image above was one of three that I came across on the weekend during the Saltaire Festival.  They were attached to the fence of Salts Mill Complex, and I believe there were some more around the churchyard.

Saltaire Festival 2013

 

Great weekend for the Saltaire Festival in Roberts Park, lots of stalls, people, music, food, beer and most of all "sunshine".

Saltaire - Cloth & Memory 2

Installation by Caren Garfen UK

 

This is based on the lives of actual women from Saltaire drawn from the 1891 census.  Garfen's installation comprises vintage wooden reels attached to the wall, each with its own 'memory plaque' label and an 'S' for Salt and Silver, some also have ribbon wrapped round with hand stitched addresses or researched text.

 

More information has been added to this installation in the form of a booklet giving further details on some of the women, such as what happened to them after working in the mill etc. This has been researched and kindly provided by my husband, Colin Coates.



Cloth & Memory 2, Salts Mill, Saltaire

 

Fading Memories

 

Yoriko Murayama from Japan has woven the landscape surrounding Salts Mill using traditional kasurai (ikat) technique  which creates indistinct images - like fading memory. The images have been printed on Japanese paper which has been cut up and woven; the installation takes the form of a number of spiral cones each 2 metres high.

Cloth & Memory 2 - Saltaire

 

No. 23 in Cloth & Memory 2 exhibition

Salts Mill

Saltaire

 

A Japanese artist, Yoriko Yoneyama produced this installation which comprises of a suspended web of dried rice threaded on fine cotton.  Yoriko's intention is to link those overlooked elements which are essential to our survival and our cultural heritage; food and clothing - rice and fibre.

 

A very captivating installation, as the light streamed through the clear roof panels and the mirrors reflected the threaded rice grains.

Saltaire - Cloth & Memory (2)

 

Salts Mill

Cloth & Memory 2

 

Cloth and Memory {2} is a site-specific exhibition located in the UNESCO World Heritage Site: Salts Mill, Saltaire Yorkshire UK, which is also an anchor point in the European Route of Industrial Heritage. The exhibition features 23 artists drawn from a UK and international cohort and runs from August 18th to November 3rd 2013.

 

It builds on knowledge gained in our first exhibition, however it is a very different experience. It takes place in the original Spinning Room (known as The Lobby), which at 168m x 16m, when first built was thought to be the largest industrial room in the world. Apart from a new roof, it has not been restored or refurbished, and is not normally open to the public. The extraordinary internal architecture with its peeling walls and floors still retain the marks and smells of its original use.

 

An international group of artists were invited to visit Salts in order to propose work as a response to the site. From these proposals 23 artists were selected: 14 from the UK, 7 from Japan, 1 from Germany, 1 from Norway, representing emerging, early career and established artists. All the work engages with the palpable history of place that is evident at Salts Mill and The Lobby in particular, and range from large scale interventions in space to highly intimate placings within the fabric of the building.

 

Cloth and Memory {2} uses that universal familiarity with cloth to connect audience, place and artist within this heritage building in the heart of an area central to textile production during the industrial revolution and, by so doing, extend contemporary practice in the field.

 

LESLEY MILLAR: Cloth & Memory Creative Director
Professor of Textile Culture, University for the Creative Arts

www.clothandmemory.com

 

Originally the spinning room contained 16, 380 cap spindles for spinning yarn.  Raw alpaca fleece, imported from Peru, arrived at the top of the building and was processed down through the building to emerge as finished cloth at the bottom.

 

In its heyday, Salts Mill manufactured over 30,000 yards or 18 miles of alpaca cloth per day.  That's nearly 5,600 miles per year (enough to reach all the way back to Peru as the crow flies).

 

At its peak, Salts Mill employed 4,000 people using the most modern technology of the day.

 

 

 

I will be posting photos of all the different works over the next few days, so stay tuned.

Saltaire: Jamie Roberts begins his walk with his alpacas

 

Jamie Roberts with alpacas

 

Jamie Roberts, the great great grandson of Sir James Roberts (Roberts Park is named after him) is the owner of Kilnsey Park, one of North Yorkshire’s top visitor attractions. Jamie will begin a walk next Tuesday 6th August at 11am accompanied by alpacas, to commemorate his ancestors whose fortune was built on alpaca wool, from Salts Mill World Heritage Site in Saltaire, West Yorkshire. A weekend of celebrations is planned at Kilnsey Park on 10-11th August including family activities, outdoor performances, music and local food and drink.

Jamie is undertaking the trek to mark the Park’s 35th anniversary and the 120th anniversary of his great great grandfather Sir James Roberts saving Salts Mill from bankruptcy. As his ancestor made his fortune from alpaca wool, so Jamie will walk with alpacas that are coming home to take up residence at the family’s estate this August.

Sir James Roberts, from Haworth, began working in mills aged 11, eventually rising to take over Salts Mill, considered at the time to be the largest industrial building in the world, employing 4,000 people. In 1903 Sir James erected the statue of Sir Titus Salt in what is now known as Roberts Park.
The Kilnsey Estate was purchased by Sir James Roberts’s son Bertram Roberts in 1911 and four generations of the family have lived there. Kilnsey Park was established as a visitor attraction in 1978.

The anniversary begins with the walk from Saltaire and will lead onto a weekend of celebrations at Kilnsey Park on 10th-11th August. The walk will follow a section of the Leeds-Liverpool Canal before continuing in the Dales.
Jamie will be accompanied by the alpacas that will live at the Park visitor attraction. The alpacas have been sourced from prize-winning alpaca breeders at Carlshead Farm near Wetherby.
Kilnsey Park visitor attraction is 11 miles north of Skipton in the Yorkshire Dales.

Website: www.kilnseypark.co.uk

Information courtesy of Saltaire World Heritage:   http://www.saltairevillage.info/news-00296_Trek_from_Saltaire_to_Kilnsey_Park_with_alpacas_010813.html

Aire Sculpture Trail - Saltaire to Shipley

Aire Sculpture Trail - opened 25 May 2013

 



Aire Sculpture Trail

The Aire sculpture trail was officially opened on the 25^th May 2013 by Andrew Mason, Managing Director of Newmason Properties Ltd., and is said to be an integral part of improving the use of the footpath alongside the river Aire between Baildon Bridge and Saltaire.

This development has been created for the benefit of residents and visitors to Saltaire and Shipley.  It adds a visitor attraction to the area and encourages the use of this footpath link.

The project is a collaboration between CBMDC Dept of Regeneration & Culture, Newmason Properties Ltd, Canals & River Trust, Hive Community Arts Organisation and Wycliffe Primary School.

Hive is a community arts organisation based in Shipley that has been delivering high quality creative activity across Bradford for the last 30 years. It commissioned metal sculptor Mick Kirkby Geddes to work with students from Wycliffe Primary School.

Under Micks supervision the children prepared drawings and then made their own sculptures inspired by their thoughts and feelings for this area. Holmfirth based artist Mick has been a professional sculptor since leaving Leeds Polytechnic with a degree in Fine Art in 1988.  He makes sculptures for indoor and outdoor spaces and exhibits his work in galleries, and works regularly with local schools.

There is an Octopus, Pirate Ship, Salt pot slug, Fish & drawers, Fish, Cat bath,
Bird, Skater frog, Snowman, Dog, Alpaca, Submarine, Frog on leaf, and Dinghy dog.

I am puzzled by these sculptures supposedly being about the Shipley/Saltaire area, as the only one amongst them is the Alpaca.  I guess anything is possible when it comes to children's imagination, although I think they could have had a little more "direction" in what the area is really about.

Wonder what other residents think about it?

 

 

Saltaire Vegetable Swap

Vicars Café

Vegetable Swap

 

Calling green-fingered gardeners!..

 

Convert your Greens to Gorgeous Grub!

 

Swap your fresh produce for Vicars Vouchers in the VEG-EX Scheme.

 

The staff of Vicars Bistro on Victoria Road, Saltaire have come up with a fantastic idea.

They are hoping that their food with a heart scheme will bring together the community of Saltaire, enabling local gardeners, college students studying horticulture and anyone else in the area that my be growing their own vegetables to bring along their excess seasonal produce, and in return receive vouchers which can be spent in the bistro.

 

This young man, dressed as a carrot, was enjoying the sunshine as he walked Victoria Road handing out flyers advertising the vegetable swap.

 

He kindly let me take his photo.

 



Saltaire Heritage Weekend

Saltaire Heritage Weekend

          April 2013                                                                                              April 2013

 

 

The Saltaire Heritage Weekend has come and gone for 2013 and I must say that it did not have the same feel about it this time round. Last year the trees and flowers had begun to bloom and lots of visitors enjoyed the canal and Roberts Park activities.

 

This year, the number of visitors seemed to be lacking and the atmosphere around the canal and the park was rather flat. The trees are still bare and the skies still mostly grey, although we have had a little sunshine over the past few days.

 

Come on summer, it is time to shine in the beautiful Saltaire.

The Saltaire Busker

 

A Saltaire Busker

 

This gentleman can often be found busking beside the bridge over the canal on Victoria Road, and he certainly has a collection of different instruments that he plays.  A very colourful character in more ways than one I imagine.

Saltaire Snowy Mist

 

Had more snow overnight, but a lovely sunny morning to take a walk through Roberts Park in Saltaire.  A snowy mist still hovered just above the ground for a little while, until it burnt off in the sunshine.  

Saltaire in the snow

19 Jan 2013

 

The snow creating a pretty scene across Roberts Park towards the Boathouse Inn with Salts mill further in the background. Not too many folks braving the cold today.

Saltaire Car Park

This is the proposed site for a 52 space pay and display car park in Saltaire between the canal and the river. I agree that there is a lack of parking available in Saltaire (just like everywhere else really) but this site is certainly NOT suitable.  The road is only wide enough for one car and it already causes havoc with residents of Riverside Apartments and staff of the NHS. Lets hope that the Bradford Council sees sense to deny the planning permission.

Saltaire Graffiti

Walking along the Leeds-Liverpool canal through Saltaire is never dull or boring... there is always something new or interesting to catch one's eye.  Today this little blue mermaid chalk graffiti seems to have appeared out of nowhere, I'm sure it is a recent addition to the stone wall, and quite pleasant to look at as well.  Not quite sure what "deny everything" means though !!

Saltaire Canal

 

 

This image of the Leeds - Liverpool Canal was taken from the bridge above it at Saltaire.  This part of the Canal seems to freeze over quite easily, whereas on the other side it is flowing freely.  Being taken at 5.30pm, it looks like a black and white, but it was taken in colour.  I love the reflections of the trees here and there as it begins to thaw.

Saltaire - 2nd six months images



August
 

 July  

 



October
 

 September

 



December

 November

 

 

I have now completed my mission of taking a photo of the Leeds-Liverpool Canal at Saltaire on the same day of each month from approximately the same place on the canal for the year of 2012. The weather has been kind to me over the year, as it has never stopped me from venturing out on the 5th day of each month, and I cannot remember it even raining on those particular days. 

 

I think the coldest day of all was today. Such a lovely crisp morning, but the chilly wind sent me back inside very quickly.



Saltaire - contemplation

 

 

Just happened to catch this couple as they stood quietly beside the canal at Saltaire yesterday. I love the peaceful feeling this image portrays. I wonder what they were thinking about?

Autumn Reflections

November 2012

 

 The Leeds-Liverpool Canal at Saltaire always produces something for the photographers eye, no matter what time of the day, month or year.  I decided to take a different angle on these trees reflected in the water, just to give the viewer another perspective on the wonderful colours of autumn.