Wedding Photos (First batch)

Kindly sent by Jackie Aplin who took them with her camera obscura.

Wedding Day/ Hazel's 50th Birthday

Here's the lovely cake that one of our neighbours made for us. Only wedding photo I have at the moment as I neglected to take a camera with me knowing there would be lots of other cameras there at the registry office and the pub afterwards yesterday. Indeed it was a bit like being among the paparazzi at one point! Archie , the ring bearer, alone took over 500, mind you he was a bit tipsy most of the time! Anyway, we tied the knot after 29 years together - one of the longest engagements in history someone said. I don't know why it took us so long really. Sorry we couldn't invite everybody but we wanted a a quiet intimate wedding with just close family and mostly friends of Hazel as it was her idea and her 50th birthday treat. Luckily the registry office at Winsford was a good choice as the lady registrar was lovely and very laid back about the whole thing. We had a pub lunch afterwards at the Golden Pheasant in Plumley - a small village nearby with a function room that lead out into a nice garden and play area where we were able to take some photos after the meal. So lucky with the weather too.

Space Age Chicken

Hot off the press! A slim volume of my collages that people have been asking me for over the years. Thames & Hudson etc. weren't too keen so in the spirit of DIY I've had to go elsewhere. You can find it via the HP button in the side panel. Other news is it's still raining but the sun did shine long enough yesterday for a walk to nearby fishing ponds where we sat admiring the dragonflies and the scudding white fluffy clouds in a bright blue sky. The lane was relatively free of rubbish so not much to pick up on the way home. The hedgerows have grown amazingly though after all the wet stuff so imagine a lot of rubbish has been obscured by grass and foliage!

More Wobbling Daffodils!

Updated video of Archie's amazing machine he made from recycled biscuit tins etc.

Happy Birthday To Me!

65th year on the planet. Who'd have thunk it? Will be nice to get a pension at last after all my hard work - ha ha! Archie going to college will make it even more useful! Lots of nice presents including a new Panasonic Lumix SZ1 camera from Hazel which I have been playing with- trying to figure out all the settings. Here's one I took at the Salt Barge beer garden where we went for an evening meal of vege burger, salad and chips. A huge plateful - couldn't eat it all. Delicious Tatton Ale too. Yum! In the morning I walked into town to take some photos of the gargoyles and other buildings of Northwich, some of which look very old but in fact are quite recent comparatively speaking. These carvings are all covered in netting to keep off the pigeons which spoils them a bit but I suppose is a necessary evil. Archie made me this lovely birthday card.

New Collaborative Online Book.

Just one of the many collaged pages from a new collaborative bookwork with Norman Conquest of Beuyscouts Of Amerika fame. Get it FREE HERE.

Michelle & John's Wedding

Nice weekend in Chatham Kent courtesy of Michelle and John Delamare-Timms who got wed in the Commissioner's House in the Historic Dockyard. The journey down was a bit fraught as first the trains were cancelled at Hartford so we had to go home again and phone for a taxi. None available but luckily our kindly old retired taxi driver Roy came out of retirement briefly to give us a lift to Crewe. What a lovely man. Just in time to get the 11-10am train to Euston. Then a short walk to St. Pancras which is a nightmare. No signs and nobody to ask for directions- how foreigners cope is beyond me! So eventually found the right platform and the train to Chatham. Walked round Chatham for a bit. Bigger than we thought. They even have a Primark and THREE pound shops! Then a taxi to the Historic Dockyard and the hotel. Had a wander round the boats, ships, submarines and cranes etc. (photos on Flickr). Found out later we should have paid £45 for a family ticket! (We tried creeping in the back way the next day but got spotted by a tubby security bloke who told us to wait until the wedding, then we would be allowed in. Nice to see everyone at the wedding he following afternoon. I don't have much chance to meet up with my family so a rare happening. The short Flip "Magic" mix film gives you some flavour of the afternoon and evening. I even had a slow waltz ( or was it a foxtrot?) with Hazel and managed to avoid most of her toes! The next day we woke bleary eyed as we didn't get much sleep due to ranting couple in the room above ( or was it outside?) I should have recorded it all. I'm sure Harold Pinter could have worked it into a fine script! Got taxi to station and then to Brighton via Victoria which was a mistake - nevermind. Dragged ourselves round the degree shows for two hours - saw lots of nude cyclists zoom by the art school and then went home. Audrey picked us up from Hartford station which was working this time thankfully. Still in recovery mode.

Daffodil Wobbling Machine

Sneak preview of mad machine that Archie made for his final piece at his art foundation course at Mid Cheshire College. Daffodils made from recycled biscuit and choc tins. Powered by electric drill with simple cam attached. He's going to make a better film once it is installed properly with a white background and no extractor fan noise.

Tatton Biennial

Lucky enough to sneak into the PV of the Tatton Biennial Sculpture exhibition in the grounds and gardens of Tatton Park. We got there early so were able to eat some nibbles and have a drink before wandering around the gardens looking at the excellent work.

Many of Hazel's ex-students and students were involved in some way. All based on the theme of "Flight" there were the obvious aeroplanes and UFOs and less obvious inflated winged heads and Barbara Cartland's glider.

We missed all the boring speeches and got back in time to look around the Mansion house at the smaller works dotted around amongst the plush surroundings.

Barb & Des Visit

My lovely sister Barb and lovely other half Des came up to visit yesterday on their way to the Lakes for a holiday. Luckliy the weather has improved a bit so we were able to go out for a walk around Marbury Country Park and squelch along the muddy paths to see the bluebells. The woods were a little dull and not the intense bright blue one expects - probably a bit early for them in all their glory plus the sun had gone in!

We went into town afterwards to wander around the Continental Market which had popped up unexpected. So Hazel bought some odd looking cheeses and chutney for later and Des bought some brioche and tasty sunflower seed bread to have with the lasagne I made later.

Then to Doreen (Granma) and Audrey's for tea and cake. We inspected the new recycling bin system and wondered why somebody would run off with their front gate? Nobody had ofcourse - it was just a trick of the light.

New Mail For Old

Good news is that Archie did get into Brighton so we celebrated by having extra helping of Marmite gravy on our Quorn roast- hooray!
Been sorting through lots of old photos and mail art trying to find things suitable for the Southend Art School group on Facebook. Added a few things including old Beecroft gallery catalogues and snaps that have seen better days. Blimey they look pre-war some of these! The envelope above is one Hazel sent me when we were courting back inn the 80's. I sent it to her first and she added to it and sent it back in the usual mail arty fashion.
Good to see old art school chums like Fred Eve, Barry Wenden, Dick Woods and Russ Colombo popping up to wallow in nostalgia at the SSA group. Also go a nice email from Derek Ellard who now lives in Australia.

Brighton

We went to Brighton on the train last week. Archie had an interview at the Art School Sculpture Dept. so we went along to help carry his stuff and keep him company. A chance for three days by the sea and to look around although we'd been before many times when we lived in London- for day trips. The train journey was really quite quick considering and we were in Brighton in 4 hours and that's with a hellish tube journey on the Victoria line which is very crowded , even in the middle of the afternoon! Coming back it was even worse!
Anyway, that bit over with we eventually found our B&B which was very nice and called Paskins Town House - highly reccomended despite all the stairs to the third floor. We could even see the sea if we balanced in the window sill and craned our necks! Delicious vege and even vegan breakfasts if you wanted them. We went to the beach and piled up pebbles and then walked to Hove where Jilly & Roger live to have dinner and look round their new flat. Yum! Delicious aubergine bake and salad and wine that we bought in a nearby shop. Roger read some of his poems and Archie attempted to tune the ukulele without much success. We got the bus back to the B&B as it was quite a long walk and our little legs were worn to a frazzle already.
More walking the next day- all round the Lanes and then back to the B&B to get Archie's folders and sculpture to lug back to the art school which was near the Pavilion. It all seemed to go well and they even bought some of his Knob Bags. Fingers crossed!
The weather was really amazing for March - it felt more like July! Got sun burnt and more achey from walking along the prom several times- listing to live bands and people watching. Took loads of photos but only two here. More at Flickr.
Delicious fish and chips at renowned Italian restuarant towards Hove in the evening- sat outside to watch the sun set.

Southend Art School 1966/7

A few faces here that I remember from my art school days. Just found this on the Southend Art School FB page. Lots of interesting photos on there including some from me if I get around to it. Most of them are from after 1967 so don't recognise many people in the years Ken Bottom took over as principal. Not sure when this function was or where it was? One I missed obviously.

Curios Radio 2

Open publication - Free publishing - More collage

Modern Vintage Illustration

Books are like buses - none come along for ages and then two at once! This time it's "Modern Vintage Illustration" by Martin Dawber - due out this year he tells me. I have a couple of collage works in it. This year seems very lucky for me so far - let's hope it continues!

Artists' Postcards Book

Jeremy Cooper's fabulous book artist's postcards turned up today which has several of mine scattered through it , all in glorious colour. Some of the text is slightly off and the index misses a couple of pages but otherwise I am thrilled. I am in good company as many of my old mail art chums are represented including Anna Banana, Mark Pawson, Nigel Bents, Robin Crozier etc. and a good range from Fluxus to Brit Art and beyond. Good to see Angelica from Scrapatorium and Flickr in there too.

More details HERE

Buy at Amazon.

Collaborative Flyers 1985

Open publication - Free publishing - More collage

Knutsford

Nice walk around Knutsford this morning to see a few charity shops and mooch round the graveyard. Amazing to see the path made from old grave stones and this huge wall made of grave stones. The coffee morning was interesting too we saw advertised - a white elephant stall, home made chutneys and jams, cakes and a book stall. Hazel bought two knitted outfits with hair and eyes for Cadburys creme eggs. I found a DVD of a French film about a ventriloquist with Eric Von Stroheim. Also got a small picture frame from another charity shop. Sadly the Oxfam was closed for refurbishment. Popped in to see Hazel's Mom and sister afterwards at Lostock - saw some Spring lambs on the way.

More Shopping

We don't often buy furniture, infact hardly ever as we have no room for it and we aquired most of our wonky chairs and tables from other people over the years. But Hazel spotted a lovely old oak tambour in the antique place near us recently and she had to have it.When she knocked the price down and said I could use it for my spare DVD's it then became more of a required item. Later we discovered they are quite pricey going for 300 quid or more so ours seemed quite cheap by comparison and it certainly looks the part - goes where the chair used as a coffee table used to be in the front room. Just the right height for a cuppa and glasses and oofa-doofahs fit on top very nicely thankyou. Oofa-doofahs in case you were wondering are Granma and Auntie Audreys name for the remote controls! Also in the antique place I found a clockwork Grinning Gorilla and some postcards. It was like Xmas all over again. More like a post Valentines treat what with the egg on toast and side order of chips in the cafe. Yum!

Petite Pierre

One of those little joys of a film that we managed to capture on the old VHS machine many years ago and have looked for a better copy but never seen one until now. Not sure this IS better but its slightly longer than the copy we have I think. Emmanual Clot who directed it does a wonderful job with the atmosphere, editing and the music.
Short films don't get any better than this!

When Pierre dies his creation was neglected and vandalised but thankfully it has been moved to a Outsider Art Museum called Fantabulosa? Kenneth Williams used to love it there.