Canada

Farm - near London ON

We had a great and chilly time in Canada, where it was a lovely but cold -10oC. (-20 with wind chill) We spent a few days with my family in the country, just outside of London ON and then spent some time with Ann's family in downtown Toronto.

Canada's a lovely country, everything looked to be a lot cleaner than back home, but maybe thats because all the rubbish was hidden by 30cm of snow.

We saw lots of interesting things - including a brilliant flee market near my aunts, (where Ann bought 6 jars of buttons) and a piece of performance theatre in Toronto involving members of the auidence, pre-recorded interviews and video projection looking at ideas for what the future will hold for us all. Was very thought provoking and entertaining stuff.

I'd only ever been to Canada in the summer time before so the extreme cold was a bit of a shock but it did make the trip feel more fun and wearing thermals all the time was increadibly comfy, it felt like you were wearing pajamas all day.


In site you (2007) Toronto

Crash

Florida Zoo Hijack (2006)
[Pen/ digital]

Right thats it, I'm finished work and am going home to pack. See you all when I get back, unless I find internet access on our travels. Blog will return in 10 days.

1 day to go

Lumberjack and friends (2007)
[Clay]

My obsession with the wee lumberjack and his woodland adventures continues with these clay figures. They are slightly larger than I usually work with. Normally, figures I make are only about 1cm tall, with these however the lumberjack is about 10cm. I'm pretty pleased with the results and I think I might work at this scale again.

Had a nice meal with some friends in town last night, hadn't seen Alex and Cathie for ages so it was good to see them. Not quite finished the packing, will have to do so tonight. This time tomorrow morning Ann and I will be in the sky somewhere over the Atlantic.

Two days to go

First Contact (2006)
[Clay]

Just about packed. Hopefully the sudden flurry of snow that has hit the country will not have any affect on our flights. Aparently its shut down transport and airports in England, so fingers crossed they get themselves together before Saturday morning.

If you are looking for some excitement this weekend and you are in Edinburgh, then you should pop along to the Attic Salt Gallery at 50 Thistle Street, North East Lane where Guy Bishop (The man who built the Storytelling Machine) has a new exhibiton of fabulous architectural wonders. visit his site to find out more www.guybishop.com.

Maple leaves

http://pursuingtheredshoe.blogspot.com/

I'm going to try and post something everyday this week as me and wee annie (I've lost my red shoe) are away on holiday to Toronto for a week and I'll prob fail to maintain my weekly uploads. I'm looking forward to our trip will be great to get away, its only the second proper holiday we'll have gone on together, due to several travel disasters in the past. We seem to be only able to go on holiday together if its to a country where its really cold.

Ann advises it will be -10 oC over there, so I'm away to buy a new hat and gloves.

Tales from the Edge of the World

Lighthouse keeper and bird - (sketch for some clay figures I plan to make tonight)

I had a very enjoyable evening on Sunday. I went to watch a large moustached American man playing banjo and singing songs about his adventures with the hobos.

I also had the great pleasure in watch a 1988 episode of the old darts based quiz show - "Bullseye". It was wonderful - a total nostalgic experience, every moment of the show sparked off old memories. From the naf theme music - the host, Jim Bowen, looking into the wrong cameras to do links, the short, stout assistant doing the commentary on the dart scores. The contestants, wearing crazy 1980's outfits and sporting dodgy hairdos, moustaches and home made tattoos, to the shows mascot Bully, a fat Bull in a stripy shirt.

The best bit of the show however was at the end when they listed all the prizes that could be won. There were nine, including - a washing machine (automatic), a wooden rocking chair, a travel hair-drier, a scalextric set, a coffee maker, a selection of fine wine (5 red, 5 white) and top prize, a weekend for four in London. Despite winning the above and winning the grand total of £510 (which was one of the highest totals Jim advised) they decided to gamble and go for the star prize hidden behind a big screen.

Thankfully it was a happy ending and they managed to score 101 with 6 darts and an original mini-city was theirs. This was a pretty good prize back in the day, the usual star prize was a speedboat, which to most people back in the 80's would have been completely useless.

All in all, a wonderful bit of entertainment and I may very well watch it every week from now on.

For more info on Bullseye and a walk down memory lane check out -

http://www.ukgameshows.com/page/index.php/Bullseye

Sprout

First animation

Hmmm - my first attempt at using my new animation programme. Seems to be pretty easy to get the hang of the basics. I'll try to make any future films a little bit more exciting.

Bear

Lumberjack wood 2 (2007)
[Clay, plaster metal]

I like this little lumberjack fellow. Think he might be an interesting character to continue to draw and design clay sculptures about. Here he has stumbled upon a bear while walking in the woods.

Break Glass in Case of Emergency

Break Glass in Case of Emergency (2004)
[clay, perspex and wood]

I sold the above piece at an exhibition in London a couple of years ago and last week we were reunited as it requires some repair following a wee accident. The glass did indeed break but thankfully it was not an emergency and with a wee bit of work over the weekend, it will be good as new and on its way home come Monday.

There are lots more of these wee guys availible for viewing and purchase at my website http://holeinmypocket.com/pages/alburt/art.htm

Pirate Wood

Pirate Wood (12cm dia x 50cm) 2007

Pirate Wood [close up] 2007

For some reason I'm a bit obsessed with making things with woods/ forests or trees in them. Guess its because they are such good backgrounds for stories - full of magic, mystery and possible fear.

I plan to make a series of these wee models and with each one I will attempt to capture a moment from a story waiting to be told.

Wood

Lumberjack (14cm x 20cm)

My cousin told me a story about his adventures on the NYC underground. One morning, in his first week of work, when getting on the train, he dropped his paper. As he bent down to pick it up, the doors closed and he got stuck with his head on one side and his body still on the platform. Luckily the train won't move if the doors aren't fully closed so he didn't have to run really quickly down the tunnels. The New Yorkers quickly lept to his assistance and forced the doors open. Once free Stuart fell face first into the train and then had to try and stand up with the remenants of his dignity and act like everything was ok.

First drawings of the year

The hook (14cm x 10cm) 2007

This year, I am going to attempt to be a bit more proactive when it comes to producing artwork. I will now try to create a new painting or sculputre every week. We shall see how long this manages to continue for.

Happy New Year

Hopefully this message finds everyone fit and happy. Today, is my first day back at work and to cheer myself up, I have pinned this picture to the wall.

Help

Not sure why the jar appears orange when uploaded as its actually drawn blue, but never mind.

9 - 5

It is very nearly Christmas, and with only 4.5 days left of work, it is very hard to remain in office mode. Almost time to cast off the office attire and relax.

Christmas is coming

Good coincidence, todays IF: topic is "might" and I have just drawn a little fellow who is mighty indeed. He is one of many cheerful characters hidden behind the doors of my advent calender. (See below).

To make the advent calender, simply download and print out the following two images. Overlay on each other and rip/cut away the little boxes each day. What fun.

The files you need are:

front sheet
http://static.flickr.com/114/311193544_7042079735_b_d.jpg

rear sheet
http://static.flickr.com/113/311214549_d36c20b10a_b_d.jpg

It's a small world after all

On a recent visit to London, we stumbled across the National Guild of Toymakers annual shop/exhibition and there we saw some wonderful things. Inculding a cut out and make red paper dragon and the amazing teeny, tiny automata toys of St Ledger Autmomata.com.
http://www.stlegerautomata.com/index.html

These miniscule painted metal figures are only around 1 cm tall but when you wind their handles, they start to move and come alive and tell short, humorous tales. Brillant. Personal favourites, were the wizard, the dentist, the levitating lady and Samson the strong man.

Invention

Here you can see, my initial sketch for the storytelling machine and a photo of the finished article. It has now been sent up to the museum in Shetland which will be opening sometime in the new year.

Sailing home

Lily Ship
(30 x 15)

Things I saw in London and Brighton

Brighton Pier

Nice Horsey

An old woman contemplates facing the wild river

A disco ball weather vane

Bad Horsey

A nice little tent - what wonders does it contain?

A lone man faces out to sea and meditates on the smallness of life - or maybe he is just having a pee

Tower Bridge. Doesn't Ann look like she's having a great time in London.


The exit from the secret bunker - somewhere near Epping Forest? This is where the Government would have gone in the event of nuclear war right up until 1993.

Top thing to go see if you are in NYC Friday night

If you are around Brooklyn on Friday night then you should go visit the Riviera gallery in Williamsburg and check out the "MY TOWN IS YOUR TOWN, I LIKE WHAT YOU LIKE" show by rachel salomon, gina triplett and matt curtius. Where you will some great work by the very talented miss rachel salomon. http://www.rachelsalomon.com/

opening: friday, november 10, 7-10 pm

RIVIERA
103 metropolitan ave (718) 599-5589
www.seeyouattheriviera.com

IF: Smoke

My first entry into the weekly illustration fun and games of "Illustration Friday" http://www.illustrationfriday.com/.
I'm going to have to come up with a proper name for my wee blobby guy as I keep on drawing him. Here he is telling a lighthouse keeper off for smoking a pipe.

Boom, boom shake the room

Tonight is bonfire night in the UK, a celebration of the failed attempt to blow up the houses of parliment some several hundred years ago. Slightly odd tradition, we all gather round large fires and unskilled and untrained people start setting off small but powerful explosives into the sky.

I sat up on the roof eating a pizza and watching the events occur 360 degress around the city. All you could hear were loud bangs and distant booms, intermingled with the sirens of countless emergency vechicles zooming around. Was a beautiful but slightly uncomfortable experience, felt like the city was under attack on all sides, from a very bright and sparkly enemy.

The power of hoo doo

Yesterday was a spooky day. I foolishly read a horror story when I got home from work and less than an hour after finishing it the power cut to my whole flat. Gav and I investigated but could find nothing wrong. I phoned Scottish Power who advised they were sending out an engineer. I then sat up in bed waiting, reading by the light of a candle and trying to put the spooky sounds of distant fireworks and things on the roof moving, out my head. I waited and waited as my candle flickered and burned lower and lower, I fell asleep.

The next morning, a little annoyed, I called Scottish Power again.

"I'm sorry sir", they advised "We have no record of you calling last night. Are you sure you called us?"

I think halloween arrived a day late to Camphill Gate.