Putting your own house in order

Since i last wrote i have been involved in one or two exhibitions,one entitled The Big Society.This was a window exhibition at Space Station Sixty-Five in South London.The theme of the show attracted a lot of comments and stimulated strong'visual reactions'to the subject.The reference for the show came originally from the earstwhile conservative Leader(now Alliance leader),who chose this phrase rather sanctimoniously i thought coming from his'rather privilaged position'.Perhaps rather than suggesting that the less well off of us should work on our community togetherness and help each other,at no cost financially.He would like to contribute to the cause from his considerable fortune,just to keep us sweet and show willing!What d'ya reccon mr cameron and whilst you're asking perhaps old Nicky C might like to chip in eh!It's all very worthy and dandy of the chaps to come up with superlatives to describe the stoicism of the British people in hard times but please'DON'T HUMOUR US'with your patronising anicdotes to our troubled communities,better still change the f...ing system and redistribute the wealth that your consecutive governments would rather witter away on your own Big Ideas without listening to the rest of us.For my part i do feel that i am available for consultation,consideration and reflection on the status Quo at anytime that Mr's campbell&clegg et al care to call.Lift up your eyes and Not your noses at us please dear boys and try and imagine what whipped boys and girls are feeling..i don't hold out much hope from the imagination point of view however..so i'll just have to try and put My own house in order!Later's..

Big Brother Another Step Closer

Well, it has been awhile since i felt driven to write my thoughts but i have been prompted and now prodded hard by my conscience,nee my downright FEELINGS!
We all have our Best Instincts presumably,sorry i'll speak for myself.I am trying to Recognise My Best Instincts but it is difficult to maintain One's own Integrity in the matter of Instincts, when one is Constantly reminded that those in Political Power simply Abuse their own'best instincts' and use their power to exploit advantage over other's with less power.
You may be beginning to get the Gist of what i'm on about,i think i am and it is that i feel qestions need to be asked and that individually we all need to respond,'with insinct'hopefully, at the woeful way Our Latest Incarnation of Government are about to exploit the Workers again, in order to maintain their own tenuous authority.
When you look out across the Channel to other European Communities we can see the people out on the streets making their FEELINGS FELT,EXPRESSING their Democratic Rights and yes we have done it here too but by more passive means.It is fascinating to me how both Long Suffering we are and how ready we are, as a Community, to take our medicine lying down?. Either it is a Phallacy that we people are really suffering,or is it that we British have been so well brought up that we simply'Know our Place',(see Divide and Rule)and we have'nt got the motivation to make a stand against the Ruling Class, which is what we've got,innit,after all.
Perhaps our own'Individual conscience,enlightenment,call it what you will',is a question for us''Individually'.But my point is, if we really want to change the Status Quo in our Society then we have to change the System under which we are Governed and also change ourselves from within.
Their, i feel better now and it did'nt cost you me or anyone else a penny!
The Big Society is Working after all!

Flashman and co

And so another chapter begins,or should it be continue's.After all, this has always been an Establishment led country,a who you know not what you know sort of regime.The old school tie brigade are well and truly back in force now at least. So what we are now supposed to swallow is the culture of the impersonal,the rather faceless and cut-out character's of the well scrubbed up(nee pinkish)ex public schoolboys who inevitably stuck together when ganging up on the chubby boy in the playground.
So when the dust has settled on the cutting room floor,a cut here,a plaster their,a bit of fudge and a lot of despair.
For me i am mourning the passing of personality,carved out of real life. The Cult of the Personal as it may become known.The Extinction of the distinction or definition. Style over substance,rhetoric above feeling,meaning not believing.
The new number two can morph into number one at a moments notice. The loyal fag to his superior flashman.
We will see how it plays out when Nick is challenged in the house to defend his principles,will David the gallant knight ride to his defence or laugh at him like all the rest? Perhaps we will see the re-making of old Labour values? but i don't see that somehow.The conveyer belt of new politics is irreversable now.The new model just tripping off of the production line.No more daring models,an Aston Martin or an E-Type Jag to sneekily covert.But rather something more mid-range more predictable more dull and certainly comotosed.
So nothing left to write home about or get the kids up late for a treat to watch pass by. But now a faceless model,instantly forgotten and disturbingly bland.Oh no what have we done.Are we really now in safe hands with our economy?Is this what it comes down too,i guess so for many. The cult of no personality,the politics of blandness and conformity and a lack of inspiration..i am already whistling a sad lament.

Letting off steam

So much for tactical voting then.
It seems that the Great British Electorate has lost it's collective nerve again at the polling booth door! Forgive me if i am mistaken but was'nt there a lot of talk about 'time for change' . Mr Clegg seemed to all too briefly capture the imagination of a New Generation and Old disillusioned Labour Voters alike. But alas this has'nt translated into a radical change in voting. I know i am just a little naive. When push comes to conscience it seems that 'most people 'stick to the old ways, the ways 'they know best'. I guess a lot of this is to do with history, tradition and all those other tried and rather tedious habits that 'most people' usually fall back on, at the end of their day's.
It is true i am not entirely Anglo-Saxon by bloodline (and probably my quarter French blood has affected that line anyway!)but i do think more idealistically and possibly 'outside the box' of politics. It seems like an altogether one-dimensional view of our world to me.
My idealism would demand more Ideology in politics and sadly this seems to have passed by long ago since.
Current generations are offered 'No particular vision for life' and No particular vision for Society. My local Candidate for the Liberal Democrats did speak to me in a human voice and with human principles which i was encouraged by. He spoke of 'listening to the local community' and creating more localised governance which makes sense where i live. But sadly as the system is Locally, so it is Nationally as well. My town is only one of three towns in an area served by one Single MP .
And so even if we all wanted this man as MP in our town it requires those in the other two Towns to want the same! How can this work for everyone? It cannot obviously. So our democracy is'nt really representing the desires of almost two-thirds of those who voted, again! Maybe Nick will still compromise and fall in with Labour and help change this Dickensian voting system of our's, but he is apparently a man of his word and so he'll play it safe and give Cameron his head instead.
Their are moments in life when one feels like taking up arms against this human malaise and just shout from the rooftops and take over the pavements...but that's me, looking for enlightenement,looking for a meaning or collective purpose in this life. But i guess that's all just down to me in this type of democracy..facing those questions alone, letting off steam and then carrying on looking!

Keep it Real

We were out in Margate last night.To witness the beginning of a new chapter for the rundown seaside town. So the publicity went. Tracey was in town to present her Neon artwork and to help promote the imminent opening of the Turner Contemporary gallery. Tracey made a moving statement about her love for her Margate and how it moved her to see so many happy faces before her and against the beautiful herring bone sky. Her artwork, title, ”I never stopped loving you", expressed her fondness for her home time, quite wistfully i thought and this seemed to be reciprocated by her local fan's who had replicated the sign in town by responding, ”we never stopped loving you too Tracey”. Tracey’s Neon shone out in pink across the harbour bay and one hopes that the sentiment is grasped by locals and visitor’s alike,in helping to make Margate feel loved again. We are all culpable and a bit responsible for the development in our towns. What they are and what we hope they may become. Margate is no exception. What i like about Margate though is it's own particular culture, which is grounded in it's predicaments and personalities .What happens when economic disenchantment arises and that indigenous community feel disenfranchised though? You cannot simply'airbrush them out'. This community may have no concern for artiness and the promotion of cultural activities. The domain of the middle classes perhaps. But these people do have reason to be in this place.
Can importing alien values really change the established culture of Margate then? Only by inclusivity ,diplomacy and engaging local residents in communal dialogues is this a way forward. Maybe Tracey being engaged in this process will help,after all she is a local girl and seems to have a genuine concern for the development of the town for all and not just the chosen few. Dream on for Dreamland was her moto and resuscitate the Margate sea front. Revisit the old seaside themes of childhood and family holiday's. Not such a bad thing. They worked the first time around so why not again?
The past has it's good points so embellishing the past ain’t such a bad thing..
Whatever happens in Margate though...let's 'keep it real'.

Ah The Sea!

When feeling displaced it is good to return to the Source..not to be mistaken for the Sauce!Like i often do..to forget you understand.
New patterns are emerging and it is easy to forget one's sense of place in the world.A groundedness in earthly things that is..nature and all that.
So to the sea!I get this terrible sense of guilt sometimes,knowing that i have this natural spectacle before me at any time i choose to remember it!Like that place within us which we never have time to'get back too'.Always something else to do.Must get busy,at least,'feel we are doing something'with our time.And so it is with me.Not easy to relax knowing i have this powerful force just a stones throw away.I think the force of nature is what raises the fear of insignificant ramblings in me..for what is the point of our human existance? It serves me best to feel that i am as an extension of this natural force,to be inspired by and reconciled with.
Perhaps in relation to the natural elements we humans have to be more assertive.When relating to each other we create meaning to hold onto?So what about our relationship to nature and the natural world?
Lots of question marks today..and so the tide goes..in and out,ebb and flow,stormy and calm,shallow and deep.So when you are feeling 'all at sea'remember your proximity to the source..ah the sea!

A good servant but a bad master !

These are the pertinent words that i received from a friend today.And indeed i concur with their sentiment..I recalled my recent sense of feeling incarcerated by my own thoughts and the trappings of an overractive mind!Any feeling that becomes intrusive may require attention but not to the detriment of all else..and i think this is the lesson..don't allow your heart to be overruled by your head!

Nothing much was overuling my body today!It was in deep revolt having stirred up viscous inks for printing yesterday.My old nemesis the 'tendonitis',flared up again and rendered me useless.In particularl my shoulders and elbows..a shiatsu massgage(pre-booked wisely!)remedied the immediate problem by relaxing the muscles in my body,pretty much everywhere!This however had the impact of what i can only imagine a lobotomy must be like!Total shutdown,mental and physical!Ah now,'the path of least resistance'principal springs to mind!But not at 1pm today when it might have ben useful.All i could do was try to resist,when i should be 'letting go'!
Evenyually i did work out how to relinquish my sense of protestant guilt!and just crashed out for an hour!
I awoke thinking of T.s Eliots Four Quartets and in particular No's One and Two..In my beginning is my End.. and..Time present and Time Past are both perhaps Present in Time Future..All relevant thoughts in relation to my sense of displacement from my body which i felt i had taken leave of!
Fortunately the'presence'of mind returned eventually and i am now able to recollect these moments with utter'consciousness'and affection!
Or maybe i have entered the twilight zone after all...
Signing off in perpetuity..!!!!!

Let your spirit move you..!

This is my third blog in as many days and it is the voice in my' head ' that is compelling now.
Like other things that become'conscious', i start to wonder about their value and meaning .
The same is true of painting pictures. As soon as i think, "i know how to do this" and proceed to carry on,just as soon that clarity can dissapear.?.This question mark signifies that the process of life for me is not straight forward. And on the contrary, when the journey seems straight forward, the more demanding it can become!
It is in the process of doing that i become aware of how 'conscious' i am. If i am not conscious or in touch with what i am doing,the more i fidget and berate myself. The more 'feeling i have' or 'consciousness' in what i am doing, the more acceptance i seem to feel. At least in that moment!
It maybe a fragile state, but this still' feels like the place to be','teetering on edges of feelings',close to perfection and close to disaster at once!
Today was such a day!
I don't know if Suki was experiencing my sort of 'proximity to disaster', but she very much helped me to stay in the creative moment. By being present and integral to the mechanics of the process of screenprinting(which is what we were doing)
I do feel that 'presence' and 'mindfullness', can bring clarity and acceptance to the passage of life and work.
I should add that the screenprinting process requires a clear focus and some understanding of the mechanics of technique, important for making good prints!
But i'm not here as a technician, but rather to say that 'your presence of mind' does allow your creative spirit to move and i hope your spirit moves you..constantly!

Don't take Liberty for freedom!

I took the decision to plan ahead for today.This may seem unusual for those Not at Liberty to plan their days but in my profession that is the choice i am at Liberty to make...the fault in this planning was the' Not planning' for unforseen circumstances!Subsequently my planning ahead was scuppered and i was left with a head full of plans of which none could now be applied! At this point i decided to' pump the tyres on my bike'.At least this was a constructive use of a reflective moment, whilst my mind was 'deconstructing' then'reconstructing' the mind-set i had already established..and to my minds credit(and not always the case)I have to say i was relieved at the way 'we' handleed the sudden change..I say we, as of course that is the dialogue i often have with my rational and irrational selves! On this occasion the rational triumphed,well at least temporarily.So the day was re-constructed,the tyres were pumped and the Studio finally beckoned!To this artist after a lean period of productivity the prospect of a studio day has been full of intrepidation as well as excitement..it can be a fragile line between balance and imbalance, ecstasy and anxiety, pleasure and pain if you will!
But hey that's the deal right!
Incarceration is as much the world of a creative mind as of any other..
Like i say don't take liberty for freedom!

Inspiration comes if only you listen! Oh and look!

I decided to start this blog today as a series of events and messages have Inspired me to do so..It seems that the human spirit 'is alive and considerate'!A good friend called today to let me know of the arrival of two Italian Traveller's to our shores in Whitstable, en route to Istanbul! When i met up with said friend it was approx 3pm with tide in recession. There stood on the foreshore a delightful Sailboat, lovingly crafted with it's two animated inhabitant's Giacomo and Jacopo happy to engage.The spectacle of their arrival and learning a little of their purpose for travelling by boat, had a striking resonance with me. In this time of grounded aircraft,Volcanic fury and the lame political overtures about saving our endangered planet.It was inspiring to meet these two men of substance, prepared to put themselves 'out their' and by their own steam,to make a point that we could all do with paying a bit of attention to.You can do that at least by tuning into their blog manontheriver.com and following their progress.
I am currently in the throws of exploring 'my own voice', my writing voice that is! Another friend has suggested that i have a certain something in the way i write,i felt encouraged enough to explore what that something might be!I have no formal idea of what a good number of words for a blog is, but i am mindful of not expressing 'all of my thoughts' so i intend to be sparing' if possible!I am not nervous but i do wonder of the virtue!But here goes!.I'm sure i'll have to do better to gain an audience and some dialogue maybe but it's an open court so please knock one back at me if you wish! May your ears and eyes be with you!