First Contact

This trip has been so long in the dreaming, imagining, planning and organising that a reception for Sadie and I on Tuesday 28^th September 2010 was a little daunting. We had blogged, emailed and even phoned people in Manteo prior to the visit, but nothing beats face to face contact. Sharon Enoch, restaurateur and potter at the Full-Moon café/gallery had offered to organise the reception some time ago, originally at her own premises, but the venue changed to the new 'Dare County Arts' gallery and offices in the old courthouse across the road from Full-Moon. Sharon laid on a wonderful seafood based buffet, wine and local beer; enough to attract a good number of local artists, crafts-people, arts administers and culturally interested locals to attend. I was so busy chatting between 6pm & 8.30pm that I didn't get to sample any of the food but luckily there was a doggy bag to take 'home' afterwards.

Sadie gave a short speech:

• thanks to Sharon for organising, Laura Martier and Dare County Arts Council for hosting, Carl Curnutte for various finding us accommodation and for Fort Raleigh NP for providing it.




• Churchill travel fellowship proposal and what Sadie is doing, where we have been already




• Pottery / arts connection




• Bideford / Manteo shared history




• Bideford 500 – who we are and our plans




• Heritage Day 2011 plans – Elizabethan theme, joint activity with Manteo, live web link?




• Artists exchange programme – what we'd like to set up between Bideford and Manteo

and I followed talking about:

• Bideford Bay Creatives (BBC)




• Networking Artists Network (NAN) bursary that partially funded my trip




• Bideford size, population and relationship with Northam, Appledore and Westward Ho!




• postcard project – artists and exchange with school looking towards the Appledore Visual Arts Festival in May 2011




• my own work

There was a very optimistic air to the reception, a good positive reaction to Sadie's and my suggestions.

The biggest regret is that I didn't get a photograph of the reception but hopefully in future posts here and at http://www.sadie-green.blogspot.com/ you'll get to meet the people, hear what they have to say and see some of our proposals coming into fruition.