I was interviewed for the Paul Hudson Weather Show for Radio York the other day - i had to go to the BBC radio studios in Blackburn and did the interview over the phone. There are a few days left to listen to the programme online:
http://www.bbc.co.uk/programmes/p01997bn#programme-broadcasts
Me and Ann Dinsdale, the Collections Manager of the Bronte Parsonage Museum, are on 40 minutes into the show. I talk about the Bronte Weather Project and the artwork I made during my residency.
It's been a bit difficult listening to my own voice - in my head i sound like the queen.
It was often raining when I woke during the night, a light capricious shower, dancing playful rain, or hushed, muted, growing louder, more persistent, more powerful, an inexorable sound. But always music, a music I had never heard before.
Wide Sargasso Sea by Jean Rhys
I've just returned from 3 weeks working in Romania on a residency - a wonderful and amazing place. And while there I read Wide Sargasso Sea by Jean Rhys - the story of the first Mrs Rochester in Charlotte Bronte's Jane Eyre.
I loved the book and had always wanted to read it during the weather project, but haven't had time until now. I bought my copy on the flea market in Preston.
I am delighted to say that the set of three colour wheels I made for the Hope's Whisper exhibition have been purchased by the Bronte Parsonage Museum for their permanent collection.
The colour wheels show the many types of weather that each of the Bronte sisters mention in their writing. I chose to analyse one novel for each sister : Emily Bronte's Wuthering Heights; Anne Bronte's Tenant of Wildfell Hall; and Charlotte Bronte's Jane Eyre.
Visualising the data in this way reveals the diversity of the weather types that they reference. From mist and rain to sunshine and gales they use weather types that I put in to 18 different categories.
It's interesting that Anne Bronte mentions sun / sunshine more times in the Tenant of Wildfell Hall than any other weather type at 17.4% of the total weather references within the novel and although Emily Bronte mentions wind most times in Wuthering Heights at 20% of all references in the novel the second highest category is sun / sunshine at 14.8%. Looking at the data this way reveals how they mention far more 'fine' weather types than is commonly presented through films, TV dramas and book cover illustrations: the popular perception being a rain soaked, wind swept Bronte landscape.
The Brontes' work has influenced so many people in so many ways and it's incredible to think they probably never knew how inspirational their literature would become.
With this in mind i thought i'd share with you some of the influence they have had on ye olde local Haworth economy.
Walking around Bronteland reveals one of their legacies - the naming of totally unrelated places/things to capitalise on the Bronte pound.
I have two favourites: Eyres 'N' Graces (see what they've done there?)
And best of all: Bronte Balti - fabulous!
The Bronte Weather Project has officially finished now, however there are still a couple of loose threads to tie up, so i had to go over to the Bronte Parsonage Museum yesterday. I was meant to go on Tuesday, but because of the snowy freezing weather it got delayed a couple of days.
The trip over the moors was really spectacular - the snow covering everything and the colour of the sky mingling in with the hills. Thankfully the roads were clear, so the bus journey was not too fraught.
The Museum is closed to the public at the moment as they spend time redecorating the whole house. It was interesting to be in the Museum in a state of change - and the work carried out so far is absolutely beautiful - gorgeous paints and wall papers that have been especially chosen and researched to fit in with how the Bronte family would have had it. It's going to look stunning when it's finished.
