Tucked away in Temple Cloud in what remains of a disused quarry, Rockaway is teeming with interesting artefacts from yesteryear, arranged to catch both the eye and the imagination, and adorned with illustrations and wordplay that gets you thinking and makes you smile. It is an environment like no other; a space where artists and artisans live and work, in a community dedicated to creativity.

We were greeted with the broadest of smiles, and everyone we met made us warmly welcome. We had freedom to roam amongst the peeling paint and rusting vehicles, to capture, with our cameras, the forms inherent in the artfully arranged twisted metals, festival and fairground discards and the mass of memorabilia that adorns the place both inside and out.

It was a real feast for the eyes, and if at all interested in close-up, table top or still life in the environment subjects it was a photographer’s paradise.

We lingered in the building that serves as a church, where a huge slice of oak is being shaped and carved as an entrance piece, and where the words to be embossed on the metal bar, that has been shaped and pinned to its curves, so clearly state the shared vision of those who meet here. We roamed around the yard amongst the colourful cars and characters, tempted by the bright

yellow slide that towered in one corner.

During the day there are workshops where, amongst other things,

jewellery and screen prints are crafted, and at weekends, the community meets and welcomes others over a roast vegan lunch to the sound of live music.

We enjoyed a wonderful two hours composing abstract images and capturing gritty grunge. Just everywhere we looked there was something

lurking, from mammoth insects on the roof to long forgotten milk coolers and mannequins adorned with wheel rims bedecked with old uniforms and chains.

There was something for everyone and the opportunity to help ourselves at the café was a real bonus, and a chance to chat and catch up. We really would like to give a huge “Thank you” to Rockaway – and oh yes! there will be pictures, so be sure to check our website for the gallery that will appear there shortly as a testament to an evening well spent. Jenny Short