Location, location, location

                  What's in a map? 

Time has speeded along and a lot has happened in Covid life since my first blog, for instance, finding a new home and moving. It cannot be refuted that the voices of the launderette owners have become a reassuring familiar constant in a time of uncertainty and upheaval. But that was always the joy of working in this way where art becomes the olive branch to reach out to people that gets to the heart of issues in a manner that abridges the nesting time of trust building and getting to know one another. 

I have found an approach that seems to be working for me and bringing the most pleasure and joy in what is essentially a process of cold calling launderettes, something that I did not dwell on too much but is a reality. 

Timing is key and I have found a happy map which is tongue in cheek and dissects England into it's counties, and I am in a pin the tale on the donkey working my way around the washeterias across the country. There are many. And many, I see remain closed due to Covid. The names I have been encountering range from endearing to the very clinical and label on tin, from 'Wash & Go' as they are owned also by the local hairdressers to 'The Launderette'... yet the voices I am encountering never cease to become warm, open and inviting after the initial 2 sec chance to win hearts or be fobbed off as a seller of some sort- a few have asked cautiously, how much this will cost to get involved, reminding me that art is removed for many but marketing is abundant.

So far, I have made a mentor in a Cornwall launderette owner, who seems to have lived many lives, entrepreneur extraordinaire, his local fanbase includes washing the local football kits. John contacts me twice a week to give me updates and links to local businesses and he is nothing but a cheerleader of my life it seems! I spent two hours with Jan from Dizzy Dolly's today, she transported me right into her lively interior with tales of hedgehogs to machetes, it's clear her nursing past plays a key role in her charitable approach to her regulars and on site food bank collection. 

So, in this ad-hoc but logical way I am working my way around speaking to our launderettes across the nation and finding recurring challenges, outlooks and hopes.  

I am thinking quality rather than quantity of voices and also the timelines for the display/portrayal of these voices in the digital audience realm. Something simple but colourful to bring all these people and lives together.  

Time for some daylight and to stick my clothes on wash, coincidentally my new abode has a machine that takes 6 hours to do a straightforward wash and dry. I might resort to hand washing.

 

Suds galore, I've included the map, thanks @techincallyron