A new exhibition at The Fishing Museum in Brighton – seaside entertainment and of course Mr Punch!

Now I am not going to give the game away and give you all the details of her photography and writing session at the Friends Centre today. You will just have to sign up for her newsletter or see what she is up to there or at Evolution…either way you will be in for a treat.

The photos that follow are part of a dialogue between the natural world and the man-made environment around Brighton Station.

My literary masterpieces as a result of all this creativity will follow in due course.

Wow, could have been a disaster!

Tonight Brendan Cleary relaunched his cult classic poetry magazine of the 80s and 90s ‘The Echo Room’ at the Red Roaster. He  compered  the evening’s proceedings himself as one of  the Pighog Poetry events and part of the Brighton Festival.

Brendan brought on stage four of the poets who have contributed  to the new magazine to read their poems. Kay Syriad read ‘The  Owl with Blue Pencil’,  Tony Spiers, with dead pan delivery, read his very funny poem about a pond. So much talent  in the Red Roaster last night.

The magazine includes  Simon Armitage, Geoff Hattersly, Helen Mort, Matthew Caley and Ciaran O’Driscoll among others. It costs £5 for goodness sake, a gift!

Later we had readings from Matthew Sweeney, Martin Myers and Jackie Wilson  who had had poems published in the original magazine. One of her poems about horses at a funeral was my favourite of the evening.

Sarah Jackson was there to  launch ‘Pelt’, her first full collection published by Bloodaxe,  how dare she be so young and talented, but then poets so often are!

The night before we had Kay Syrad with her new collection ‘Double Edge’.  ’I remember being left’ is a poem that will stay in my mind for a long time.

Pighog have certainly got some amazing poets on their books, which must be down to John Davies’ ability to talent spot and, of course, considerable determination.  They are already up for a prestigious award.

Luckily, despite the recession, Pighog  publications are selling well at all the events at the Red Roaster. Maybe this is because in the current climate the language of poetry is still universal, makes the ordinary extraordinary and reminds us of what it is to be human.

Don’t miss the regular Pighoggy events which take place once a month at the Red Roaster. Check out their website for the latest news!

A view from the Bateaux Mouche, that’s water bus on the river Seine, not the posh tourist trip!

A film I made a few years ago – plenty to do in Paris in 24 hrs  - travelling by Eurostar.

The Art Club meets every week and although there is sometimes a theme, members often get on with their own projects. The joy of this is that there are experienced artists in the group, using a number of  different mediums and one can pick up tips just by being part of it all.  However, whether you are a beginner or already experienced but wanting to improve this is friendly group  to join.

Sometimes members give demonstrations but today Joe was the artist in residence. In two and a half hours he had completed a painting from a photograph, explaining  composition, where to mask areas, how to mix the colours and many many tips that one could only get from a professional artist.

Joe runs Watercolour Workshops in Findon Village Hall near Worthing, where he offers students plenty of choice in subject matter.

His website is www.joedowden.com. Email joe@joedowden.com

Rottingdean Art Club meets at the Whiteways Centre and enrolment for new members is in September. The group has an annual exhibition at The Grange which is always well attended.

I have just received a copy of a  new book called ’A Timber Idol’ by Martin MacGilp which chronicles  Mr Punch’s presence in Scotland. It is a gem of a book and is dedicated to  Francesco Cardoni who apparently was likely to have been born in Italy around 1760 and was probably the first Punch and Judy man to perform in Scotland.

The book looks at Punch’s Italian origins, development and lasting appeal. I love the presentation which includes anecdotes, quotes, diagrams  and over 100 photographs, many in colour. I can see that this will become an authority on the history of Punch, an absolute must for anyone wanting to study the subject and a resource for potential performers.  It will also stir memories of seaside holidays and entertainment.

This is a wonderful book and quite obviously a labour of love.  It will be an ideal present for anyone with an interest in or affection for this lovable rogue. I am really looking forward to reading my copy in full.

Further details from www.gilpress.co.uk 

This week we walked through the salubrious setting of the Bali Brassie and there we were in Shedman’s shed!  Well to be truthful there wasn’t a shed this time round, but to all intents and purposes with an assortment of treasured items,  such as two gnomes depicting the Royal wedding,  a an object with some religious significance, a garden shed jigsaw, paint brushes, boxes of this and that, books and a  tortoise, John Davies had created one.

We, the audience, were then enticed into the quirky world of sheds. I know a lot about sheds, the first thing I had put up in my garden in London was a shed and it was the same when we moved down here. I convince myself I am going to make films with my marionettes or paint pictures in my sheds, but in reality they are giant dream catchers.

All this would come as no surprise to John Davies, apparently everyone has a shed story. He has been engrossed in sheds (well other people’s sheds) for ten years. Lucky devil, wandering the byways of Britain and sharing the lives and pre-occupations of others through the contents of their sheds!

However, he also sets up a sheds in strategic places and people come and talk to him! The result of all this effort is an interactive experience where the audience is drawn into John’s sheddy world, where he then shares his many poems about those who have entered the tongued and grooved havens of magic  and mystery – sheds!

Apparently it all started in the Booth Museum ten years ago. As a  newcomer to Brighton the story of this ‘gigantic shed’ with stuffed animals and birds was fascinating.  

Then there was the story about the vicar with several sheds and some more of John’s poetry.

John’s show was like watching an art installation in the making , but woven into the event were ideas to encourage us to write a sheddy poem of our very own! Some of these we shared with each other at the end.

If you missed it this time round, there is John’s book ‘The Nutter in the Shrubbery’ and no doubt there will be many other chances to catch up with him in the future, if you are prepared to climb over a few boxes.

This event was part of Pighog’s contribution to  Brighton Festival.  John Davies is the man who masterminds Pighog Press. He is a publisher intent on seeking out unpublished poets of talent and  getting their work in the public eye.

Pighog run poetry events at the Red Roaster once a month all through the year, check out their website for the latest information.

As John says we all have a sheddy tale or two….

…….our secondhand shed proved to be a bit more than we bargained for. We had to move it from one side of the allotment to our site, on the other. I tried to tell Alan that there are better uses for holiday trollies. Holidays for instance?

…..more of this sheddy story is available by pressing on the link below!

 http://annperrin.wordpress.com/2011/11/14/from-carol-ann-to-broad-beans/

…and another shed tale, made on the spur of the moment in the snow 2 years ago!

I book myself into – Stop Motion Animation with Martin Smith and  Upcycled Flower Corsages with Tara Dakini.

Animation

I’ve always wanted to try Stop Motion Animation and here was Martin with an easy-peasy way of trying it all out. There were two set ups,  one with a video camera on a tripod attached to a laptop, and another, more sophisticated one,  with a camera on a tripod  attached to a second laptop.

After a quick demonstration we were divided into two groups and soon had stop action and a simple animation in the can! (‘in the can’ is old fashioned film speak, for we’ve cracked it).

I usually find this kind of thing far too technical, but Martin has the ability to make it all so easy!  Some of us were content with the basics,  but other students were soon in full swing with more complicated scenarios. By the end of the afternoon we were showing each other our stop action animations!

Good fun, value for money and something I would want to pursue.

Noticed lots more film making courses in the Evolution brochure

Upcycled Flower Corsages.

Well,  I h1ad been up half the night last week editing my own ‘Big Grin’  film for youtube, so here was a chance to relax and do something calming as well as creative!

Tara Dakini had it all sorted, beautifully organised, with paper patterns for everyone, needles, materials and plenty of expertise.  In minutes we were choosing fabrics, fastening them on to our pattern, tacking thread around the shape and learning how to fold it all into a flower. Once one had the basics there was no stopping us. It all came down to the choice of material and conquering the folding.  In two and a half hours we all had a corsage to take home and in some cases two.

It was easy to see that a follow up course would be well attended. We could learn to make the more complicated flowers and even fascinators.   These corsages would make great presents and I can also see keen mothers of brides booking into Evolution to make some upmarket head gear for their daughter’s bridesmaids!

The bonus was that lovely people attended this course, there was a little gentle humour and tea and cake for goodness sake! What more could you want?

I went home very happy on both days with new skills at my finger tips.  Brilliant!

Tara is going to do a soft toy course soon so worth checking out the Evolution Brochure.

I saw a great art display on the way up to the course the felt work in particular.  I am very tempted to try a short course in felt making here. Next week it will be Flash Fiction. I know this tutor Wendy Ann Greenhaigh, so this one too is sure to be good!

Oh and top marks for the tea and cakes Evolution Arts.

Nothing like growing things on one’s allotment, our first crop, one hearty onion!

Sam and Sally, the resident scarecrows, are not at all impressed.

 Paul and Posie are not bothered either, but then they are young and prefer to play and chat to passing birds. Typical! Young people today have no discipline, was forever thus!