Knutton Road Residency   view March 8th

Entry #35 Ania Bas Parson Cross Residency

You can read PX STORY now on issuu. We have still hard copies available so be quick and request a hard copy by emailing Rachael Dodd.    

An interview conducted with myself, Lyn, a local resident and Kath - the owner of the 'Roses Hardware' shop on Margetson Crescent - was transmitted on BBC Radio Sheffield's Breakfast show on Saturday morning before the launch helping to promote the event.  Strategically sandwiched between an item on cat yoga and Robbie Williams, the interview raised questions about the usefulness of art and the effect of Yorkshire Artspace's residency programme in Parson Cross - click here to listen. 

One more interview, this itme live, was on Sheffiled Live!  community radio. Click here to listen.

Knutton Road Residency   view March 5th

Entry #34 Ania Bas Parson Cross Residency

The book has been officially launched and is now available from the Parson Cross Library. It will be shortly available as a downloadable file and if you want to read it now, you can do so on issuu. There are still hard copies available so if you want one contact me quick on aniabas{at}gmail{dot}com.

Thank you to everyone who made it on Saturday to the library. It was a great day! Special thanks goes to Gillian who organised the whole thing, thank you to the libray staff for all the support and big thank you to the artists Abi & Sarah, Lyn and Ruthie for all their energy and enthusiasm! A big thank you to Rachael from Yorkshire Artspace for e-v-e-r-y-t-h-i-n-g.

I am thanking the entire world beacuse my residency in Parson Cross has now officially finished. But fear not, I will be back. 

Knutton Road Residency   view March 4th

Entry #33 Ania Bas Parson Cross Residency

Parson Cross based animation studio flycheese's students created an animation to Angry Parson's song Rotting Heads. (FYI : Angry Parsons' song is one of the texts from PX Story). Flycheese students Craig, Steve and Charlotte designed the band. Charlotte did all the animating and editing on this video.

You can see animation on You Tube. 

We showed this animation on Sat 2^nd March as part of the book launch.

Big thank you to all the students but especially to Charlotte and a massive thank you to Paul for taking this project on board.

flycheese studio is based at unit 0.08 at SOAR Works and has been set up to provide accredited learning and workshops in digital art/media in Sheffield for people with learning/physical disabilities, autism, people needing support with their mental health, young people and older people.

Knutton Road Residency   view March 3rd

Entry #32 Ania Bas Parson Cross Residency

Together with GCSE Drama students from Chaucer school we looked into one of the texts from PX Story / Letter to editors and used it as a basis for the short performances. The students are working towards a community play this summer and PX Story might form the basis of their work! Thank you Carly for organising it!

I also had a pleasure of working with a great actress Stacey Sampson who runs a weekly drama group at the Learning Zone. We used a different text from PX Story / Molly's school essay to create short responses to it. The group of nine enthusiastic and talented young actors might again take this text forward and perform it this spring in the local area.

Knutton Road Residency   view February 21st

Entry #31 Ania Bas Parson Cross Residency

Join me for the launch of PX Story!

The event will take place on Saturday 2nd March at Parson Cross Library  Learning Zone  / 11am -1pm

At the launch you will be able to:

- collect your free copy of the publication

- join Ruthie Ford in creating a giant cross stitch version of our I HEART PX logo. Try out using giants needles and thread to create giant stitches!  

- join Abi Goodman & Sarah Smizz who are bringing their site specific Re:Advertise project back toPX with a twist. This time,  you can re-order the words of advertisers to say what YOU really want and make them into Badges to represent YOU. There will also be an opportunity to make stickers so you can redistribute your ideas back into the environment.  

 - hear the song 'It's good to be in... Parson Cross' written and performed by Lyn Carruthers with friends

- see the animation of 'Rotting Heads' song by Angry Parsons ; animation possible thanks toFlyCheese 

See you on at the Learning Zone!

Knutton Road Residency   view February 20th

Entry #30 Ania Bas Parson Cross Residency

Parson Cross has been a well of inspiration. The estate is perceived in a very certain way by the people from the outside, who often have never visited, but know the estate's reputation. There is of course the insiders' view, the view from people who have lived here all their lives and made the neighbourhood their home.  As a representative of the outside, someone who ‘goes to sleep in a nicer part of the town' and ‘has a posh and foreign accent' I felt privileged to meet so many Parson Cross residents, was welcomed by them and had a chance to get to know them. Thank you!

Here you can access PX Story publication.  In this book I tried to capture this ongoing outside-inside tension alongside telling the story through lives of individuals, men and women, young and old, in love and in despair, wealthy and poor.

The book consists of two parts.

Part one: fifteen fictional stories told in fifteen different narrative styles compiled and written by myself.  Stories written as text message exchanges, voicemail recordings, e-mails, songs, adverts, school essay's, postcards, letters to the editor etc. Behind each of these tale's is an individual and their personal account of feelings, problems, and yearnings. The narratives create a world of their own but a world with strong points of connection to Parson Cross.  They are trying to tell a bigger story, a story that could be transplanted to many other estates situated on the outskirts of other big cities in England.

Part two: consists of material contributed by ten individuals who have very different connections to Parson Cross; librarians, community workers, poets, curators, artists and residents. The majority of part 2 consists of commentary on the stories from part 1. The tension between both parts creates an ongoing dialogue between the work of fiction and the documentary.

I hope the book will generate conversations especially about issues that are too easily swept under the carpet.  I also hopes that it might inspire others to think again about the place where they live, maybe even inspire others to write and to this end I will be co-leading a creative writing sessions at the local library in Parson Cross together with Nick Waterfield on Friday 1^st March at 11.30 am.  Please join!  

Love the design? Me too! The publication has been designed by Alasdair and Ben of Article Works. Sheffield based publishing and design agency. Thank you guys!!!

Knutton Road Residency   view November 11th

Entry #29 Ania Bas Parson Cross Residency

Prior to the publication of PX Stories which I have been compiling in response to the neighbourhood and the people I have talked to, I will be holding the fourth and last PX Story, Winter: Dialogue event that takes place on 17th November between 11am and 4pm in the Atrium at SOAR Works as part of Yorkshire Artspace Open Studios.  

The event will take the form of a discussion and will look at the PX Stories created to date, fiction vs. fact and connections between visual arts and writing. Join debates at 11.15am, 12.30 and 2pm.

There will be lots more taking place at the Knutton Road Studios. You will have a chance to create a Newspaper in a Day with Art in the Park as well as visit Open Studios. 

This is your last chance to play a part in the project by contributing to the contemporary story of Parson Cross.  We welcome your stories, words, drawings, objects, photos and jokes or instead, you can comment on the stories already written and shared on the Residency Blog.  Send your contributions and/or comments to aniabas@gmail.com or text 077 3150 9854.  

The PX Stories are works of fiction inspired by Parson Cross (stories heard, situations seen, found objects, collected pictures) and draft copies will be available at the event. 

Knutton Road Residency   view October 5th

Entry #28 Ania Bas Parson Cross Residency

First five drafts of five PX Stories now can be read on line. These stories are works of fiction inspired by Parson Cross, stories heard, situations seen, found objects, collected pictures. I would like to hear what you think about them. Text your comments to: 077 3150 9854 or e-mail: aniabas{at}gmail{dot}com

PX Story Suz and Trace

PX Story Molly

PX Story Dorothy

PX Story Gaz and James

PX Story Debbie

P.S. Many thanks to Leah for letting me photograph her nails! 

Knutton Road Residency   view October 2nd

Entry #27 Ania Bas Parson Cross Residency

For the curious readers: This is how the PX story table looked like!

Knutton Road Residency   view October 1st

Entry #26 Ania Bas Parson Cross Residency

Car Boot Sale at Chaucer Road was a great success for PX project. PX Stories sold out and all prints by Lyn were traded for an image of the local area by 11 am.  It meant we were able to go on a trail prepared by Charlie Hill that took us from ASDA/Learning Zone via Roy's garden to community allotments.  (And it didn't rain)

You can see us all above: Lyn is filing away her findings, Charlie is expaling to Tom how the idea of the trolley came to life, our fellow car boot sellers are waiting for punters, I am taking the picture. 

Lyn posted a great blog entry on her blog too! Have a read!

Knutton Road Residency   view September 24th

Entry #25 Ania Bas Parson Cross Residency

PX Story Autumn: Plot will take place on 29th September between 8-11am. This time PX story will occupy a plot at Car Boot Sale at Chaucer School (Wordsworth Avenue,
Sheffield, S5 8NH) near ASDA and opposite Learning Zone in Parson Cross.

This is your chance to buy first drafts of PX Stories (starting at 5p per story), collect your free badge and contribute more tales to the growing PX collection. I have also invited artists Charlie Hill and Lyn Carruterhs to explore the notion of PLOT from their perspectives and through their practices.  

Arrive early to avoid disappointment! This is a FREE EVENT and everyone is welcome!

Knutton Road Residency   view August 22nd

Entry #24 Ania Bas Parson Cross Residency

It is finally here!!! The first DRAFT of the PX Story - a work of fiction inspired by my time in Parson Cross and collected stories, objects, pictures can be read now! Comments welcome. 

The image by Jim Lambert

Knutton Road Residency   view July 25th

Entry #23 Ania Bas Parson Cross Residency

Bush Family visited PX Story and was attracted to a large drawing of the area. The Bush clan decided to map out Wordsworth Avenue and to note down who used to live where. Comprehensive list of Bush's neighbours from the sixties has been created - a unique document of the life and close knit connections between people in Parson Cross. As Steve Bush's sister said it was mainly due to the fact that they were one of the few families on the estate who had a land line and the presence of the phone meant that they used to deliver messages around the estate to families scattered 10-15min walk away. This was one of the ways of bonding the locals and creating quite exceptional connections between them. I spent 30 seconds visualising delivery of a text message to my neighbour living two doors away. Would  I? Would you?

Knutton Road Residency   view July 23rd

Entry #22 Ania Bas Parson Cross Residency

Who? Hero?

At the summer PX Story event Hannah Knights made visitors to the event consider qualities of a hero. Courage, outstanding achievements, noble attributes, semidivine origin, superhuman powers were questioned and explored in the relation to Parson Cross. A couple of the results above. 

Knutton Road Residency   view July 11th

Entry #21 Ania Bas Parson Cross Residency

The search for a hero is on! This coming Saturday (14th July 2012) is dedicated to the exploration of hereos (and anti-heros) of Parson Cross. Searching for a hero is easier amongst company. I have invited Steve Bush, who wrote a book about  PX, to join us and talk about the characters he met during his time on the estate. I have also invited Hannah Knights who will be exploring the subject of heroes through scultpure. Nick Waterfield will be collecting hero stories linking Prason Cross to the wider world. And last but not least - there will be me. I am daring you to capture a PX Hero on an A3 sheet of paper.

See you at Knutton Road Studios, Sat 14th July, 11am - 4pm

Knutton Road Residency   view July 6th

Entry #20 Ania Bas Parson Cross Residency

PX in the rain. My subconsious choice for the waterproof chair at the beginning of my residency has already paid of.  This is me looking into the distance and considering my next move.

Knutton Road Residency   view June 24th

Entry #19 Ania Bas Parson Cross Residency

BIRD - informal a person of a specified kind or character : I'm a pretty tough old bird.

Knutton Road Residency   view May 31st

Entry #18 Ania Bas Parson Cross Residency

According to statistics the first PX Story Saturday was visited by 35 people (18 young people, 17 mature adults, 15 girls/women, 20 boys/men). On top of it there were invited artists, café staff and SOAR staff. We had between us approximately 50 cups of tea and usually people stayed for 45min or so. 15 people went on a blind tour of the building.

According to my memory we had a good time. The atrium at Knutton Road Studios proved to be ideal to simply chill out, sit and talk, get to know other people, go for a blind tour of the building, sip tea, write stories. It was all relaxed and cozy.

However I must admit I didn’t get as much ‘done’ as I was hoping for. We didn’t reach the point with PX Locations I envisaged. By now I wanted to have at least some snippets to share with the descriptions of the locations where PX Story might take place. We however did name some spots: Asda roundabout, Margetson Crescent, Knutton Road entered the giant map alongside the two greens that I obsessively visit: Fulmere Crescent and Dugdale Rd Island.I am back in PX soon. More work to be done in preparation for the summer event. If you spot a blue chair do not be threatened! It is just me in the search of PX Heroes.

Many thanks to Abi, Sarah, Paula, Paul, Nick, Vicky, Patrick, Danny, Rachael and Tom!

Knutton Road Residency   view May 31st

Entry #17 Ania Bas Parson Cross Residency

19th May was a nearly perfect Saturday. No, it wasn't a warm day. Quite the opposite. The morning was wet and cold, but as soon as the owl arrived in PX rain didn't matter any more. I had no idea to what degree Owl is cherished by all ages and both genders. People hugged the owl, kissed the owl, waved at the owl, blow the kisses at the owl, smiled at the owl. Here it is posing in front of the PX post office where you can read these blog posts.

Many thanks to the Owl and his support team for arriving to PX and supporting the event! And thank you to Patrick for making it happen!

Knutton Road Residency   view May 31st

Entry #16 Ania Bas Parson Cross Residency

This (awesome) statement was created during PX Story Spring: Location as part of Abi Goodman & Sarah Smizz's Re:Advertise project. 

Knutton Road Residency   view May 2nd

Entry #15 Ania Bas Parson Cross Residency

After an initial three months of research (taking to people, blue chair walking, hanging out) I am proceeding towards more tangible forms of making work.  On 19th May I am inviting residents of Parson Cross and anyone interested in visiting Knutton Road Studios to come to an open and free event: PX Story, Spring: Location.

This event is the first in a series of four. Spring one is all about Parson Cross LOCATION, during Summer we will look for PX HERO, in the Autumn we will search for PX PLOT and we will finish during Winter concentrating on PX DIALOGUE. All events are leading to the creation of the PX Story, a book about Parson Cross which will be compiled with direct input from residents and visitors to Parson Cross.  

The Open Day event is an opportunity to contribute to the PX Story and also offers guided tours of the building, workshops, an exhibition of my artistic tools, a chance to meet other artists and enjoy a free cup of tea.

I have invited four artists from Parson Cross and further afield to join her - Paula Kirby, Paul Allender, Abi Goodman and Sarah Smizz who are going to present their work.

Artists Abi Goodman and Sarah Smizz's site specific Re:Advertise project is all about re-ordering the words of advertisers to say what YOU really want.

Paul Allender will show and talk about his film.

Paula Kirby will be showing film clips. Currently she has a film in Bath Fringe Festival. Check it out! 

This is a free event and everyone is welcome at SOAR Works/Knutton Road Studios, 14 Knutton Road, Parson Cross, Sheffield S5 9NU  click here for a google map  

Knutton Road Residency   view April 30th

Entry #14 Ania Bas Parson Cross Residency

I would like to apologies the gentleman who lives by the island in Parson Cross for inaccuretly describing his actions during the meeting on my blog. Dear sir, please accept my sincere apologies. 

Knutton Road Residency   view April 24th

Entry #13 Ania Bas Parson Cross Residency

I keep leaving notes in the shop windows at Roses Hardware, next to other offers to sell/buy/rent. Some people texted me back to investigate  what sort of stories I am interested in and how wide their smile needs to be to qualify. Sadly, as soon as they learnt that my research is art related their interest was gone. I am wondering if I should have Miranda July approach and pay people to sit and chat with me? 

Knutton Road Residency   view April 18th

Entry #12 Ania Bas Parson Cross Residency

Some young people in PX like the navy blue too! 

Knutton Road Residency   view April 2nd

Entry #11 Ania Bas Parson Cross Residency

JOIN CHAIR ORCHESTRA! 

Qualities required: FONDNESS OF WALKING, ABILITY TO CARRY A CHAIR, INTEREST IN MUSIC AND SPACE, SENSE OF HUMOUR, TEAM PLAYER.

FIRST PERFORMANCE IN PARSON CROSS IN MID MAY! 

JOIN NOW: 077 31509854 / ANIABAS{AT}GMAIL{DOT}COM

Knutton Road Residency   view April 1st

Entry #10 Ania Bas Parson Cross Residency

Yes, yes, the chair also works with 'council' blue....

Knutton Road Residency   view March 28th

Entry #9 Ania Bas Parson Cross Residency

It was a fine sunny day and I was walking around PX again, carrying a chair. The chair fits into the locality perfectly. It is exactly same shade of blue as many fences, cars and clothing that people in Parson Cross choose to wear. A couple of examples above!

Knutton Road Residency   view March 27th

Entry #8 Ania Bas Parson Cross Residency

The meeting at the island took place! The group of 4 women and one girl turned up to discuss the island's issues with me. The concerned gentleman watched us from afar. The island was transformed into a gathering place and within minutes we attracted attention of the police, some neighbours (passing by in cars twice!) and a handful of local chirpy youth who came to check what is going on and how it is going to affect them. We discussed some of the options for the island (converting it into a car park being one of them) and will continue the debate via post and during another island gathering. Big thank you to Island Women for their time and energy and ideas!

Meantime the blue chair and me are going to explore a new green patch and revisit the crescent!

Knutton Road Residency   view February 23rd

Entry #7 Ania Bas Parson Cross Residency

I found the island. It looks like a miniature oasis. It hosts a telephone post, a street lamp and is covered in thick grass but not a single tree or a bench in sight. I took there the blue chair during my February visit and spent a bit of time sitting around, reading and organizing my notes after the morning meetings.

A gentleman who lives by the island approached me to check "What is all of this about?" He found it weird that it was all about sitting, reading and enjoying the green spot. I was directed towards the park that had "millions spent on it" and surely must be a better spot to enjoy greenery and fresh air.

It came to me then. I will invite all the people living by the island to join me for 5 o'clock tea on the green and have a chat about this area. Explore possibilities and opportunities that the island has. There are 14 houses around the green. I posted hand written cards through the doors the very next day with my intentions (let's meet and chat) and contact details on it.

Almost immediately the same gentleman emerged from his house and came running my way to let me know that he is happy with the island as it is and he doesn't want dogs / kids / football / trouble / benches / trees / loitering / flowers / worry / people on his island. He doesn't want me either: a good-doer/council spy/non-local, intervening with his place. I reassured him that I have no plans of converting his island into amusement park. I have no plans what so ever apart from gathering people for a cup of tea and conversation. Maybe not everyone shares his feelings?

He reassured me that he would join the meeting to make his voice heard and tell everyone that the island is in perfect state as it is - empty, quiet and uninviting.

Shortly after that I had a phone call from another concerned islander. The lady who has been living by the island for a long while took me through the troubled times that the island had been through. The tree that used to grow on it was bit by bit killed by local youth. Branch by branch was taken down and the tree was eventually wrecked. Since it was gone the youth moved on and the empty bottles, swearing, thrown stones left with them. I asked what could happen to the green to make it better. The lady proposed to get rid of it all together and convert it into a concrete car park for the residents.

I am going ahead with an outdoor tea meeting in March. Tea and biscuits will be served. Worries will be explored. Plans will be made or/and abandoned. Event by invitation only!

Knutton Road Residency   view February 23rd

Entry #6 Ania Bas Parson Cross Residency

I am guessing people who read this blog rarely live in Parson Cross. So I went with the print out of one of my entries to the post office on Margetson Crescent in Parson Cross and asked the ladies who work there to display it for me in their window. They agreed! So since February the blog lives its life on PX Post Office. I shall make sure the window is frequently updated.

Knutton Road Residency   view February 21st

Entry #5 Ania Bas Parson Cross Residency

I want to meet more people living in Parson Cross. My specification is: interesting folk, with sense of humour and something to say. They might be away when I knock on their door so I put an advert in the local shop window hoping that they may spot it on their way to buy a light bulb.

Knutton Road Residency   view February 13th

Entry #4 Ania Bas Parson Cross Residency

When I think I am a teapot. I brew for a while. There is a lot of staring through the window (at the shrubs / at the sky/ at my neighbours) and walking up and down the room involved. I scribble on post its. I spent a little bit too long chatting to the postman. I pick up magazine from my ‘to read' pile and enjoy adverts. I listen to music. I go for a walk to the post office. I file my nails.

None of this is superfluous. All of it is part of my practise so please bear /brew with me.

Knutton Road Residency   view February 8th

Entry #3 Ania Bas Parson Cross Residency

In order to understand the role of Knutton Road Studios in Parson Cross I have invited a group of people to join me for one afternoon and do some group thinking around issues that bother me (and hopefully them too).

{What is studio for?}

{Who are the Knutton Road Studios designed for?}

{How the studios interact with their locality?}

{What kind of activities should and shouldn't be taking place in the studios?}

{What is the current relationship between people who attended the session and the artists who have studios in the Soar Works building?}

{What kind of relationship they would like to have with the creative folk present in the building?}

Artists, current tenants, managers of the building, representative from YAS and local residents came together to unpin these questions.

Studio was defined broadly, as a thinking - working - meeting - imagining - talking - development space that gives artists reason to be in Parson Cross. A few people commented on the fact that the studios relationship with the area is weak and might remain weak as local residents and locally based artists might not be able to afford spaces in the building.

There was a general willingness to open the building to wider public and not see it as enclosed business centre open only to tenants and their clients. So watch this space as I am definitely exploring this route!

If you are interested in reading all answers please contact me on aniabas{at}gmail{dot}com and I will send you a PDF.

Many thanks to Charlie, Gary, Ian W, Ian D, Karen, Livvy, Paul, Paula, Peter, Rachael, Ruthie, Sarah and Steve who all joined me. 

Knutton Road Residency   view February 6th

Entry #2 Ania Bas Parson Cross Residency

It started. I made my first journey up to Parson Cross. I took a bus. I arrived with a map, proper walking shoes, a smile the size of a genetically modified banana and a vague idea - to walk through the area and simply find places that make me stop and meet people who live there. Knutton Road Studios would serve as my temporary base, shelter and reference point. Off I went and within minutes I was standing on Fulmere Crescent. Piece of green, curved. Perfect! It was a quiet piece of land though so after a few minutes of loitering I was aware I must have looked well dodgy. I really was ready for a chat but people were either out or busy indoors. So I started knocking on people's doors. Many thanks to Arnie & Constance, Brian, Carol, Matthew, Peter and Stephen who all found time to open them and to talk.

I am interested in green spaces, little pockets of land in between houses because they have a potential to act as a gathering point, shared territory, place to meet and do stuff or talk about stuff, a piece of green to stand on to have a better view. I am fond of little green spaces dotted around becuase they often are my outdoor studio spaces, my thinking plots, making areas. In my head Knutton Road Studios and Fulmere Crescent are closely linked - both locations have capacity to act as a focal point. 

Whilst chatting to people at Fulmere Crescent I asked them to donate a word that describes the green and learnt that it is occasionally used as a football pitch during warmer months.

Contributed words/phrases: 

{quiet}

{it's just there}

{peaceful}

{always the same}

{green}

{pleasant} 

I used them all to write a short story. (Think flash fiction and DIY approach to display) The very next day I went to the crescent armed with a blue chair to act as my ladder and I attached the story to a utility pole. All hand-written on a card. I hoped for these words to stay on the pole for one afternoon. They lasted only a few hours until the first rain. I am sure Cath and Roy managed to read it all as they did it whilst I was still trying to detach the tape from my fingers and they questioned me about my intentions and my accent. However (surprise, surprise) a few people spotted me strolling through the estate with a blue chair in my arms. This might be my signature action and silent announcement of my presence. I might skip story-writing all together and just carry on promenading with furniture.

Now I am brewing. Anything and everything is possible.