AGING SUCKS!

AGING WITH A SMILE!

RH PLAYING THE BLUES ON HIS "B-FLAT WALKING CANE" IN THE ROTUNDA  AT 'CHOSIN POTTERY.
PHOTO: LUTZ HAUFSCHILD

THEY SAY THAT BRITS, ESPECIALLY LONDON BRITS, ARE BORN WITH AN ADVANCED SENSE OF IRREVERENT HUMOUR. THAT'S WHAT GOT US THROUGH THE DARK DAYS OF WWII. IT IS ALSO WHAT BROUGHT US THE LIKES OF THE GOON SHOW, MONTY PYTHON, FAWLTY TOWERS AND A HOST OF OTHER ZANY COMEDY RADIO AND TELEVISION INSTITUTIONS. I INHERITED IT IN MY GENES. EVERYTHING HAS A FUNNY SIDE SOMEWHERE, ALTHOUGH IT IS SOMETIMES VERY DIFFICULT TO FIND IT. I DECIDED TO FIGHT THE AGING PROCESS WITH A COMBINATION OF HUMOUR AND THEATRICS.

I'M 73 AND WELL INTO THE AGING PROCESS. THE TIRED OLD BODY IS ROTTING FROM THE INSIDE AND CRUMBLING FROM THE OUTSIDE, A STATE THAT MOST OF US ARE IN SOME STAGE OF.  IT STARTS AT BIRTH AND IS ALMOST INEVITABLE. HAVING HAD SOME FALLS AS KNEES AND ANKLES GAVE OUT, MY MEDICAL ADVISORS RECOMMENDED THAT I GET A WALKING CANE. I HATED THE THOUGHT OF THIS AS, FOR ME, IT REPRESENTED A SYMBOL OF AGE AND AGING. I BOUGHT A SPIFFY, BRIGHT TURQUOISE, TUBULAR ALUMINIUM ONE, MANUFACTURED BY A COMPANY CALLED HUGO. I HAD JUST SEEN THE WONDERFUL FILM TITLED "HUGO", SO THAT ELEVATED IT A BIT.  

AT VARIOUS TIMES IN MY LENGTHY CAREER I HAVE BEEN OBSESSED WITH MUSICAL INSTRUMENTS, COMING FROM BEING A TRUMPET, TROMBONE AND BUGLE PLAYER. MY EARLIEST TEENAGE CLAIM TO FAME WAS AS THE CHIEF BUGLER FOR THE CROYDON SEA CADETS FOR THREE OR FOUR YEARS. BRASS INSTRUMENTS ARE BASICALLY A METAL TUBE THAT YOU BLOW INTO THROUGH A MOUTHPIECE, LIKE A MINIATURE FUNNEL.  YOU BLOW THROUGH THE WIDE END AND CHANGE THE PRESSURE OF YOUR BLOW TO GET HIGHER AND LOWER NOTES. THIS IS DONE BY TIGHTENING OR LOOSENING THE LIPS, TIGHT FOR HIGHER, LOOSE FOR LOWER. A COMPETENT PLAYER CAN GET FIVE DIFFERENT NOTES BY PRESSURE ALONE. A GOOD PLAYER CAN GET SEVEN, AND A SUPER-GOOD PLAYER CAN GET NINE. ON A REGULAR DAY I GET BETWEEN FIVE AND SEVEN, BUT WHEN I'M WARMED UP I CAN GET BETWEEN SEVEN AND NINE.  I ALWAYS CARRY A TRUMPET MOUTHPIECE AS A TALISMAN OF GOOD LUCK. I'VE DONE IT FOR MANY YEARS.

AS SOON AS I SEE A TUBULAR ANYTHING, I KNOW I CAN PLAY IT AND MAKE ELEMENTARY MUSIC. I LOOKED AT THE CANE AND ASSESSED IT'S POTENTIAL. IF I DRILLED A LARGER HOLE TO FIT MY TRUMPET MOUTHPIECE IN ONE OF THE LENGTHENING POSITIONS, I COULD COME UP WITH A "B-FLAT" SOPRANO WALKING CANE. I DID IT AND THE NET RESULT ALLOWS ME TO PLAY TO MYSELF  WHEN I GET THE "AGING BLUES" OR OTHERS, JUST FOR THE HELL OR FUN OF IT. IT IS AN EXTENSION OF MY MUSICAL TEAPOT PHASE. MY FAVOURITE JAZZ REQUESTS ARE: "IN THE MOOD", "SUMMERTIME" 
AND "WHEN THE SAINTS GO MARCHING IN".  I'M ALSO GOOD FOR THE MOZART HORN CONCERTOS!!
_________________________________________________________________________________

THE ROTUNDA

THE ROTUNDA IS PART OF THE "TONGUE IN CHEEK" GRECO-ROMAN GARDEN, AND RELATES TO THAT PART OF MY LIFE WHEN I WAS A EUROPEAN TOUR GUIDE. I DIDN'T TALK ABOUT IT IN MY EARLIER EXTENSIVE GARDEN DESCRIPTIONS AS IT MAINLY COMES TO LIFE IN THE SUMMER AND FALL.

"MARCUS TIPTON TUNNEL" - SERPENTINE WALKWAY INTO "THE GRECO-ROMAN PERFUMED GARDEN".

"THE ROTUNDA" - MADE BY DAVID SEAGER FROM LOGS FOUND ON THE BEACH AND CAPPED WITH A TV SATELLITE DISH. IT IS THE MUSICAL AND POETRY ENTERTAINMENT CENTRE OF THE GARDEN. 

THE "ROTUNDA" HAS A PEBBLE MOSAIC FLOOR IN THE FORM OF A TEN-PETALLED FLOWER AND 9 FAN-SHAPED SEATS. THE "PEBBLES" ARE HANDMADE PORCELAIN AND COLOURED PORCELAIN, RANGING FROM WHITE THROUGH BLUES, GREENS AND INTO BROWN IN THE CENTRE. THE ACOUSTICS ARE TERRIFIC, AND THE ROTUNDA HAS BECOME A FAVOURITE REHEARSAL AREA FOR A LOCAL PROFESSIONAL OPERA SINGER. WHEN SHE IS SINGING, IT WAFTS AROUND THE GARDEN IN A MOST SURREAL WAY. THE ROOF IS NOW COVERED WITH THREE HIGH-PERFUME HONEYSUCKLE PLANTS AND IS SURROUNDED WITH HIGH PERFUMED, TOUGH AS NAILS, RUGOSA ROSES.


NEXT TO THE ROTUNDA IS THE "MAD-DOG" PERGOLA. IT IS COVERED WITH CLEMATIS AND CLIMBING ROSES AND SURROUNDED BY SELF OWN SHASTA DAISIES OVER THE SEPTIC FIELD. THERE ARE ALSO A LOT OF DIFFERENT LARGE DECORATIVE GRASSES THAT LOOK GREAT THROUGH THE FALL AND WINTER. CLOSE BY IS ANOTHER PERGOLA THAT SUPPORTS A VERY OLD HAWTHORN TREE WHICH IS HOST TO A WHITE WISTERIA THAT CLAMBERS UP TO 50' INTO INDIGENOUS CEDAR TREES.  THE TEN "PILLARS" OF THIS PERGOLA EACH HAVE 2 CLEMATIS PLANTS, ONE FOR FLOWERING IN SPRING AND DIFFERENT ONES FOR LATE SUMMER AND FALL.

THE FOLLOWING IMAGES ARE SOME OF WHAT IS IN BLOOM IN THIS SECTION OF THE GARDEN RIGHT NOW. I HAVE SO MANY IMAGES THAT WILL DO AN ADDITIONAL GARDEN BLOG IN A COUPLE OF WEEKS.

CLERODENDRON TRICHOTOMUM

HEMEROCALLIS KWANZO - DAYLILY 

DILL FLOWERS

DESERT KING EDIBLE FIG - WITH STILTON, GORGONZOLA OR CAMBOZOLA CHEESE
WITH SHERRY, PORT OR MARSALA FORTIFIED WINES ARE THE ULTIMATE TASTE COMBINATION 

FUCHSIA MAGELLANICA

ROMNEA COULTERII

CLEMATIS  MIX - TANGUTICA, POLISH SPIRIT WITH WISTERIA VENUSTA AND CROCOSMIA

CLEMATIS - VILLE DE LYON

THAT'S IT FOR TODAY!

NEXT POSTING WILL BE ON BRUSHES AND BRUSHWORK.  MEANWHILE LOOK CAREFULLY AT THESE IMAGES AND IMAGINE TRANSLATING THEM INTO A SERIES OF BRUSHMARKS.

SEE YOU LATER. RH

NON-STOP VISITORS!

BAMBI, BANDIDO and CHOOK

WE HAVE BEEN HAVING LOTS OF VISITORS, BOTH HUMAN AND NON-HUMAN THAT 
HAVE KEPT ME WELL AWAY FROM THIS BLOG. ALL GOOD INTENTIONS ON THE NEXT POSTINGS HAVE BEEN NULLIFIED AS A RESULT - SO I WILL TRY AGAIN! THIS COMING WEEKEND!

THE HUMAN VISITORS HAVE BEEN A MIX OF FAMILY, FRIENDS AND MANY CUSTOMERS TO OUR GALLERY.

THE NON-HUMANS HAVE BEEN A STRANGE MIX INDEED. CHOOK IS A STRAY CHICKEN THAT SUDDENLY WALKED IN AND TOOK OVER THE SPACE VACATED BY BANDIDO, THE BABY RACCOON, A FEW WEEKS AGO. BANDIDO IS STILL AROUND BUT HIDES MOST OF THE TIME.

BARRED STOWAWAY CHOOK - SHE MOVED JUST AS I SNAPPED THE IMAGE!

EL BANDIDO

THESE TWO CHEEKY LITTLE CRITTERS WERE RIGHT OUTSIDE MY OFFICE WINDOW, PERCHED ON THE SAME BRANCH, CHECKING TO SEE IF I WAS AT MY DESK. GOOD JOB IT WAS AT DIFFERENT TIMES OR I DOUBT THERE WOULD BE A CHOOK. LIVE CHOOK IS ONE OF THE FAVOURITE FOODS OF 'COONS! CHOOK, IF YOU ARE UNFAMILIAR WITH THE TERM, IS THE COLLOQUIAL AUSTRALIAN NAME FOR CHICKEN. I GUESS IT COMES FROM THE NOISE THEY MAKE!

THE LAST OF THE LARGE NON-HUMAN VISITORS THAT HAVE MOVED IN ARE A LOT OF FALLOW DEER, ONE FAWN IS IN THE ABOVE IMAGE CHEWING ON SOME PRECIOUS PLANTS IN FRONT OF MY STUDIO.  I NEVER SAW DEER ON THIS PROPERTY FOR THE FIRST 25 YEARS THAT I LIVED HERE. THEY ARE NOW HERE ALMOST ALL THE TIME BECAUSE OF LOSS OF THEIR HABITAT TO NEW HOUSING. IT WOULD BE LOVELY IF THEY CAME IN TO JUST LOOK NICE AND MODEL FOR MY CERAMIC SUBSTRATE DRAWINGS AND GLAZE PAINTINGS.  WHAT'S MORE, THEY WANT TO BE PAID WITH THE MOST EXPENSIVE AND RAREST PLANTS IN MY GARDEN!

WE HAVE A SEEMINGLY ENDLESS ARRAY OF BIRDS INCLUDING THREE VARIETIES OF HUMMINGBIRDS. THE AMOUNT OF FOOD THAT THEY EAT BETWEEN THEM KEEPS US IN THE LOW-INCOME BRACKET. THE PONDS ATTRACT HERONS, KINGFISHERS AND WILD DUCKS. THE ACTION IS NON-STOP AND A CONTINUUM OF IMAGES AND IDEAS FOR ME TO INTERPRET.

APOLOGIES

I PROMISED THAT MY NEXT POSTING  WOULD BE ABOUT BRUSHES AND BRUSHWORK. IT IS PARTLY DONE, BUT IS PROVING MORE COMPLEX THAN I EXPECTED.  SO THE NEXT POSTING WILL LOOK AT MORE OF THE GARDEN AND PLANTS IN MID - TO LATE SUMMER BLOOM.  BRUSHES AND BRUSHWORK WILL FOLLOW THAT.

SEE YOU NEXT TIME.

FERNS'NFINGS!

IDEAS FROM THE GARDEN

ONE OF MY MAIN REASONS FOR MAKING A GARDEN WAS TO HAVE AN ENDLESS SUPPLY OF MATERIAL TO GIVE IDEAS FOR FORM, SURFACE DECORATION AND COLOUR TO MY WORK IN HIGH-FIRED PORCELAIN. 

AUTUMN FERN - DRYOPTERIS ERYTHROSORA

I HAVE BEEN AN AVID GARDENER SINCE I WAS SEVENTEEN. LEARNING ABOUT PLANTS HAS BEEN THE PERFECT COMPLEMENT TO LEARNING ABOUT CLAY AND CERAMIC MATERIALS. 

BLECHNUM SPICANT - 

SORRY, I ONLY KNOW THE BOTANICAL NAME FOR THIS ONE!

THE MORE ONE KNOWS ABOUT THINGS, THE EASIER IT BECOMES TO INTERPRET THEIR FORMS AND COLOURS. I HAPPEN TO BE SOMEWHAT MYOPIC AND INTENSE WHEN I TAKE ON AN INTEREST, LEARNING EVERYTHING  I CAN ABOUT WHATEVER SUBJECT CURRENTLY EXCITES ME.  

LADY FERN - FELIX FEMINA

I USUALLY DECIDE QUICKLY WHICH TOOLS ARE THE MOST APPROPRIATE TO INTERPRET THE SPECIFIC CHARACTERISTICS AND QUALITIES OF THE PLANT. MY FAVOURITES ARE A VARIETY OF BRUSHES, PENCILS, PENS AND TRAILERS FOR LIQUID GLAZE LINE DRAWINGS.

HART'S TONGUE FERN - SCOLOPENDRIUM

DECIDING ON GLAZE TYPE AND COLOUR PALETTE COMES NEXT. THE BULK OF VEGETATION COLOURS IS MAINLY ACHIEVED USING MIXED CHROMIUM DIOXIDE AND YELLOW STAINS USING PRASEODYMIUM.

MAIDENHAIR FERN - ADIANTUM ALEUTICUM         


IN MY NEXT POSTING, I WILL TAKE A CLOSER LOOK AT                                                                                   TYPES OF BRUSHES AND WHAT YOU CAN DO WITH THEM.

 

OAK FERN

THE SHAPES OF FERN LEAVES ARE MOST OFTEN LIKE A BLADE OR TRIANGULAR FORM MADE UP FROM REPEATING, SIMILAR BUT SMALLER  UNITS.  SOME MAY BE LIKE STRAPS OR HAVE TINY, SEPARATED LEAVES. THE MAJORITY ARE VARIOUS SHADES OF GREEN.

JAPANESE PAINTED FERN - ATHYRIUM ITALICUM PICTUM

FERNS COME IN A RANGE OF SIZES FROM TINY TO LARGE. A FEW HAVE VIVID COLOURS AND PATTERNS. MOST CAN EASILY BE INTERPRETED WITH SIMPLE BRUSHSTROKES.

ROYAL FERN - OSMUNDA REGALIS

OTHER THAN THE DICKSONIA TREE FERNS THAT ARE NATIVE TO NEW ZEALAND AND NOT HARDY IN OUR GARDEN, THE BIGGEST FERN WE CAN GROW IS THE ROYAL FERN IT GROWS TO ABOUT TWO METERS IN FAVOURABLE CONDITIONS. 

WALLICH'S FERN - DRYOPTERIS WALLICHIANA 

WALLICH'S FERN IS NATIVE TO THAILAND AND BHUTAN. THE MAIN STEM IS HAIRY OR SCALY DARK CHOCOLATE BROWN. AS IT MATURES THE LEAVES BECOME MORE AND MORE YELLOW-GREEN. IT GROWS TO A LITTLE OVER A METER IN HEIGHT. IT IS MY FAVOURITE FERN FROM THE TEMPERATE ZONES OF THE NORTHERN HEMISPHERE. 

I ALSO LOVE THE FERN FAMILY FROM THE SOUTHERN HEMISPHERE, BUT UNFORTUNATELY WE CAN'T GROW THEM HERE EXCEPT IN A GREENHOUSE OR CONSERVATORY.

I GET IDEAS FROM A GREAT NUMBER OF DIFFERENT PLANTS IN OUR GARDEN. OVER THE NEXT FEW WEEKS I WILL INCLUDE IMAGES OF LATE SUMMER AND EARLY FALL SEASON PLANTS. THERE IS AN ALMOST ENDLESS ARRAY OF POTENTIAL MATERIAL. IMAGINE HOW YOU WOULD INTERPRET THESE WONDERFUL PLANTS INTO YOUR ARTWORK.

SEE YOU NEXT TIME.

I'VE BEEN BUGGED!

I MAY BE PARANOID, 

BUT I THINK THEY ARE OUT TO GET ME!!

A TROPICAL BACTERIA PICKED UP IN FLORIDA LAST YEAR BASICALLY WIPED ME OUT FOR OVER SIX MONTHS AND ENDED MUCH OF A 50 YEAR CAREER - AND I DIDN'T EVEN SEE IT COMING!! I SEEM TO BE OVER THAT ONE AND AM AT LEAST BACK TO WORKING AT QUARTER VOLUME AND HALF-SPEED!

YESTERDAY MORNING I WAS WALKING IN THE GARDEN CLOSE TO SOME FRUIT TREES, WHEN, OUT OF THE BLUE, A BUNCH OF ANGRY WASPS DECIDED THAT MY HEAD, EYES AND NECK LOOKED LIKE A FAIR TARGET AND TOOK AIM. I RAN AS FAST AS I COULD WITH A WALKING CANE BUT THEY WON AND HIT THEIR TARGET MULTIPLE TIMES.  THIS IS WHAT I LOOKED LIKE IN A MATTER OF MINUTES!

I COULDN'T SEE ENOUGH THROUGH THE REMAINING EYE SLITS ENOUGH TO GET ON WITH MY PLANNED BLOGGING SESSION AND ALTHOUGH IT IS MUCH BETTER, HAS SLOWED ME DOWN BY ANOTHER DAY OR SO.

THE NEXT BLOG POSTING(S) WILL BE MORE ABOUT
PLANTS, OBSERVATION AND INTERPRETATION GENERALLY USING BRUSHWORK AS THE DRAWING METHOD OF CHOICE

CYRTOMIUM - JAPANESE HOLLY FERN

NON-SPECIFIC BRUSHWORK

BARRING ANY OTHER UNFORESEEN PROBLEMS, I SHOULD BE BACK IN A COUPLE OF DAYS!!!

PS - I ZAPPED THE WASP NEST IN THE MIDDLE OF LAST NIGHT AND THINK THAT ROUND IS OVER!

SEE YOU SOON.

"NEWSFLASH!"

"STINKIN' FISH STUDIO TOUR -  2012"

The Annual Summer "STINKING FISH STUDIO TOUR" is now on in Metchosin and East Sooke, just outside VICTORIA on the South End of Vancouver Island. Visit artists in a variety of media in a self-drive tour in the gorgeous environment of the Pacific Northwest. 

IT RUNS DAILY 10am - 5pm UNTIL SUNDAY, AUGUST 12TH

If you can't make it in person visit the website at:

www.stinkingfishstudiotour.com 

or find out more by visiting the website of myself and my wife, Judi Dyelle at:

www.chosinpottery.ca

APOLOGIES TO MY REGULAR READERS FOR KEEPING YOU WAITING FOR THE NEXT BIG BLOG POSTING, BUT

I HAVE BEEN VERY BUSY WITH THE TOUR.  I AM A LOT SLOWER AT EVERYTHING THAN I USED TO BE AND HAVEN'T YET ACCLIMATIZED! I AM ALSO TRYING TO GET SOME NEW "GLAZE PAINTING" WORK DONE IN THE STUDIO. THIS IS ALSO QUITE A SLOW PROCESS.

I SHOULD HAVE THE NEXT POSTING, TITLED "FERNS'NFINGS" BY WEDNESDAY OF THIS COMING WEEK. IT IS A COMBINATION OF GARDEN STUFF, IDEAS OR THINKING STUFF, OBSERVATION AND DRAWING STUFF.

I HOPE TO SEE YOU LATER.  RH