The Gastropod Cafe

Here we are, a violet-lit cone. Photos tend not to come out well under UV but this one's ok. The shell also contains some morphing coloured bulb, a wonder of modern science, thanks Lidls, you're the best.


The smog-filled parasitical world of the Gastrodod Cafe resides inside the Giant Clam, (below).

Shell story continued...

Small whelk. Large whelk.

Been up all hours cutting and sticking, I am dead to the bone. The Giant Whelk was a massive wrestle, getting it out of nothing but air and me contorted on tip toe reaching 100s of feet down into never-ending spirals, into the hard to reach corners . Htr = local authority bureauspeak, knocking at the doors of 'obese families'. Nannies. nannies. nannies.

Below: touching on the beginnings of mankind and his meddling with nature. This one shows the collapse of Lehmon Brothers and the subsequest take over of all banks and insurance companies by shellfish. In fact total world take over by shellfish. We are all small (sea) ants in the end. Yes I am pissed and in need of somone witty and cynical with which to share my rants. Anyone out there?

Tubular Shells

Yabadooooooo!!!!

Just finished papering the first shell, a giant conch for my new show.

Yes, a new show - (or should I say installation? But installation makes me feel like a plumber) - a new show for Weymouth's Arts Festival, B-side (the sea side).



I will be displaying these gargantuan gastropods, complete with tiny parasitical human worlds clinging to their shells, in 2 weeks, 26th -28th Sept, at the B-Side Arts Festival.

Address: Brewers Quay (upstairs shop units), Hope Square, Weymouth...come and see.. Explore the World of the Magic Mollusc......

Inside Out Performance Peices

Satelitte Arts is doing some participatory workshops for the Inside Out Festival this year, to celebrate the handover of the Cultural Olympiad this September. Next weekend Weymouth will be hosting Xarxa Theatre, a fantastic Spanish physical theatre company, doing their show Veles y Vents, on Bowleaze Cove.

We (Sally Watkins, Wendy Petit de Mange and I) are running 3 projects with young people in Weymouth and Portland. These photos show the first project at Royal Manor School on Portland in the last 2 days, all crammed in, visual, theatre and sound, into 2 days.

The masks will be displayed at the reception for Xarxa on September 26th, at the Waterside Holiday Reception area...(god knows what its name is...). So we have done a performanc peice with 20 Year 7 kids, aged 11-12, based on a mythical 'Selkie' story about a woman who is half seal, half human, is stolen away by a fisherman and whom eventually returns to her home in the sea. Wendy did amazing performance work, I did the masks, thanks again to the scrap store for supplying the best materials ever, the kids were more creative then they would have been otherwise.

Armada Developments...

I've been running away with the Armada this weekend.

Behold the grand birth of Phillip II of Spain. (Big Thanks to Mark R).

A bit of a pansy, but nevertheless ooozing Iberian charm, he is cultivating an artistic Salvador Dali Moustache and will wear a frill-laden ruff upon his dainty neck.














In the following days Phil will be brought to life by pupils of Wey Valley School; proudly surveying his flanks from a great Spanish galleon. (Flanks of other galleons, not buttocks.)







Below, Elizabeth in construction, with and without skin, together with young people from Royal Manor School who have been building her in the last week, what a fantastic bunch they are.

Armada Down the Esplanada

This summer Maggie Foottit and I will be working with 45 school kids in Weymouth and Portland on a spectacular piece of Carnival Procession for the Spirit of the Sea Festival in Weymouth, Dorset, on July 12th.

Inspired by Weymouth's role in defeating the Spanish Armada in 1588, we will be creating a scene of royal resplendence; a giant Queen Liz I, with jewells, wig and all, and similalrly large King Phil of Spain; a bit of a panzy with flowing locks, bows and puffs; all fantastically swashbuckling and nautical. Both puppets will be constructed out of willow and tissue paper. The monarchs will be flanked by fleets of billowing galleons, and rasping waves, complete with streamers and ribbons.

Here's the more corporate bit - Spirit of the Sea is a nine day festival of independently organised and funded marine events that sit under the title name 'Spirit Of The Sea'. The festival involves local businesses, organisations, and people and is part of the cultural build up to the 2012 UK Olympics. The cultural Olympiad. The event also includes the 2012 Weymouth and Portland hosted Olympic sailing events. If you are a local artist and want to get involved in the Cultural Olympiad you may wish to join Weymouth Artists Network (WAN).

Garden workshop with Satellite Arts went well

A 2 hour evening workshop using potatoe prints, colour misting and stencil work on long sheets of lining paper, forming a single backdrop. This will be used as a set for a small performance in the Chesil Marine Garden. Youtube video to follow.