AV News 184 - May 2011
I am very very sorry to learn of the death of Peter Coles. I had known him for
a very long time and was Chairman of the AV Distinctions Panel when he got
his F in our medium. His application involved visual interpretations of his own
poetry and I remember that I insisted on copies being circulated to the
members of the Panel ahead of the hearing, as it is so difficult to take in new
poetry at the same time as new images.
The FIAP AV Yearbook for 2010 (my latest edition) reveals that Peter was
then top of the International Authors' list: between 1986 and 2009, he had 90
sequences accepted in International Festivals patronised by the FIAP (nearly
twice as many as any other worker); he won 7 'Grands Prix' and no less than
80 other prizes; he co-authored sequences with 11 other people; starting in
2003, 33 of his sequences were digital.
Sir George Pollock
This achievement is unique.'
Why am I so affected by the news of Peter's death?
After all, that strip of water separating our two islands meant that personal
encounters over the years were both brief and sporadic. But they were
always memorable, whether on my occasional attendances at Festivals on
'the mainland' or on his visits to Northern Ireland to share his skills, warmth,
enthusiasm, imagination and humour with us lesser AV mortals.
So I share that sense of loss to our AV World, reflected so keenly in the
emails darting across the ether. At an early stage he encouraged me in what
at that time was regarded as a questionable use of the AV medium to tackle
religio-political themes, not least, but not only, as relating to the Troubles in
my home territory.
His 'Kingdom Come' is of course of the same genre. Like others, I sensed
and shared his faith, so subtly and artistically conveyed in many of his
sequences and writings. So that sadness which I share with all his AV friends
is tinctured with a reassuring Hope, that that 'Kingdom' has come for Peter.
As my wife Margaret has remarked 'He's probably already making an AV
there'.
I'm just grateful that, through his unique sequences and his poetry we will
still be able to enjoy his 'presence' for years to come. But for now that light is
veiled, though not extinguished while memory lasts.
I write not just for myself but on behalf of our Irish AV community, north
and south, to express our sincere sympathies to Enid and their family as we
say a heartfelt 'Thank God for Peter Coles' and for having known him.
May the faith that, by grace, 'Peter Is Still' will be their comfort -- and ours!
Gordon Gray
C'est avec une grande tristesse que nous avons appris la mort de Peter Coles.
Peter avait débuté la compétition internationale presque à la même
période que moi en 1986. Peter était un auteur de grand talent et un
concurrent redoutable. Ses œuvres étaient nombreuses. Le jour de sa
disparition Peter totalisait 94 montages argentiques et numériques et il était
en tête du classement Classement international de la FIAP.
Page 12