In My Life

25 albums that shaped my life

I don’t think it’s ‘Cabin Fever’, but since the lockdown I’ve had some very strange dreams. They often have very surreal storylines featuring people and places I wished I’d taken more effort to try and visit, and they’re always so very mixed up. An interesting one I experienced recently was one where I travelled through a Dali-esque landscape of my past life as well as my overburdened ‘To Do’ wishlist, accompanied by a musical soundtrack overlayed with a succession of album covers.

Obviously my Facebook newsfeed was to blame for this, over the past few weeks I’ve noticed several friends making selections of a series of albums which have been important in their lives. More often than not though, they’ve restricted themselves to only 10 choices, which I would find impossible. However there needed be a reasonable limit, but instead of trying to fit into the 10 album strait jacket I decided I’d allow myself the luxury of slipping into an XL of 25 (of which one is actually an EP).

While it was fresh in my mind and thinking it would be an interesting memory lane exercise to indulge in, I thought I’d reconstruct my dream as a musical self portrait blog. There’s no particular message to accompany them, they’re just personal time capsules that spark memories, which I’ve played to death over the years, and the ones I constantly return to. There’s time aplenty right now to remember those special people, places and moments that’s been a part of one’s life, and the perfect excuse if ever I needed one to share some good memories as a musical message.

Anyway, it’s only a blog of dream inspired lockdown fun, but nevertheless I’d be more than happy to have these as company on my Desert Island. Click the links………..and enjoy!

Golden Age of Lonnie Donegan – Lonnie Donegan

Please Please Me – The Beatles

Nice Enough To Eat – Various Artists

This Was – Jethro Tull

Django Reinhardt & Stephane Grappelli with the Quintet of the Hot Club of France

Death Walks Behind You – Atomic Rooster

Hunky Dory – David Bowie

Elgar – Cello Concerto (Jacqueline Du Pré) & Sea Pictures (Janet Baker)

Led Zep II – Led Zeppelin

Every Picture Tells a Story – Rod Stewart

Split – The Groundhogs

Skid – Skid Row

With a Little Help From My Friends/Joe Cocker! (Doubleback Series)

Innervisions – Stevie Wonder

Kind of Blue – Miles Davis

Beethoven – The Nine Symphonies

The Art of Segovia – Andrés Segovia

Mingus Ah-Um – Charles Mingus

Rattus Norvegicus – The Stranglers

Specials – The Specials

This Year’s Model – Elvis Costello & the Attractions

Stop Making Sense – Talking Heads

Hot Fuss – The Killers

With Love & Squalor – We Are Scientists

Two Parts Diamond – 3 Parts Dirt!

With A Little Help From My Friends

Under the Sea & Rainforest Murals at Rowlatts Hill Primary Academy

Oct 18

‘I’m gonna get by, with a little help from my friends’

Before I’d even completed the Gladiator project I’d been invited to return to Rowlatts Hill Primary Academy, the transformation of a long corridor being the tempting prospect. At the time of being asked it felt like a long way off into the future, I had a daunting sports hall project at Fulbridge Academy to fulfill, as well as ‘Heroes’ and ‘Storybook’ themed murals promised for King’s Cliffe Primary before I could start thinking about commuting along the A47 toward Leicester again.

Nevertheless, time ticked by and as the last of those projects neared completion I arranged a design meeting to discuss the germ of an idea I’d had circling in my head during the previous weeks. On 28th September this concept was discussed and a plan was set in motion to transfigure a very bright and magnolia painted corridor with an ‘Under the Sea’ and ‘Rainforest’ theme.

This would be my fifth project at Rowlatts Hill. Casablanca was my first in 2015 and, as Rick said in his last line of that movie, it was the beginning of a beautiful friendship. This project could have followed a similar pattern to previous projects, this time however I was tempted to try something different. Rather than focussing only on painting the walls, I had a feeling that more could be achieved. I’ve developed a good relationship with the school and the previous Gladiator project had given me much food for thought, so asked if I could solicit the assistance of Site Manager Matt Hassall.

During the course of the last few years Matt has become a good friend and his talents are many and varied. He has been responsible for several sculptural elements around the school and it was he who concluded the Gladiator project, installing wall and floor furnishings in the Roman themed cloakroom and laying a grass carpet along the grapevine adorned fields of the corridor. By enlisting his skills I felt certain we could ‘push the envelope’ a little.

Principal Jay Virk has shown me a lot of trust, allowing me the opportunity to become more adventurous with each project, previously however I’ve presented her with a decent design visual so she had a chance to picture how the finished piece might appear. This time however, as there were so many ‘unknowns’, I couldn’t do this, and at the time of our design meeting my ideas were either still in my head or very much ‘in the air’. Like Yves Kein she took a big leap of faith. Although I could present a basic idea of my plans there were so many ingredients that could prove to be a movable feast, I knew much of it would have to be resolved as it went along. Drawings presented at the design meeting therefore were ‘sketchy’ to say the least, even though I supplemented my concept with a substantial collection of photocopied reference.

Jay wanted the ‘Under the Sea’ corridor to play a part in illustrating a story, to reinforce David Attenborough’s Blue Planet message relating to our responsibilities for the future of our planet and to sustain his campaign against plastic pollution in the sea. A corridor is seen in transit and so my design concept was one which could be read as one moved along it. There is a ‘bad’ and a ‘good’ end, the change occurring as one progresses. The palette gradually changes from bright, to dark and dull. Sea creatures change from being healthy, to facing a life and death struggle. Sea bed coral changes from being colourful, to colourless. Remains of ancient educated civilisations are revealed, possibly engulfed long ago due to rising sea levels. On the one hand these are sites of intrigue with potential for archeological research, whereas more recent finds could simply be considered as ‘debris’, be it accidental disaster, the wreckage of war or the dumping of waste.

In creating the sensation of being under the sea Matt would play a major role. Both walls and ceiling would be an integral part of the plan, with the surface altered to generate the impression of craggy rocks and a rowing boat with oars being included as three dimensional elements. Lighting would be changed too, from a line of three static formal white lights to a mixed collection of nine white, green and blue lights housed on movable arms which could be individually twisted to aim rays at different areas of the corridor. Finally, with a scuttled galleon included within the composition it would only be appropriate for the very stark white radiator to also be painted, disguised to feature a lost pirate treasure chest.

At the half way point along the corridor, between the ‘Sea’ and ‘Rainforest’ sections, is an area where there are two double glass doors. Rather than it being a ‘dead zone’ and a sudden leap from one theme to the other I felt it would be important that this small area created a smooth transition, even though there was a very limited amount of wall surface, the link relying mainly on what would be painted on the ceiling.

My intention was to paint a tree canopy which would encourage one to look up and around above the large glass doors, with Matt creating a waterfall to walk under as one moved between this area and the ‘Sea’ corridor. With a steep rock face and the suggestion of crashing water painted within the doorway entrances, this is an example of the improvisation which would be required and which could only be properly resolved once the project was underway.

The tree canopy ceiling painting would then introduce the ‘Rainforest’ itself, beginning with a lake or pond to link with the water theme and the density of the forest increasing the further one ventured along the corridor. It would begin as a friendly and inviting ‘Gruffalo’ wood, but gradually become a darker space, one perhaps more likely to be associated with a ‘Raiders of the Lost Ark’ related theme. With Matt’s help and expertise, sprawling tree shapes would sprout from the walls and across the corridor as sculptural elements, and the lighting would change from white to a cocktail mixture of white, red and green. In addition the ceiling would not only be painted but also covered with large camouflage nets to create an undulating effect, the netting helping to cast a series of tree canopy-like shadows on the walls. These nets would then also be dressed, with imitation leaves and pieces of wool.

Three single and two double doorways are located within this area and my plan was to disguise them all, using the temple of Ta Prohm at Angkor Wat as my model. The ‘Sea’ corridor featured an ancient civilisation which as time passed had disappeared and I wanted something similar for this composition too, that another ancient and educated civilisation had once prospered, had disappeared and its neglected buildings been reclaimed by nature. I wanted to illustrate that all life is transitory, that we all have a responsibility for our future and are still a part of this ongoing cycle.

The plan was approved, the corridor stripped of its noticeboards and the walls prepared for painting. On 29th October I arrived to find a long bright corridor waiting for me and it looked even longer than I’d remembered it on my previous visit. It would be an honest admission to say that I felt more than a little overwhelmed. Following my warm, Rowlatts Hill open arms ‘Welcome Home’ reception at the door, I made myself a cuppa and was soon left alone in the corridor to ponder the task ahead of me.

Deep in thought, I prowled to and fro along the full length of the corridor like a caged animal trying to build an image of the finished piece in my head. There were so many questions still unanswered, but nevertheless, the mental image looked okay. I needed to make a start, but where? The space felt so very big. I took a deep breath, thought of my favourite lines from chapter 64 of the Tao Te Ching, picked up a piece of charcoal and started making a smudgy mess on a wall.

” The giant pine tree

grows from a tiny sprout.

The journey of a thousand miles

starts from beneath your feet”.

Rowlatts Hill Primary Academy, Balderstone Close, Leicester LE5 4ES

Feelin’ Alright

A Caress of Cretan Calm

26 March – 4 April 2018

“Seems I got to have a change of scene
‘Cause every night I have the strangest dreams……..”

I’ve recently written a catch-up Crete visit blog and used a track by Jittery Joe as its title, so why not use him again, he was really in his prime in 1969. In any case, it’s a good excuse to make a link to another of his youtube movies.

Every time we make a visit to this Shangri-La island we seem to arrive dead on our feet, but thanks to a little help from our friends P&M, we’re always feelin’ alright by the time we leave.

This time around our habitual busy work schedule had once again caused us both to be running on empty during the weeks before departing from Luton to fly eastward into a welcoming evening sky. P&M’s welcoming open arms were there to greet us at Heraklion airport and we were instantly immersed into another world. One that’s lived at a more relaxed pace, filled with happy smiling faces speaking a language and employing typography we can’t understand, but where our ignorance is bliss. And what’s more, despite the tragic state of the Greek economy, roads in better condition than the UK!!!

Arriving in the peaceful tranquility of moonlit Agia Pelagia near Spili, the only sounds to fill the air were the distant occasional clangs of wandering goatbells. The following morning, breakfast on the terrace in warm morning sunshine. Immediately we were enshrouded in relaxation mode. We just drank it all in. It was impossible to resist.

The next ten days drifted by in typically leisurely Cretan pace. We explored Rethymno and the grounds and fortifications of the Fortezza; had a guided tour of the Museum of Contemporary Art of Crete; drew and painted on a different scale for a change in my Olive Grove Studio; explored the narrow streets and harbour of Venetian flavoured Chania and the hillside village calm of Ancient Lappa; found aged and decaying murals in lonely hillside chapels; walked isolated mountain tracks with my trusty Cretan guide; enjoyed the beachside community haven of Matala, with the Mermaid Cafe, mentioned by Joni Mitchell in her song ‘Carey‘, a track on the album ‘Blue‘; witnessed sunsets and starry skies to die for; ate good Cretan food, drank excellent ‘Karydia Brother’ wine.

A relaxing, unwinding, de-stressing, calming and thoroughly restful visit……………..however………………there was one occasion potentially detrimental and harmful to my health.

What began as a normal Friday evening spent in a bar in Plakias quickly evolved into a particularly stressful nail biting one. As any lifelong follower of Wolverhampton Wanderers Football Club would confirm, supporting this team is a roller coaster ride. This year has been a good one, but it’s still had its share of ‘moments’. Having found a bar with a TV and a Skysports football channel available, I endured one of the most traumatic games of my life. The season has ended well, but watching my team hang on with 9 men to beat Middlesbrough can only be described as an absolutely nerve shredding experience. The following week it felt like history repeating itself as WWFC survived two penalties in added-on time to beat Cardiff. Only a Wolves supporter knows what having unyielding loyalty to the old gold and black really feels like.

However, even having said that, this was an isolated anxiety-associated episode. As far as stress is concerned, Crete is the perfect antidote!

“You feelin’ alright?
I’m not feelin’ too good myself……..”

There’s A Storm Coming

Cretan Season in the Sun

19 – 26 October 2016

“We had joy, we had fun
We had seasons in the sun……..”

Having just returned from another visit to Crete I was about to write a new blog when I found that there wasn’t one from my previous visit. I suddenly felt very confused. After experiencing such a stimulating and rejuvenating environment surely I couldn’t have forgotten to reflect upon it? Had it mysteriously disappeared? Or had I really been too busy to actually do one.

A look at the calendar and then it all became clear. Yes, I was busy. The trip was made two years ago, during the Autumn half term break while working at Rowlatts Hill Primary painting the ‘Once Upon A Time’ mural. However very soon after we returned our world turned upside down, as Mum’s health took a serious turn for the worse and sadly she passed away. It could be said that this visit was the calm before the storm. The writing of a reflective Crete blog was obviously lost in the maelstrom of events which occurred during the weeks that followed and which saw that difficult year through to its conclusion.

Before embarking on a new blog therefore, I’ll make amends and write an old one first.

It’s the last week of October 2016 and all is still well. Our busy schedule has been replaced with a few days in the sun, in Peter & Monica’s exceptional company, staying with them in their idyllic world in Agia Pelagia near Spili, and our minds and soul nourished and enriched once again with warm Cretan hospitality; watching a sleeping dog soak up the sun while drinking a chilled glass of Fix beer at the Agia Fotia Taverna in Agia Fotini and listening to nothing but the sound of lapping water; exploring sights of significance in the history of Crete, the monastery at Arkadi and the WWII monument and bridge at Preveli; finding plants both beautiful and strange while wandering the paths of the Botanical Park & Gardens of Crete, a haven of tranquility created out of the ashes of a fire in 2003; looking at the jaw dropping sight of the upper entrance of the Samaria Gorge; indulging in the sights of the beautiful Amari valley and taking a hike up to the summit of Mount Samitos; luxuriating in the peace, shade and uninterrupted birdsong of the Olive Grove studio; savouring a glass or maybe three of the latest batch of my Kaydia brother Yiorgos’ excellent home brewed wine; the leisurely hustle and bustle of cafe life in Plakias and Rethymno thrown in for good measure.

We couldn’t foresee the events that were about to unfold, but that break gave us the energy to face it. We’d found an island of calm, and the peace and tranquility of Crete had given us the strength to confront anything an impending storm could throw at us.