MoJo

Have been considering returning  to blogging after a period in the wilderness. For a long time I used the photodiary format to reflect on the minutae of life that are often overlooked, to both encourage me to use photography creatively and to draw together some of the meaningful bits. What I originally discovered about blogging was that it was good for my own sense of personal journey, hence the family theme that drove it's focus.

My complete disillusion with social media has left me thinking that I may restart this habit in an attempt to explore creative stuff, mixed in with the family ramblings.

Gonna post this anyhow, and let's go...

Denny Wood

Was looking for a photo of Greg, but it evaded me, so this one of Popsie will take it's place.

Been listening to Gary Numan play his new music on KCRW this evening which has been fun, and also a gig by the Kills which I also enjoyed.

An Oldie One

Just been chatting with Gran, and told her there was a new photo up on Facebook, then I thought she'll never find it on Facebook so better put it on the blog! This is Popsie from a recent walk near Denny Wood sensibly wearing a nice wooly hat. Gran will be pleased.

I am listening to Oded Tzur, an excellent NY based sax player with Shai Maestro on piano.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=IYUCXfLp2Vk

East London Group exhibition at Southampton Art Gallery

Have been talking this morning to my Dad about the exhibition at Southampton Art Gallery - "From Mile End to Mayfair"


This exhibition brings together many of the East London Group’s most iconic pieces, some of which have not been seen in public for more than eighty years plus a few which have only come to light in recent weeks, months or years since interest in the Group was rekindled by David Buckman’s book: “From Bow to Biennale”.

The genesis of the East London Group was from classes led by their inspirational teacher John Cooper at the Bow and Bromley Evening Institute in East London from the mid-twenties. The majority of the members were working East End men and women supplemented by a small contingent who were Slade School trained, as was Cooper himself. Cooper managed to get Walter Sickert to mentor the Group at the Bow classes and he even showed with them on three occasions as well as employing one member, Elwin Hawthorne as his studio assistant for three and a half years. It is this link to Sickert that the exhibition will hope explore.

The vast majority of the ELG work will be on loan from family or private collections augmented by three or four pieces from institutional collections. In their day ELG members exhibited extensively in mixed shows alongside many of their artistic peers of those times. Work from Southampton City Art Gallery’s own extensive collection of Camden Town and early London Group work will be exhibited in conjunction with the Group’s work, augmented by a few pieces from other public and private collections.

The aim of the exhibition will be to try to highlight these connections and similarities and, in so doing, hopefully go some way towards reinstating their reputation from that time which saw two Group members being deemed good enough to represent Great Britain at the Venice Biennale in 1936: the pinnacle of international artistic acclaim.

East London Group Artists
Elwin Hawthorne, Walter Steggles, Harold Steggles, Cecil Osborne, John Cooper, Phyllis Bray, Grace Oscroft, Henry Silk, Albert Turpin
Artists from Southampton City Art Gallery’s Collection
Walter Sickert, Malcolm Drummond, Spencer Gore, Duncan Grant, Paul Nash, Charles Ginner, Stanley Spencer, Robert Bevan, William Nicholson
Image detail: Poole Harbour, Elwin Hawthorne (1934)

Autumnal Popsie

Greg has been away sailing with George at Rutland, which has left me to have fun with Posie today.

I had disappeared for a call of nature, and when I returned I found Miranda knee deep in a cloud of leaves having the time of her life.

We walked from Woodfidley through Standing Hat and up the river to "Kingfisher Stoop", stopping at the Forest Park Hotel for our lunch. They had an awesome wood burner, a discoball, and a stuffed stag on the wall. The food was great and the beer was brewed just around the corner in the stables of the Balmer Lawn Hotel!

All in all a great day out.

Catch up time.

Always nice when the old folk brighten up your day with a Facetime call! This morning I managed to remember a few screengrabs as we were chatting so I'm sharing

Benchmark

It's not often I get a chance to make comparisons, and this is as objective as it gets.

A point in time, a notch on a belt.

#twelve

Thirty Six

Lewis on the day he was Twelve, as recorded on my blog in 2010. Seems like such a long time ago, but so much has changed in the blink of an eye.

Twelve x2

Gregory, on the day of his Twelveth birthbay.

Twelve

Today has been bleak, cold, grey and wintry. Did I mention wet?

So by contrast yesterday was a lot more fun. I love these sideways looks at life - as Greg and Miranda cruise (on skates and scooters) down the pier at Boscombe with the sunshine glinting on the water

Currently she's having a tea party with some chums, and there is screeching coming from the kitchen... Game On.

Velodomestique

Miranda's version of the day differs slightly to my own naturally, although curiously we went to the same places! This is our lunch stop although I didn't have my bike with me, otherwise I could have had it serviced.

It's quite a cool cafe, the sort of place Lewis would probably tell his friends he went to "when he grows up!"

Our supper stop was at Boffi, also in Southbourne... neapolitan style pizza ...yum!

Popsie (Takeover)

Birthdays, birthdays! November the 20th is definitely the best day of the year. OBVIOUSLY! It's my birthday. Have already opened my presents in bed. A new unicorn notebook, Inline skates and a new helmet not to mention a cute unicorn pom pom!
Yesterday we went to Hengistbury Head and Mudeford to use my skates. Then after that we went to Bournemouth to skate along the front! After we go up the piers and tried the 2 penny slots And i tried to win a PINK FLUFFY UNICORN on the claw grabby thing but failed miserably! :(
Then I got a cookies and cream ice cream! after we looked at the lights and found lewi in starbucks! i really wanted a pumpkin spiced latte but I wasn't aloud!:(Then we headed home!!!

by Miranda

Dad goes POP socket crazy

Pop sockets are the next big thing, and Miranda has a plan to make millions from designing, making and selling them!

Dad has been modelling the new range, and here he is wearing the blue glalaxy drip!

All Ears on Us

So can you tell which one is Miranda!!

Hold Up

Sunday morning romp around Denny Wood, the weather was beautiful. Leaves were tumbling in the gentle breeze... Our walk took in various touch points and quite a few trees were climbed.

Lots of funghi out.

Looking for Fishlook Island

We used to do this every lunchtime back in the day. Before school took Miranda away from me!

Before that I used to kick the ball with Greg... no wonder I took to riding my bike instead!

Lunchtime perambulation

I got talked into going with Miranda in a little mapmaking expedition

Hmmm.

Stuck up a Gum Tree

From last weekend in Rans Wood climbing trees whilst we waited for the rain to pass! Mip is getting a bit better at climbing but still doesnt get the basics. Like don't wear wellies if you want to stay up...

Miner's Lamp

Now this is one of my Dad's painting from 1962 I think. I really like the paintings from this period although they are quite dark in charcter, after with knives and guns and suchlike.

Something tells me this is a painting that passed to Norman, then to Martin Parker. Norman apparently collected Miner's lamps after visiting Grampy back in the day!

Johnstown CP School

Not sure where I got this photo from but I suspect a Facebook share. It's the tree laying ceremony when we moved to the new school building in Johnstown. You can see me just above the headmaster, needless to say I am not headboy planting the tree!

Various familiar faces,but Miss Pile Davies my teacher I can remember by name.

Miranda and her ClayPhone

She's an imaginative kid, and loves making things. But this one she has also played with a lot.

In Reflective Mood

Your scribe on his perambulations, had reason to wonder at the meaning of life the universe and all that. No conclusion could be drawn, but an impression was made.

Been doing this along time, and we won't be stopping any time soon...

Miranda in Rans Wood

Having blogged using Blogger for quite a long time, I am keen to keep up the habit but I've struggled in recent years if I am honest. It's such a slow process compared to other social media. I much prefer the diarist perspective, although it sits in it's own space which has it's advantages, it's also harder to find - and since I started doing this mainly for my Mum's benefit, ease of use is a big factor! This photo is an attempt to recreate the habit.

The girl has just walked into my room and she's smiling at the photo. "At least you can see my lovely shimmering eye shadow " she says.... " Hmmmm, is got a dash between them!"

Eiffel Tower Calling

The phone rang as I was pedaling down the road. I wasn't expecting it to be Lewis, what a nice surprise to share their exploration of Paris!

Just like old times

I have spent many hours encouraging these guys to sail, and communicate with each other. For various reasons, mainly associated with being brothers four years apart, it hasn't always worked smoothly. Nevertheless although the boys ultimately abandoned their joint effort, we have seen a few sailing sessions this autumn. And long may it continue.

Time travels

One of the highlights of my summer was the chance to meet up with an old chum Andrew Scourfield. Andrew and I went to Johnstown Primary School together, and here's an old photo rediscovered by my bro Christian. Date is somewhere close of the sixties - the radiogram is still pride of place, and just look at those curtains. Juliet could be wearing Grammar School uniform so maybe 1969.

Anyhow whilst Gregory was sailing at Weymouth, Andrew happened to be holidaying at Poole with his wife Shirley. We spent a lovely afternoon watching the boats on the water from the cafe on the shore, catching up on old times and where life had left us. Fifty years more or less has passed since this photo, amazing isn't it?

Round The Island 2017

Greg competed with his 29er sailing companion George Richards aboard H2 Sailing's yacht Wight Spirit on the weekend. The crew were largely youth sailors with more than half of the sailors under 17 years old.

They finished in second place in the Youth Trophy which is a fab result. Seventh fastest boat in their class against all adults.

Roads we travel

Chatting to Gregory yesterday about how we see ourselves as hip dudes, living in the present, but really we are just stuck in the past. But nothing compares with this image, when I'm guessing I was around 8-10 years old.

These two old dears lived out near our rented house near Capel Iwan, before we moved into Carmarthen. They shared their house with their animals, and the manure heap was just outside the front door. Sisters I think, but when they moved on, that was the end of the story. Reminds me very much of On The Black Hill by Chatwin. Photo taken by my father, with me peeking over the gate

Domino fallen down

Just a few weeks ago before I went down to Wales I stood at the gate chatting to Barry about the tired state of Domino. When we moved to Hythe one of the first bonds we made was with Barry and Janis who look after a large number of waif and stray animals. We got stuck in and helped look after their animals, and the kids who were very small at the time learned to ride the donkeys.

Originally this was Domino and Jennifer, although we lost Jenny some years ago. So many happy memories of when the kids were small, playing with the donkeys, goats, chicken etc taking them on walks, cleaning up all the debris and feeding them at bedtime....

Tremendously sad to discover that Domino died whilst I was looking after Dad, so here's a fave photo of him in our garden, eating (what else would you expect) from when we still could coax him out.

I see you

Artful composition of Father Brown circa mid sixties. This church yard seems to have provided inspiration for both Dad and Ken, the cross figuring prominently.