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Great to hear that things are going so well Sam, your organisation skills certainly
come to the fore here. It’s a bit like a snowball rolling downhill, it’s pulled in
loads of the right people by the sound of it and if you have another event later on
you have a ready made audience. Amazing work mate, keep it up, the charities will be
over the moon.Ah Big G, your ears 👂 must be burning you are the talk of the town mate! “Who is this guy who sent down a ticket to “chelters”” all the way from Scotland 🏴.
I’m sorry I haven’t been to Meydan. I ventured into the general sports last night and put up macktominay at 9/2 to have s shot on target in the last twenty minutes. He had a clear header at goal unmarked in the box about seven yards out a great cross whipped in and he had ‘JUST ONE JOB’ I wasn’t particularly good at football but even I know that it doesn’t matter wether you score or not but you must get your headers ON TARGET 🎯. Head down give the keeper something to do!!
I hope Marjorie is ok please give her my best regards.
It’s my time of the day 7 ish before sunrise but we see it pretty much first here in the east and me and the dog are off to catch the rays on Amber beach.Stunning and invigorating. The sun is fighting it’s way over the clouds which form a low dark deep blue shroud on the horizon. But above it is clear sky about to be illuminated. I’ve seen just two people on my walk this morning the first one a fellow gardener, has offered to drop off some carpet to my allotment. It’s just what the doctor ordered. I need something to cover my huge leaf 🍁 store which just has cardboard and corrugated iron insulation at the moment oh and chicken wire sides. So she’ll drop some off later. I’ve invited her to the exhibition soirée tomorrow night. “ oh has it started?”
You can lead a horse to water but a pencil must be lead so an ex girlfriend of mine always used to say.
I always say the proof is in the pudding If someone comes in the end all well and good. The other person was a dog walker too and she said how cold it was but when I pointed out the rest of Britain will probably be battening the hatches down we both agreed we are most lucky 🍀 to live here. As today is going to be a lovely day give or take the odd shower.My song 🎵 today is a familiar one and I just love the lyrics it’s off the hackney diamonds 💍 album and it has had an airing on this thread before but the words and the simplicity of the song make it an excellent love song ❤️ reminds of a couple of situations I was in as a teenager and this song covers it all when you think you’ve punched above your weight or put everything into something but it’s not reciprocated. All part of growing up.
Depending on you by the Rolling Stones.
The editor of Suffolk Magazine calls in today to interview Mike and Me. If there is time we’ll discuss a book and the next project. Hamilton Road will be part of the discussion it runs on from a road called Beatrice Avenue which is one of only a handful of tree lined corridors that the town has and for a rural town by the sea 🌊 I think that is a very poor show indeed. There are very few trees in Hamilton Road and if I have my way that may well be about to change….Everything we do is a learning curve isn’t it?
I’ve put everything into this exhibition and got a lot out of it.
I’ve invited lots of people to attend the two principal events surrounding the exhibition and whilst it is not as groundbreaking as I’d like to think it is, not many artyfarty people would have thought to have an opening night event as well as a closing night event. The photographer has enjoyed decent sales at both the opener and the closer.
Something which was said today and yesterday brought into sharp focus for me a very finite line between success and something as unpalatable as failure.
My aim has been to raise awareness of the microclimate enjoyed by the Deben peninsula and I’m satisfied I’ve achieved that. I’m also delighted the remote installation trail has been very well received and will rumble on for the rest of the year and beyond. Looking at the long game is crucial for me and the long game wins all arguments. Something that happened long after I left the gallery tonight had made my mind up about what I’m doing and where I’m going.
The closing event was really good I’d planned it down to certain details and when they came home it gave me a lot of pleasure. There were a good number of people in attendance as the photos will show and it was a buying crowd.
The evening ran from 6:30 until after 9 pm and the twins 👯♀️ and molly Roberts’s mum and Dad were the only people to attend both nights. So I’d manage to get a whole new group of people to attend the closing event which kept it fresh and vibrant.
I closed up with the photographer, locked away the key and headed for the hills. I haven’t work all week save for one piece of work this morning which I’d received an advance for ( so I could pay a bill).
I nipped to my pub briefly for a pint of Guinness, I needed it. I was greeted like a lost brother. One chap told me to keep my hands in my pockets and bought my beer. and one person in particular was pleased to see me. “It’s great to see you.” She said and gave me a hug Tyson Fury would have been proud of. “ Mums not great Dad left at Xmas “ I’m looking after her. I love you Dave, you’re family, always have been, always will be.”
That small piece of affirmation was all I needed. I’m clearing out my stuff first thing at the exhibition and going straight to work for a six am start and I won’t look back. I cannot explain anything but two contradictory comments tell me I’m not valued. I’ve delivered everything I said I would and more but if as my mum always used to say. “ if you don’t work, you don’t eat. I haven’t worked all week.
All I need to focus on now is the remote installation trail and ensuring all the things on it remain presentable for the future. Oh and my work which helps to pay the bills must come first.
I’ve set a very talented guy on his way and now he simply needs to jolly well get on with it.Not valued ??? Whoever came to that opinion, or insinuated it, needs to have a good
hard look at themselves. If ever they bring out an award for someone who puts
their heart and soul 100% into everything they do, and not even for their own benefit,
you would win it hands down Dave .Don’t ever let anyone suggest anything other that you are a decent, diligent hard working
soul who has his head screwed on and works so much for the benefit of others who aren’t in
the position to help themselves. You are appreciated by all the right people Dave, and if
anyone tries to suggest otherwise, F%£k them.Congratulations on an outstanding success
It’s irrelevant Big G. I need love we all do and I got it in spades ♠️ at the final closing event and in my local last night. I left the gig with a sharp dose of reality stinging in my side but great satisfaction too having organised the event to run without anyone from the first event near as damn it.
I haven’t sold anything ( monetarily) but I’ve taken dozens of email addresses to set people on the remote installation trail. This trail will be able to run for a very long time. I’ve introduced two new sponsors to the community and more importantly I’ve introduced them to my own community as I’ve lived and worked in Walton for most of my time in Felixstowe.
And when I set off on my bike for Darkies funeral early one morning a few weeks ago I’d forgotten I no longer lived there and forgot to factor in the extra ten minutes I’d need to get to the seven hills crematorium on time. ( I’m pretty certain these seven hills are a collection of ancient burial mounds connected to the land and skies by their location and relevant to the three rivers too) By the time I got to Walton church – where I used to meet Darkie by the ancient gaol, now a bus shelter – I’d realised my mistake and set to pedalling harder reaching my destination with twelve minutes to spare.
Right Buddy Dog needs walking 🚶♀️. I need working. Have a great morning big G it’s Happy Valley Hong Kong today and I’m hoping to unearth a decent winner there in my mid morning break. Love to your family.Long day Wednesday and an early clear out. A very successful week and lots of people signed up for the remote trail. The sausage rolls from the brilliant local bakery were well received and the reception was almost as well attended as the opening one. The trail is proving popular and is the real slow burner of the exhibition because as the allotment in the town centre develops along with the garden at garrison lane people’s interest will develop accordingly. The willows in the park will grab some attention as they sprout throughout the summer. The pile of poo will go up and down and the residents will develop their patio garden. Hopefully the rockery will continue as an oasis with folk look out for the badger in particular roaming the area. It has attracted plenty of comments revolving around the species listed with there being plenty more to add. One to take away though is the red deer 🦌. It looks to have gone in accidentally when my list was copied there hasn’t been a sighting in this part of town as yet. There are plenty of them in herds in levington but not here. Red Kite have been seen nearby woodland but again not here.
The 👯♀️ Twins came along to both nights and on Tuesday they took on the role of photographers, snapping everything that moved to record the evening and they did a very good job too. The sales held up well too.
The objectives were achieved and the photographer has got the exposure his work deserved and a feature in Suffolk magazine ( out in a few days time) will raise his profile another notch.So what have I learned from my first working exhibition?
I’ve done quite a few hours behind and alongside my partner at craft fairs and at great country fair garden sales at places like Helmingham Hall and on the banks of the river Orwell in the beautiful grounds of Ipswich School.
But exhibiting my organic gardening and highlighting the beauty of the Deben peninsula has been a whole new experience. I was also essentially an “Agent” for Mike Howlett and that was an unmitigated success. No-one knew I was a rookie to be sure.
The lesson I learned was that I needn’t have been there 24/7 and I could have gone off and worked mornings or afternoon. I need to reap a bit of reimbursement if I make good on projections and set a fee or levy some kind of charge. I was simply benevolent and altruistic and it doesn’t pay the bills at the end of the day. But I’ve taken loads of email addresses, networked and the ultimate truth is I’ll get multiple gigs from this event and I’ve already laid a few depth charges to land one or two ‘deals’ in the near future and my next project artistically has already begun.
“The twelve” is the name of a month by month project which I will launch officially next month but it commences in a matter of days and you heard it here first hand. I won’t elaborate on it until release. I’ll need to brush up on the written word somewhat as I’ll be doing a certain amount of literary work alongside the art each and every month this year.
As for the tree 🌲 and the Three rivers, I’ve already worked out that it WILL be Suffolk’s longest running exhibition of 2024. This is because the remote installations which started days before the physical opening of the 142 gallery’s Exhibition of the same name will continue to run throughout the year and into 2025.A beautiful sun up this morning.
I was stood on Amber beach there was a low cloud base which obscured the actual time of rising but increased and spread the radiance of the sun with wide expanses of sky lit up as the sun broke through. Yesterday’s tide washed up loads of coals including some huge bricks of it. Not so much wash up this morning and very little coal and no Amber. Yesterday’s coal was a big precursor of Amber following because of the light weight of the coal and other objects like fishing beads and sure enough it was in the strand lines in very small quantities. On the skyline a few miles off shore lies the giant twin legged platform known as Sea-Land its an old World War Two gunnery platform and part of our defences in that conflict which will have housed anti aircraft guns.
It was abandoned after the war and was taken over and became an independent “principality”. Sealand had its own king and queen, passports and currency. Over the years I’m sure it’s hosted pirate radio stations and has always courted controversy. Outlawed by the authorities but championed by many members of the public there have been stand offs invasions fires 🔥 and never mind films about pirate radio. Film rights for this place would reap a fortune. I’ve always wanted to go out there and for plenty of us looking out to sea these massive towers always visible from here have always been a source of fascination. So who knows, maybe a helicopter ride onto the platform with the weather so unpredictable it would be a little hit and miss on a bad weather day. The other option is a bumpy ride out there in a relatively tiny boat I’ve done it before out to an anchorage a long long way out to go on board a huge vessel. Must have been very early 90s long before any smart arse dreamt up risk assessment or that dreaded three word nonsense of “health and safety” a kop out which stops people acting on their own commonsense or initiative. On arrival on a shitty night in what was at best late October there was also a climb up a Jacobs ladder which resembled a single strand piece of string. As the younger and junior ranking teammate I was the Batman and in addition to bringing up the rear in this ascent up into the abyss of a huge huge ship 🚢. I was also ‘bagman’ so struggled up this sheer rope ladder with a suitcase style brown boarding case in addition to mine slung over either shoulder like two Mexican gun bands!! It was sheer madness but things you could do in those days. The skipper of the pilot ship was going that “way anyway” and told us he’d be back in two hours. The prospect of a “cup of tea” or “stronger” with the skipper was most welcome but the thought of the descent was potentially more problematic than the boarding!! Me and my cockney colleague “Baz”from Dagenham were bolder than most and the adventure of going out to this place at midnight was our choice and another tick on the box. A flight on an airbase off record or a beer in an officer’s mess in some obscure place another such tick otherwise why go to these places?Thinking of seaman Staines I’ve already recounted the tale on the forum pages of how this chap revered Lester Piggot so much he named his son after him.
I got promoted and was in a training course which was intense but ultimately crap. I passed just about but hated every waking second of this course in a remote part of Lincolnshire. I was a new father and needed to be away from home for six bloody weeks like a hole in the head. I’d been in the job a long time already and while you learn something new every day, there was very little they could teach me that I didn’t know.
Of course you have to play a little dumb and always be humble so as not to standout but it was still clear I did not want to be there for obvious reasons.
Some of the tutors were very good and experienced but a couple were new intake and thought they knew everything and had to make an impression. One thing they told us was you have to commit totally to this course if you wish to pass and there are very few exceptions but if you miss a day here you are unlikely to pass and you’ll go back to your old posts if unsuccessful and you’ll need to come back at another date and spend six to eight weeks with us again. The only exception to taking time out is to attend a funeral of a close or immediate relative.
We had a lovely scouse lad on the course called Dave and as things would have it,His father had been Ill a while back home on Merseyside and there was a need to be with him at this time. His involvement in the course was touch and go anyway due to events at home. He was stationed in Suffolk as it was and part of a massive reorganisation of the department to recycle staff in obsolete jobs in other departments to bring much needed manpower to the ports. So many of the people on the course were newbies but with six weeks to get through we got to know each other very quickly and with very few exceptions we all bonded. I’ve always had a healthy appetite and I hadn’t already had a nickname ( thanks Mum) it probably would be Horse 🐴 because I can eat quantities of grub like no one else. Landing a long term stint on a residential course with damn good food was the reason I was happy to stay on the gig!! Going home though at weekends was brilliant too. I had a regular lift with a colleague and like I said everyone in the group were tight. I’d say that was unusual for a group that size so I was proud to belong with them for the time I spent there.
Now back to the course, I’d got through the first few weeks fine. But not being at home helping out with a child I wanted to be with 24/7 was awful. I was professional about it and got on with things but counted down every weekend and was always first out the door on a Friday but last in on a Sunday night.Dave’s Father passed away. He was encouraged to take the minimum time off required and to return as soon as was humanly possible. To my mind he could have taken ten days off and still picked up and caught up. But so precious were the tutors they made it very clear He needed to get back as soon as or fail the course. This set a barrier of resentment on my part towards some of these people they were our tutors and mentors but they had no empathy or man management techniques, ones I’d learned in a lifetime of dealing with people face to face and head on. It would be an understatement to say that very quickly a barrier existed between a group of us and the tutors. Out of course cameraderie between students and teachers was not there. Dave went to the funeral and got back sharpish.
Then Stainsie passed away. It was no suprise like a lot of colleagues he was an alcoholic and this was January and he’d been diagnosed with lung cancer and other problems the previous year and like a lot of my colleagues he’d burnt the candle at both ends. he’d worked not terribly hard but made work “fun” and life revolved around the sports and social aspect of the job. Even though there was no suprise as he’d been sliding away I was faced again with these pricks telling us “no exceptions” only close or immediate relatives. To me this guy was a close relative a brother and yet I had to accept I wasn’t going to his funeral.
If you can imagine the fallout from that it was not a great week and probably just a few years previously if you were promoted, anything you needed to learn would be gained “on the job”. Bearing in mind you’d already been doing the job alone “blindfolded” at times for many years. On the job is always the best way. I was old school and teaching old dogs new tricks is hard especially when the trainers are telling you the wheel has been reinvented when it most certainly has not….
Then for me a defining moment of the entire time we were there, one of the Tutors had a “personal emergency” and was absent from the course for a considerable amount of time, more time of course than Dave got for the funeral and more time than the one day I’d have needed. The deep seated resentment fermented and luckily there was not much left of the course to do and the tight relationship did not not extend from the students to the tutors and I was glad to see the back of them and I’m sure the feeling was mutual. I was marked down and had to work on a few aspects to complete the course when I returned home. But I’d passed and swore I’d never go on such a course again. One event during a long course is the penultimate night or a couple of nights before the end the entire group hits the town pupils and tutors you tear it up and have a whale of a time on the town. It didn’t happen and Lincoln didn’t have to be rebuilt. We went out but not with our pricks of tutors and had a good time without them. Probably not unprecedented but notable and word soon got back to work via the bush telegraph. The general consensus was it couldn’t have been that bad as no one left the course early and no one got kicked out. For some, getting kicked out meant constructive dismissal as there was no job to return to. But luckily, even the worst pupil got through and a tight group made sure the pass mark was good. No thanks at all to the teachers. I was glad when it was all over.
Luckily the canteen was good and yes they had a decent bar which served GUINNESS but I can honestly say none of what they taught was any use at all in real life or on the job. A bit of law came in handy but essentially it was crap 💩 and I’ll never change my view on that.Going home and being a Dad was all that mattered I didn’t need a qualification to do that. YOU LEARN IT ALL ON THE JOB.
So much for the weather forecasts as is often the case this part of the world avoids the weather patterns. Today was warm and sunny and certainly the most pleasant day of the year. I was outside all day and enjoyed the good weather.
Working on the next project slowly and building up the necessary contacts. All going well.
I’m collaborating with a gentleman called Jon. We met at the closing night of the exhibition of the tree 🌲 and the Three Rivers. I made a point of speaking to everyone in attendance to thank them for coming. I insisted that he take a tree one of a dozen or so.
He saw both the practicality and the symbolism of visitors leaving with a tree. When I suggested we have a picture taken together to help complete the exhibition record and quick as you like he quipped I’m a photographer I’ll take it. I saw the pictures and offered to meet to hopefully put an idea to him over coffee.I was 100% with you Sam on your training course. When I’ve got the time I’ll give you
a rundown on a soooooo similar tale. Maybe worse
Met for coffee just two days after closing night event and concept of a project given to him. result, a handshake on an event which begins tomorrow.
TWELVE.
A series of one to one interviews by me each month with Suffolk-based people who have something to say. My photographic partner will take a series of photos to capture an image of the subject.
All twelve months recorded for posterity and delivered to provide an intimate record of the event.
All TWELVE months brought together for an exhibition in January 2025.Launched today with first interview taking place.
John Downes is the photographer, I’m working on the prose through the interview. We’ll put the interview online in the coming days. We’ve got our own website pertinent to the theme of “TWELVE”.There is something hugely satisfying about an end of day bath.
Perched on the end of mine is a pint glass contains old peculiar alongside it is a cup of Luke warm Yorkshire tea. I know it isn’t made in Yorkshire and it probably isn’t that good but it’ll do.
The bath itself is a hot soak it is long gone the witching hour. The name of an old traditional spit and sawdust pub which once did for a station buffet in the hey day of East coast railways and the classic forties sign suggested the town was up there as s desired destination. But in my time in the early eighties it was a crumbling edifice to a bygone age and a bastion of tradition a cactus in a desert of suitcase size mobile phones and Filofaxes. Frankie said this and that and people obigied gibly. But this strange pub where wayward youth revelled in their freedom, stray cats struts and runaway boys and even more wayward youths threw soggy loo paper onto the ceiling and there it remained dried and stayed there stuck fast like paper machee until time caught up with the place and it became a distant fond memory of past youth.
But back to the bath a celebrant one to rest weary bones after a mentally tough but rewarding day. Dan Docherty an old neighbour and close friend had become the first person to be interviewed and photographed by my Artistic colleague Jon Downes. Dan was in effect a Guinea pig by going in to opening bat. All my interview techniques would be honed on him. The last time I interviewed someone I think the guy kept saying “ no comment”. No good to man or beast those interviews so the reward of Radox and Westland recover Epsom salts means my subject willingly talked and the ease of our conversation bodes well for the other subjects because I thought this would be the toughest assignment and Dan would keep stumm. But he ran the show and at one point asked a few questions. I reestablished order and threw out a few new angles at him and he responded well and positively. We talked a lot about his desire to travel aged 19 inspired by watching West Ham at their dullest. The fans who stuck by them are now reaping the benefits as is Dan. We also spoke candidly about a few taboo subjects and done our conversation may well help people in similar situations.
Big G kindly donated me a Cheltenham festival gold cup ticket in the grandstand. The raffle takes place at the half moon on 22 nd February at 7:30. One of several events over the next month. I already know it’ll raise a thousand pounds. Everyone is likely to be a winner due to the number of prizes due to be donated. A local butcher has offered me several meat vouchers. I haven’t really
Got the next subject lined up and virtually ready to go in February. The questions are random but thought out and tailored towards the person, but there will always be the curveball and a few googlies.
It’s late but I’ve half a pint of old peculiar to drink. Its been a really good day and great to launch the “TWELVE.First interview went through last weekend and the website has been launched.
Jon Downs has taken some fantastic shots of Dan Doherty and the audio will go on the website in the future and the interview will be on the website this week. Dan bossed it and it is a rock solid start to TWELVE with an exhibition to follow next January 2025.
http://www.the-twelve.Co.uk
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