Busy weekend

On Friday,

I met up with Mr John Kaye, a man who is always a good host and surprisingly adaptable, earlier in the week he'd been thrown into a bit of a slump at thew prospect of needing to find different accommodation in a  relatively tight timescale, happy to report this prospect has now diminished and he'll be okay at least until the end of the year.

With this still on the horizon John is looking to down-size, he's got quite a library of art books as well as many years of his own work to find space for - This September John will be part of BEAT (Ealing Art Trail) 2018 with his own Gallery exhibiting his work.

Saturday.

More than 35 years ago I was quite heavily involved with ITV's Teletext transmission, Oracle  (a sort of early Digital TV interactivity ) I was very luck to be working on a project headed up by Norman Green who was the senior Engineering figure at the time at ITV - Norman was very patient with those he worked with and has been a great and supportive friend over the years.

The cameraman looks distracted 

This year has been the 50th Anniversary of his marriage to Sandra and to mark the achievement they held a special Lunch at Surrey Golf Club - it was a smashing event - very pleasant guests (some who I knew) and a fantastic meal - thanks to Norman And Sandra.

Swan Visitors to Harrow Open Studios 

What was a highlight for me was to see Michael Cox who I recall from a RTS training weekend  in single camera   shooting, Michael was by then MD of his own TV technology company (a very important piece of equipment in the 1980's)  but so much fun - good to see he's still going strong.

Also met up with George who had worked with Norman at ITCA and Pat Watson from my days at ITN -only hope some of my video recording of the event is view-able (as a slightly spooky connection to seeing Michael Cox again I was on DV recording for the meal and speeches).

and Sunday

A friend of mine , Gordon Cookson who is a an Artist/Crafts- Person  specialising in Wood Turning was a little indisposed following a 'procedure'  and asked if I'd step in and help man his artefacts at Harrow Open Studios - although not too much sold it was pleasant enough day with friendly gang out in Harrow including talented ceramicist Zalina Dewan 

(I'll be there with photographs in November)

Some of Gordon's Work

Ealing arts - BEAT 2017 get your applications in ..(79)

Tim Layden talks to visitors  

Last year had a genuinely lovely experience as part of the first Ealing Art Trail - got to spend time in a nice venue with Tim Layden, Gordon Cookson and (the near legendary) John Kaye  -at the Orchard Café in West Eaing (Thanks Mandie).

We're not sure that the same chance will be on offer this year but would encourage people with work to show during the two w/es and to get involved.

Here's all the stuff you'll need..

John adds up his takings

Gordon - There's a season (Turn Turn Turn) 

£102 20

THE BOROUGH OF EALING ART TRAIL

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Doors

The West End wander continues

I used to work in this street (at No 48)

A flavour of 'Art Deco'

All about Hénri and (10)

Not really they're  just by the West Ealing Mosque now

I really like the way that OPEN Ealing is developing and this as a result of  several people having a vision and working to achieve it -I'm sure there are lots of people doing this but  the people who I know there are Mandie Wilde and Nick Pearson.

Last night was the delayed (and final) lecture by Nick in his a Pie, a Pint and a Painting series - in fact the service will resume quite soon but as a Pie, a Pint and a Painter  and there were signs on yesterday's session that this was where it was going - although the talk was presented as the Painting ' Salon de rue la rue des Moulins' it pretty much covered the man himself (all four foot eight inches).

The current home of W13's Café Society

The evening comprises of a talk from Nick, (which includes the opportunity to interject and question) a drink (or two) and certainly last night a delicious pie.


Probably many of us are familiar with his dramatic 'flat' posters for the cabarets  but there was also a lot of 'real' paintings and drawings that Henri completed in his short life (he was only 37 when the combination of alcohol and syphilis brought his life to an early end).


The chance to see and have described works by Lautrec and others who had clearly influenced him (like Van Gogh  and Katsushika Hokusai )  was a real pleasure - certainly seeing an image of the  sympathetic portrait of Van Gogh that Lautrec made was a surprise to me .

In fact I went along to the session with John Kaye who happened to bring along a journal  he had that included an article on Lautrec - the book was 70 years old!

[Interesting that the way Nick described Lautrec's physical condition was that it  came about as result of accident and the practice of family inbreeding  designed to keep the wealth of the nobility amongst an elite coterie.]

Now a respectable £16.04

And back on the year longs.

I suppose I'm creating the rules as I proceed - minimum increase in a day £1.01 maximum £4.99 (unless a sudden windfall appears)  - now going well.

The doors I can record at anytime but no duplication - and preferably I will be in a position where I have a choice of at least two doors - (but am already finding  this part a challenge).

I gotta get out more

My favourite by far (so far)

EAG 101st Exhibition and Flaming Cow

Art and Artists at Ealing Town Hall

Nice to be able to take advantage of our invitation to EAG's 101st exhibition at The Town Hall yesterday - concur with the sentiments in the opening announcement on how the year has disappeared so quickly.

Spike 2 by John Kaye

Odd to think so much has happened in that year, politically London has a new Mayor and we're on our out of the EU (more on that shortly) . On a bigger scale the planet continues to heat .



Some nice work from John Kaye, upcoming exhibition collaborator Helen Trevisiol Duff and Eileen Reding (as well as lots of people I know less well) - if you're in the area over the next 3 days go and take a look (Ealing Town Hall) admission is free.

Flaming Cow

A place for a dirty burger

After we'd had a good look around we decided to go and have what might be described I suppose as one of those 'Dirty Burgers' - new-ish place called Flaming Cow (one of two branches so far).

Very nice burger - reasonable prices interesting selection of drinks and  good friendly service probably won't be too long before we're back.
[I'd like to see this and other restaurants giving complimentary 'digestifs' or at very least mints - small cost but helps to make an impression.]

Back in the Ealing Gazette and Red 15

As shown in paper and ...

Seems like quite a break on an appearance for one of my photographs in the local paper both in terms of  having a picture there and the time between submission and publication (I'm not sure if there's a guideline working here that stops the picture being 'News' as it would have been when submitted and a general readers' picture which it could be now).


The picture was of local artist and co-BEAT participant John Kaye -nice to see it, but it reminded me of why I prefer to show my own photographs' as I'm not a fan of the way it was cropped.

A more complete illustration of John

[they changed my words too -these were mine

The Ealing ART Trail (BEAT)  weekends this month  had a great range of Arts and Artists.

One of busiest venues was The Orchard Cafe and the big hit there was John Kaye (94) with his Modernist Sculptures, John's already planning his exhibition for 2017 ]

Red 15

This is another flavour of Red from local shopping centre

A Red Tent with a rather odd window detail

BEAT Fallout and Red 21

Local artist John Kaye impressed

Nice to get out yesterday and meet a couple involved in the (BEAT) Ealing Art Trail last month - as well as reaching out the initiative has also worked as a networking opportunity - hopefully we'll be able to help one another in the coming months (before the next event|).

Sometimes it's good to just step in and do a small favour with out needing to make invoices and go all 'business-like'.

The work that was shown during BEAT w/es and the fields covered by those involved is pretty wide -

For hire (or to help)

Hi-Fi Phone calls

Some time back I mentioned I'd had a very good quality phone call (mobile to mobile) - another one last week - be interesting to know what the conditions are for these - they're great (do you know?)

Red 21

Only 3 weeks more of the 'Reds'

Here's a local estate agent who is using the colour in their message

The First Day of Ealing's New Art Trail and Red 52

Step right this way

So yesterday saw the unveiling of BEAT to the public at large - sadly the fact that those taking part are hosting at specific sites for the two weekends means that my impression is restricted to the location we're at.




Having said that we had visitors from shortly after 4:00 pm when the event kicked of to shortly before 8:00 pm when Day 1 finished felt good.

Our visitors though  spoke about other locations (specifically HelenTrevisol Duff's in Hanwell) in glowing terms.

John Kaye's Modernist work spans 50 years

He uses a mixture of materials 

John (Kaye) is undoubtedly the senior figure amongst us and has around 40 works on show.

Our visitors showed a genuine interest 

This one's called 'Forest Dance

What was really rewarding was how much work 'individual' visitors put into their visits- really engaging with the work .


Surprisingly tiring but by the end of the day we were operating as a group across our space and there'll be more on the other Artists in the soon to open (to West Ealing public)  Orchard Cafe (Gordon Cookson and Tim Layden) to come in the next couple of days

Red 52

Another satisfying thing is being able to enjoy a fine Red home produced Tomato Juice

 [see the latest rough cut of the ongoing project here] 

A glass of Red -Tomato Red

The BEAT starts (Ealing Art Trail) Red 53

Come and see us at the Orchard Café/OPEN Ealing

Well it's here (or very nearly anyway - it starts at 4:00 pm Today )  and I hope it brings some pleasure to those involved and those who come and take a look.

John Kaye 'in the House'

And a vision come to life

Yesterday John Kaye and I both made a start on putting together our individual areas - John's was looking pretty good at the end of proceedings.

Gordon (on the left) -will give demo's

I and 3 others will be showing at The Orchard Café at the back of the old BHS in West Ealing.



As well as static items we want to get people involved -Gordon Cookson the wood-turner will even be giving talks/demo's.




I'm hoping to get people involved with what I'm showing - so please do bring something Red and in return you get to look at over 300 Red images taken by me.

My own area is 'Under Construction'

My area as I got started

So if you get time either today or on Saturday or Sunday please do join Ealing's first Art trail.

Oh and talking about Red..

Red 53

A touch of Red at Street level on this man hole cover denotes 'attention'.

Keep Looking up and down

 [see the latest rough cut of the ongoing project here]