Insomnia…

Can’t Sleep? Well why not take a trip down memory lane and play ‘On this Day‘? So yes it is 04:59 hrs as I write this and yes I have visited my past. These three images do make strange bedfellows. The first one was from 2010. The world was very different: Facebook was cool; we thought the financial crises was the worse thing to happen in so many years; and we had a President of the United States who didn’t keep suggesting that Canada should be absorbed into the United States. Simpler Times.

The middle image comes from 2021 when, of course, we had a little something called COVID to contend with. The word ‘Partygate’ had yet to acquire its ominous significance.  That would soon change.

The third image is from 2022. COVID was starting to recede and we could start to get about a bit. Unfortunately, that seems to have been the same thought that the President of the Russian federation had as he decided to march his army into Ukraine.

The same day three different years. The world seems to be getting crazier with every rotation. Actually that is unfair on the earth. I think it is just we humans.

Not sure any of this has cured my insomnia.

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Puzzling Experiment…

Creating art requires time, patience, and dedication. However, in today’s fast-paced world, many artists struggle to find the time to fully immerse themselves in their creative processes. The demands of daily life, work, and other responsibilities often take precedence, leaving little room for artistic expression.

This lack of time can lead to frustration and a sense of unfulfillment, as artists are unable to explore their ideas and develop their skills. Despite these challenges, it is important for artists to carve out moments for creativity, even if it means setting aside small pockets of time to nurture their passion and keep their artistic spirit alive.

The above was written by Co-Pilot in Word from the following prompt: 

“write 100 words on a lack of time to create art”

The following was written by Apple Intelligence/Chat GPT from the same prompt:

In the hustle and bustle of modern life, finding time to pursue creative passions like art seems increasingly elusive. Daily responsibilities, from work pressures to family commitments, consume the majority of hours, leaving little room for artistic exploration. The digital age, while offering tools and platforms for creativity, paradoxically adds to distractions, pulling attention away from focused creative endeavours.

The mental fatigue from constant connectivity and multitasking stifles inspiration and motivation. Art requires not just time, but a relaxed mind to flourish. Without the luxury of ample, uninterrupted time, artistic pursuits are often relegated to fleeting moments, hindering the development of skills and expression.

_______________________________________________________________

Is it just me but do these two pieces of writing, if that is what they actually are, remarkably similar? Needless to say the WordPress AI, not sure what service they use, doesn’t like either of them. It demands sentences shortened and complex words like: however, unable, and following to be changed. I do wonder just how many billions of dollars have been spent to produce this? I suspect far too many but what do I know?

The truth is I haven’t spent enough time just drawing. The older I get the busy I seem to be. This, of course, could be because my time management skills are slipping. It could also because I seem to fill my time with more and more stuff whilst at the same time I am getting more tired due to, you know, getting old. I suspect it is a measure from all of the above. The result is that I do struggle to find time for my art. I guess this is the point where make a solemn vow to do better. But why make a vow you I have no way of keeping?

The following are the co-pilot and Apple/Chat GPT revisions of the last paragraph:

The truth is I haven’t spent enough time drawing. As I age, I get busier, possibly due to poor time management or filling my schedule with too many activities. Additionally, I feel more tired as I get older. All these factors contribute to the struggle of finding time for my art. Making a vow to improve seems futile if I can’t keep it.

The truth is, I haven’t dedicated enough time to just drawing. As I grow older, I find myself increasingly occupied. This could be attributed to my declining time management skills or the fact that I seem to fill my time with more and more activities, leading to increased fatigue due to the natural aging process. I suspect that a combination of these factors is at play. Consequently, I struggle to find time for my artistic pursuits. Perhaps this is the point where I make a solemn vow to improve, but why make a vow that you have no guarantee of keeping?

_________________________________________________________________

The WordPress AI didn’t seem to have too many objections the co-pilot redraft. The same could not be said about Apple/Chat GPT

Neither fill me with any confidence. Nor do they help with the problem of carving out time to make art. I guess it is just down to me try a little harder and make drawings.

One final thing. This is the artwork created by Co-Pilot based on the rewrite of the paragraph. Apple Intelligence didn’t appear to have such an option.

Perhaps this is how I create art in the time available? I suspect that is a very Elon solution to the problem. What he doesn’t understand is that art is the only true description of the human condition. I saw this the other day at the Rugby Art Gallery. There on the wall were art works created by inmates at local prisons. Each described their view of the world at the time of creation. No amount of AI will ever be able to do that. It is the same with every artwork created by an animal. Yes they are paintings but they have no soul.

Anyway, I’ve written enough. Goodbye.

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Having Some Municipal Fun…

There is still life in art collections and galleries of local councils. Last week we were in Barnsley at the Cooper Gallery. This week it was the turn of the Rugby Art Gallery and Museum. Both are pearls in barren sea. I know what I am about to write may well not be popular but I don’t blame the current Government. They inherited a mess and are trying to find solutions within the constraints of the mess. I do hope they succeed.

Local government was one of the worst affected areas as a result of years of neglect by the Conservative government. Cut and after cut they had to endure. When social care consumes so much of a limited pot it is not wonder that the arts and culture in general loses out. Yet despite all of this there is still hope and Rugby and Barnsley offer that hope.

So if you are in the area then take a look at Rugby Art Gallery and Museum…it really is worth a visit.

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Hustings in the Ridings…

There is something very familiar taking place in the largest country in North America – Canada. They are holding a general election. Joy of Joys they use almost the same system as we do except the constituencies are known as ridings. According to Wiki their official names is ‘Electoral Districts’. except no one seems to call them that. There might be more differences. However, from what I have observed so far, that doesn’t seem to be the case.

The reason why this is important is it will be a true measure of the Donald Trump effect. You see before Trumps took office the ruling Liberal Party was in serious trouble – so much so the Prime Minister resigned. The leader of the opposition Conservative Party was powering ahead. I almost called them Tories. His wife could start to think about the furnishings of her new home. I know it’s sexist, but it makes a point.

Then the great orange one south of the border started to suggest that Canada should actually be the 51st state of the United States of America and bottom fell out of the Conservative Party voting intentions. As things stand the Liberal Party could win a majority, they were a minority government relying on support on smaller parties in the previous parliament.

The final dagger in the heart of Pierre Poilievre, the Conservative party leader, is that Donald Trump dismissed him as though he didn’t know who he was. A real blow for someone who tried to pretend he was Canada’s Trump.

So there is just under a month to polling day and as with all elections nothing is decided until the last vote is counted. However, if the Liberals do win then that raises serious questions for populists throughout the non USA west. Many, like Poilievre have cossied up to Trump and now he is possibly proving a real drag where do they go?

Canada the world is watching.

On My Own…

For the last couple of days I have been riding the first rate public transport system in and out of Leicester. (I suspect if I rode the bus on a more regular basis I might have a different view!). Anyway as I sat there I noticed that I was the only enjoying the view out of the window. All of my fellow travelers had their heads buried in their phones. It is on days like this that I start to realise I am becoming and ‘old’ man.

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Barnsley No. 02

We all have good days and then we have bad days. The visit to Barnsley was a good day. As I write this less so. For anyone interested we visited Barnsley because my partner in crime David had always wanted to visit the Cooper Gallery.

The gallery is a joy. Great staff and art that reflects the town and region. The Cooper Gallery is unlikely to hold world class exhibitions: unlike its more illustrious galleries just up the road – the YSP and the Hepworth. Yet that is not the point of the gallery. It is a local resource and it is much the better for that. (If you want a more comprehensive description of the gallery then hope over to David’s blog)

The town centre is dominated by the Town that sits on top of Market Hill. Given all the nonsense going on at the moment I found the war memorial very chilling. But we have to live in the world as it is and so I’m afraid, we’ll be marching to a martial beat for the foreseeable future.

So if you are passing on the M1 then it might just be worth you while popping into see the good people of Barnsley. Oh and if you a really great meal try out the Estabulo Rodizio Bar & Grill. We enjoyed the food and you may well do to.

Editor’s Note: I promise I have not been paid a penny by the Barnsley tourist board (if there such a thing?)

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Barnsley No. 01

As I travel around this peculiar island full of peculiar people (myself being a prime example) I find some places click more than others. I don’t know whether it was the coal dust permeating the atmosphere but I found Barnsley to be a very pleasant place. Of course it helped that it was a glorious early spring day.

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No Rhyme …

Some random images I captured the other day whilst being very much me.

All photographs are a reflection of the person who created them. Is this really what I do with my time? I guess so.

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Playing Catch Up…

So the theory goes: When you are a pensioner you’ll become ‘time rich‘. I am not sure who might have put forward this theory. Perhaps no one – just something I’ve thought up! (The one thing I do know is that the older I get the more my memory isn’t as efficient nor effective as it once was.). Anyway, this is a long winded way of saying I’ve been a bit busy over the past few days. So these are images I have captured over the past few weeks and have not got around to posting.

Does any of this matter? No of course not. This is not entirely true. It matters to me.

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5 Years…

Beautiful spring morning. What better way to enjoy things than to sit in the garden; capture a few images of the birds as they flit, feed, and sing and just enjoy the sunshine. Five years ago of course that was just about all we were allowed to do. Many things have changed but of course one thing is the same. Donald Trump is the President of the United States of America – but that is a subject for another day.

I have reread a few of the posts I made during the lockdown. I have to say it has started to get me down. Best leave those thoughts for 2020.

Instead enjoy the photographs I captured this morning and try and not dwell on 2020 too much.

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Inside the Space of an Atom…

I am not going to pretend I have anything other than the most basic understanding of quantum mechanics. Interestingly, after reviewing the images I captured whilst visiting the excellent Cosmic Titans: Art, Science and the Quantum Universe exhibition at the Djanogly gallery, a flavour of the strangeness can be glimpsed. It was not intended.

That, of course, suggests that I had any intentions. I rarely do. Instead I usually turn up and then go with the flow. It is not elegant but it seems to work for me. This approach is assisted by modern cameras blatant disregard for poor lighting. Most of these were captured in VERY dark rooms at very slow shutter speeds. Yet the sensor and IBIS smoothed out most problems.

Back in the real world normality seemed to be the order of the day.

If using the Hipstamatic photo app on your iPhone on a tram is normal?

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