Merry Existmas

Perhaps you were lucky enough to get one of my Christmas cards this year, perhaps not

Have a look anyway

 

Merry Existmas, 2013, edition of 30, ink and despair on paper

Finally got round to photographing my bunting

 

Sorry For Your Loss, 2013, fabric, paint, seaquins

 

You Can Buy These, You Know?, 2012,  fabric, paint, sarcasm

Slags

IT'S FUNNY BECAUSE IT IS A VISUAL PUN

IT IS PUNNY

lollollollollollol etc.

#tweetart July

July #tweetart WIP images

seemed like such a good idea at the time...

the work will be a multiple, available from Westgate studio during the Wakefield Art Walk

The Prade

Saturday and Sunday consisted of a lot of running about organising and getting things ready for 1:30.

I helped rig the pirate ship, and sort the pyrotechnics without falling off the bow of the ship or blowing myself up. 

We laid out the puppets on tarps as the grass was wet through from rain. The weather wasn't amazing on Saturday or Sunday but the rain kept off for the duration of the parade.

There was a great turn out both days, and I scared lots of children. 

result

pyros

Laid out puppets

Face paint

The wind meant that, in the name of streamlining, the highest allegorical women on the trikes were  left off

My little dragons

Me as the green dragon

My green man looking awesome

It ain't easy being green.

Midsummer Watch Prep

 Friday's job was to get the puppets and floats into a van, and the larger floats into the market carpark. 

 Vicky and I also organised the rehearsal room, putting out face paints, brushes and water for the people joining in with the parade to use, and taking over the hats for the devil band and jesters. 

This mirror was brilliant

Order of procession

It was bastarding down with rain, the ceiling was leaky

Midsummer Watch - School Workshop

Hey Russell, which is your hou....oh never mind...

On Monday I got the chance to work with the lovely children at Newton School in Chester. Each year, different schools participate in the Midsummer Watch Parade by making work on sticks around the themes of the larger puppets which they walk with during the parade. Newton School, this year, were producing ravens.

The interesting thing about these ravens is that despite their relatively simple construction, each one is very individual and striking, no two are the same at all. It was good to work at troubleshooting and problem solving with the kids, I helped a little with the initial cutting out but after that I didn't really help any more with the construction. When asked if I would cut something out by individual children I encouraged them to do it on their own by suggesting how they might go about it. Some of the kids were much more responsive than others, but that is the nature of small humans. Nobody had a tantrum and the finished ravens looked really great, so in all it was a great success. 

Midsummer Watch Workshop - Handy

I was tasked with making the hands for the green men. 

Using foam, strengthened with wire and covered in latex/ tissue paper