When I got to work with my thoughts on a higher plane, I found I was spending the session showing a potential KP the job. Though he was an extremely polite lad, I began to wish there was a form of intelligence there that I could begin to understand, and then communicate with. If there was a wrong way to do something, he tried it every time, coupled with an almost fervent desire to not follow instructions from me. When he left, a waitress said to me, 'He went to college with my friend, he is really strange.' Which made me feel sad to hear him described as such. But I don't think life as a KP is the best job possible for him.
Wednesday saw me return to the lovely world of Butser Ancient Farm, to see the progress of the Saxon longhouse. It is very exciting to see, as part of it is now vertical.
It was very pleasant to be there, chatting to John, Darren and Vivienne as they worked away. Whilst John was hewing, I talked about the lad from the day before, and the comment that was made, and John said 'Well I suppose that's what people call me' which led to another world of thought. 'Different' is a more apt word, if I were to choose just one word. 'Eccentric', if I was able to choose two. For many people, as soon as there becomes a difference, labels like strange, odd, or weird are used. Two years ago, I did a lot of thinking about our perception of what 'normal' is, and how vastly different this can be. And also how difficult it can be when your idea of normal differs from many others.
The result of this was an artwork I created, called 'It Depends What You Call Normal'
The fluffy pink rabbit in the drawing is my childhood pink pyjama case rabbit called Normal. We three each had one for Christmas when we were very young. Simon said, my bunny looks cuddly I'm going to call mine Bunny Cuddles, Mark said his looked sweet, and called his Sweet, and I looked at mine and said 'He looks normal.' And Normal he became.
Returning to Butser, I patted all the saddle-back pigs and fed them some grass, I saw the week old kid, Sorrel, with her mum, and then Vivienne and John took me to a place where the public are not allowed, to see adders basking on a log! I had never seen an adder in the wild, and I hadn't ever expected to do so, but I am so pleased I did. And more than one, too.
Then John took me to see the anaconda.
An artwork in progress. It is awaiting it's markings now. This is a lunch break project I hasten to add.
Wednesday was also Book Club. There was no discussion about the book. Only one person had read it, which had made Mr Cooper a bit more tetchy than usual as I had finished it at the weekend, spending a sunny afternoon reading on my own instead of doing 'weekend' things.
One of the group hadn't read the book, and opted to do something else. One was a book behind, and was prepared to discuss last months choice, and the other 2 did not yet have a copy. It was decided to go to the Wine Vaults instead, and drink wine. The discussion will now take place in September which means I will have to read it again, as I can't trust my memory that much! (428 pages, small print)
Returning to 'normal', apparently being an artist isn't 'normal', which is always a surprise to me, as it is what I am. And with a lot of people, anything different is avoided or ignored, which means that you do get used to some people you know having no interest at all in what you are doing, and not wanting even to see what you are working on! 'Getting used to' doesn't make it feel right, though. What a blessing to have a blog, where I can force my ideas and images onto people, on a weekly basis!
And thank you all for continuing to read it.
My book this week is going to provide the base for the 'Mousie Mousie' cake, which I need to make for next weekend. A few years ago son John gave me a lovely book for Christmas, which was right up my street.
A few months ago, John remarked, a little sadly I thought, that I hadn't made any of the recipes yet. So another project is to bake from this book. Yellow Butter Cake will be the base for my Mousie decorations. Yum yum. I think the result might be a little to kitsch for Martha's tastes, but sadly not for mine. Perhaps that is why I am happiest in the kitschen!
And after a meeting on Friday with Sonia about 'Memory Cushions', I am now spending the rest of summer making examples using my own photos, ready for work in September. This is a project that I am really enthusiastic about, and I will keep you posted with my examples as they are produced.
First step, collect some photos.
On Saturday, I did a guest appearance as KP at Woodfire, where Sam is the junior sous. What a treat, and how different from my last shift at 'The Greyhound', where my patience finally snapped at the way I have been treated at the end of each service by an agency chef. I became so incensed at the repeatedly thoughtless way that I was treated as a lowlife form, that many expletives were used as I hurled the pots and pans into and around the sink. The message did get across, and the other 2 chefs became immediately extremely helpful, whist feeding me homemade truffles too.
Expletives and anger, if seldom used, do have a dramatic effect!
So, Woodfire………numerous cups of tea, some of them Earl Grey, breaks outside in the sunshine even though I don't smoke, 3 fun and funky chefs to work with, my playlist coming through the speakers, and avocado and peaches being fed to me. The only possible draw back was that it did get very busy, but the work is so light compared with The Greyhound, that it is almost like playing at washing up. I must go back soon, as Tom Barney is leaving soon, which will be such a loss to Woodfire, and to Sam!
4 o'clock, £49 and 3 peaches later, I went to Owslebury to hand over my crucifixion work to Nigel. I had spent a lot of Saturday saying to Sam 'I do hope he likes it' and Sam saying 'He will', which he did. Always a relief, and a happiness too, to create something that is what that person really wants. To make their idea into the image they want is a part of my work that I find challenging and ultimately so enjoyable.
Now, commissions over until I get my 'Seagull' instructions, I am returning to Fluffy in heaven,
Surrounding Fluffy soon will be flying mice, and flying bottles of creamy milk. Fluffy was extremely found of both of these, but I am sure that in heaven they will be able to exist together without conflict!
And how can I talk about cats and flying objects without thinking about 'Flying Kittens'. I painted this after a dream in which kittens were flying so happily above beautiful countryside. I am so pleased to be looking after it until its owner has room for it (it is a very large painting) and I am so happy that its owner is my niece Rowan, as I have grown so fond of the painting, and I know it could not be going to a more appreciative home.
( I hope you are having fun making music around Europe this summer, Rowan!)
So next week it would be lovely to show you a fantastic 'Mousie mousie' cake, and completed flying mice and milk bottles. And wouldn't it be fantastic if I had some work accepted in the National Open Art competition. But who knows what will happen.
I do hope that you all enjoy a good week until then, doing whatever is normal for you!
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