To finally got back to England after a great day out to Bruges and Ostend. This sounds like we’ve travelled hundred of miles but it is barely 100 in total from Calais and back. I hope to write more on this in the future but I’m too tired at the moment. Two days done one more to go on the cultural trip.
Simon Marchini
http://www.simonmarchini.co.uk
Bruges has worn me out. There reaches a point where enough is enough and I need a rest.
Simon Marchini
http://www.simonmarchini.co.uk
| Well the plan was to have a three day, three gallery away day. The first day was going to be the Turner contemporary at Margate, the second day the Lourve at Lens and the day the Jarwood at Hastings. However, my partner in crime discovered that the first of May is a national holiday in France and so the Louvre was closed…only in France! So a quick rethink was required and so the second day was changed to Bruges and all things Flemish. Now I’ve never actually been to Belgium so this is going to be a first.
So far the trip has been really great. The weather couldn’t have been better, clear skies and the breeze, whilst bracing was not too cold. As I write this I’m in the Premier Inn at Dover feeling a bit tired but excited about what tomorrow will bring. Lets hope I’m not disappointed. Simon Marchini |
Had a nice lunch and the now must pull ourselves away from the sunshine to go through the gallery … it’s a tough job but someone’s got to do it.
Simon Marchini
http://www.simonmarchini.co.uk
Two images captured in the garden today. I really, really love the image quality of the Canon G1x. However, I’ve hit the focusing issue with the cloud photographs…it just wouldn’t seem to focus, however I set the aperture to around f12 and it didn’t seem to matter that the focus warning symbol came on every time I pressed the shutter.
Simon Marchini
Web: http://WWW.simonmarchini.co.uk
I’ve just received a really great book from Amazon – Drawings by John Singer Sergeant and this inspired me to create this quick sketch of the wonderful actress Tilda Swinton. I’m really enjoying this much looser style.
Simon Marchini
Web: http://WWW.simonmarchini.co.uk
This morning, whilst reading the paper, I came across a story about Helen Mirren winning some award for a ply she starred in. I can’t remember the details but I suddenly got the urge to create a digital painting portrait of the Dame. I also decided to experiment with a different painting approach. So far it looks really promising.
Simon Marchini
Web: http://WWW.simonmarchini.co.uk
Yesterday is another world. Yesterday I couldn’t see the point of all this historical research…what was the pint? Well today I’ve spent the day…well doing historical research.
The problem I’m trying to find a solution for is where a salt road runs from when it leaves Burton Lazars. I have a salt place name for it leaving to the east which then leads to Leicester Ford, which suggests a road to Leicester cross the River Eye and then nothing. As the crow flies it is only 25 Km to the pre historic salt producing areas of Lincolnshire. However trying to find evidence for a salt route through this area is proving a nightmare.
At the moment my best bet is that the route passed through Corby Glen for a number of reasons, none of which are more than hunches. So I’m slowly building up a map of the known Roman and pre historic activity in the area to see what, if any clues they might give me. It is long and a labourious but does allow me to really start to understand how things might have worked.
Now I’ve been working on this on and off since around 6:00hrs this morning, it is now 23:40 and I think I’ve done enough for one day. Still will give me lots to think about and hopefully not dream about. Fat chance of that!
Simon Marchini
Web: http://WWW.simonmarchini.co.uk
Two days into my reopening of the historical research project and I’m starting to wonder “… what am I doing here?…” It isn’t as if the project has suddenly got boring, well for me at least, I guess it is because I haven’t got the motivation to really do it justice. Also I love creating images and this is hours upon hours of checking and rechecking facts, which you have to do if you want to produce a serious research paper, but I really am not sure I want to.
So will I continue my research or will I scale things back? I haven’t got a clue, another recurring theme throughout this blog – perhaps I should rename it that?? Anyway, as a means to cheer me up and release some of the frustration I made these images on my iPhone from photographs I captured over the past few weeks. It pleased me – I hope it pleases you.
Simon Marchini
Web: http://WWW.simonmarchini.co.uk
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