Miserable Weather

It's cold and it's dark and it's wet and the clocks are going back this weekend, so it's going to be even more cold and more dark and more wet. Why oh why do the clocks have to change? It gets dark naturally anyway! And do other countries change? Anyone know? Or is it just stupid old Britain? I think the latter.

Ok, a small catch up of photographs taken over the last fortnight:

That famous view from Greenwich Park - in a hazy day or is that just smog?

Queen Anne's House from that same point using my incredible zoom!

Sir Christopher Wren's Naval College - now part of Greenwich University

Sunny side

Shadow side

The Painted Hall

I wasn't sure if I could take photos - so that's why it's so blurred (I was in a hurry!)

The chapel and random woman

The Greenwich foot tunnel

Soft toy Reindeer in London department store for sale at £3750!

I thought they had scrapped all the old Routemasters from London?

Home on the train across Charring Cross bridge

Not too keen on the building - just liked the light!

Quite liked this building though

Think I have a fetish for cranes! Well, it's better then pylons . . .

Greenwich Park Red Deer

Friend crow

Best friend: 'Speckled Jim or Jane'

Feeding time

I'll definitely be back when it's colder to feed my friends

Of course they wouldn't leave us alone

Follow the leader!

Nice car

Perfect colour

The circus has come to Blackheath

Must be one of the oldest running circus's in the country

Ok, nothing much to report. Only that on TV tonight is a programme about Devon otters filmed right by us, near Torrington, on the river Torridge. So am going to immerse myself in the West for 50 mins via the Natural World on BBC2.
Click here to read about the Tarka Country, river Torridge, Devon

Night all,

Emy xxx

Brand New

My website has been updated, my 'old painting website' is now my 'brand new painting website'
Go and check it out www.ejclark.co.uk and comments are definitely welcome! I need to add a 'Guest book' on there but all the free one's on the internet come with an ad - so Andy (who also did my website) is going to write one for me! So exciting!

But now I have my blogspot paintings too - which I might change into a photo blog - still called 'Open studio' but with a change of title 'The photography of Emily Clark', I'll see anyway.

The 60's night was swinging - it was only 2 and half hours (10 years worth in very little time) and I did all of the work - Mary brought 10 cds for burning, which I happily did AND write down the tracklist. We need another night just to listen to it now!

Apart from that the weekend was uneventful - apart from all those mad accusations Heather has said over Paul - she really is a true bitch supreme. But then he isn't so great either!

Oh well!

Emy xxx

Not Much Going On . . .

Ok, not much to report so here are some cool links:

Only today I saw the new Sony Bravia advert - and I was impressed, it made me want to run all the way to my studio in Devon and paint - click here to watch it

Can you find the 7 four leaf clovers? I found 5. Another indication where I'm missing Devon.
4 leaf clover game

Talk like a pirate with ahoy-mateys - you know I didn't even see the 2nd Johnny Depp film - as I was in Devon and the local cinema in the nearest town is at least 6 months behind! Oh well, might be on then when I do finally get to the West . . . And the offical pirate day was on my Birthday - sorry guys, a month late.

Sometimes I need to show photos on these postings and I don't have a particular snap so I've found a good free photo database - openphoto (hey that's pinched with my openstudio!)

While we're on the subject of my work - I got a shock last night, I was on the KIAD website, just browsing (now called UCreative) and I found my MA installation piece in the online gallery! One never ceased to wonder plus they put an 'e' on the end of my surname which is 'Clark', I should phone them up and have them take it off! Me angry ;( so click here

I'm constantly finding new bands I like on itunes and here's one of them - Boom-Bip - can't find any of their records in HMV and such like places s0 prob have to go to Tower Records up in town - I like very specialist tastes! Click here to view their website - and wait for the music to start.

And finally - a video from Beck - Cell Phone's Dead - I've always liked Beck and I haven't been out to purchase his new album. I like the effects in this video - well, afterall the man's got money to make it, so why not?! Click here to view video

I went to see my grandmother today - still ill, yet getting better. In the dining hall was a woman singer and piano player singing all the old London songs, celebrating VE Day and chrousing Vera Lynn 'We'll meet again someday' and all the old men and women singing along in their wheel chairs. It was an odd moment, and I suddenly felt very young! And altogether now - 'They'll always be an England . . ." Nice.

Emy xxx

You Can't Beat The 1960's

Ok, my website should be up and running pretty darn soon - it has been so long since it has been updated and I'm totally indebted to my friend Andy who's doing it for me. And for a celebration here is my statement about why I paint - not only that - but why I only paint in Devon:

Source

When I look across Keeper’s Marsh down to Throat Copse where the hares and the foxes and the red deer take cover, I am facing due west. It is from this skyline, distant above the canopy, that the weather – massive, sometimes, like all the maddest of the Gods roped together – comes charging in from the Atlantic, some 15 miles off. The hedges bend and the few remaining pines creak and shudder, their stiff limbs helpless against the onslaught. At such times, Nature is merciless and all that lives can only stand its ground and wait. In hours – days sometimes – the rage is spent and the sky is swept clean for my cousins, the buzzards (wheeling and mewing) and the rooks (rascals and likeable every one) and, in season, the heavenly skylarks and the divine mantra of the yellowhammer which has little to do with bread and cheese. This is North Devon. My wooden studio is in a dip with a 360 degree view of infinity. I’d be a fool if I didn’t paint.


Happiness is to be a painter in that kind of environment. Well, it is if I could only get there. There was talk of next month but now, as my grandma is still so ill, it might have to be in December including Xmas and New Year.

My friend Mary is coming over on Friday for a 60's night. When I was 12 I was the archetypal 60's teenager - wishing I was born in a different time, loving not only the music of the 60's but the culture and the fashion too. I was way ahead of my time - well only by 5 years or so - but that's a long time. And most of my so called friends ridiculed me with my choice of music, I was bullied, teased and laughed at, but I kept strong and continued insisting that the music was the best, that The Beatles were the best band of all time. Then suddenly when I hit 16 I found more contemporary bands from Oasis, Blur to Radiohead and then suddenly all my friends cottoned on to the wonder of the 60's and I sat back in my chair saying, "I told you so". The 60's then made a HUGE comeback and is still very much apparent in the charts of today. And now Mary, who has almost got over her 80's obsession as gone head first into the 60's and basically wants a crash course on that incredible time. So in steps me and my music archives on my itunes, and not to mention parents old LP's and 45's. But there are holes in my music collection too - and so with help from the discount record shop in Greenwich market yesterday - I've discovered 'Fleetwood Mac', 'Jefferson Airplane' and 'Santana', though the latter I knew a lot about anyway as my folks have a very fine collection of their LP's. So Mary is in for quite a shock - it's going to be a long night, with a helping of nice white wine! (of course)

Grins!

Emy xxx

A Few Canaries And Other Birds

Just a quickie tonight as I've been starring at this screen most of the day - sorting out my website details to give to my friend Andy when I see him tomorrow, oh that and dusting and cleaning - the usual things I do on a Saturday and my back is aching something rotten, So photos: Canary Wharf from last weekend and Elmley Islands RSPB reserve with my Dad the other day:

Docklands

One Canada Place





Road bridge over the Medway River of Kent

Another bridge over the Medway

On the bridge

Industrial landscape

Slight problem going over the cattle grid!


Elmley Island RSPB Reserve

Met a few cows

They wished us good day

And was happy enough to have pictures taken!

A typical bird hide for birders or twitchers

was not once a typical bird, now very much is - a Little Egrit

Not much going on


Or here - but what a sight!

Well from over 500 cows and 200 strong flock of Lapwings, a few geese and curlews, there was not much else. But perfect day. Sun shone ALL the time.

Emy xxx

Rainy London & Stunning Scotland

Hello everyone - I'm back again. Somebody uncork the champagne! ;)

I've just about got over my cold although it has taken a LONG time. Plus I can relax now as I've got through my trip to the dentists this morning - all the way by car, through the congestion charge, to Highgate, North London and why North when you live in the South? Well, it's the same dentists and dentist my parents have been going to since they were married (1967) and lived in North London, so all my sodding life (careful, sorry) I've been going up there. So yes, the dentists are good but it can't stop me hating them. Why is it that teeth so small can produce so much pain and work? Luckily I was ok today, just a small filling and so small injection but other times have been hell and why do I ask? I don't stuff my face with sugar, I'm actually going through quite a good patch of having NO sugar whatsoever!

The detox is going well, too well. I have had a few food dreams though but I'm really enjoying it. Last Saturday my mum and I went to see her neice Saskia at Docklands (Canary Wharf) and had to break the detox as there are no restaurants who cater for detox dieters - even the salads are packed full of cheese, chicken and bacon, so I had fish cakes and chips and mum had a vegetable tart and chips. No wine. Water. We were good. But my Dad has been so unhappy recently that we thought maybe we should have a small Chinese take-away. Which we did. And wine. We were not so good. The next morning I couldn't move - I felt that ill and was so happy to be straight back on the detox! It is definitely a way of life and I recommend to anybody. It has been 15 days now, it would have been 16 if we hadn't broken it on Saturday, but one day is fine (I think!)

The weather is cold and wet. It fell down in Kentish Town this afternoon on the way back from the Dentists - I've never seen rain like it! So a second in the series of old photographs - again taken in Scotland February 2004:

Gavin Maxwell's Sandaig, where he lived with his famous otters and wrote his book 'Ring of Bright Water', the house burnt down in 1966 claiming the lives of one of his otters, his ashes and one of his other otters are on the site of the house in a small stone memorial.

The view from our Scottish National Trust cottage overlooking the Kyle of Lockalsh

Same Loch - where an otter swam right past my bedroom window (I waved!)

The mountain back drop of the Kyle of Lockalsh

The starting track down to Gavin with the surrounding mountains

The Kyle Woods

Didn't have to go far for a glimpse of Scots pine trees!

And the sun going down over the Kyle of Lockalsh

I have also been updating my openstudio blog here and there but keep forgetting to add a link so go here. . . NOW!

OPENSTUDIO-UK

Comments please.

Thank you and goodnight!

Emy xxx

P.S Just heard that England are losing the match with Croatia - as in 2:0 losing, thank God, I HATE that game and please, please, PLEASE England DO NOT QUALIFY FOR THE EURO! I thank you . . . .!!!!!

Turning Back Time

To February 2005 Abernethy RSPB Reserve, Scotland

Welcome to a new series of old photographs which were taken before I started this blog - plus as I haven't been out to take new pictures I feel my posts have been looking rather dull without pictures - don't you think?

Before the pictures - I did manage to leave the house today, twice in fact. One to go to a computer shop as my Dad broke my Epson printer today - Oh my lovely Epson printer - and so we had to take it to be fixed and then we went out after lunch to see my grandmother in her nursing home, she's a lot brighter, although she can't talk and she sleeps all day. She knew we were there but she didn't smile and just starred at us in a dull fashion. It's not really a memory I'd like to keep for her - but I had to see her.

So photos:

The cairngorm mountains in the background

Part of the ancient Caledonian Forset


The sun was so strong that day and the camera loved it!

This week and next week the BBC are doing Autumn Watch - the same as Spring Watch which was filmed at Fishleigh in Devon (where my Scots Pines are planted) This time they're in Lancanshire and Simon King is up on the Isle of Mull off the coast of Scotland covering the Red deer rut - very exciting - BELIEVE ME IT IS! I saw loads of Red deer in Scotland - actually they're a menace as they eat all the young pine saplings, but very beautiful all the same. Bill Odie is his same annoying self and Kate Humble is just great, I'd love her as my big sister!

Everyone have a great friday night,

Em xxx

Whoops I Wasn't Meant To Be Here

Out of force of habit, I suddenly clicked, clicked and clicked and found myself here 'creating a post' when I didn't want to come here at all tonight because I have NOTHING to report. Wow, that's a conversation killer. So I'll now drivel on about crap for the next few minutes or so - just to get your moneys worth. My cold is leaving me. That's the good news. But I haven't left my house in over a week and am starting to feel like a hibernating animal - a hedgehog would be good. Tomorrow I'm determined to face the real world, leave my house, in normal clothes - as in not black velvet trousers and old t shirts - on my detox diet. I have NO idea if I've lost anything - as my mother has hidden the scales because I kept jumping on to them every morning to see if there was any change and I haven't tried any of my clothes on, so I don't know. Plus I'm continuing this diet until I've lost all my weight, so the scales and me won't be seeing eachother until another 4 weeks. So, will this work? Will I keep my will power up and racing to the end? So many times I've jumped ship after a few weeks, crying out for FOOD and NICE THINGS TO EAT AND NICE THINGS TO DRINK LIKE WINE! Will I be victorious this time? Well, er, um, ah, maybe. It has been hard what with being ill and the 'curse' to get through and now back to normal living, what's harder? Perhaps normal living because when I was ill I could hide under the duvet, not do anything, not see anyone and sleep away my hunger - NOW I HAVE TO BE NORMAL AGAIN. Shit. Feck.

With all the recent things in the news - the killings of the armish children in the US, the constant suicide bombings in Iraq and even the Conservative party conference in Brighton - the weather changing, the winds picking up and the rain lashing down, I've been trying to write 'serious' poetry, trying to put my soul into a few words and instead of commenting on such and such, here's my offering in poetry form:

Earth not earth, trees dying
In the park they mark out
The course of root and flower
As if they had the whole
shooting match under control.
We may see another hour
one more Spring, an item
assumed by the authority.
We may presume the dawn
but still be sleeping when,
despite the regulation depth
and measured line, the golden
Host fails, at last, to shine.

Wow that was nice and depressing, that has made me feel a whole lot better!!!!! Not! Sorry guys, I actually think I'm depressed. O dear.

Cheerful comments please! (What? After that Emy Jane, you must be kidding!)

Emy x

I Will Be Back To Normal Soon - If I Was Ever Normal

Oh dear, Autumn is here - it's getting cold and the leaves are starting to turn. My cold is much better although I've given it to my folks, whoops.

Devon is planned for the beginning of next month as we're going to a private view on 31st, more about that when I get the details.

So I can't paint. Well, I can - on paper and in my small studio here - but over the last few days I've been so ill that it has been hard to even consider it. I feel so stiff and tired, it's not fair.

So, here's a short poem I composed in my drug infused mind the other day high on Beechams for my symptons, a homage to Spike Milligan:

Francis Bacon ate eggs
to strengthen his legs
Vincent Van Gogh ate
only potatoes
While Pablo Picasso ate
pickles and peas
and the paint that
splashed on his knees

If you can't paint it, write it - that's my motto.

E xxx