The new Ealing (Bond Street) Pop Up Shop Tenants and if I was still doing Red..

Looking good and Christmas ready - 16 Bond Street W5 5AA

I suppose like when you move house there's a certain part of you that remains - so it was good to see that Jewel and the West London Art Factory are doing a good job in the Bond Street (Ealing Pop-Up).

Gather from Natasha at MakeItEaling that they'll be opening soon.

if I was still doing Red...

So my Red 365 Project ended nearly a month ago (you can see it here)  - I'd have included this by Anish Kapoor if I was still doing it.

Anish is a celebrated British-Indian Artist/Sculptor and often produces work that arouses interest.

it's called As if to Celebrate I Discovered a Mountain Blooming with Red Flowers (1981) - I wonder why the mixture of capitals is used in the naming of this (and others too)?

This work makes people stop and look.

Paul Nash and more at Tate Britain

A wy in to Nash.

I had decided some time ago that I'd like to find out more about the British artist Paul Nash - the current exhibition at TATE Britain seemed an ideal opportunity.

The exhibition which has been running for about a month was surprisingly busy on a Tuesday (around midday)  - it's a big exhibition organised across over 9 rooms and there were lots of people who  seemed to be stuck at the start looking at his trees (so-so for me).

I did like some of his first world war paintings (room 2) including 'We are making a new world (1918)'  and it was clear that the War to end all Wars mad a deep impression on him (far more than the works generated from the second world war.

It's fair to say that Nash experimented with lots of styles and approaches, some more successful than others I  was impressed too with Month of March (1929) which plays with frames and horizontals.

I quite liked his  Welsh Collage from 1939 too.

I'm afraid though I found that Nash's work which often uses muted tones was a little dull and it was the work around 'Unit One' that was the most vibrant where other artists, like Eileen Agar (Ladybird 1936 an interesting mixture of photography and  painting ) were involved. Amongst this period a work I liked by Edward Wadsworth was also on show (Dux et Comes 1) and a work arriving at a similar form by John Bigge (Composition 1933).

Paul Nash died young of heart failure as a result of his long running asthma.

Walter Sickert in the BP Spotlight

I in fact enjoyed far more the smaller look in the 'BP Spotlight' on  Walter Sickert's encounters via Photography - Sickert often used press photographs ads his starting point (like the Peggy Ashcroft portrait below)  but he also made works around self portraits like the 'Lazarus breaks his fast).

There's a (to me) a fairly clear line between Sickert and later Pop Artists.

Variations on Peggy 

A work derived from a self portrait.

Modern Sculptures at Tate Britain 

Also enjoyed the modern sculptures in the main hall, here are some of them..

Richard Wentworth's  35°9,32°18

Another modern sculpture

Car Door ... and more by Bill Woodrow (1981)

Late November visit to Plot 202

Yes please.

So we're now in pretty much the dark days with little growing on the allotment.

Did pop down at the weekend though to pick up some potatoes and onions.


Seems that Pathways (A housing charity who oversee the allotments)  are continuing their unnecessary plans to reduce (the already reduced) allotments in Northfields - Councillors, MP and community are united in their defence of the site.

The land bequeathed by a Bishop of London for the purpose of allotment land can surely not have the purpose changed to merely act as a convenience for the charity.

An autumn late afternoon view

And what a shame if it's further decimated

Mount Carmel School - Christmas Fair

Amongst work supported by OPEN Ealing.

So another interesting experience today - being part of the Mount Carmel (School)  Christmas celebrations - their Christmas Fair, with Carols, Santa, and much more.

What was quite inspiring was how much this School is supported by the parents of the Children at the School, I gathered from Mandie the Guiding light behind OPEN's presence was that the school had flourished with help from the Diocese of Westminster and the enthusiasm of the local churches in Nortthfields.

What was then a largely Irish community now has pupils  from a wide variety of backgrounds and it was great to see the Children and parents all together untied in shared goals.

[Good to see that the School is above the national average too.]


I will say that the crowd were intent on keeping their Children happy and sales of crafts were minimal but a great bunch of people including Islamic Artist Samira Mian (who teaches at OPEN)

As the day started

Samira demonstrated her art

In the Orchard Café and localism

A Menu for Heroes

So yesterday after a great morning at the new Design Museum's home a real treat in the shape of a rather special dining occasion at nearby (to me) Orchard Café.


We had an invitation (somewhat out of the blue) to be part of a tasting experience - and if you look art the menu you can see it's something out of the ordinary (and their were two amuse bouches as well).

The bread (homemade of course) and butter (more surprisingly  also home made) were a revelation but for me favourite was the desert  (Trip to the Laundrette) could easily have graced one of those foodie banquet we've seen on TV and a nice back story too.

{Check out the Phantom Pig on Facebook}

There are I think we'd all agree plenty of cafés around - some do a great Coffee others offer nice pastries and a light lunch - well Orchard Café does that and a tremendous amount more - you've got a great place to meet and local artists work adorns the space - plus you're helping great kitchen talent - like young maverick chef  Vix.

Oh yes the company was good too

Local art adds to the ambience 

It's fair to say that Mandie who is behind much of what happens at OPEN Ealing (Arts) and the Orchard Café is always up for a challenge and as a consequence has achieved a lot.

The thing is the initiatives like this one and the work of others who promote local talent and business often go unnoticed - operations like #MakeitEaling do bring people and ideas together.

Localism -Ealing Christmas Fair

And talking of supporting local - if you're in Ealing come along to Mount Carmel School (a place not an instruction) - OPEN Ealing will be there and I'll be supporting them from 12:00 to 4:00 pm

Hope to see you there 

Welcoming at New Home of the Design Museum (Kensington High Street)

A fair description - early days

Well as I said earlier to Deyan (Sudjic)  as I welcomed visitors to the Design Museum  'Congratulations to all involved in the project to move the Design Museum to it's exciting new home@.


It's only day 2 so there are some little teething problems but visitors were tolerant to the hassles caused by new technology and wonderfully  high visitor numbers.



I wasn't able to visit all that was there - like the Fear and Love (a somewhat Dystopian peek into the future) or the over 80 strong designs of the Year area at level -1 but I saw crowds passing through the Free areas of Designers in Residence along with  Designer Maker User (both on level 2).

Users can become future ..

Makers

It was nice too to see some   familiar faces from the Shad location  in the Visitor experience team and Paolozzi's  Head of Invention out front.

Famous Head of Invention

It's been an odd thing ..

A young pretender just a couple of years ago 

Well just under  2 years since I first exhibited (at OPEN Ealing) any of my photos' and just over a year since I first started planning an exhibition at The Questors .

And about a year later at The Questors 

Just completed second stint at Pop Up Shop in 16 Bond street Ealing (Thanks Make it Ealing).


Odd that one of the things that's driven me was the 365 Project (now complete-ish) - I had this idea of showing all the pictures - and effectively I've done this now  -on a screen in the shop and youtube (and below here).

And once Helen had gone..

So next steps will start soon but need to do some tidying first.

And signing off for now

And during our opening

Technology enables communication and making cards

Wet weather 

Sadly today will be our last full day at Bond Street W5 Pop Up.


Interesting conversations and connections have been made over the last 12 or so days, a few yesterday and  one of my favourite encounters on a rainy Monday was with a Chinese visitor, a gentleman who spoke very little English.


With the help of his Apple phone I learnt that he liked landscapes (via translation 'App') and I think he kindly invited me to visit!

I don't know what happens if I call?

He showed me lots of clips of a time lapse variety he'd made during his trip and he also had impressive accessories with him.

 Christmas

It's not far now and I'm sure children will be getting excited...

Cards

Helen who has been sharing the exhibition space has encouraged me to look at creating cards (not Christmas ones though)  for sale - am finding it not as easy as it might look - size, colour and contrast all challenging will try autumn things like below.

Small translations require something different 

Time for a Change

So what has been nice over the last nearly two weeks is the interesting people who have ventured through the doors of Pop Up shop in Ealing's Bond Street -while locking up ahead of a lovely meal at nearby Spanish Restaurant (with good long term friends Nick and Susana)  a newly married couple decided they wanted the picture of Chiswick House.


As promised the young man of the couple came along and purchased next day...

Happy memories for one couple

Of course once they collected I needed to put a picture in place in the window!

And here it is one of those  Colourful food trucks now has pride of place

As change continues I start to prepare for my next project/projects - hope it engages!

All around is change but some things are unavoidable 

Well Done Pho & Local Autumn Colours

Red Tree

On my local restaurant round up yesterday  I failed to mention Pho in New Broadway - they do lovely Vietnamese style food and yesterday, marking their one year anniversary  they made a fantastic  gesture to the local Foodbank - well done to them.

Expressions of Colour

Autumn is often a spectacular feast of colour and again reminded that trees are such a variety of colours and shapes 

This selection  just from the  walk  from home to  our (appropriately labelled) Expressions of Colour  Exhibition at Ealing's 16 Bond Street Pop Up (W5 5AA)

Yellow Tree 

And the two (different trees)  together 

Around the World In Ealing's Bond Street

So after too tours of duty in the Bond Street Pop Up - I've realised that this is the road if you need to look beautiful or have something to eat - it's got 3 places for Pizza personal favourite and a Red - Nando's.

A place for great Chicken

Express to the Pizza

From Vietnam to Spain- From Japan to Italy.




Take a walk down Ealing's Bond Street and you've got a road made up of many eateries from the Grilled meat  of Flaming Cow to the delicacies of Pho - it's a right old 'Smorgasbord' - when you're tired or Bond Street W5 you're tired of eating.

Fancy a burger?

Why not take a trip to Japan?

So after you've had a lovely w/e lunch pop in to the Pop Up that Helen and I are curating until 22nd November.

Last few days

Come on in

(Oddly I think we've been to them all and yes we're going to one tonight it's Spain/Bond Street we're visiting  La Rueda de Tapas).

Tonight's venue

From the Flaming Pie to Chasing Deer

Yesterday at the the Pop-Up nice to welcome some friends and have a nice atmosphere going.

And the beat

As well as providing a great source of music Chasing Deer (great video here) were very forthcoming about their trajectory on the Music scene.

Very impressed at how switched on they are (note the branded jumpers!)

I heard (again) the other day how John Lennon said the name Beatles came from a Flaming Pie and (alternatively) they liked the name the 'Crickets' (thinking initially but wrongly that it related to the sport and the creatures) - and coming up with Beatles about Beats and the creatures)

Clever move to take their name from a viral video to get maximum impact and blimey they've really made the name their own!

Also found that their strategy is to pursue live work as well as getting the recorded music to bring them money - what they said is that there's a real move back to physical media and itunes is not the only show in town (part of the vinyl resurgence).

They're a available for a variety of functions and you might just see them busking - they've got an experienced Svengali behind them in Geoff Langston - so hope it all works for them.

Guitar 

Keyboards

And together a very good and full sound

(Apparently the event when I first saw them outside JD Sports in Ealing was from when they first started West London performing.)

The Parr Connection

Martin Parr (Photographer) has only been on my radar for about 2 years or so (during OPEN Ealing sessions)  - fair to say though he's a pretty big figure in the contemporary photography scene.

Photo's & Paintings in Pop Up

Since then he's (or rather his work)  cropped up a few times for me - on TV's Artsnight, at Tate's 'Performing for the Camera', at Barbican show he curated and at London's Guildhall where there was an exhibition of his own work.


Having said that it was really great to find that a most charming  acquaintance met through Ealing's BEAT knew (well) Martin and his work, Nigel (for it is he) told me a bit more about him yesterday in the Pop Up shop and even went as far as flattering me by offering input on my own process and buying a print.

Lucky Lips - the print chosen by Nigel

Hygiene factors and measuring our progress

Helicopters - who would have thought it would fly?

A couple of times a year I get a flurry of financial notices about my money - despite all the gloom of Brexit the last year does not seem a disaster.

When I studied for my MBA I came across the concept (in economic terms) of the Hygiene factor.

The idea (to paraphrase) is that once you've got what you need for basic 'needs' other stuff is superfluous - as one gets older it does seem to ring true.

Not a great place to live

In fact too much can be a problem in itself.


My car is well past being a shiny showroom model but I have no desire to renew (unless it becomes unreliable) -and  it feels I have enough 'stuff' to keep me amused for a few lifetimes



Many of us look at our relevant  peer groups and see where we sit and when younger it struck me as being a reasonable way of judging my life but it didn't take into account any form of contentment (which was not an issue) or even physical health.

It's odd too that we see money in different terms -for the last year or so I've enjoyed a free newspaper at Waitrose when I spent £5 (weekdays) sadly now I need to spend £10 and that slightly irritates whereas larger sums I often just shrug off.

In less than a years time (all being well) I'll have travel concessions and this is something I'm looking forward to and will add to my 'hygiene'.

Talking of Hygiene factors - I've not tried it as yet but I like the concept of a Naughty Roti - and I'll give it a spin next time I see it.

I wonder if it's Nice too?