Lazy Monday

After whizzing round Crouch End Open Studios yesterday - it felt like the centre of the art universe with lots of people wandering from place to place with the map in hand - today is supposed to be an at-home day, working on ideas for new woodcuts for the course that starts this evening at Morley. 

Let's see how it goes....

Starting with catching up with blog posts - which led to a search for Tim Ingold books on the bookshelf, and discovery of some other inspirational favourite books "hidden" away.

Breakfast? too late for breakfast, make it a substantial brunch -

Reading about Japanese bookbinding as a sort of preparation for that course tonight --

"You will be working with Carol designing, cutting and printing your own Japanese woodblock prints that will form the covers for your book and slipcase. Alex will then guide you through the stages to make your book with its own Japanese - style slipcover usuing traditional bone clasps."

The windowboxes needed watering so I went down to the garden to get the watering can (rather than filling the coffeepot six times) and while there, pulled a few weeds. Two hours later, not only have areas been tidied up, but the fast-growing rosemary bush has been cut back from the path -

 and the fresh shoots of the thick branches have been bagged up, with a sign saying "please take" - all gone in 15 minutes! -

 A few "weeds" for a sprig-bouquet -

 but most of the colour is in the windowboxes -

Let the sun shine in / Face it with a grin /
Open up your heart / And let the sun shine in

Next up, gardening at Rathcoole Gardens and a visit with the grandbaby, who had her jabs this morning and was not best pleased, but it had to be done.

So, no development of woodblock ideas today - I've been thinking along the lines of Chillida's shapes -

Prints

Sculpture