BLOG ON ACTON was started with a 3-way connection. The first came via a Facebook group called 'We Love Acton', where some of the members were organising a fundraising stall. This led to a visit to Acton Market Christmas Fair, where group members gathered to run their tombolla. From here I was just across the road from my first visit to West 3 Gallery and was grateful for the reminder of it being there from my amateur photographer/artist friend, David Lawes.
Whilst I don't live in Acton these days, I'm 15 minutes away by E3 bus or longer if walking on a direct route Eastwards. Easy enough to keep in touch and share good news.
ART & CRAFTS are making their mark in Acton these days and certainly a sign of co-operation between community spirited creatives. This blog largely focuses on creativity, this is where my pen flows best! but there's sure to be a something interesting about the British town in West London that's named after an Oak tree!
edited 29th April 2013 to add:
It's been a challenge to keep up with the goings-on in Acton so if you don't see a recent blog here, you can be sure that by following the links on this website you'll find much in the way of creative pursuit and arts education in Acton, Ealing, West London.
Blog entry 1st May 2013
So much has been going on in the town of Acton this year, especially in the W3 Gallery. Last month in the West 3 Gallery a youth art exhibition was held, entitled 'The Future We Want', where a mix of styles were shown. These included film, visual art and audio, with creative contributions from individuals and Ealing Youth and Connexions Service, Bollo Brook Youth Centre, Acton Vale Youth Club, The Living Room and W4 Youth. If you have photos of the event that you'd like to share here (and even something to say about the exhibition) do contact me via the number at the bottom of this page, or email me.
Praise to Acton Arts, who not only make creative pursuits more widely available but also foster a sharing within communities. News about Acton library moving into the old Town Hall came with no suprise, in a time when money seems to have gone 'out of fashion' the sharing of idea is certainly evident. I love the idea of the now vacant building, that once housed thousands of books for loan, becoming an arts centre. To keep up with news on this, or to offer your support please click on the photo image of Acton library below.
I came across a poem I began writing in 1983, it was about my first encounter with a tower block in South Acton, called Barrie House. The block was still being built when I saw it, in fat I didn't know what it was when I first set eyes on it. Little did I know that some 15 years later I would come to live in there.
My sister Rosabella had taken me to visit a friend who lived in Charles Hocking House. Rosabella had told me of some 'great fun' that was going on where her 'friend over the bridge lived'. The video that's been shown further down in this blog, which is called 'Adventure Playground' shows Barrie House under construction, so I'm fairly certain that the 'great fun' was in the adventure playground. I don't recall making a mark on the walls shown in the video, but it certainly looks like the kids had lots of creative fun painting on them.
Over the years I've written a few about life in Acton. In 1986 I'd forwarded one of my poems to the local councillor for Heathfield ward, who suggested I popped into the Oak Tree Community Centre and I did. This is where I met Martin Frost who was the manager of the centre. It might have been like a magical 'hand' had just walked through the door, as Martin had been hoping to get a Summer project set up for the kids on the estate.
The small oak tree image after the poem leads to a page in this site about that mural project. It's great to see that over time that art has been a significant factor within the Acton community.
The last few lines of the poem about Barrie House and the tower block estate were written 14 years after moving away from South Acton, it was a peculiar reflection on what attempted to solve the post-1940's housing crisis.
Here's the poem, with images of Barrie House pasted in from 1968, plus when I lived there in the 1980's. Also, there's a picture of the tower block coming down, in July 2001, image courtesy of Implosion World.:
Ode to Barrie House, a Parody of Wordsworth's 'Daffodils'
permission to publish photo from Implosion World
click for Oak Tree Murals, South Acton 1986
Blog entry 27th Febuary 2013
West 3 Gallery in High Street, Acton is becoming a favourite spot for me to visit. It's great to see that in spite of the current economic issues we are faced with (on local, regional and global levels), that creative activities are supported.
The official name for the gallery in Acton is W3 Gallery, but some people may use the word 'west' in a search engine. Therefore I use both intermittently on this site, as well as West Three, a wide net is IS.
I would like to thank Cecile for keeping me up-to-date with the arts in Acton and W3 Gallery.
Click below for the latest word in ART, from Acton
Blog on Acton
from 25th December 2012
by Isabella Wesoly
Another celebration from the past, shared with me today.
Another day to celebrate!
William Tolles shared this filming of Acton with a song by Pete Townshend called
"STARDOM IN ACTON"
the song was included on 'All The Best Cowboys Have Chinese Eyes'
(a solo album from 1983)
The film footage was taken in Churchfield Road, Acton High Street and nearby areas.
Today we reflected on the changes that have taken place over the years.
It used to be very easy to jump on and off buses, along the A4020/Uxbridge Road in the 19080's and the level crossing at Acton Central station still clearly say stop when the barriers are down
There are no red telephone boxes in Acton now, where did they all go I wonder?
photograph courtesy David Lawes
Blog on Acton
from 8th December 2012
by Isabella Wesoly
ART of Open Acton blog entry 8th December 2012
There were 14 minutes before the E3 bus was due today, when I stepped out with my 3rd daughter (Marcella Rose) for a trip into Acton Hill. I had a reasonable bet with myself that we could cover most of the distance before the bus came. So we walked through Gunnersbury Park, getting a clear and open view of Brentford, Chiswick and Acton skylines ahead. We'd got as far as what used to be 'The Broadway' Greek restaurant before the bus came along, but we were warm from the walk and defintely in Acton! A weave in and out at Acton Town station/Bollo Lane zebra crossing towards the Mill Hill Tavern landmark (across from the old Passmore Edwards Cottage Hospital) then right, onwards and upwards to Acton High Street.
It was a good day to walk back, Eastwards from Windermere Road.
We had a warm welcome from volunteers 'of 'We Love Acton' group, who were running a tombola stand and was one of many stalls set up to bring the spirit of 'Christmas' into Acton. It was great to see the 'We Love Acton' regular photographer David Lawes, as felt like my wishes for an assistant had landed square in front of me when I saw him! Many thanks to David* for co-operating with me on this quest for Acton.
*The photographs on this blog, or linking to today's events are courtesy of David Lawes, with permissions.
As we crossed over the A-4020 Uxbridge Road, friendly forces brought a smile to Marcella, me too!
St. Mungo's
Tell Mungo's about rough sleepers
This was a welcome site to the right of the 'We Love Acton' community stall, where St. Mungo volunteers spread the good news about helping rough sleepers.
St. Mungo's mainly cover the London area, but check out their website for more information. It's well worth sharing with someone that has no place to go this Christmas.
St. Mungo's opens doors for homeless people
providing accommodation and support projects
St. Mungo's is a charity that offer help for homeless
Set up in 1969 by a Glaswegian in Battersea, London.
Glasgow's patron saint is St. Mungo
St. Mungo's is a non-religious organisation
'Is Harmony Open' Christmas Appeal
If you see anyone sleeping rough in Acton, London or in your locality please contact St. Mungo's.
Help is out there for rough sleepers.
The orange hats on St. Mungo's tables caught our eyes from a distance, Marcella loved hers!
Here's a link to St. Mungo website, click on Marcella's orange hat
St. Mungo's was, for me 'top of the tree' for Acton
We also nipped across the road to West 3 Art Gallery
click on the "Love Acton' picture (below)
to see my favourites at the December 2012 exhibition
Acton Community
Art Exhibitions
I'm building my website pages, slowly but surely,
sometimes somehing might be missing, if you notice please call me to let me know.
Either a trojan has eaten my work again, or a hacker is having fun (they've happened in the past)
The present is a gift and always in my abilities to build or re-build
Isabella Wesoly
ART of Community Citizenship blog entry 15th December 2012
Last week my blog covered a little of what's been going on in the town of Acton, London W3. One blog about Acton can never be enough (in my opinion), especially now that a social networking / fundraising group has developed in its name.
The Facebook group called 'We Love Acton' arose from what was initially intended as a bit of 'fun', in May 2012. But I'm sure that many people are in gratitude to Mike Baxter who founded the group, as well as Antoinette Smith for managing the 'We Love Acton' group's events and online space pages.
With a current membership reaching across the world, with a count of 2437 (as of 15/12/2012), there's clear evidence that Acton is becoming a more global and dedicated community.
From my perspective Mike and Toni have offered a response (albeit unwittingly) to a local community campaign called 'LOVE ACTON', where the name 'We Love Acton' can be seen as an affirmative to the question:
'do you love Acton?'
or indeed a response to the request 'Please Love Acton'. WLA does!
I'm sure that as time/space allow I'll be blogging on 'Love Acton'. Both are a positive sign that community efforts work, as witnessed at Acton Market Christmas Fair on 8th December 2012.
click on the We Love Acton crest to read a GAZETTE ARTICLE on the group
from 6th September 2012, by Livia Carron
when you've finished reading, just close the page and this one will be underneath it
Anne Craven, Karen Bryant & Irene Dwyer assisting on the WLA tombola stall. Photographed by David Lawes
'In My Eye' blogs by Isabella Wesoly include 'Blog on Acton'
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