Graffiti Artist or Object and Memory

Gra ffiti Artist or The Object and the Memory 

                                      

Day four week one was unusual but totally fascinating and not unlike the art of psychometry.

We had an A3 piece of heavy paper which we tore into pieces and re-assembled on a board, gluing it down so that was a new shape, and painted on a texturising medium.

While that dried we were invited to choose from a wide range of random objects such as a piece of twisted rope, an old enamel mug with a rusty hole in the bottom, old kettles, exotic seedpods and farming implements.

Having identified our object we spent the next hour in silence getting to know it. We had to describe it as though to a blind person: the heft, the material, the purpose, the texture.

Then we were asked to extend our writing to the story behind the object. Who owned it? Why? When? For how long?

Before I knew what was happening I had a name and the history of this man’s life and the part the old enamel mug played in his life.  

Returning to the coated paper, by now dry, we were asked to spend about 30 minutes using pencils and charcoal to write, scribble, print all the words and ideas behind the object all over the paper. Then rub it with a rag to ghost the words.

This was the surface upon which we now had to create an observational drawing.

I can only show you mine but they were all fascinating.

I did another one for my weekend homework project and I anticipate those of you who know me well will appreciate what drew me to this particular object and yes the number and the letter were reversed

                                                   

It is still raining everyday and my friends have been suggesting brands of wet weather gear that I might consider buying via Amazon and warning me that they are considerably expensive.  One of the local students suggested that I use my lunch break to pop along to the only charity shop in the village to see if they had anything suitable.

 It was that or Inverness and Inverness is 57 miles away!

I found a bright yellow pair of waterproof trousers. Unfortunately they were to fit a person aged 9 – 12. It had an elasticated waist and by now I was getting desperate. So I struggled into them and they did indeed come half way up my hips and six inches off the ground but I couldn’t actually walk in them. They were far too tight and were in danger of cutting off the blood supply to my nether regions.  A woman came into the shop and taking one look at me burst out laughing.

“What on earth are you wearing? You look ridiculous!”

Yes, I did know that.

Then to my surprise she said, “If you‘re that desperate and are handy with a needle and thread, I‘ve a pair in the boot of my car that I can give you. They have a couple of small tears in them, but you would be welcome to have them.”

And nipping smartly outside, she retrieved said wet weather trousers from her car and presented me with them. I am very grateful. They will do very nicely for the time being.

Day Five – Lechmelm Gardens

The whole week was spent creating art in tones of black and white.

                               

 

I love colour and by day five, a work on your own day, I needed some colour in my life, so I played hooky and drove just 3 miles out of the village to visit Leckmelm Gardens.

 It’s a Victorian Aboretum and even this late in the season was wonderful. It was also deserted and I had the 12 acre site to myself. The Gulf Stream and the high rainfall enables rare and exotic plants and trees from all over the World to thrive.

It goes down to the shore of Loch Broom with lovely views and all the colour I could wish for in the form of rocks and seaweed.

      

           

                Thank goodness next week is all about using colour