Some Weird Characters Have Been Hanging Around Town...

To promote the show next Saturday, I volunteered to wear one of the Detective's heads around town on Saturday when the market was in full swing. I'm definitely feeling it now though.

Spot the Phizmiz

A bit of a rest 

Hello Darling

He's got an admirer

Having a staring competition

To Bella's for lunch

And then to Bridport Art Centre for a browse (where the show Premieres on March 16th)

Kissy kissy

Off to the Red Brick Cafe for some scrumptious soup, tea and cake

One should admire ones self every now and again

Spot of window shopping

Interested peoples

And ended the day with a Waitrose shop

It's funny as it didn't hurt at the time whatsoever and was just a very funny experience... but I am planning to do it next Saturday too, so if you're around and about Bridport, come and say hi if you spot us!

Photos by Georgia Phoebe (my lovely sister!)

Busy busy bumblebee

I remember when I was four or five and started Primary School in Scotland when my parents split and we moved to stay with my Grandparents for a bit. I can't even remember the name of the place or School but I particularly remember singing a song with my two friends in the playground.

I remember a game, which I think consisted of us standing in a row and singing, "Busy busy bumblebee", which we had all seen from an advert on TV. It was some kind of kid's board game advert or something.

Anyhow...enough of nostalgic tittle-tattle...

I've been stupidly busy again recently. I've had video and photography projects on the go simultaneously as well as setting up accounts for local businesses. Also working with Ergo Phizmiz on his new piece Gargantua, I have recently set up the Red Brick twitter account and also now run the Red Brick Cafe facebook account (with other members). And my part time job in the gift shop I work in and my ever so new Christmas temp job...and new music videos I'm making too. A tad flustered and losing my mind but I can't say I'm bored.

A couple of weeks a ago I was asked to take some photographs or St Michael's trading estate for a website about Enterprise St Michael's. This is the same St Michael's I talked about in a post a while back and is where the Red Brick Cafe, I work at, is situated.

Inside

Pepper love

Joy's friend

Beans on toast?

Cakes?

Now taking bookings for Christmas!

Anna & Joy - the owners

Anyhow... I wanted to share the photographs I recently took in the Cafe. So there you are.

I particularly enjoyed taking photos of my friends who run the Cafe. They're great (and you can see them pictured above having a duel).

So that's that...

The only other thing I remember from that School is telling I boy that I quite liked the look of (even at four/five!) this elaborate story that me and my family, before I'd moved to Scotland from Sussex with my dad and brother, that we'd (as a family - my mother too) managed to escape the house from some unfathomable thing, through a second floor window, onto a ledge and down a vine to escape some vicious monstrosity going on and into our massive garden with a stream running through it.


I still remember that memory as if it was real. The stream and massive garden were, but I dare say the rest wasn't.

Well, kids to put to bed, new music videos to film and edit this evening and a mind to scoop off the ground and shovel into bed at some point.

Good night one and all.

Right, Left & Centre...

1.

2.

3.

4.

5.

6.

7.

8.

1). We'd just arrived in La Chaussée (after a short flight and two hour car journey) and I had instantly taken to snapping away (as usual). So...here you have... our legs.

2). A happy Autumn, collecting Poppy's (Her middle name). I really like taking pictures out of focus. I think it adds a different kind of aesthetic to the picture, than that of the flat pictures digital cameras sometimes take.

3). A dreamy Talulah, before they were asked to stop picking the flowers as we discovered they were someone's pride and joy! Errrrm...whoops!

4). A Rose. There's not much else to say. These photos aren't terribly inspiring to be honest, but it's a glimpse at our time away. There was plenty more going on around us that was extremely inspiring, (the vast amount of, and creativity of work Les Antliaclastes were making, was overwhelmingly inspiring and outstanding).

5). Hide and seek. I was convinced the cows (behind Tal) looked like Lions from the back.

6). Ah, another out of focus shot par moi. The Mr's head and a lamp made by one of the chaps at La Chaussée.

7). Bath time. The kids enjoyed their bath immensely after a long day travelling.

8). Pin-ball machine. We need to get one of these!

A very random selection of photos from when we were in France, but thought this poor blog was due an update. It's funny how back in January I had taken managing my time by the horns and was so on it, which was abruptly shot by the various amount of odd jobs I was offered right, left and centre.

And currently, I've just come out of the other side of all these odd jobs and shall (fingers crossed) have time on my hands again to manage everything. And maybe it's even time to make a schedule again.

Very annoyingly, another thing that hasn't had much attention is the documentary I was planning/making. It was a real boost to have all the support I had, but with the money making jobs getting in the way and taking the main stage over the first half of the year, I haven't had much choice, but to let it sit and stew. Now, in some ways it seems too late. I originally wanted to make it to promote the area and show people what a great place it is, but now it will have to change to a documentary about the process of it closing. Yep, the decision has now been made by the local Councillors and as far as I know, the plans to build houses there has been passed.

In some ways it would be nice to be a documentary about the whole thing. Right?

Other recent news... I have finally bought a potter's wheel. A wooden one! I have yet to get it to my house as it's somewhere up in Milton Keynes, but mind the gap (watch this space).

TTFN.

Help Save the Art & Vintage Quarter in Bridport!! TODAY!!

The 3 top pics in the post are a selection of ones I took whilst doing an interview with the lady (Sharon) who owns The Old Albion...

Remember that lovely, charming and brilliant site I told you all about a few posts ago? St Michael's? The Art & Vintage Quarter that is a huge asset to the town (Bridport!), providing more than 100 jobs, continuing the creative and unique vibe of the town (and setting it aside from others), already has an existing fabulous community and is a largely popular place that has thousands of visitors all through the year from all walks of life...

Well...it's the place that may all possibly be demolished! The time is nearly up to place comments/objections on the West Dorset District Council website, to oppose this all happening and there's only today and tomorrow at the latest in which this can be done!!

From Old Albion

So it would be terribly marvellous if any of ye wonderful folk, whether or not you know Bridport and it's quirks, would comment on the site. The more comments and the more people the better!

From Old Albion

Below I have posted the e-mail I was forwarded from Kit Glaisyer...

"Please help us Save Bridport's unique Art & Vintage Quarter!

New plans have been submitted by Haywards, the owners of the St Michael's Trading Estate that would destroy our much-loved Vintage Quarter and lose over 60 jobs - in order to make way for a massive housing estate. However, several Bridport Councillors, the Chamber of Trade and the Development Trust have all stated that the St Michael's Trading Estate is an important employment site for the town, and that there are other, better, locations for new houses. It's now up to us to let the West Dorset Planning Committee know our feelings.

We only have until THIS Friday 3rd February to Comment / Object to the new plans
Please go to the WDDC website and click "Submit Comment"
(Make sure to check you receive confirmation of your submission)

You can get more information from our Facebook page "Save Bridport's Art & Vintage Quarter"

Early last year we offered to work with the Haywards to create a development that was sympathetic to the character and economy of Bridport - but they refused. So we have now come up with an alternative plan. Rather than knocking it down, we want to build on the success of the Art & Vintage Quarter, re-invest rental income in the estate,  improve the roads and provide more affordable units for skills training & small businesses. We have therefore formed a community-led Industrial & Providence Society, and intend to buy the trading estate from the Haywards. Please join our Facebook page if you would like to get involved."




A cosy little corner at The Red Brick Cafe

 I'm just about to go to the site and have a little say...

But if you can get involved and spread the word (I know it's a bit on the late side) if you know the little place or not, it could do with all the support it can get.

Plus I've just found a little blog with a blog post about this subject too, so you should check it out... The World from my Window

And here's another video someone has made about it too...

Follow the simple instructions!! :~}

And I am still making the documentary about the whole thing, but unfortunately slower than I'd like to. I went to film the meeting last week which at times got a little heated and I've had a chance here and there to do a few interviews. So I will hopefully have some of it wrapped up very soon!



Anyhow! Please write a little comment on the website above if you can even if you know nothing about it but you can appreciate a little place like this in the world, which needs fighting for to keep the magic and spirit alive in the town.








Thanks!!

Too many fingers in too many pies...

How do.

Those of you that are aware of the phrase of having your fingers in too many pies may have possibly encountered this, by... I'm guessing... having your fingers in too many pies. What a greedy bunch of pie eaters we are!

Our crazy stretchy cat, Marlene

Way back, when my last (blummin') post was... (I did want to post at least weekly, but so far greed and pies have got in the way) I had given up looking for a part time job, made myself a schedule and decided if I use my time wisely and am super-duper organised, I would get lots more off the ground and be mega creative (and stop the constant guilt and fed-up-ness).

Alas... within the second week of January I'd set up a studio to rent from the 1st of Feb for my ceramics, I now work in a sweet baby boutique a couple of days a week, I'm currently setting up running an ebay shop with a seller of antiques for which I'll be paid a commission, work in the little caff down at St Michael's now and again and of course the film I'm making for down there too.

So... too many pies... not quite enough fingers.

Vulnavia Vanity & myself on the way to Riverside Studios in the summer

But... it's fun, I'm meeting loads more great people, I'm still able to socialise and have a lovely time with my little family and friends, I'm making progress (slowly but surely) on the film, I've got a little "proper" job that'll be a nice little bit of regular money coming in and I'm working on a new realistic timetable.

A still from "Oobeeb"

I thought I'd give you a random selection of my online photos today... so there yee have it.

Oh and thanks ever so much for all the comments you all left about the documentary I'm making. It was really great to hear everyones perspective on it and I'm really glad that everyone generally said what I was thinking would be the best way to go about it. So far, I've only managed to film one interview, but I have another two this week. I've got a little niggle in my head, saying the word, ambitious a tiny bit, as there is a lot more to film and then there'll be huge amounts to edit through... (Must remember to put that in the timetable!). Hmmm... I'm sure it'll all work out, but a little bit worried the whole place would have already been demolished and rebuilt upon by the time I've finished...

Anyhow... I hope all your plans for the new year are going as smoothly as you all hoped too!!

What's up doc?

At the end of last year I began a solo documentary project. I might possibly be working with a few other people on it yet, as there's lots to do!

I live in a great little town called Bridport, which has a little area called St Michael's. It's home to many an antique and vintage shop, workshops, art studios, one of my most favourite cafes in the world (The Red Brick Cafe - that I sometimes work at) and during the dry months of the year, has a great vintage market every month. It's a brilliant asset to the town and supplies a lot of people with work and the space to work in good sized workshops, brings a lot of people to the town and generally has a great atmosphere down there. (I would write more about it... but these back to School early mornings have hit me today - after the whole holidays with plenty of sleep-ins!)...

Promise to write more about it soon though...

Well... for many years the area has had many threats of being bought and developed. Many a whisper and words of developments and housing estates (and other things along these lines) and completely changing the area, which is already thriving, lively and already holds a great community spirit. In the past they've managed to get by and it's not happened so far, but more recently, (within the last six months or so - as far as I am aware) these threats have reappeared.

We've only lived here for about a year and a half so far, but I felt quite strongly against it's being redeveloped. I don't feel that Bridport would be the same without it and it would be a great loss. I felt that I really wanted to do something for the people down there and help out, in any way I could, (the best way I could!) and promote the area as well as help fight their corner.

And so I decided to go along to one of the evening meetings last year and introduce myself to everyone involved and let everyone know that I wanted to help. I thought that I could go down there and film parts of the market, interview people (artists/workers/makers/sellers) and hear their points of view on the matter.

I was thrilled that people were really up for it and came away with hours of footage of the vintage market. Which I really have to schedule editing into my new timetable! (Which by the way, I have done very well sticking to... or it's just that I've felt satisfied and not so guilty if my different things I need to do start overlapping... anyhow... that's worth another post!)

So...yep! That's it!! The big film project I was talking to you lovely readers about recently... well here it is. I've planned to go there a couple of times a week and film different places and events, plus get all the in-depth views of the people working down there.

Talking about people's views... I had quite an interesting insight today. I'd decided that I'd allow Thursday afternoons (as I am doing this off my own back and using my own time, without any funding or expenses) to film the interviews over a couple of months and Friday mornings to edit.

I went there today, to show my face and remind people what I was up to, as well as seeing if they were still up for being interviewed and all that jazz.

All the way along this journey, I'd thought of promoting the great stuff down there and showing people that it's such a great, thriving place, that they surely couldn't get rid of it. I felt that I'd be making a video completely against this change and help people's voices be heard.

However... today I spoke to a few people that said they weren't exactly against it, but not all for it too. Kind of in the middle. I stood there and instantly got one of those eureka moments... well ... to be honest... maybe not instantly, but as I was stood there listening to two different people (separately), say their thoughts about why some things should change and why some things may perhaps be better if a little different, I thought maybe it would be great to be able to document it with these realistic reasons for some things to change and not be completely biased. For example, quite a lot of people agree that it needs a bit of sprucing up in some areas, but by how much is another issue, but I'm sure some others may want it to stay exactly the same. I need to investigate further!

I just wonder how far over the line I want to document from where I'm standing...

I do want to make an overall positive message in the documentary, but documenting also, is all about...well...documenting. Does showing it from both sides say to others out there, that I've switched sides or does it just give an overall perspective for the viewer to decide their own opinions? OR should I just stick to my guns and give the people what they want and what I set out to do, with a predominantly "against" documentary?

Even if it did have a few trickles here and there, of parts of things that I may not agree with, surely it would tell more of an overall story of what's going on down there... ?

Hmmmm...what do you all think? Don't hold back from commenting ladies and gents pleasey!!

Phewph... I'm shattered now. Going to go and read in the bath and let me thoughts gather.

Night night.