| SEE ALSO |  | See also - Jo's Journey South, Journey East and
Journey West | | | WEB LINKS | | Grizedale Arts
The BBC is not responsible for the content of external websites. | | | FACTS | | Grizedale Arts manages a diverse and innovative arts programme in Grizedale Forest, Cumbria. Situated in the heart of the Lake District and bordered by Coniston Water to the west and Windermere to the east the forest, managed by the Forestry Commission, extends to 6,000 acres and is accessed by over 50 miles of tracks. The arts office, gallery, information point and education facilities are located alongside the Commission offices at the visitor centre, which also houses the café, gift shop, playground and mountain bike hire.
300,000 people visit the forest each year with 20% citing the arts programme as their principle reason for visiting. Approximately 80 works are currently located in the forest spanning the 25 year history of the arts programme which has been synonymous with the environmental artworks represented by Andy Goldsworthy and David Nash. The range of media and nature of artistic involvement has dramatically increased since 1999 under the directorship of Adam Sutherland.
Moving away from the more traditional 'art and nature' model the use of new technology and the integration of different art forms is encouraged with recent artists working across the fields of performance, sound and text based work in conjunction with forest based installations. In 2002 Grizedale is continuing its innovative approach to residencies by offering 10 research and development grants to artists who will be working in partnership with rural organisations, galleries and local community groups. Jo Roberts’ work is predominantly about responding to a particular site and is often of an ephemeral nature.
It evolves from a study of people, places and their interaction and often has a collaborative element.
One of her key interests is in the role of the artist in today’s society and how an artist operates within that society as an ‘activist’, with the artist operating as an individual, showing that art is not just a commodity, but a catylst for discussion and debate.
For Grizedale, Jo will assume the role of a commentariographer, combining the advocacy of contemporary art with her project.
Jo’s Journeys’ will document a series of journeys that either start or finish at Grizedale. | | | PRINT THIS PAGE | | | View a printable version of this page. | |  |
| | Each one is travelling in a general compass direction eg south, and is of four days duration.
 | | Jo waiting for the Post Bus outside Grizedale visitors centre |
The journeys are a metaphor of life’s journey, so whilst we might have a idea of where we are heading often something comes along and we head off in another direction.
So it is with my journeys. I'll be talking to people along the way about events in their life’s journey and asking for suggestions for the next stage of my journey.
So here I am waiting for the Post Bus, feeling deliciously terrifed not knowing where I’ll be staying tonight.
 | | Katie and her dog. She is a recreational ranger at Grizedale Forest |
Before setting out I had talked to Katie who is a recreational ranger at Grizedale Forset. Katie loves her work here, but says "like a lot of people when I was at school had no idea in which direction I was going to go", but loves it here.
 | The Post Bus being driven by Bill |
Bill - who drives the Post Bus - arrives, as we go down Rusland Valley he and a fellow passenger tell me just how important the service is. He drops me off so that I can visit Satterwaithe School.
 | En route to Rusland Church |
I had stopped and realised that after months of planning and preparation I was actually doing the idea that I had had, and it was a wonderful feeling. I was drawn to this view of lines of hedges.
 | | John the manager of Arnside Youth Hostel. |
Through a variety of lifts from some lovely people I arrive at Arnside, a bit of Cumbria that seems separate to the rest.
John, the manger at theYouth Hostel, tells me this lovely story ..."Rod Sutton brought me down here, we came along that fantastic road with the light glinting off the wet sands and I thought I’m going to have to come and live here.
For once in life, I did play my cards tight and things fell into place and here I am."
 | The waiting room at Kents Bank station. |
I got off the train here because I loved the name of the station.
The station itself is like going back in time, little wicker gates warning you to "Stop, Look and Listen" for trains, neat flower beds and everything painted black and white.
Part two » |
