strange experience inspires Anne (From Tewkesbury Admag)

strange experience inspires Anne

1:07pm Thursday 22nd February 2007 in News

Getting lost while walking the Cotswold Way inspired Anne Ashpole Goodwin to create the first entry in Tewkesbury Abbey's Green Man Challenge.

The challenge, introduced last year by shop manager Bridgett Hatter, invited people to visit the abbey and view the green men images there, then go away and created their own work of art based on their feelings about the subject.

The entries will be displayed in a special exhibition at the abbey and the best will then go to a national exhibition in Lichfield Cathedral.

Anne, 69, was walking the Cotswold Way alone, when she came to place where the track went off in three different directions.

She took the wrong one, and found herself alone in a high wooded area.

Then she felt a lovely warmth from the woods on her right, went that way, and soon found herself back on the right track.

"I felt and saw a female guardian figure - and was so inspired I decided to paint her even though I have not painted for years.

I am delighted wit the results and regard it as a very successful painting" she said.

She is a regular visitor to the abbey and decided to enter her work for the challenge - even though it is a greed goddess and not a green man.

"I have always been a women's libber," she laughed.

Bridgett Hatter said: "The challenge was aimed primarily at Children, but I am delighted that the first entry is from an adult.

"It is a wonderful piece of work," she said.