Sugar

Approach a Space like a Conversation

Today I found this old ranting from 2007:

I also do not believe that an object can exist in isolation or be transplanted arbitrarily.  

I like the idea that places and things store an energetic history and memory – or even consciousness.  Once objects and spaces are contemplated as potentially conscious entities, it becomes difficult to ignore the possibility of them having a personality.  

Each object or space can then be approached as one approaches a negotiation or conversation.  

This is an alternate idea to approaching objects and spaces as a possessor or conqueror. 

Whaligoe Steps near Wick Caithness

We went down the 365 Whaligoe Steps to this small tidal harbour. Apparently back in the day, the women would do the steps with baskets of fish. 

The rocks were pretty smooth but we went all the way up in the harbour anyway.

Northernmost

As part of being in the general area of Caithness in northern Scotland it is compulsory to visit John 'O Groats. This is the somethingest point of the British Island according to British cyclists who use this place as the North marker for a large cycling journey. There are many shops and a special booth to take a photo in. We did not do that.

There is another marker and we took a photo or two there:

This is the John O Groats nominee for souvenir of the year

According to maps the actual Northernmost point of the British Isle is Dunnet Head. It is a former military instillation and current bird-watching post. There are some impressive cliffs with tiers of birds nests of various species. 

This is the least windy part of the area. I filled out a 4-page survey for the attendant who was taking care of the information hut there. I hope it is good karma for when/if I have to get people to fill out surveys for me.

Dunbeath Beach near Dunbeath Castle

Looking back toward the pub from the Southern side of the river

Welcome to Perth (The Other Perth)

Perth, Scotland, UK

Visit to the Forth Bridge North Queensferry UK

A while ago Dad let us have a look at some family treasures including a letter from my Grandfather to my Grandmother about what a great time he was having on shore leave in Scotland. He seemed enamoured with the Forth Bridge and so rather than stock up on tweed and whiskey in Old Town Edinburgh, Scott and I set out to visit the Bridge. 

Scott taking a better picture than this one

 The weather forecast was that this would be "the worst day of the week" but it's the only day we have! When it got a bit cold/wet we went for a cup of tea at The Albert Hotel. We watched the bridge out the window. They also had drawings, paintings and photographs of the bridge in frames all around the bar.

This helpful panel was not as weathered as some of the other ones. It had stories about the Queens of Scotland who set up and used the ferry system afterwhich North Queensferry is named. They say since the dark ages pilgrims used the site to cross the Firth of Forth and make trips to St Andrews from Edinburgh.

Ferry device and Forth Road bridge

The bridges - Forth rail and Forth road eventually replaced the ferry service. Apparently there's going to be another one too!

We had great lunch at The Wee Restaurant. We saw the name of it on it's roof from the train when we were coming across the Bridge. I thought that was funny, but all those colourful stickers on the door are for excellence awards and Michelin listings! It was only sixteen pounds for two courses so after getting cold walking around a while we had surprise silver star mega-lunch. 

North Queensferry train station mural 1990: 100 years of Forth Bridge dreaming

Sneak Sentence

This is from October 2011. Nothing has changed since then. :(

I am sick of trying to sneak up on a good sentence. Its like an escaped canary and I’m standing there for hours quivering with a soft tea towel wanting so badly to hold the little thing that I end up sending angry hate vibes that make it move further away. I don’t understand it. Writing. I don’t know how to do it so it doesn’t hurt. I don’t understand how to get that wiley canary back. I follow it so far away from my home I’m not even sure how to get myself back.

Judge judy, toasted cheese sandwich, help me please write a decent sentence.

Preliminary notes on the Philosopher's Stone

So I been thinking about what it might mean to have a PhD. PhD stands for Philosophy Doctor. At first, in 2011, I thought I'd buy a stethoscope. I searched the medical websites. Eventually I bought a skeleton model instead. PhD. Doctor. Dr. Yeah, ok, I'll fulfil your prescription: do one Ursonate and see me in the morning. Is it not weird that it's not "DrPh" instead of "PhD"? I have a general idea about what philosophy might be but it seems harder to comprehend what it would mean to have a PhD than it does to imagine oneself the "Master" of something. That was easy. I could do that when I was small.

Today I decided to do something about this mysterious non-problem/iSSue. I pulled out the one and only Harry Potter dvd we have. I worked out why the playstation wasnt turning on, plugged in the power and spent an uncomfortable time searching the channels to find the movie. Harry Potter and the Philosopher's Stone actually doesn't dwell too long on the Stone or on philosophy. While waiting for these portions, I stopped the dvd each time Snape graced the screen. When the movie was over I posted the 8 best Snapes on Tumblr. Daniel liked it.

Starting with an Ikea pencil, I wrote down things that seemed interesting - that it might be magically different to become a Philosophy Doctor. The proof of being a Wizard is interesting. "did you ever make anything happen, anything you couldn't explain?" Artists make art they can't explain ALL THE TIME. At least initially? There is something about wizards about having some supernatural authority over matter that they may have in common with artists. Something about making base things divine, or infusing base things with divinity of some kind. Or having superior skills in moving things around.

The film is nearly over when the topic of the Philosopher's Stone comes up. Hermione gives something like the wikipedia (or wikipedia uses Rowling's description) of Nicolas Flamel who allegedly made or created Philosopher's Stone in France ages ago. Astonishing powers! I wonder if they are akin to 'fabulous secret powers'? Anyhoo, all the rest of my wikipedia-esque research turned up little more 'astonishing powers' than the two primary properties mentioned in the movie: turns base metal to gold, elixir of life. In the movie Harry is able to take possession of the Stone by not wanting it. The stories of Flamel in which the writers insist he may still be alive are quick to note he does not use the stone selfishly. Theres something about desire and morality that comes out of nowhere to the front here. Perhaps to save the Stone itself from appearing as a shortcut. Devilry. Vanity. 

In various parts of both Rowling's writings and stories of Flamel, dreams were mentioned. That writers receive information about the Stone or their writing about the Stone in their dreams. I started to read about the alchemy, the antiquated discipline from which the Philosopher's Stone springs. The idea is so seductive- of a mega-discipline in which religious, mythical, scientific and spiritual study are one and the same. The mere idea of these now disparate and waring factions uniting could metaphorically stand for the Stone itself: the "secret laws of the universe" themselves would surely facilitate the transformations promised by the Stone?

Eh. Its tiring though. 

I watched the Mabo episode of the First Australians and the whole thing seems REALLY stupid and inconsequential. There are awesome people with answers and were all just too stupid to ask. 

To own

To use

To practice

To practise

To own

To take

To give

Pay rent

Pay rent

Pay rent

Pay rent

Pay rent

Draw One

ALL GOOD!

We just don't know

What are birds? We just don't know.

X-treme library visits

Fell up the steps on the way to the library. Not the first time.

Best Cat

This is how cats say they love you with their eyes.

An exhibition made from stealing with no new ideas

This exhibition never existed. I made it for something else other than exhibiting. So it doesn't require a rationale, theme or title. I stole or borrowed or appropriated nearly everything in it. Except battlecat, I have a receipt for battlecat. And I did not steal the hair, I grew it myself. I took care of it for many years then cut it off after I woke up one morning and it was choking me.

Miscellaneous Contemporary Light Work

2013

Haircut 2006, BattleCat, Lykta Table Lamp: White

Two Skulls shaped "For the Love of God" after Cartrain

2012

Plywood, primer, Flat Black, Super Chrome

RIGHT:

Drop MDF (with Reasons)

2012

Wood glue, primer, Hardcore Black Night 50mm waterbased pigment ink// waterproof, Super Chrome, MDF

LEFT:

After Hennessy Youngman’s “ART THOUGHTZ: How to Make an Art. Addendum (Part 2ish)” 2011. Buddy Cop TM. Literally.

2012

Miniatures of David, Youtube

RIGHT:

A painting kept on the parcel shelf of my car for an indeterminate amount of time

- 2013 -

Found painting on ply, driving around, time

Stencil Skeleton Somewhat Troubled by Various Inconsequential Things

2012

Plywood, primer, Flat Black 

I have a title for this anyway. Maybe I will use it on a future exhibition: "DONT WORRY IM NOT RICH AND NO ONE GAVE ME MONEY FOR THIS AND NOTHING IS FOR SALE" or something like that