In the last instalment of Travels With My Art, our intrepid adventurer had come back from schools in The Lake District to do a bit of Top Secret filming in London, about which we’ll be able to tell you more in the Autumn (oh the excitement of signing an NDA, like it’s the Official bleeding Secrets Act). Then the unexpected luxury of spending most of the week at my desk, writing more of the Superheroes show, making ads for it, and sending out press releases, before setting off on Friday for The Isle Of Wight.
In Sandown on the Isle Of Wight I had the pleasure of meeting, for the first time in thirty years, Paul McLaren, who had been the star sculptor at Exeter College Of Art & Design back in the day, and who still makes big machines, only this time they’re oriented towards entertainment. He was one of the organisers of Hullabaloo, a two day festival as part of which I drew caricatures and did an art class. A much needed festival for Sundown, I would say as, off season as it is, it looks a little benighted and in need of TLC. I’m sure in the summer it comes to life.
Wednesday saw me returning to Milton Keynes for the last in a sequence of visits, after which I then had to colour and assemble the pupils work to turn it into an 8 page magazine to be given away at Art In The Park in the summer. At time of writing, I’m waiting to hear what they think of the finished job (delivered at the end of the month).
Then it was back to Switzerland for a return visit to College Beau Soleil, which I last visited in 2015. These two days travelling for one day’s work included the chance to take in the usual breathtaking scenery (in perfect weather throughout); to enjoy an art gallery opening with a bit of live jazz, all of which was very Home Counties in feel, like going to a small gallery opening in Surrey, albeit one with a view of the alps out of the window; and to spend a grand evening putting the world to rights chatting with my new best mate Karl Nova. Karl is a performance poet and writer who was doing classes at the school, and is great company.
Two days at a school in Birmingham and three days at my desk later and we were off to Brighton for two Socks Previews, as detailed here. After which the return to my desk saw the start of the Superheroes comic (I broke the 24 page script down in front of the telly on Monday night and had 7 pages completed by mid week), and the writing & recording of 4 new songs for the show (Black Lightning, DC and Silver Surfer, which will all be part of the audience-in music, and Bechdel Test which will be part of the show, for the next previews at least). That’s what I call a productive few days.
The month ended with a party. Since I had a class in Guildford the next day, Hev came with me and we made an overnight stop in London so we could attend The List Edfest program launch party at Omeara, a club under a railway arch in Southwark. And very pleasant it wa too. A few comedy and cabaret acts made a good stab at being heard over the conversation, I saw a few familiar faces but had no chats longer than two sentences, and we picked up the new Edfest programme. A fun party, which we left early cos of work the next day.
I never said these travels with my art made entertaining reading, but it’s nice to have a record of these things.
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