Silent Sunday
Saturday … Are we there yet?
I really do understand about life being a journey and its being part of the destination. I can encourage my off -spring in life’s difficulties; and expound on the joys of life. I can tell them the ultimate aim or the destination is fun on the way but when you get there is not all it’s cracked up to be. Believe me after 63 years I have had my fair share of life’s disappointments … then I remember this is a fun post and admit to many joys and achievements.
But still life’s heartfelt and true profundities can be difficult to stomach; when beginning the journey of an artist; without much time, remembering I have ‘one foot in the grave’
I have an exhibition soon and each day I wake up, thinking today will be the day; I will draw, sketch, cut and print. I do all of the above and say ‘This won’t do perhaps tomorrow ‘it’ will happen’. I have stuff in various stages of done and undone … I even have the vision (destination) but nothing much in between.
All I can say to the driver of this big bus is ‘Are we there yet? If not then I am going to get off and become a rocket scientist.
Friday Library Snapshot …
Some of the books I come across here at Special Collections are outdated, non-pc, sexist, racist and at times in bad taste. However they do for some reason, which is not always apparent at first glance, have a place here and deserved of ‘special’ status’
This book is part of the Mark Longman Library which alone makes it special. But for this book for its faults and there are a few (see above list) it is very special as the illustrations are by Val Biro (of Gumdrop fame) and very funny and cheer anyone on Monday morning or on a Friday.
Images from How to be an author by Denys Val Baker illustrated by Val Biro 1952.
Alphabe Thursday Y is for Yellow
I had these two books on my desk this week as they both need a slight repair. I was pleased as it means that I haven’t got to look far to met this weeks challenge.
One is the Yellow Fairy Book by Andrew Lang. It is one of a series of 12 collections of fairy tales. Each volume is distinguished by its own colour. They cover more than 400 tales from a broad range of countries and cultures.
Andrew Lang (1844-1912) was a Scots poet, novelist and literary critic. Although he did not collect the stories himself from the oral tradition, with his wife and other translators he retold the stories; many making their first appearance in English.
It is said that although Andrew Lang wrote for a profession; fiction, poems and articles about anthropology, mythology, history and travel, he is best known for works that he didn’t write.
The other item is Goody two shoes picture book that contains the story of the Yellow Dwarf; this and the other fairy stories have been adapted and illustrated by Walter Crane (1845-1915)he was a an English artist and book illustrator. He was well know for characterising nursery rhymes and children’s stories.
Women on Wednesday
I came across this book while looking for another, this yesterday morning. Drawn by the illustrations and title Honey pots and brandy bottles. The book by Eiluned Lewis and published by Country Life in 1954 tells the story of a country woman’s everyday life. The honey pot in the title refers to the small, endless tasks which a worker bee fulfills so much better than the most impeccable housewife. The brandy bottle is the name of the common yellow water lily as a symbol of leisure of summers days by the river.
This is one countrywoman’s year; a distillation from her experiences through the seasons.The author’s starting points are the commonplaces of country living; visiting, being visited, holidays abroad, excursions at home, point-to-points, ploughing matches, children growing up, household pets, beekeeping, church going, books read, household duties done and all things that shapes the pattern of country days.
I was able to dip This little idyll into during my lunch break. It was written at the same time I also lived beside a river. The comparisons in part were of course extreme and laughable. There were serious conversations about the the advantage of boarding school over day school while living in the country … the distractions for a child while doing ‘prep’ was far too much! There was deep meaningful debate about the ‘adornment of the nursery walls as the children get older. Going on holiday to Egypt, Madam buying liver in the local market so cook pate de foie for supper.
Then there was a similarity … she tells of ‘merely sitting on the piece of sea shore, discovering tar on ones clothes and sand in the hard boiled eggs’ Then having cricket with an iron spade for a bat and drift wood for the stump.
I perhaps didn’t sit for long, and would have taken the driftwood home for the fire and maybe be I was getting a bit carried away with the hard boiled egg and I didn’t notice that the ‘sky was as soft as a pigeon’s breast’
Then the author not forgetting the small rivers, ‘serene, sparkling clear and starred with beauties’ illustrated by Agnes Miller Parker.
Janet Eiluned Lewis (1900-1979) was a Welsh novelist, poet and journalist.She worked on the Sunday Times and she became the assistant editor. From 1944 until her death she wrote for the the magazine Country Life.
Agnes Miller Parker (1895-1980) was an engraver and illustrator, born in Ayrshire; but spent most of her working life in London and southern Britain. She married the painter William McCance. It was suggested that Parker’s first paintings with her husbands reflected the works of a short-lived group of artists known as the Vorticists ( a modernist movement inspired by the Cubists) active in the 1920s The main body of her work consists of wood engravings for book illustrations; such as The fables of Aesop (1931) Though the woods by H.E. Bates etc.
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Weekly photo challenge … Eerie
Eerie means weird or uncanny and as usual I find I am unable to ‘paint’ a picture to express this for the challenge.
I do suggest that for me going back to school is weird and being in a school room even with adults is never pleasant but not especially eerie.
However, going to my art class at the local comprehensive is eerie when the the student’s works of art, in various degrees of completion are left about. This week it was especially so as an exhibition had finished. I don’t know the theme or subject matter but there were many masks stacked and propped nearby giving me an eerie eye.
Monday …. Christmas is coming did you know?
For the last week or so I have been preparing for Christmas. Making a few tentative steps because it has not been confirmed yet. I don’t mean Christmas, that always happens; more my celebration of it.
Of course, I do celebrate the festive season, I enjoy the break from work. I even believe that Jesus was perhaps born about this time 2013 years ago. I agree that with a birthday there is a degree of present and card giving, food is always good and time to visit or entertain friends is OK.
However, in my humble opinion the whole business has got out of hand. It is a mighty money making machine; 30 year ago I made a conscious decision to opt out of the commercial quagmire.
I do my own thing quietly with joy. This year is to be special as my daughter and her partner who live in Brazil are coming home for a holiday. Unfortunately my son-in-law’s application for a visa has been refused.
This is sad; as I haven’t seen them for 9 months and Christmas was to have a special festive feel as we haven’t celebrated any birthday together for over two years. It seemed like a good idea to join forces with the holy family just this once.
I was prepared to put my Ebenezer Scrooge hat in the cupboard and put out the bunting and ice a cake!
So while the second application is going to the the consulate as we speak; I am not holding my breath. Although I have been uttering a few prayers.
There is as another reason why the Christmas feeling is high at the moment. I, Mrs Party Poop has agreed to make cards to sell at the Rising Sun Arts Centre’s Christmas Fair later this year. After my little success, a week or so ago I thought I would give it a go!
So here I am thinking of ways to say happy Christmas to people, and I am sure I am not alone, who would like to send greetings but not just now or even at Christmas.
Thinking that I don’t want to make a card that goes against my ideals ; just to make a couple of quid! So watch this space for alternative festive wishes.
Meanwhile, I send good wishes to the administrator in Brazil who looks at my son-in-law’s appeal and begs that he also considers the Christmas feeling and the kindly old soul who has come back to the Christian fold for a while!
Remind him also that he only wants to pay us a visit not take up residence!
Silent Sunday
Saturday … Serendipity
Last week I went to the Openhand Openspace to celebrate the start of the Whitley Arts Festival. Although I had passed the building several times over the last few years; I had not realised that the building; Brock Barracks that had once been the home of the Territorial Army was now an art gallery and artist’s studios.
Since it had become redundant and before its recent takeover by the local art community it had been homeless accommodation. Either way, even though it is a grade II listed building and its brickwork; pleasing in a bricky sort of way, it is bleak, fort like and not to be gazed on lovingly.
However, the interior is now removed of its institutional trappings,or they have be disguised with a coat of paint or a strategically placed drape. It has been densely populated with artists and their paraphernalia; although some of the easels and larger artistic installations are little threatening, it really is a pleasant environment.
The exterior will of course be much more difficult to be removed of its ‘military’ look even if indeed this was possible or required. Its brickwork and threatening towers do have a certain charm that should be maintained.
However, I think mother nature has a plan and hers is a softly softly approach. The Virginia Creeper was doing what it does best, unafraid of any military obstruction finding its way along window ledges and the leaves finding their way under huge oak doors. The local community instead of uniformed soldiers also gave the building a warm lived in look.
Sadly, my meagre and uninformed observations were taken briefly as dusk became darkness. My little painting is a poor representation of the delicate leaf in the doorway. Nonetheless, what began as a step into into a unknown and shadowy part of Reading; became a beautiful and memorable experience.
Friday’s Library Snapshot …
When I came across this book last week; I first smiled. Then wondered how useful it might have been when realised that my children were not getting the English grammar lessons in school that they should. They have gone on to excel in the their chosen careers so perhaps the harsh methods used in my day were not called for.
Although I didn’t necessarily enjoy the methods used in my school days; English grammar, spelling and mental arithmetic were drummed in with brutal monotony and stood us in good stead; when further education was not an option.
Images from A picture book of grammar by Yvonne Suzanne Baume Published by Frederick Warne
Coat Hanger Doll's House 
