Some early notes on Hastings

I’ve been living in Hastings for just over three weeks now: slowly finding my feet.

My new flat is very spacious compared to my old one in Brighton & Hove, and I’m still feeling like I’m rattling around a bit in here.

All the little unfamiliarities serve to amplify the differences: the patterns of the traffic outside, the degree and direction of the daylight coming through the windows, the unaccustomed acoustics of the rooms that add their unique timbre to the sound of my feet plodding from living room to kitchen and back again.

These things will become familiar over time, but that time is not yet come.

I should probably make myself go out more and get to know the area properly.

I’ve not been completely flat-bound: I’ve explored the shops of George Street and Hastings Old Town; I’ve visited the ruins of Hastings Castle (via a trip in the funicular railway that is the West Hill Lift); I’ve walked the length of Alexandra Park, past the reservoir and beyond into Coronation Wood as far as Little Roar Gill (a gill is a steep sided stream valley in a hillside, from the Old Norse gil).

One of the things I’m looking forward to is the In Every Shadow project coming to the blackShed gallery in nearby Robertsbridge from September 7^th–21^st, which describes itself as a project exploring and interrogating the symbol of The Green Man/Jack in the Green/The Green Witch/Green George/Robin Goodfellow/Puck/Dead Papa Toothwort/The Girl Green.

The Hastings Open Studios weekends are coming up in late August/early September - far past the deadline for me to participate, but they should be interesting to visit to get an idea of the local visual arts community here.

Maybe I’ll take part next year.