History Sewn

Slowly getting back into images of the Blast Beach (Seaham, County Durham - where the coal industry spewed its waste for over a hundred years) with a view to linking it to my work for the St Mary's project.
The rock pools here are slightly unconventional - few barnacles and limpets, but lots of nuts and bolts and rusting metal.
Attended an event organised by East Durham Creates last night in another local church. 'So Percussion' - really talented band of four musicians brought over from America to 'talk to' local people about their memories and experiences of living/working in this area, then created a piece of music inpired by what they heard/saw.
They've called it, 'From Out a Darker Sea'. It is a very powerful piece of work -made stronger by the accompaniment of visuals (slides) past and present of the coal coast, here in Durham, I suspect by Sirkka Liisa Konttinen. http://www.amber-online.com/people/32
Dunno if it will eventually become available to buy.
They're funded by the heavies of the Art scene - - Arts Council, Forma etc...can't help but feel disappointed in their attitude to regional artists, but I did enjoy the visual contribution made by Amber films - always quality stuff from them...
Had to laugh at the organisers, East Durham Creates' (who in turn are funded by those big brothers aforementioned) 'blurb' describing last night's event where they talk about our beaches as being covered in, and I quote, 'soot'.... SOOT???
WTF - sorry - 'scuse me
but really?
Soot?
Do they really think that's what those guys were breaking their backs out there under the sea for????
Grrrrr
I do wonder about these people who swoop in and swoop out then go off to London and New York congratulating each other about having related to and engaged with the locals on a deep and meaninful level.
Phhht.
Soot... pah