On 2^nd March 2015 Sophia Mosley was officially appointed as mentoree to Peter Walker. After initial meeting and an informal interview held at Lichfield Library, during a community engagement art project which was commencing that day, Sophia was chosen on the merits of her C.V. and ability to work alongside the artist. Firstly the position involved attending the artist’s studio, based in Shrewsbury, for two full days in order to participate and view the working practice of the sculptor in his daily regime. Upon arrival Sophia was shown around the studio to become familiar with the physical space and types of work that are undertaken in the studio.   Then through conversation with the artist Sophia was gave insight into the forthcoming annual projects that were due to commence and within which the mentoree position would be able to contribute with in the coming months.

Throughout the two days Sophia was able to assist Peter Walker as he began the construction of a 4ft sculpture. Sophia was taught how to place clay onto the armature of a sculpture and began working to build up the piece with the artist. Due to the cold climate in the studio space, Sophia was given extra layers of clothing to wear and learned about the practicalities of the working environment.

The studio also had a visiting artist, Composer and Sound artist David Harper, whom was working alongside Peter Walker on a sound and light installation piece for a forthcoming exhibition. Sophia was able to see and hear the new media that was being used to produce the artwork. Sophia was able to explore the conceptual work of the artist and investigate how sculpturally sound and light could be used to portray creative ideas.

Throughout the time of visiting, creative ideas were discussed between the artists as they worked in collaboration in the studio. Peter Walker and Sophia through this time were able to discuss the different ways in which art may be produced, how artistic concepts can be explored and represented, and the different ways that artists run their businesses highlighting the importance of this in the art world.

Sophia expressed her interests in pursuing her creative writing expertise and also explained her interests in painting, collage and ceramics. Together with Peter, they both discussed their creative ideas which could be pursued as they embark on the new projects together.

The gathering of information took place at the local Lichfield Library, through listening to recollections it was discovered that some of the participants including one member of the library staff whom had known the building to be their own primary school when they were a child. Today it is full of shelves of books lining its walls where once there stood a refectory for young children and classrooms. It was heard that even the grand stone fire place that stands in one room was once part of a building that stood opposite where the friary once was. The history of the area was spoken of fondly by participants and the changes that have been observed were described, particularly the changes to the usages of the city through industrialisation and the commercial changes that the historic city has relied upon for development. Places and spaces therefore were shown to have different meanings for different people of varied generations. The park space was described as a highlight by younger generations and parents of small children. Older members of the population described the importance of the many tea rooms and coffee shops as meeting places.

There were emotional responses relayed by those who had lived in the city since birth or at least for many years. It was interesting to find out that many people in the area despite having lived there for over forty years still did not feel as though they were from that area. This provoked the following questions: Is this a sign that local people feel they don’t belong to a community? Or is this depicting a view of insiders and outsiders dependant on place of birth?

Comparing the data collected with that collected in the Burntwood area for the time-capsule, it could be seen that the city enticed a wide range of people who settled in the area for jobs and family homes.   Some moved from areas such as Manchester and Lancashire, whereas it was found that Burntwood’s development of population was due more to the Birmingham overspill and the mining industry. This was remembered mostly by the older generation of participants, whereas those born perhaps within the last forty years viewed the area as their home and they did not relay stories related to this but instead were describing how they find and use the city today.

There was a distinct appreciation for the city and most participants had a positive story to tell. Some upset was relayed concerning the forthcoming HS2 which would go through land in the nearby area. It became apparent that the listening of stories was responded to with appreciation and almost a sense of relief to be heard and recorded. Without the recording of which such stories would never be able to be passed on to the next generation to hear and view.

A picture of a tree that was important to one participant was handed in to be scanned. It had names carved into it of a loved one but it had since been chopped down. Yet through digital recording the photographic image of the tree can now be immortalised and shown to others, though this shall never replace the tree, its presence has been captured and preserved in a digital visual form for others to know it existed. The same for all the narratives given in and recorded either written down or spoken, they now are captured in time for future generations to see and hear and they together represent a collective depiction of the city of Lichfield and district for other people to discover in the future.

During the three day collection for the Time-Capsule project in Burntwood I listened to 71 interviewees telling me all about their lives growing up, working and living in the area. Out of which some of the most fascinating memories I can share have been from a wide variety of backgrounds. In one interview I heard about the time inwhich the area was divided into separate villages made up of Chase terrace, Boney Hay, Hammerwich, Chasetown and Burntwood and all were separated by fields and farms. During the 1930’s when growing up here this particular interviewee recalled sitting in a horse and cart and travelling back and forth up Rugeley road to and from school. Others reminisced about the way in which everyone had pigs in their back yard if they were lucky to self -provide and how one local butcher would come round and prepare their pig for eating their ration of bacon.

Then I listened to memories of residents whose families were living in Burntwood for the sole reason that it used to be the heart of a Mining town and which through this industrial age their families were provided for by fathers, uncles and brothers working down in the coal mines which stretched for miles beneath the town. I listened to peoples stories of the miners they remembered whose faces would be so blackened by coal dust only their sparkly white eyes would be seen. Even the site in which I was interviewing people at Sankey’s Corner used to be the N0.5 pit, and now in its place there stands a fine statue of a miner and his pit pony as a reminder of how the town came to exist as it does today.

Then I listened to a generation of interviewees who didn’t know this time of life and were not born until the 1980’s onwards, their perspectives were very different. These interviews contained an impression of Burntwood that only saw the town as a whole, now built up with many housing estates and the small shops that once existed had now been replaced by new modern supermarkets and busy main roads that allowed easy access to amenities that now were around for people to use such as the Burntwood Leisure Centre, the Rugby club, and the Library. Listening to such changes that have emerged in just a couple of generations showed the speed to which urbanisation and industrialisation rapidly took off as the infiltration of overspill inhabitants from Birmingham city were attracted to the area in the 1970’s to buy affordable housing nearer the countryside.

Schooling was a major feature of the memories recalled, the schooling of the past that was described as ‘strict’ and perhaps separated boys from girls, was now being described by a younger generation attending school today as ‘fun ‘ and ‘enjoyable’. I interviewed primary school children alongside their parents and together we discovered the differences of a by-gone era and the extent to which children now seem to have more ‘fun at school’, wish for ‘cake and sweet and games shops’ to be built and yet are ‘never let out to play’, they didn’t even know what a youth centre was.

I spoke with local councillors and found positive encouragement at the thoughts of a bright future for the town and its area, such as how Chasewater was being developed more and how they were trying to encourage people to see the great benefits of commuting to work via the accessible infrastructure being so near.

Overall, It appeared to me that in just three days of listening and recording many wonderful experiences and memories of the town, I had travelled on my own journey through time and I know that all that has been captured digitally can now be kept to ensure that the memories and experiences of generations that make up this area shall go forward to be remembered and considered as Burntwood continues to evolve. One day future Burntwood people shall excavate, as they did when they found the Staffordshire Hoard, and when they ask who lived here? And what is this town called Burntwood? They can listen and be taken back as I did to recall a most fascinating development of a marvellous town and its people.

K. Walker 14.11.14