We thought you might enjoy the enclosed email below …
Best wishes from all the family and Ted.
Dear Mr and Mrs Mappin ,
I hope this email finds you well. I am writing to give you thanks for the many blessings you have bestowed upon me and my family. I visited Camelot over New Year’s Eve, it was my first and only visit.
I knew I needed to visit Camelot Castle as I’d heard about it from many friends, but the opportunity had never arisen until recently when my kind parents booked it as a gift for me and my children to spend New Year’s and say goodbye to the past which had caused much pain and say hello to new future opportunities and blessings. I had been through some tough times when I came to visit far beyond the world of covid and I felt the Castle calling me.
I had recently lost my professional way of life becoming homeless since fleeing domestic violence in a controlling and abusive marriage. I had no money, no job just my precious three young children who needed their mummy more than ever. My days were spent trying to make my traumatised children feel loved and nurtured and my nights gathering information for criminal and legal court cases where I was defending myself whilst looking after my baby. I was in need of help and if I’m honest, escapism. I knew I needed to heal and what better place than by the elements where no one would see my tears falling and merging with the sea and the forceful wind would blow away my problems. Camelot definitely provided all that. What I didn’t expect was to be ‘blown away’ inside the castle by the warm friendship shown by Mr and Mrs Mappin yourself and the Staff , this made my trip to Camelot Castle truly memorable and helped bring in not only the new Year but a new ‘Me’ by providing the inspiration for my metamorphosis. For this I’ll be ever grateful to Mr and Mrs Mappin .
Ted, the moment my daughter and I saw your ginormous glitter paintings that stretch across the magnificent landing at Camelot Castle I was mesmerised. We tried to count the butterflies there were so many. I knew that this was no ordinary artwork by any ordinary artist, it was more than just a beautiful image, it had life and gave out happiness and fun, and it was transformational. I knew inside me that I could do something similar, which is not a feeling I get very often when looking at paintings. That is not to say that your paintings are simplistic and easy but that they are magical and really inspire creativity. They look like you had a lot of fun doing them and fun was just what my family and I needed at that moment in time as my children had been through tough times and needed fun memories to replace the bad ones. Your paintings picked us all up and put us on the paths we were meant to be on and mine was painting again. I mean why I hadn’t thought about marrying paint and glitter together? It makes perfect sense when you think about it!
Your paintings hooked me way before I met you, I was struck by your depth of desire to inspire everyone around you including my children whom are a handful at the best of times. You went out of your way to make sure we enjoyed our stay and I’m so glad we went to see your Art World Garden studios at Camelot Castle, filled with colourful wall to wall art. Living in a hotel being a host 100% of the time and being surrounded by guests can’t be easy and I would have expected you to be more reserved and guarded of your personal space and time. However, you welcomed me and my three children (who can be very demanding) into your art gallery without a second thought. You took time to inspire my children to love art; you let them interact with the paintin
Camelot is a magical place, yes, the castle is beautiful, steeped in mythological and natural beauty but the real magic happens from within. I underwent a metamorphosis whilst I stayed there. From the moment I stepped inside to the moment I left I was inspired to do what I had previously not thought possible; so I started to paint without fear, without stress and without expectation. I didn’t worry about blending or getting the painting overly perfect, I just paint from the heart to have fun and to create and never have I been happier than painting and gluing glitter to the work. We have a big sheet that we put down on the floor in our living space and we all paint together and sprinkle glitter. I don’t know why we have a sheet because I don’t think there is a single room in the house now that doesn’t have paint or glitter on the carpet. I mentioned that I had been through tough times; well the very act of painting has helped to lift me and my children out of those dark times to see beyond the despair and into the glittering light of a positive future.
If I’m having a down day, I reach for the painting materials and glitter to help me through and now my safe house is more like an art gallery with canvases lining the walls and I’m proud to call myself an artist again ! You have inspired me to re believe again in myself and to let go and give it a try. The inspiration gave me an ability; a skill, a way to heal and a way to see the way forward and hopefully in time, if I’m lucky, some income. I will try and sell my work and be able to provide once again for my family. You did something else which blew me away, at the end of our tour you gifted my children a piece of artwork and they were amazed by this. This random act of kindness you did now has created a ripple effect as I am now wanting to paint a picture for every person who has helped me on my path to recovery and bring them the light and love that comes with the paintings and glitter, so hopefully in turn inspire others to ‘give it a go’ like you inspired us to do- it’s the gift that keeps on giving.
Irina Mappin was so lovely by listening to my story and inspiring me to keep fighting for my truth and to tell my story when the time comes, she is a very strong kind lady and my children loved playing with their son Caspian and getting lost playing hide and seek.
Thank you to all of you for showing me the way and inspiring me at the right time just when I needed it and just by being ‘your selves’.
I used to call myself an artist, that was more than 15 years ago, before I gained many names such as dentist, mummy, cook, cleaner, nappy changer, teacher, general dogsbody, but now I can happily reclaim that title ‘Artist’ that makes me smile from my heart, and that is all down to you.
I’ve attached some photos for you to see your ripple effect in action. I’m sure if all your ripples were culminated together it would amount to the swirling sea right outside your Castle!
I can’t imagine a better place for anyone’s transformation to begin and grow, to find ones Purpose , ( regardless of what stage or where they are at in life ) whether its painting, drawing; writing, poetry, playing, music, gardening, cooking, sculpting, or just about anything for that matter!
I do feel in myself more positive somehow younger and more of the real me that’s me, I’m certain that any talent young or old can arise like a ‘phoenix from the ashes’ in the magical Castle of Camelot , with the beauty and the rehabilitation of creativity.
We wished we could have stayed longer, I’m sure we’ll be back soon.
Kind regards
A, L, B and baby R.
