Hello, my name is Vivienne Bolton and I have been a member of Bath Pétanque Club for about 5 months.
How did you get to hear about the club?
My friend and work colleague, Mike Dodd MD of Academy MR and principle member of SCABS - who are former winners of the Bath Open, entered a few teams into the Sherston tournament last summer and invited me to go along despite never having played boules before. So, with borrowed boules from Pauline his wife, I experienced my first team match and loved it. People I knew and those I had never met before were friendly and encouraging, so I asked if anyone knew of a club in Bath and CoBPC was recommended. On return home, I Googled the details, got in contact, went along to a practice session on a Wednesday at Queens square, borrowed a set of boules from the club's secretary and became thoroughly hooked!
What do you like most about being a member of CoBPC?
There is a very easy atmosphere, with lots of humour and comradery. New members are welcomed to such an extent you feel you have been part of the club for years rather than weeks, so any embarrassment about being the newbie is very quickly lost. The training sessions are excellent helping you to learn different methods of play and strategic tactics, which over time I am assured, will bring an improved level of skill - I live in hope! I like the flexibility of the practice sessions and the challenge of playing on different surfaces, either at Alexander Park or Queen Square, (I haven't played on the piste at Larkhall yet!) and look forward to the matches and tournaments.
What things do you do other than play pétanque?
I am a busy independent HR Consultant and Business Coach, as well as being an Artist. In addition, I am also Secretary to Combe Down Art Group, a position I have held for some six years or more, a member of the Bathampton Art Group, a part time student with the Open College of Arts and more recently, a volunteer at the Holburne Museum - so I pack quite a lot into my week!
How would you describe your most recent achievements?
That has to be having a pencil and charcoal portrait of my Mum entitled 'Nona' being accepted by Bath Society of Artists for their 109th open exhibition at the Victoria Gallery last spring. I was blessed not only to see it hung up with the local greats, such as Peter Brown and David Cobley, but was also able to wheel Mum into view it several times at her request before she died. It now hangs in pride of place in my living room, but can also be viewed on my website www.vivbolton.com.
Do you have any other hobbies?
Apart from my love of books, reading (I can heartily recommend H is for Hawk by Helen MacDonald), and walking my springer spaniel, I also have been needle felting for just over a year. Initially inspired by the availability of wool from my brothers' Hebrideans sheep, I was extremely lucky to find an excellent tutor in Wales for the day that inspired me, and then the rest was trial and error until selling my first woolly sculptures at Glastonbury Wool Festival in October. A photograph of my latest work - a pied wagtail on a shell, is shown below and further details of my work can be seen on my other website www.wildwoolysculptures.com
How would you describe your approach to life?
I reached a stage a little while ago when materialism took a back seat over experientialism - life to me is a series of adventures and activities that bring happiness and meaning to life. So for me it's all about the joy of being with like-minded people, integrity, personal health and wellbeing, focusing on what matters in the moment and enjoying the journey whatever that brings.
Finally, do you have any plans for 2015?
I feel honoured to have been asked to write this bio and to be invited to share space with a fellow CoBPC artist for the Bear Flat Open Studio from 23rd to 25th May - none of which would have come about had I not joined the CoBPC. Further ahead, I intend to enter more art exhibitions, continue to run several craft stalls in and around the Bath area to promote my needle felted sculptures, and fit in as many games of boules I can, followed by the occasional gluten free pie washed down with a drop of cider!!!