Brass hearted.

And something else new that I am very fond of:

Some new ideas!

It's been a quiet few weeks around here.  Illness and starting a new job have conspired against me and my creative flow, but I am (almost) back on top form.

I have been mulling over few things that I've had in my head for quite a while but haven't had the time or means to bring into fruition.  The two images below are quick ideas I put together; the clean formalised text is a thing I rarely use but I think it is working well with the background images.

I have a few ideas of where these are going next.  Stay tuned.

There is also this thing that half works and half doesn't but I am a bit fond of it anyway.

Some news!

Exciting news!

I will be helping give a print workshop at Cardonald College in Glasgow at the start of December (and possibly at another in January).  Cardonald is where I went to complete my portfolio for art school and I have some very fond memories of my time there, so I am looking forward to going back and helping out.  

Cardonald is also where I met my good pal Steph Liddle, you should click on that there link and check out her work.   She's a talented lass (and all round good egg). 

And on the subject of people I know, you should all head over to the BRAND NEW EXCITING blog of Cheryl Thomas and have a wee read and look at what she is working on for her fourth year at DJCAD.  It's rather good. 

Made for walking

I walked so far on my Canadian travels that I wore a hole straight through my shoe!!

...more broken bones.

Having a clear out of my hard drive I rediscovered this little gem of a photo (of a little gem of a person).  

It was taken just a week before I went off travelling on a day where our adventures included bridge walking and chip eating and clambering over rocks (with subsequent broken bones).  And best of all, sweaters could be discarded and pale limbs revealed in the hope of turning from transparent blue to pale white.

It was also the day I got my feet wet in the process of making some very sub-standard art, but in that process I learned something and had an idea.  So nothing was lost in the end.

Breaking Vital Bones

FINALLY!  I have found the time to update my website with images of the work made for my solo show at Tin Roof in August.

Untitled (car and baccy tin). Mixed Media. 2012

I recommend y'all take a stroll over and check it out: Breaking Vital Bones August 2012

Happy accidents

A couple of accidental images. 

More sketchbooks

Fleeting moments of optimism.

Fleeting moments of pessimism.

Click for big. 

Scribblins

Some more scribblings from my sketchbook.

Cinematic moments in life.

On Tuesday I left St John's for what will be the foreseeable future.  I cant even begin to put my time there into words so I wont even try, though I know for certain that I left a piece of my heart there.

My favourite seat on the plane! Right hand side, just behind the wing.

Chasing the sun.

 Not allowed to turn on my iPod while the plane was taking off, I plugged myself into the on board entertainment system in an effort to entertain myself.   As we taxied down the runway, in one of those ridiculous cinematic moments in life that are usually reserved only for cheesy movies "Perfect Day" by Lou Reed came on.  One minute later as the wheels lifted off the tarmac the first chorus kicked in.  Being a sentimental old fool, I must admit that I shed a tear or two.  It was simultaneously heartbreaking and utterly hilarious.

My tears turned to smiles as I thought of all the wonderful people I met and the adventures we had together in Newfoundland. 

St John's, I salute you.  I will be back.

More collections

More treasure collecting, this time it is from Ferryland. My favourite items include a cod jaw, fish vertebrae and some beautiful pottery and beach glass.  Proper documentation of this loot coming soon:

And something else that I didn't find, but was found then gifted to me by this one a MOOSE TOOTH!!!  I have collected a lot of weird and wonderful things in my time but this is certainly something I didn't expect to be bringing home with me!  I guess that finding moose teeth in Canada is like me going to Tentsmuir to find bits of seal.  Or maybe not.  Either way, it is now one of my prized possessions and will take pride of place in my growing museum of beautiful things. 

WOWZA!!!

Hand job.

There are few things I love more than hand written signs.

Taken in Ferryland Newfoundland

Taken in Ferryland Newfoundland

Taken in Ferryland

Taken in Ferryland

Taken in Quidi Vidi

Taken in St John's

Taken in St John's

I really need you tonight.

An evening spent in a kitchen with two of the most wonderful people you will ever meet.

I cant put that evening into words but this person can.

Instructional scribblings

Just dont. Ok.

Yuck n Yum AGK

Last weekend was the annual Yuck n Yum "Amazing General Karaoke" in Dundee.  The videos and performances are always highly inventive and entertaining, and I was sad to miss it this year due to my travels.  

Looking through the archives I was reminded of an old favourite by Richie Cumming, Ross McLean and Rachel Hunter in which the theme for Cheers was played over shots of the Art Bar in Dundee.  The Art Bar is my local bar (and also my favourite bar of all time) so it was nice to ease the wee touch of homesickness I have right now by seeing a few familiar faces.  

I cant embed the video, but you can see it here: Art Bar Cheers - AGK

This years videos aren't online yet, but you can take a wee look at some past years and find out about the whole things here at Yuck n Yum AGK

And since I dont really have a photo to go along with this post, here a bonus image of an interesting thing I saw on from my travels for your enjoyment:

Footless in St John's

Little stuff and big stuff.

Regular viewers will be aware of my love for over and under sized objects.  Here are a couple from the last few days, which as usual use my own standard sized head as the unit of measurement:

Tiny grape (hard and sour)

Big squash (delicious when roasted)

Sighs

I did a little bit of scribbling in my sketchbook.  I'm rather fond of it.

Click for big (obvs)

Thanksgiving part 1.

Two nights ago we gathered for an early Thanksgiving dinner.  What had originally been planned as a low key thing with just the three of us, turned into a wonderful evening with six great people. Everyone chipped in some food and drinks, and we feasted on a massive veggie roast and home made pudding.

Hunners o' veggies!

     

These people are pretty neat.
L-R: Me, April, Kailey, J, Jason, Audrey.

There were lots of adventures last weekend (more about those later) but this week has been quiet for the most part.  I seem to have slipped from "holiday" mode into "I feel like I live here" mode, which is a comforting feeling.  Trying not to think too much about my trip coming to an end and making the most of the time I have left here in St John's.

Audrey is going home to Nova Scotia tomorrow afternoon, so tonight will be the last time that the three of us (Me, Audrey and her room mate Kailey) have dinner together.   They are two of the best people I have ever had the pleasure of knowing and without them my time here wouldn't have been half as fun.  The photo below is one of my favourites of the the three of us.  

L-R: Me, Kailey, Audrey.

Making choices

Deciding the pros and cons of potential future homes.

Collections

I have been full of the cold the past few days so in between moping around feeling sorry for myself while drinking tea and a eating soup, I have photographed some things I have collected on my travel.

      

I also found these beautiful pieces of old canvas.

In flight meals

One of these things is more edible than the other.