End of Year Message
Allow me to be +ve for a moment. 2009 has been a bloody good year! I've spent more time with friends, I produced some of my best work, I've overcome some of my biggest fears and I've built some good foundations for future endeavours. And many of YOU guys have helped me. Thanks to those of you who's opinion I value who have supported me, but thank you also to those who's opinions I dismiss because without your constant disapproval I would not be driven to bring to realisation the ideas that you so detest. Here's driving for an even better 2010!
Good bye studio
After a hectic rush to finish my last sculpture, dismantle my desk, put my materials into storage and dump/send to recycling all the low value stuff I am now out. The shared studio has ceased. For the foreseeable future I will be working on projects that can be produced either on site or from my bedroom. Expect videos, smaller sculptures and drawings.
Interactive Sculpture Circuit Done!
I finally pinned down my good friend Jon and we worked all Thursday night to get the circuit finished for my interactive sculpture. Jon is a very talented man but a bit scatty when it comes to organisation.
But together we can get things done and here it is... done! A simple little circuit with a micro controller in the middle that will juggling the various functions of the 2 inputs and 2 outputs.
Coincidentally I bumped into my friend Felix in Tesco yesterday who is putting on an exhibition in March and, knowing that I am working on this one, offered me a spot to exhibit. The exhibition will be in a busy bar which is a perfect location for an interactive sculpture.
Things are going well for this piece.
I’m a published author (Page 4 of AN Magazine)
Last month I read an article in AN Magazine (Nov issue) that struck a chord with me. It was about art education, the subject I wrote my thesis on. I felt so inspired by the words I read (a grim but true account of current education) that I felt compelled to write to the magazine, complimenting the article and offering an account of my experience. It only got published! Woo hoo. What a great boost in confidence!
Now I know it's not a paid commission but the fact that somebody has considered my writing coherent enough to go to press is the kind of validation that writers need. This comes at a time when I am considering the idea of producing a book of poems, an idea that seems that little bit closer now.
So check out my letter on page 4 of A-N Magazine (Dec issue).
My new Open Mic Night Finder
I am building a little application that I think will be useful to many people if I manage to get it up the Google ranking. I love travelling to towns or cities and checking out the local open mic night. I think it's a good finger on the pulse of a location's culture. But the amount of reliable information on the net is frustratingly small. So this is my attempt to provide a tool that works. A key feature you will notice is dates of when details were edited which should render the tool self-deprecating in the event of info becoming out-dated. Unlike all the other sources out there who could be sporting 6 year old information and the visitor would be none the wiser. Users of my tool will know how fresh the data is!
There is also functionality built in for address details, venue phone numbers, Google Maps, YouTube videos and photos of the stages. The pages are optimised for printing and Google ranking so if you like a page please post a link to it from your website or blog.
So please take some time to check out my Open Mic Finder and let me know what you think?
Diabolo and Fire Juggling Demonstration in Minehead
To celebrate the turning on of the Christmas lights and help promote the toy shop ToyAhoy.co.uk I did a demonstration of juggling several types of diabolos (including fire) and fire clubs.