Smoking Dragon 2014 / 2015

Another epic New Year @ Smoking Dragon 2014/2015

For the community Project the brief this year was to make jewellery for trees.

The idea was to focus on basic craft techniques, but with 3 cans of paint i think it turned into a street art convention needless to say the kids had fun and were all very enthusiastic.

This mud stain on a toilet door had me wondering if i was the only one who could see too lovers kissing. (Squint your eyes for this one)

 It came down in buckets.

Once again thanks to the organizers, and all those involved, the new friends i made, the old ones from last year who are even better friends now, the Artists from Durban, Jhb, Capetown.

Jumping up and down never felt better. (I think its called dans)

Bands that blew me away were "Existing consciousness" for the unstoppable energy

Desmond and the Tutus, because there music always makes me think of the feeling you get from the large expanse of land between Durban and Jhb, and that feeling of freedom every road trip to Jhb generates. Cortina Whiplash just because, The Pranks because i had flash backs of Glastonbury, and James is putting out these little foal accents in his riffs, and obviously Purity's natural phenomenal stage presence. It feels good to be apart of something, thank you.

North Bank: Found object excursion

Been to the North Bank 3 times in 3 days. I haven't caught a single fish, but i'm starting to question how central catching fish is to these little adventures. 

The North bank is flanked by the Umgeni river, and some very natural looking mangrove vegetation. Its exciting walking along the bridge,into oncoming traffic  and then using the temporary scaffold bridge to get to the bottom. Theres also the 1 in a millionth chance of being eaten by a crocodile.

Spring tide has been regurgitating objects like no tomorrow. In the past 3 days i have found plus minus 15 balls, all types of balls. This might mean, that some people have more balls than others.( drum roll)

There has been some very interesting photographic opportunity, and there is plenty of human debri to get the creative juices flowing. I came across two destroyed wooden sculptures.

a very dirty duck..........

 a hip flask

and some plastic toy type objects

Todays quest has made me think of ways i can share my knowledge of found objects, and working with materials that happen to be there. Sustainable material is an open canvass, with much aesthetic potential. There is possibly hundreds of things you could make with found objects. The key is to constantly exercise that type of thinking until it becomes a natural habit.

A fishermans tale

When i arrived i was confused as to why there were so many cars at the edge of the grass verge that grew on top of a blanket. It made absolutely no sense, There had never been a shad run in the bay, and that was the impression i was getting.

I had never driven my car onto the jetty, like verge, like everybody else does. I actually thought it was hahaha against the law (like one ever existed) Anyway, i decided i was going to do it.

I couldn't understand why no one had fishing rods, and then i saw the ship. Mammoth structural beast, just floating, its little square windows glinting in the distance.

It just felt unnatural that there were so many people blown away by it. 

I was super distracted, i was here to fish. The third free lure was heavy, with a pink underbelly and dark blue top, fading into white. A little heavier than normal, for my light rig, with a few bearings, and a very interesting lure action.

The rain was still beating down, but a spatial type of flat drop rain, a little indecisive, being bullied by the wind. I thought ahead, at least i had protection, What? 

My blue rain jacket flapped about like a sail, like a yacht in frantic seas. People milled past like i was in in shopping mall. I still didn't care about the ship, i was here to fish.

Another man with a rod arrives and catches a small kingfish with his spoon. I couldn't believe it, i had been there an hour already.He didn't deserve it. 

Now distracted by defeat, and boredom, my mind wonders into the city scape, that divides the industrial ocean, with its clusters of mechanical giraffes in the distance, that are always beautiful. I'm not sure how it happens. Can go to this same place everyday of the week and everything, will change, be re arranged. New objects, different angles. Always tell myself, no more, Your'e not allowed to take any more photographs here, its forbidden, but i do, something will happen, something out of the blue, something in the moment, an energy an event, a feeling.

But this time the city was a pop up book, a little card board silhouette. People lived in there but it wasn't spoken of. There was no action, no chases, nothing.

I got tired of the lure i was using which is this one.

this one, 

and this one

I see this guy in a hoodie fishing. His shoes, are the whitest ,brightest,colourful, adidas shoes Iv'e ever seen. I'm totally blown away, by this fashion victim at the waters edge.

He turns about to be a she, as i realize its actually a women, disguised. A guy next to her retrieves his line into a basket.It was like a jammed moment in time, it actually made no sense.And then it dawned apoun me fishing doesn't have an image. Fishing is fishing. Fishing is Kurt Cobain/Nirvana/Come as you are!! 

Oh and by the way The Queen freaking Mary, not one, but two!

New Year - Amphitheatre Backpackers 2013 / 2014

The Pre build up to New Year was hard work but great fun. Super inspired by all support and encouragement. The music an atmosphere were insane. 

An artist named Chaz, and his dog Homie

the road there

A community workshop i did with some of the locals. I started by encouraging them to think of new purposes for found objects. Great things emerged.

Showed them how to use stencils, and showed them different properties inherent in different found materials.

Here i taught them some craft techniques, cutting using a craft knife, punching and riveting.

We made keyrings from cam-belts. 

 Met some awesome Germans as you do, here they are.

the road home

Thank you for the awesome support, feedback and encouragement. Have an awesome new Year!!!!