Welcome to The Mulberry Collection

2006-06-03T15:42:00.000+01:00

Hello ~ my name is Patricia Irvine this is The Mulberry Collection blog noticeboard...

The Mulberry Collection is the umberella name, beneath which I have chosen to introduce my creative work to anyone who is interested...

In the late 80's early 90's as a mother of three sons who were safely settled into school I looked for a way to utilize my free time in a way that was constructive and that appealed to the real me!

Although I adored my husband and family ~ at the same time, I was anxious to re-establish the fact that I am 'Patricia Irvine' and had no wish to forever be referred to as someone's wife or another's mother!

On a visit to Skipton, Yorkshire my husband and I decided to view an amateur art show. Because of our young children, we took turns to view, whilst the other remained outside wth our sons. My husband returned to take over the caring and said, "I have chosen which two I like. Now you go in and note the numbers of two paintings that appeal to you . Perhaps we'll treat ourselves." On my return to the street, we compared notes. Out of the 400 paintings exhibited we discovered that we had chosen exactly the same two paintings! These are now hung in our home.

This stimulated an idea. I began visiting local amateur art exhibitions and would mark in their programme the paintings, which I personally liked. Later I would return and mark those that had sold. Where my own mark and the 'sold' sign appeared together, I would take a note of the artist's name and details. Later, I wrote to the various artists that I had discovered in this way, throughout Kent, Sussex and Surrey and invited them to take part in an Art Sale in aid of charity. I needed a name to operate by and as our home was called Mulberry Down, stemming from the mulberry tree in our garden ~ I decided upon The Mulberry Collection. The proceeds from the first two sales were sent to aid tube well projects in the third world. The proceeds from the third, supported the local church and village hall near my home.

In March 1996, I was heavily involved in the fourth sale (in aid of the Adult Education exhibition gallery, where I was a student of photography) when my husband died suddenly, whilst sailing his beloved yacht in the Solent. His yacht was also called Mulberry...

I continued with the fourth and final art sale, mainly to keep myself sane and also because I did not want to let down all the participants involved. It was a great success but I had no wish, nor the time to continue. Life had dealt us a sudden blow and with three young sons to care for my time was needed elsewhere.

I continued as a student of photography and found the creative side theraputic. A friend suggested that I began doing something with all the images and introduced me to a greetings card manufacturer. I began to get involved.

Years before his death my husband had bought me a company 'off the shelf' as a gift. He presented it to me one Christmas with the words, "My Dear, promise me you will never sell this nor let it lapse. Pay the fee every year and keep it going...you never know when you might need it". Prophetic indeed. We changed the name of the company to The Mulberry Collection Limited and indeed I keep it current, so should I decide to become something more than a sole trader, just enjoying a hobby ~ I shall be a position to kick-start the company should I wish.

In the ten years since my husband's death I have continued to take photographs. Also, since the millenium night 2000 I seem to have been bombarded with words of poetry. I found that I would be prodded by words cascading into my head in the early hours of the morning and if I did not write them down then I would simply not be able to sleep. I learned quickly!

It is as though there is an odd partnership going on here. If I am not woken during the night with words begging to be written then it is whilst I am driving or walking. I now keep pen and pad beside my bed and always on my person. Often I find it necessary to pull over to the hard shoulder in order to scribble something in my notebook. Sometimes I can be simply walking up the stairs and in time to the rythm of my steps ~ words will come. By the time I reach my bedroom I reach for the notebook.

Initially I was quite angry at being woken, particularly in those early, lonely years immediatley following my husband's death. Nonetheless, it was clear. If I didn't write the words down then they would simply keep re-presenting themselves until I did!

I know the score now and I just do it. I actually feel quite honoured. It is pointless arguing about it (arguing with what/whom precisely?) and as it is constructive, it seems worthwhile and has become a very great part of my life.

In November 2004 I visited my husband's cousin in China. Whilst there I was asked if I would help to record a book of Phonetics and Phonology for a professor of English at the university. I had never done such a thing before but agreed to try. I found I loved the work and had so enjoyed the experience that I wrote a poem in a card for the young woman in charge ~ to say thanks for the opportunity.

To my astonishment she was delighted with the poem and showed it to her father (the professor) who asked me to record it at the end of his book material. She then asked me if I ever wrote poetry for children. I said not to date...she asked me to consider doing so.

I returned to the UK and my routine and one day, whilst out walking the following words began to flow:- "Knees! All I ever see are other people's knees! Round ones, Pointed ones....etc.,".
Thus it began and four months later I returned to China in April 2005 to record a book and an interactive CD ROM of 20 children's poems, to help Chinese children to learn English. The poems are aimed at children aged 2 ~ 11 years. The book was presented at the Beijing Book Fair in September 2005 and has now been published.

And the name of the book...you've guessed it...The Mulberry Collection. There is a mulberry coloured logo of a goose-winging yacht on the cover and it is dedicated to my late husband and my father... I guess it is my way of immortalizing my husband and his beloved yacht.

Together with a young musician friend, Simon Middleton, we have recently recorded some of the adult poetry and he has written music to accompany 15 of the poems. There are now in excess of 200 poems. There are many 'spiritual' works, plus poetry for children, seasonal works, romantic/emotional. I can honestly say I have never purposely sat down to 'try and write a poem' ~ I simply keep myself armed with pen and pad at all times and when my mind is quiet, I 'hear'.

I do not take full credit for the words that come. It is a partnership of some kind, no doubt. I am currently working on a project to combine the words with my images as greetings cards and possibly a book. I feel that a book of poems about the seasons together with suitable images would be an interesting course to follow...I have also regularly read the poems in public. Astonishingly, although for years I was a very interested but very nervous solo singer in societies and choirs, I now find that when I read the poetry it is totally without any qualms. It is almost as though I am watching someone else doing all the work....!

So there you have it ~ that is what this particular 'Mulberry Collection' is about. I have only just begun to venture into the world of internet and global communication with the help of my sons and some very patient friends. In time, it is my intention to instigate a web site the purpose of which, will be to ensure that both the words and images are available to and hopefully enjoyed by, anyone who is likely to value them.

I hope we all enjoy the ride...!

Patricia Irvine