The one quality that must be said to be constant in every aspect of Hambidge is a kind of subliminal “magic”. It is the thread that links the lives of everyone who sets foot on this small piece of the earth, whether they reside here as Fellows, drift in and out as walkers on our trails, or are truly privileged to be counted among staff. Our resident Fellows write of it again and again, even on return visits, and it is indeed why many if not all of them return.
It seems trite sometimes to speak of the soul or spirit of a place, but perhaps only if it is not spoken of from the heart. The soul of this 600 acre woodland offers itself as a gift, as it must have done for thousands of years, to everyone who’s heart comes close to it. This gift is realized in as many different ways as there are hearts to receive it.
Gifts given from an open heart and with the grace of a hand which seeks nothing in return are those which truly nurture mankind. Hambidge, through its artists’ residency program, provides such essential nurturing and as our Fellows are nurtured, so too, are all those who experience their work.