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Artist describes losses in devastating fire
11/10/2023
“when I went down there I’ve seen how absolutely devastating its been to two buildings”
An artist who lost everything in her studio following a fire earlier this week, has told Banbury FM of the devastation she, and other business owners faced, after the blaze.
Pam Foley has created sculptures, paintings and taught classes from Greenacre Farm between Farthinghoe and Brackley for 23 years.
On Monday Pam arrived at the farm at around 11am, but was stopped by the police and fire service.
Two buildings used by nine small companies were destroyed by the fire, with the emergency services remaining at the scene for over 24 hours.
Inside Pam’s studio were her art books and the records of what she has made, alongside pieces of artwork ready to be sent out and her art materials and equipment – all built up over the last two decades.
Pam said: “I’ve been advised not to try to work out too much of anything within the next week – just go slow and try to take it all in.
“I had to go down there today to just see it because in my mind I thought, ‘maybe that is going to be OK … maybe that piece is going to be OK’. But when I went down there I’ve seen how absolutely devastating its been to two buildings.
“I hate to equate what I’m going through with places that are in war, but it had that feeling to it. There’s just debris everywhere.”
All those affected by the fire will now be speaking to their insurance companies, but Pam knows a cash payment can never compensate for the creative loss. She said: “There is no figure that is sufficient to replace all that I have lost that was contained in notebooks, drawings, maquettes, ‘dreaming material’ – the genesis for final artworks, many not yet made.”
Not all of the small businesses at Greenacre Farm were affected by the fire, but nine based within the two buildings that were engulfed by the blaze were. Most of the business owners have known each other for a long time.
Pam said: “I think people get along very well and it is a really tight community. We kind of look out for each other and I’m going to really miss it.
“I have to take each day that comes. I don’t know what the owner plans to do. It’s too early to have that conversation. I think she’s still as shocked as I am, so I wouldn’t want her to hear this and to put any pressure on her. But if the plan is eventually to rebuild, I would love to be back there.
“In terms of going anywhere else, I’m going to have to really think about that. I live in Oxford – it’s too expensive to have studio space anywhere there. Studio space for artists in this county is really very expensive.”
Two days on from the fire Pam says she must now contemplate her next step after allowing herself a period of mourning. She can’t imagine doing anything else but feel “this phoenix will rise” although she’s not yet sure when and where it will land.
Examples of Pam’s work can be seen on her website: pamfoleysculpture.co.uk
You can listen to our interview with Pam here:
Published: by Banbury FM Newsteam