finger puppets

finger puppets, originally uploaded by aesop.

finger puppets

finger puppets, originally uploaded by aesop.

These here characters are part of my contribution to A-Mart, the art supermarket at Ale and Porter in Bradford-On_Avon. The opening will be at 6.30 on Friday, and there'll be lots of stuff there from dozens of artists, including ceramics in the shape of 'tupperware' type plastic containers, t-shirts and stuff by Mark Pawson, and artists books by me and Melanie ward, amongst others, all set amidst the engagingly bizarre cerise colour scheme dreamed u for the occasion. I was quite keen on the sock puppets which will be available, though there's also a range of pinhole camera-related stuff that looks good, too.

I was over there yesterday, having gotten a lift from Linda Clark, whose driving opened up a new chapter with this inter-town run, hooray. As always, everyone was very welcoming and sympathetic about my sore back. I'm in the wars again now, having managed to introduce a fragment of prawn cracker into the surroundings of my left eyeball, which swelled up a good deal. Sarah's liberal application of ice in a selection of rubber gloves kindly supplied by viki seem to have done the trick and staved off a monocular future for a while, though I'm typing wit the affected eye still closed and a bit itchy-runny, but well within acceptable norms. ( I can see fine through it if anyone's worried, though it still feels a bit crumby). Spoiled a game of scrabble that was shaping up to be enjoyably awful.

unrelated incidents

I.F., originally uploaded by aesop.

for illustration friday

Tai Chi

Attended a class in Tai Chi at the Southville Centre last night. I'd been a bit cagey about starting it, since the taster class I'd attended was run by the regional head instructor rather than the actual teacher. I needn't have worried, as it was great. really worth the while. I think I'll enjoy it, but I have to find the money, which is a bit tight right at the moment. I'll find a way, though.

I've spent most of the day today putting together material for Ale & Porter's AMart exhibition. Since I've done a small range of finger puppet toys for them, it amounts to mounting and cutting out these. I hope this show will prove a bit more fruitful than the artists' books fairs have been of late!

Remember remember

I was over in Compton Martin on Nov 5th to have hot Chestnut soup, smoke and fireworks. Horrendous bus journey, but worth it for the panoramic view of dozens of different folks' firework shows going off all at once.

Jonathan Caouette | Tarnation

Link: Jonathan Caouette | Filmmaker - Tarnation. Saw J. Caouette's film today... first of my new screenselect dvds

Worthwhile. Lots of edited together bits and pieces, great narrative vision and atmosphere, and a story worth telling. I'd wanted to see this at the cinema but never found the time. Vibrant, intense, alive, and tough too. I'm very much blessed with a supportive and easygoing family and background, but J.C.'s story is a lot grittier. It sparkles a bit more too, though. The schtick about this film is that it was put together on iFilm. That's great, and perhaps it explains the editing style, which is, I think, the most skilful aspect of the film, along with the narrative conceptualisation- of course, they're really part of the same whole- but the editing is very far in the forefront, very much the area of control whereas camera, lighting and the available material aren't really part of an intended effect, though they do produce a particular aesthetic. It did make me wonder about doing likewise, though I haven't made a film since a lighthearted 90-second effort about losing stuff called Personal Effects, which up and died after its first rejection. Cauoette is clearly made of more determined stuff. Excellent and unique.