hmmmmmmm!

You know when something just makes you laugh out loud - even though it is really dumb!! This was one of those times for me.

Photography exhibition

http://www.aberystwythartscentre.co.uk/whatson/exhibitions/info/4977/

Today John and I went to see an exhibition in Aberystwyth at the arts centre. It was a look through some famous photographers eyes at English life in the 70s and 80s. It was titled "no such thing as society" which is a quote from Lady Thatcher. Obviously the title was supposed to be ironic as the images depicted the photographer's definition of our society. Images included from photographers such as - Martin Parr, Gilles Peress, Tony Ray-Jones, Jurgen Schadeberg, Graham Smith. John and I then spent an hour eating our packed lunch discussing the images and how we felt about this statement said so long ago.

Here is an image that was included by Martin Parr

Stone Roses Waterfall

There are few songs from the 80's that have remained with me and this is one of them. I think some songs become timeless to you - not to my kids of course who will think this is ancient and compares with something from the renaissance period :)

My mask project

Over the last couple of weeks I have been photographing people in masks as shown in the one of my friend Hannah I blogged a few days ago. John's Dad found a world war II gas mask. When I decided I wanted to use John as my model and how I wanted to shoot it he said "you want me to do what?" Thankfully he is so supportive of my work that he let me get the shots I wanted. :) Thank you my lovely man. I was trying to think of my next image for the series, as I have to have 6 when John suggested I do some self portraits. AAAAAAAAaaaaahhhhhhhh!!! Not something I enjoy doing as afterwards I can self hate for weeks. Thought to self 'If I really look like that I should start wearing that paper bag over my head again :)' I decided yes I would have a go and after setting up my equipment and finding my modeling light had blown again - bugger! - I had to decide what to wear. I had borrowed this mask from my friend Naomi and wasn't sure what would go with it - THE ZEBRA BOOTS! I bought these boots a while ago and felt so guilty because we really don't have the money to buy such luxuries as we find it hard keeping up with the amount of cereal our teenagers consume let alone ZEBRA BOOTS! I wanted the image to be vulnerable and not show my face or too much flesh (Bob forgive). So I put the mask on my leg instead and - because the studio was freezing - gave up after about 30 shots. True to form - I liked this one :) The rest - well I'll destroy them so any enemy of the future can't use them for blackmail purposes. So I now have 3 out of the 6.... x

My sculpture emerges

I started this sculpture in September last year. It was part of my elective for my photography degree. Once a week I would go in and work my way through the process of creating a 2 and a half foot sculpture. I have loved doing it and know that at no time in my life would I ever get the opportunity to create something like this. I chose one of my photos as a theme, one of my friends Andy and Hazel I took of them silhouetted in the studio. I then produced a maquette (which is french word for scale or model) of what I wanted to do with clay. I then produced a wooden frame to hold the clay of my final clay scultpture which was then destroyed after I made a mold from it - have I lost you yet? Thought so anyway in the end I have a plaster mold which is much lighter than the clay one. da da!!! It is now at college being assessed - I see this as a one off experience and glad I did it - although it was hard work... much more work than the 20 credits achieved were worth. :)

Just a fab song

Lately David Gray

SAFE

love the song more than the montage. Travis Safe. This song reminds me of my relationship with John and how when you are in a good relationship and have the safety of a haven you can achieve anything you want.

microwaves

My baroque session

6
Originally uploaded by custardmonkeys

Some more images I have from this shoot are here.

Fire starter!!!

This song has real significance to me... When ever I am in an emotional situation and I am desperately trying not to cry I sing this song in my head and it is like giving me a slap in the face :) Helps me keep that british stiff upper lip lol....

Frank

It actually snowed here last night. The kids went right out and scraped up enough snow to create Frank the snowman. I thought it was fab and took a photo.... apparently that is his pet mouse jack in front of him. It has snowed all day but the ground is too wet and it is not sticking so Frank is our only evidence that it actually snowed in Wales this year. :)

Cherry Ghost

flirting with the sun

prevention?

Sleeping on sunlight by Frank Steele

Part of a Legacy

I take pillows outdoors to sun them
as my mother did. "Keeps bedding fresh,"
she said. It was April then, too--
buttercups fluffing their frail sails,
one striped bee humming grudges, a crinkle
of jonquils. Weeds reclaimed bare ground.
All of these leaked somehow
into the pillows, looking odd where they
simmered all day, the size of hams, out of place
on grass. And at night I could feel
some part of my mother still with me
in the warmth of my face as I dreamed
baseball and honeysuckle, sleeping
on sunlight.

Easter Hols.

the slide
Originally uploaded by custardmonkeys

The kids have had a couple of weeks off school now and we are just getting to the point where some of the kids - I wish all, are starting to sleep in and we are enjoying the pace of holiday time. Then we will have to go back to getting up early and running around like mad people again. My older kids took a picnic to a close by river for a walk today and the younger ones stayed with me playing in the garden with sand and jumping on the trampoline.... love it when we are outside and they are all away from computers, t.v.'s, game consoles. Childhood is so precious I hate it when they spend chunks of it mesmerized by a screen and their brain working on half a cylinder.

eternal love, maintain thy life in me

by Sir Philip Sidney

Leave me, O Love, which reachest but to dust;

And thou, my mind, aspire to higher things;

Grow rich in that which never taketh rust;

Whatever fades but fading pleasure brings.

Draw in thy beams and humble all thy might

To that sweet yoke where lasting freedoms be;

Which breaks the clouds and opens forth the light,

That both doth shine and give us sight to see.

O take fast hold; let that light be thy guide

In this small course which birth draws out to death,

And think how evil becometh him to slide,

Who seeketh heav'n, and comes of heav'nly breath.

Then farewell, world; thy uttermost I see:

Eternal Love, maintain thy life in me.

and from me

thinking of you