Here is a littlesculpture, made from Fimo, in a Kilner jar. It is destined for the display in the new Walthamstow Wetlands Centre, 150 jars suspended from the ceiling of the soon to be opened centre, which will contain amongst other things a cafe, ideal for starting or finishing your visit to what will be a wonderful nature reserve.

The jar was made as part of the submission of the Health and Wellbeing group that meets at Inky Cuttlefish studio every Wednesday morning,( come along if you fancy a hand at printing and other arty things). We were working on the theme of migration, in this case, sorry jar, specifically rivers. It took its inspiration from a cartoon drawn by Gabriel Rossetti of William Morris fishing.

To relax Morris went fishing, when he had time, and Rosseti drew him essentially ignoring the fish absorbed by a book of poems on the Thames at Kelmscott, Morris’s much loved second home. Morris can be seen with his trusty satchel over his shoulder, a trout bag to give it its real name, a bag that was to follow him for the rest of his life, wether fishing or filled with political pamphlets at his many meetings. It is displayed in the William Morris Gallery on the first floor.

In this case the fisherman sits in his boat, his feet on the bag, head absorbed in his book, he has let his oars go, and the fish are trying to up end the thing. Swifts circle the scene with one perched on the end of the transom, there are frogs and other wildlife included.

You can find out more about the wetlands here; www.walthamstow-wetlands.org.uk

the William Morris Gallery here; www.wmgallery.org.uk

and Inky-Cuttlefish here; www.inkycuttlefish.com

E17 Art Trail 2017

Its been a strange trail for me this year, I am spread very thin, and trying to catch up with myself. I’ve run out of energy, mainly down to not breathing well I think, pollution no doubt has a big part to play in that on top of life little ravages. But I tuned 70 in the middle of it. The day itself contained lots of flashing lights, due to a migraine, a sick child, and a brawl outside the pub I was having a meal in, not uneventful. But after surviving cancer twice some times I never thought I would get here so minor distraction don’t really count. I’m look forward to see what the future brings have decided I must pace myself a lot better.

The Art Trail finds me at ten venues, I’m not sure how that happened, perhaps next year I can have my own trail;

6b, “Steam”, finds me with a little lino-cut or two as does…

6e, “Mechanical (re) production”,

6f, “Lives Little Hang-ups”, a display of mobiles and other sculptures hanging from the roof of the studio. All at, Gnome House and Inky Cuttlefish Studios, 7 Blackhorse Lane.

13b, “Wonder”, I have a lino-cut entered in the group show. The Mill, 7 Coppermill Lane.

75c, “Building Bridges”, last weekend,the 10th and 11th there was a participatory event to build bridges from a pile of found materials. Get to grips with the real alternative to building walls, building communities. St Barnabas Church, St Barnabus Road.

93, “Open Studio”, again this the doors of Mitre Studios open for you all to have a good look around, cakes, tea and coffee in good supply, this will be the last weekend 17th and 18th, 12 till 6. Mitre Studios, r/o 2 Greenleaf Road.

99a, “Gentrification”, I have a snappy little sculpture in this timely group show. E17 Art House, 54 Hoe Street.

100, “Art and Food”, in my case a selection of prints on the saucy end of the spectrum. The Italian Delicatessen, 38 Hoe Street.

117, “Walthamstow International Film Festival”, I have an entry into the festival, don’t blink you will miss it, but it was shortlisted. My young friend Leon made the sound track, and very well he did it too. Vestry House Museum, Vestry Road, and the Empire Cinema.

OTMa, “1000 swifts over Walthamstow”, attached to the front of my house is a sculptural collaboration with Alison Vickers, 45 Lloyd Road.