It's Art Darling!

It's been a little over a fortnight since I last posted, but it feels like an age.  The weather's been challenging.  Naturally, as soon as I decided to pack away some of my dead-of-winter clothes, the temperature plummeted.  In the last couple of weeks, we've had rain, storm force winds, sunny spells, hail, rain, dramatic clouds, rain, frost, the most incredible weekend of sunshine (more of that shortly) and yes, you guessed it, rain!

I was forced to abandon a planned Steampunk styled wedding shoot due to a key supplier dropping out at the last minute, which was frustrating to say the least.  However, I consoled myself with the fact that it would probably have been abandoned in any event due to the incessant rain.  After licking my wounds for a short time, I'm now in the early stages of planning a styled wedding shoot paying homage to the 1960s.  Here's a glimpse of my mood board.

In the meantime, what have I been up to?  Well, I took the train into the heart of our second city, Birmingham.  Departing from Stourbridge Junction, it occurred to me that this little station has to be one of the most aesthetically pleasing railway stations in the West Midlands.  

It even has its own resident cat, George.  Sadly George was too busy hunting to pose for a photo when I visited.  He's also very busy with his publicist, having his own Facebook page to maintain.  Link here if you're interested.  Facebook

My chosen destination, Digbeth, is undergoing a process of regeneration (or gentrification).  Since my last visit, there have been subtle but notable changes, including some pavement planting areas and garden benches.  The laying of the tram lines continues in earnest.

Whilst I enjoyed a wander around Red Brick Market, I think some of the units were possibly in the process of changing hands.  A number of the units were being cleared on the day of my visit, so the market felt a great deal emptier than usual and I left empty handed.  However, the real star of the show is Digbeth's vibrant and ever changing street art, captured here with my iphone (as much as I love the place, I don't really want to risk taking my big girl camera).

Thanks for the offer Ozzy!  Don't mind if I do!

A favourite rainy day activity - and there have been many rainy days lately - is trawling around Antiques Centres.  My Mom accompanied me on one such visit and had fun trying on some of the vintage hats.  

What passes for antiques these days never ceases to amaze me.  With nothing really catching my eye, I made it my mission to photograph some of the more kitsch and downright bad taste items for sale.  

Which one is your favourite?

With all of this inclement weather, I've decided that one can never have too many pairs of boots.  Here are some recent additions.  

Frye boots.  I've had these for a while, but forgot to share them.  They were a Vinted purchase, but so much more comfortable and lightweight than my Frye Campus knee high boots.

I've replaced my old, cracked DMs with a blue patent pair.  Another Vinted purchase, they were new without the box and a fraction of their retail sale price.

We may not be enjoying much in the way of spring weather, but the garden is doing its thing.  The ferns are unfurling...

...and the Euphorbia is out.

Walks have been less frequent.  That can't continue.  We have wet weather gear, but the icy wind takes much of the pleasure out of it.  However, on one of our walks, we encountered this handsome fellow staring intently at his owner, willing her to join him in the pond.

I snapped up this little studded cross body Topshop bag - perfect for housing my essential working accoutrements; those bits and pieces that won't fit into a camera bag full of lenses, namely lip balm, specs, phone and lens wipes.

In other news, the film poster for the short film I recently took stills for, has dropped.  

Spurred on by being asked to submit a photograph for the film's publicity, I set up my tripod and took a few photographs.  Now you all know I'm not that comfortable in front of the camera, but it's always a good working exercise.  For your information, it's also very laborious as I use what is technically referred to as "the running back and forth method."  Basically, this means set up camera, focus on a spot, try to run to said spot, strike a pose and hope for the best.  I know, I know, I should probably set up a remote trigger or tether my camera to my phone, but I feel just a tiny bit pleased with myself when I get it right.  I like to suffer for my art!

In the event, I used none of the photos from the rainy day session and just sent them an iphone snap from last year.  Tut tut!

Life is full of strange and funny coincidences.  Last year, we met local artist Dion Kitson in the rubble of The Crooked House.  He insisted I took his photograph.  

He has a great sense of humour and he and Gareth got along quite well; Dion creating witty signs expressing the community's outrage, Gareth salvaging pieces from the rubble to create a fireplace/bar "shrine" incorporating rather telling petrol cans and a urinal (just out of shot) scrawled with "Taking the p**s".

I nearly spat my wine out when he popped up on Channel 4's Late Night Lycett as the man behind the fake Banksy that had made the news recently.  Comedian Joe Lycett and Dion are friends and collaborated on a recent fake story, creating a piece of art with all the Banksy hallmarks, to see just how many fake stories they could get into the press.  Here's the story:

Joe Lycett behind Banksy mural hoax in Birmingham - BBC News

As for The Crooked House story.  The owners have appealed the order to rebuild.  The hearing is scheduled for August.

So that brings me pretty much up-to-date.  Last weekend, I photographed the most amazing festival wedding (think black dress, bluebells, neurofunk and golden hour portraits), so I'm now busy working through approximately 400 photographs, so forgive me if I don't leave a comment on your blog.  I'll be having a mega catch up later this week!

West Midlands Wanderer

The West Midlands area has been buzzing.  For once, it's not Peaky Blinders we have to thank for our popularity, but the Commonwealth Games.  

As of last Thursday, we had yet to visit our second city to soak up the atmosphere, although the cycling timed trials competitors directly passed Himley Hall, a ten minute drive from our front door.  Unfortunately, I wasn't able to find out any information on the start time, so to get a glimpse of the action would have meant carrying a deck chair, finding a suitable spectator's spot and camping out potentially for hours.  Later, there were tales of woe from neighbours who successfully found a spot, only for their view to be obscured by a load of late comers who thought nothing of taking up a position directly in front of them, resulting in some stereotypical British behaviour.  Say nothing, but stew inwardly and have a good moan later.  

We watched the action live from the comfort of our sofa, which was weird given how close events were unfolding and I was a little disappointed to not capture any of the action with my camera. Mercifully we were able to see all of this without anyone's balding head obscuring our view.  There was much excitement when one cyclist crashed on the bend and some hesitancy as to the best course of action.  Whilst the unfortunate athlete tried in vain to free his bike from the barrier, the team took a little too long in taking the decision to provide him with a replacement.  Given my lack of visuals, I'll let my friend Lynne's brilliant photo do the talking, captured on the outskirts of Wolverhampton.

Photo:  Lynne Hewitt (@wmidsphotos)

Post road closures, we visited Himley for an evening walk around the Capability Brown landscaped grounds and the lake.  Incidentally, is there a country house or stately home in the UK not landscaped by Capability Brown?  He must have been exceptionally busy during his time on this earth!

Not Brum's bull, but bulrushes, dancing in the summer breeze.

A fabulous weeping willow providing shade and texture lakeside.

Rewinding a little to last weekend, we squeezed in a visit to the ruins of Buildwas Abbey, just down the road from Ironbridge in Shropshire.  Formerly a Cistercian abbey comprising church and claustral buildings, Buildwas Abbey opened its doors in 1138, although ultimately, like many others, was suppressed in 1536 as part of the Dissolution of the Monasteries under Henry VIII.  That said, the remains are remarkable and substantial...see for yourselves.

English Heritage Strimming

As impressive and imposing as the ruins are, my favourite part and the biggest surprise for me, was the Chapter House, or meeting place for monks to discuss business, receive important visitors and mete out punishments to rule breakers. 

The details still visible in the decorative stonework blew my mind and this view instantly made me think of the work of Escher.

But even more amazing was the incredible Medieval tiled floor.  Just incredible!

Visitors, though thin on the ground, appeared perfectly in frame on more than one occasion and even a local swallow obliged me by flying into view at a particularly opportune moment.

The Abbey is managed by English Heritage and free to enter, although parking is quite limited.  I can't believe it's taken me so long to visit.

Another day, another West Midlands destination.  This time, a visit to the city of Worcester's Art Gallery and Museum, principally to see the Magic of Middle-Earth exhibition, celebrating the fantasy world brought to life by Tolkien and the generations of writers, artists, musicians, film makers, environmentalists and game designers it has influenced.  Originally written as a bed time story for the author's son and not intended for publication, a friend of the family read Tolkien's "The Hobbit" and pushed for him to publish the work.  Tolkien deliberately left parts of the story somewhat vague to encourage further development of the world in the minds of the readers. The exhibition contained around 200 rare objects and artworks, including first edition copies of the books...

...Tolkien's hand drawn map...

...artworks inspired by the world he created...

...scale models depicting key battle scenes...

...and albums featuring songs inspired by the books (including local lads Led Zeppelin and Black Sabbath).

This song, The Wizard, from Black Sabbath's debut album, was directly inspired by Gandalf. (More on Ozzy later).

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=GKY--qaHWSw

It may not surprise you to note that we were possibly the only visitors to this exhibition devoid of black hair dye and facial piercings, although curiously there was no reference to the influence of Tolkien on the "Goth" look.

We wandered off and in the time we had left on the parking meter, checked out some of the other exhibits celebrating the area's industry.

Some early incarnations of the famous Worcestershire Sauce....

A reconstructed Victorian pharmacy...

An Albatross from the Natural History section.  As impressive as this bird is, I was more interested in the window reflections on its glass case!

I was drawn to this portrait and the subject's slightly troubled, pensive expression, by the Ukranian artist Meninsky.  Fast forward 24 hours and Gareth would be playing croquet at Himley Hall with a couple of Ukranian refugees (a free activity he was drawn into just before our Sunday morning walk and coffee), such is life.  War and art, two of life's constants.  

This incredible bronze sculpture by William Calder Marshall (1880) is titled "Throwing Sabrina into the Severn" and tells the story of Sabre and and her sister, Estrildis, being cast into the River Severn on the orders of their mother's lover's wife Guendolen, to remind the world of Guendolen's late husband (King Locrine's) infidelity.  It's a complicated and tangled story of love and betrayal.  You can read it for yourself here. Sabrina and the River Severn (severntales.co.uk) However, Sabre (also known as Sabrina in the Romanised language of the time) was henceforth the name attributed to the River Severn and it was known as Sabrina for centuries until it became Anglicised.  

Outside, Queen Victoria was maintaining her watch outside the Worcester Crown and County Courts.

But I can't really leave this week's blog there without touching on the star attraction and location at the centre of that catchy earworm of a tune on everyone's lips right now, Brum!   Did you know we've been hosting the Commonwealth Games?  Yesterday, we finally made it into our second city on the final day of the games.  In 27 degree heady heat, we walked in through Digbeth, where the local street artists had made their own Commonwealth Games tribute to a young Scottish boxer.

In the centre, the city was heaving, awash with colour and the party was still in full force.

We obviously headed to the star of the show.  Nope, not this one (which incidentally, I have to thank for putting my back out after daring to bend at a 45 degree angle after doing so well lately).  

This one!

I got a little carried away with my camera, desperate to capture the bull from a different angle.  For the sake of this blog post and for my own sanity, I created a Facebook album of the day, which you are welcome to view here.  (1) Facebook

I confess I became somewhat fixated with the bull's rear end and his impressive chain and anchor tail.  I suppose you could say it's a bum ting! 

Vix will be pleased to learn that we also finally made it to Dishoom, the Indian Restaurant on Chamberlain Square, savouring our choices of Chilli Broccoli Salad, Gunpowder Potatoes and Dishoom Chicken Tikka Rolls, washed down with a Kingfisher beer.  I was persuaded to try the Basmati Kheer described as "silky caramelised basmati rice pudding cooked with vanilla-infused coconut milk, cardamon and cashews, cooled a layered with blueberry compote."  All very impressive and demolished before either or us thought to take a photo, so you'll have to make do with one of us!  

We continued on our way, suitably refreshed.  As I stalked an orange haired woman through the crowds, we noticed a reassuring police presence (although the automatic weapons were new).

We ended our day with a look around Red Brick Market and made it back home in time for the closing ceremony and Birmingham's own Prince of Darkness, Ozzy, performing with Black Sabbath.  

A perfect day!  

I'll leave you with a short video of the bull in action.  In the coming days we will be heading off over the border and into Wales for a much needed break.  Don't hesitate to leave a comment.  I love to hear from you.  See you shortly!

It’s a Brum Ting! - YouTube