WINDOW SHOPPING. THE PLANTS HAVE FADED TO THE SAME INTENSITY AS THE CHIPPED PAINT THOUGH THEY WERE NOT SELECTED FOR THEIR TIME KEEPING.

THE ANTIQUES MARKET IN CAMDEN PASSAGE IS A REBUTTAL TO THE IMPATIENT DIRECTIVENESS OF CITY LIFE.  FULL OF COLOUR AND ECCENTRICITIES, TABLES AND DOORWAYS SPILL OVER WITH INNUMERABLE SMALL THINGS. IT IS OFTEN DIFFICULT TO PAIR SHOP TO KEEPER AND, I HAVE BECOME MORE AND MORE CONVINCED OF A HUMAN EXPRESSION ABOUT THE FACES OF SOME OF THE RESIDENT WOODEN DOLLS. PERHAPS ONE DAY THEY WILL DEEM ME A WORTHY KEEPER OF THEIR WARES. 

A JOURNEY IN TONE AND FORM AROUND THE RCA AND RA DEGREE SHOWS

I WAS INSPIRED BY THE CYCLING THEME AND THE IDEA OF MARKING TIME AT THE SUMMER SOLSTICE FOR THIS WILD FLOWER INSTALLATION FOR THE OPENING NIGHT OF TANDEM FESTIVAL. I USED AN ABANDONED PALE BLUE BIKE AS A FRAME AND WOVE A GARLAND FROM WILD GRASSES GATHERED IN THE MEADOWS BESIDE THE RIVER. I THEN ADDED JASMINE, CRAB APPLE AND WILD MINT FROM THE VARIOUS SECRET GARDENS ACROSS THE SITE, TO CREATE A DELICATE WREATH. THE HEADY SCENTS INFUSED THE AIR UNTIL MORNING WHEN THE BLOOMS WILTED WITH THE CREEPING LIGHT. 

ON MY FIRST NIGHT VOLUNTEERING AT TANDEM FESTIVAL, WE PICKED MIDNIGHT ELDERFLOWERS AND BOILED UP LARGE VATS OF ELDERFLOWER, LEMON AND ORANGE CORDIAL. JUST BEFORE WE MOVED THE PAN ONTO THE HOB I SAW A SMALL GLEAMING THING AMIDST THE LEAVES AND DREW OUT A CATERPILLAR. I WAS CONVINCED THAT OUR WITCHES BREW HAD CAUSED ITS LUMINESCENCE THOUGH DOT NOW SAYS THAT MANY CATERPILLARS HAVE THE SAME GLOWING COMPLEXION. PERHAPS IT WAS THE MOON.

AS THE PAINTWORK IS STRIPPED BACK DURING THE BUILDING WORKS AT BIRMINGHAM NEW STREET STATION, A HISTORY OF STAINS, SCARS AND TRACES IS BEING REVEALED WHICH REMINDS ME OF THE AGNES MARTIN EXHIBITION I SAW RECENTLY IN LONDON. THERE IS LITTLE TIME TO BE CONCERNED WITH MODERNISM BEFORE THE FIRST COFFEE OF THE MORNING THOUGH, I DO HEAR SOME FELLOW COMMUTERS COMPLAIN ABOUT THE GRAY.