LittleThings...

Last night, at bath time my little daughter said to me 'Mummy, will you please try to act like a normal person?' (she is five)! Am not really sure what I was doing that wasn't normal at that point. Maybe it was because I was doing a Downward Dog whilst singing 'Little Donkey'? But that is normal in my life. A few months a go we were in a shop choosing bathroom tiles and she randomly declared 'I do love the Levellers and Vampire Weekend, but I really love 'Little Donkey' the best'! Anyway.. I digress... The point is that last weekend I was at a corporate 'family' BBQ and just couldn't stop taking pictures. Little things just kept capturing me. It was that old issue of being afraid of losing a single moment, coming to haunt me again (this was the same event that sparked of the 'Big Yorkshire Skies' images). I was fascinated by the grass- it's structure, the way it fell, the little flowers growing through it, the white-sprayed patches on the games pitch. It was as though I was viewing it with fresh eyes. And the loveliest thing of all was that nobody batted an eyelid at this...After all these people work with my dad (the man who writes wonderful Jelly Baby Stories). Like father like daughter... they wouldn't have expected anything less.

I really want to use these images in some way, at some point. But for now I'm busy with the 'Big Skies' stuff. Seeing if there is any sort of possibility of translating it into glass...

My beautiful, beautiful Holderness

I was born and brought up in an area of East Yorkshire called Holderness, next to the Humber Estury. It is flat. Completely and utterly pancake-ified. Massive, endless skies. Cloud formations to die for. Consequently I have spent a lot of time out there, at first (as a teenager) my Dad and I would go out on our bikes on warm summer's evenings. Cycling the 10 miles or so to a place called 'Stoneycreek', where we could sit and look at both the river and the changing skies whilst we put the world to rights. Then, after hundreds of driving lessons, I finally passed my test, and would disappear in my Mum's white Metro for hours (I'm sure they thought I was up to no good!). I would love to be able to look back on my 'wild and rebellious' youth with a certain sense of 'ha' ness. But the reality is actually several hours sat by myself in an Austin Metro (is that the make? Can't quite remember...) staring at the landscape. Sometimes sketching with an inky pen. Sometimes taking photographs. Always thinking. Pondering. Mulling. Hence why 10 ish years on most of work is of my memories of Holderness. It's where everything that is right in my world exists. Dad took me back there last week. He always used to take me if I was upset or something bad had happened (like when I failed 2 of my A levels). Anyway, I was staying at their house for one night, back in my childhood bedroom (sadly now redecorated), and following a recent run of 'bad times' he took me there. And for that hour everything was perfect (apart from my dreadful photography- the horizons were honestly straight!). Dad was chasing the sunset and I was chasing green. Between us we got some cool snaps that I will definately use...

Other people's studios...

I have a fascination with other people's work spaces. Their studios. It's like a little glimpse inside the clutter of their minds. Especially poignant as I am currently without a proper workspace (long, long story... for another time...)

This is my Dad's studio (big time studio envy happening here). He paints and makes and tinkers in this little hideaway.