Spreading the BEAT word and Red 54

Well in just a day the Ealing Arts initiative known as BEAT will be in its first day.

I and three others will be at The Orchard Café (A favourite location for me- OPEN Ealng's home) in West Ealing - I hope you come and see us (if you're in the area)

A lovely sunny day in West Ealing

Yesterday - a lovely sunny late summer day I spent a couple of hours leafleting and the news is that I now have increased sympathy for Post people and leaflet-ers, uneven paths, dodgy gates, low level letter boxes and worst of all those people who put 'no Junk Mail' on their front doors.


I don't think what I'm delivering is junk but I'm not going to spend time arguing with an irate householder so generally my rule of thumb was to not put through letter boxes clearly marked - but I do feel that they're missing out.

In fact it feels slightly insular and selfish and reminds me of those rail (and bus) users who try and make sure that they keep a free seat next to them despite others wanting the seat - this could be just what they want but it might be that they're missing out.


So I reckon I posted well over 300 leaflets in about 2 hours in my locale - some letter boxes were ideal but some are just a few inches from the ground and some have springs like a mousetrap - poor posty.

BUT    Leaflets are not for all

A load of leaflets for West Ealing front doors 

And the previous evening had a splendid hour or so meeting with pothers involved in BEAT at a church just by Pitshanger in Ealing's favourite shopping street - very nice wine and nibbles too, which brings me on to ..

Red 54

I suppose it's 30 or so years since I was last in St Barnabas church - lovely Red drapes

Recalling a happy day  many years ago

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

London Grill Bar Excavation and Red 55

The London Grill Bar in Northfield Avenue  has been an interest for me (and others) for quite some time so I'm watching the metamorphosis into another  bland residence with interest - only hope that as it looks like they're doing, in the 'modern  style'  a basement excavation for extra space that nothing untoward is found.

One day all the strange stories will be forgotten

Another Ealing  'deep dig down'

Basement extensions are becoming more common and  moving out of the most expensive boroughs to the suburbs (Ealing is home to a few).

Good luck to the Artisan Basement company (click here for a Vincent Price Laugh).

Red 55

It's bin day for us here in Ealing and what better way to mark your bin than with those red numbers

Wednesday is Red Number day for some Ealing residents

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

Projects always projects and Red 56

A few mounted prints for sale

Well Ealing's first BEAT (Art Trail)  weekend  is only a few days away and I'm thinking that I need to do a few things ahead of the Friday set up - busy mounting prints (for sale) and want to make some sort of Notice too.

And Next

I'd like to create a book to go with project 2 as well.

As I get closer to the end of my first 365 (or 6) project my mind is moving to new projects one of the thoughts is an idea of collecting images of 365 front doors in different roads starting at a No.1- this front door triggered my interest - I've got another idea but it's more ambitious and will take a lot of work but I think it could be really good.

I'm going to spend some time tidying up and documenting the first project and working out what I can commit too.

In fact I was really touched to reply from Noah Scalin (Mr 365 Creativity Journal) when I mentioned that another project was potentially in the air he was supportive and enthusiastic.

Red 56

Three tables outdoors while the London weather is still reasonable bedecked in Red.

Eat out while you can

Train Travel and Red 57

UK Politics rocked by revelations around a prominent(-ish) Labour politician - as has been pointed out by some of his colleagues  this is largely a personal   matter for him and his family but I think for the majority of people away from Leicester, non Political Anoraks  and folks away from the 'Westminster bubble'.

A busy Sunday at Waterloo Rail terminal 

The issues for the electorate are generally more mundane - housing, health jobs and education feature highly.

Those of us living and working in metropolitan areas also battle with commuting issues -at the weekend I went to visit my brother a fairly short hop from London's Waterloo - the fare booking ahead was £32 return  it'd be about double that (for a single) on a weekday ticket not booked ahead - many of us feel that fares have risen rapidly but actually (as is so soften the case) it's more complicated .

I know that many people worry about the rail pricing structure but in truth if you look at what you get for your ticket it seems pretty good (and is government subsidised) - just think about the cost of trains the rail the trains run on  and  other infrastructure but if you are allocating a fixed budget it looks different - what do you think?

Red 57

you might have been expecting something from Heinz  but did this a long time back (Red 346) - here instead an image I really like of  a lips representation

Lucky lips

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