Several and more months ago we were in Walberswick on a wonderful family holiday with my cousins. As well as enjoying the company in the beautiful house in which we stayed, we explored the area around us. We didn’t go far, just wandered round the village on foot. You may not have heard of Walberswick, but more probably you will have heard of its neighbour, Southwold, which lies north of it across the River Blythe. The pretty and interesting little village has an unusual name, maybe derived from St Waldbergh+wyc (a Saxon suffix indicating a harbour)
We ambled around and were drawn to a couple of little art/craft/souvenir shops – we’re suckers for these, so in we went. Honestly, we could have spent a fortune on the lovely, interesting and original items we saw. We didn’t entirely resist, and came away with some souvenirs of our holiday. There was one thing I saw on the counter as I went in, and thought I’d have a proper look once I had perambulated round the small place. Unbeknownst to me, husband had also spotted it. I picked up several little gifts for others and treats for me and came to the counter on which lay the book I’d seen. I keep saying I won’t buy any more books, but as soon as I spotted this one by the till, I was pretty sure it would leave the shop with me.
Husband had already picked it up; he’s an artist and the cover caught his eye, and when he opened it he discovered the most wonderful lino-cuts illustrating the poems within. This beautiful little book is ‘Longshore Drift‘ by Katrina Porteous, and the wonderful lino-cuts are by James Dodds. Katrina was writer-in-residence at the Aldeburgh Festival in 2002, and being new to the area, she was inspired to write about the longshore fishermen she met along the coast there.
This is the blurb:
Longshore Drift brings together for the first time the work of two well-known artists who find their inspiration in the landscape and the communities of the east coast.
Katrina Porteous’ radio-poem is composed of two ‘voices’, indicated by plain and italic text arranged on facing pages. As James Dodds’ evocative linocuts echo, counterpoint and reflect upon the poem, Longshore Drift flows like music: the poem’s ‘voices’ and vision of two individual artists interweave, speaking sometimes separately, sometimes simultaneously, in this unique collaboration.
The life of the longshore fishermen is more difficult and more of a struggle than ever before, and Katrina and James’s book is a moving tribute to them. You can find out more here:
https://jardinepress.co.uk/prints/longshore-drift/
Lois Elsden 