If you wander around in one of Oxford's many parks, you might meet an old lady peacefully drawing on a huge sheet of paper. Well, it's Zoe Peterssen. The rest of the story has been told many times, for instance here---needless to say that I was quite disappointed to see that many people had experienced just the same intimacy with Zoe, and that I wasn't "special" at all, she opened up to pretty much everybody. Fuck you for that Zoe bitch!
Under such circumstances, I'll just restrain to a couple of remarks.
Firstly, about her technique. She's drawing on huge sheets of paper, I told that already. What's surprising then, is that the next step is to photocopy those sheets repeatedly, reducing the size by half every time, until the tree is small enough to hold on a little card that she gracefully gives to wanderers that she likes (who are welcomed to then also give her something, a few pounds will do). So from say 2 meters to 3 centimetres, she must photocopy a drawing six times. What a labour! This shrinking process is actually akin to bonsai growing.
This comparison came to me because when I said that I was doing particle physics she mentioned a book she'd read about it, The Tao of Physics by Fritjof Capa (1975). I'd like to re-read this book.
She also mentioned bows and told the story of a man who wanted to learn archery and spent many years at it until finally he shot an arrow without feeling any shot, to which his Zen master said that he now knew how to shoot an arrow. I'd like to know how to shot an arrow.
3 comments:
I found Zoe a bit cuckoo. At first, she was pleasant, but I knew straight away she would be selling me something, and that's exactly how it turned out.
When I wrote her name down in my mobile in order to search for her poetry online, she got so scared and asked me not to do that, and delete her name from my phone. So wierd. I left feeling really awkward and she wasn't nice to me in the end at all.
Hi. I saw this woman many times in the park but only today I've spoken with her. I always thought she was a bit crazy))) But actually she is a very nice and I'd say unique person, a bit cuckoo but in a sweet way :) The only thing i didn't like that she showed me her artworks with a view to sell them... that upset me...
I am writing with sad news of Zoe Peterssen. On the evening of Monday 29th August Zoe passed away peacefully.
On 15th August, low on energy, she fell over in the street and spent a week in bed at home, after which she spent a week in the John Radcliffe Hospital in Oxford, where she was diagnosed with advanced cancer. It was a swift and decisive illness which she endured with great dignity. She received last rites from her priest friends from Pusey House, where she had been Artist in Residence in recent years.
I am sorry to write to you with this news. I feel greatly blessed to have known Zoe for the past ten years, and to have witnessed her special work. Personally, I count myself as merely one of Zoe’s many friends – it was by chance that I had an appointment with Zoe on the day when she took ill, and consequently I saw her often in the last fortnight of her life.
Zoe had very many good friends both near and far – there must be very many more who we have not been able to contact, so please pass on the news. Also, we do not yet have contact details for Zoe’s relatives and any information you might be able to share about this would be most helpful in sorting out her affairs.
We have set up a special email address for correspondence about Zoe:
zoepeterssenmemorial@gmail.com
The funeral is to be organised by her friends at Pusey House and is planned for Friday 30th September at 12 noon. Further details of the funeral will be sent out automatically in reply to emails, and will be posted on the Pusey House website:
http://www.puseyhouse.org.uk/
Zoe was such a wonderful individual and I am hoping that the funeral will reflect the wide affection in which she was held. I recognise that many friends will be unable to attend, but I would like to invite you to contribute any stories or pictures (via email) which we could perhaps put together in memory of Zoe.
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