The weather always seemed gorgeous there and, personally, I was as happy as a lark, pottering about placing sculptures in bushes and on huge grassy lawns. There was an enormous number of pieces to place.
It may have taken a couple of days, but our sense of pride and achievement was really heart-warming. (Sadly, there was one very successful Wisley exhibition that was blighted by some thefts of bronzes.)
The success of our first Wisley show and the willingness of the Wisley staff to let us do pretty much what we wanted really set the ball rolling. Obviously, as a new society we had a lot to learn, even just the basics of how to run a society and keeping accounts, etc. But the sense of commitment most people shared was really inspiring.
I was, however, finding that keeping account of my expenses to the satisfaction of the Society was becoming a problem. I'm blighted with dyscalculia and numbers mean little. I knew I was giving the best value possible to the shows and members, but proving it was beyond me. I was racking up mileage in my car, dragging this trailer full of gear on many round trips per show.
Keeping all those little bits of paper was a nightmare, so I decided to stop which, I think, came as a bit of a shock to most, especially as we all turned up at Petworth House and no one had yet replaced me. I'd done what I could.
My life was challenging through this time - divorce, depression, very real hardship in my little studio just south of Farnham. Time came to up sticks and head to Scotland for a retreat.
Some three or so years later I came back down to Oxford to live and, after a bit of time, managed to get another sculpture studio together. I was mainly teaching sculpting, but I decided that Oxford should have its own sculpture society.
Invitations went out to a list of names I found from the Arts Trail and, amazingly, some folk turned up.
Fairly soon we became associated with the Surrey Sculpture Society and I happily handed over the reins to others.
The last few years I’ve been rebuilding a 100-year old Dutch Barge which has kept me away from making any kind of art until very recently.
I’ve started painting in oils again and I'm sort of okay not making sculpture. I found it too much of a struggle lifting it around but I do miss making it.
I'm really grateful for the time I shared with the folk of the Society. It’s the only time I have actually been proud of being a member of anything. I still think of myself as Member Number 5. I am very, very happy to know that the Society continues, the shows continue, the public appreciates and the members’ benefit. I had a little hand in creating it and that’s very special.
Archer 2 by Andrew Broughton-Tomkins
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