We spend half of our lives walking around with our eyes shut, blind to the beauty and potential of the world around us. I’ve been making a point recently of looking anew at my surroundings and it’s been fun. From graffiti on walls to street buskers, to art galleries and Bar Via there’s art everywhere. It’s been inspirational and has given me lots of ideas, some of which I hope to try and give form too over the coming weeks and months. Even Tracey Emin - who as those who know me know isn’t an artist I’ve had a lot of time for - made me sit up and take notice with a new installation just down the coast. Browsing dA and other sites opens my eyes to artists both new and established. The more I look, the more I see, and the more I see the more I’m driven to try and produce something special that talks to people.


Life has been more than a little messy recently; maybe it’s been the hot weather but there seem to have been a ridiculous number of nights out and about with friends most of which seem to end up with lots of beer being consumed and sore heads all round, and lungs like sandpaper from too many cigarettes but what the hell. You have to die of something! Probably it’ll be the hit man my bank manager sends after me. Had a nice shoot up in London the other week, and I’m working on a couple of paintings after totally trashing a canvas by mistake when the spray paint I used reacted with the oil base and it all went a bit wrong. Nothing amazing, but they give me pleasure.

I spent the other night during one of those quiet moments at work discussing the future with some close friends and where people want to go and I mentioned the fact that I was planning on leaving in the not too distant future. There were a few shocked faces and lots of “but you’re bloody good at what you do” and “where are you going” type questions answered with “thanks, but I’m not enjoying it” and “I don’t really know yet” which didn’t really take us a whole lot further forward. I avoided any references to the man. Not a time for in-jokes. I would of course in an ideal world like to do something art based, but I have to be realistic so as things stand I don’t know what I’ll be doing for sure in a few months time.

What I do know is that I’ve been given a couple of days off that were refused earlier in the year towards the end of August. That presented a dilemma. Do I buy a new mattress (the present one is horribly uncomfortable) or buy a festival ticket and a tent instead. I wrestled with that one for all of thirty seconds or so. Why have a bed when you can have a field and music and the chance to meet new people? Finally, I've decided on my new tattoo; as soon as the artist (hopefully) gives her permission for me to use her design I'll pop down to the studio and discuss it with the tattooist.

~TheRabbitman spotted the lyric eventually as coming from Like A Rolling Stone by Bob Dylan. Awesome stuff, and he donated his feature as below. Usual rules - first to spot the artist and song that the title of this journal comes from gets a piece featured next time round.

We had a riot in Brighton the other day. Sunny Brighton, best known for being the gay capital of Britain saw over 600 anti-arms trade protestors clash with police kitted up in riot gear. Not great for either side, and all over an American company called EDO which supplies weapons components some of which end up raining down on Iraq and Afghanistan. Lots of arrests, lots of people hurt on both sides – anybody else see the irony here? – and very sadly 19 year old protester Marie Vesco killed in an accident. I’m a great believer in the right of people to protest, and I wished we lived in a world where people got on and we didn’t settle political arguments with bombs and tanks. But it does seem strange that a protest against violence does itself end up in a pitched battle leading to arrests and hospitalisations. I don’t agree with the tactics. But I do have a certain sympathy with the views.


The sun is shining and the mist on the sea is lifting. I watched the fishing boats go out this morning, and I’ll watch them come back in later, full of crabs and lobsters and other goodies. I fancy a run up to the Tate Modern; not been there for ages and I love the place. If you haven’t been – go. I was also looking at pubs for sale the other day and was surprised how cheap they were. Ok, we’re not talking pocket money but even so it’s do-able, especially if the house goes for a goodly sum. And it’s a nice thought. Discussed it with a mate and he loves the idea too. Maybe I’ll have some competition. I have some things I’d like to do over the next few months. I watched a session in a lovely pub in Falmouth recently and I want to do that. Stand there and sing (and maybe play) and have everybody happy and dancing and joining in.

Making me happy just now is: sore finger tips from my guitar. She needs a name. Help! Painting. I’m not great, but it’s fun. Having somebody guess my age at 23. Have a cookie for that. The thought of Sunday and Monday off. Chilli chicken soup. The bloke on the beach who wanted to buy me a beer, and the girl who said I had lovely eyes. Flirting. The blackbird I rescued from two magpies last night. I hope he was ok. Snails – there are millions of them about. Nicotine highs. Bagpipes.


*YamiChi spotted the lyric eventually as coming from Wires by Athlete. I totally love that song, and the story behind it. Usual rules - first to spot the artist and song that the title of this journal comes from gets a piece featured next time round. Right, I’m off to sing some more.

Every now and then I look at somebody’s journal and see a comment or a link that makes me look at bit closer at something new. I’ve been looking at the art of Hieronymus Bosch recently and I have to say it’s interesting to say the least. It’s certainly very much in the style of when it was made i.e. late fourteen hundreds, early fifteen hundreds and you can see the religious ideas in there but more than that I like the utter madness of it all. Look at something like The Garden of Earthly Delight and you’ll constantly see new ideas and details jumping out at you. There are echoes of his ideas in surreal art down the centuries and into film and print in the modern age, and I can’t help but wonder just what he’d have come up with had his imagination been able to access modern technology to give life to his visions. Genius or madman – or perhaps a little of both – he’s certainly compelling and interesting. I’m glad I found him.

Ok – admit it. Who watched Eurovision?


Work has been an utter bitch recently to the point where I’ve decided that enough is enough. You know that it’s getting too much when you spend most of your time off recovering and you’re so tired that you start to read things into comments that people make that aren’t really there. My fault totally. I work to live, not the other way around and I’m off. The only question is a matter of where and when. I have a few ideas in mind and plots they are a hatching. Watch this space. Took the camera up to London full of good intentions the other day but met a friend and instead spent the day chatting and catching up. I took the grand total of eleven images, only one of which was even averagely good. Never mind. There’s always another day. I did get to watch some idiot in Camden with an advertising board and a mohican get arsy when somebody took his photograph. First of all mate, if you’re gonna dress like that people will look and will photograph you. Secondly it’s a public place. Get over yourself. My recent run down country was brilliant, even if the hotel was crap. They did prove that you can make anything look good with good photography. But piggybacks, WKD and live music are all good.

Which leads me on to the summer and a list of festivals that may well with a bit of luck grow in length. Can’t wait for those. I’ll be taking the camera but in all honesty that’s a secondary consideration. It’s all about music, fun and chilling. Thanks to everybody who has voted and commented in my cannabis poll; if you haven’t yet please do so. I’m interested in your views.

*YamiChi spotted the lyric eventually as coming from Echo & the Bunnymen’s classic “The Killing Moon” from the Ocean Rain album. Ok, I didn’t ask for that bit, but there you are. Usual rules - first to spot the artist and song that the title of this journal comes from gets a piece featured next time round.

A disused road tunnel in south London has been turned into a giant exhibition space by graffiti artist Banksy. His art appears alongside that of twenty-nine other artists in a half-mile stretch of the tunnel in Leake Street, Waterloo. Works include Madonna kissing Britney Spears, the Queen and Boris Johnson alongside installations of crashed cars. Sadly, the three day exhibition closes tomorrow, although it’s hoped that the murals at least will remain. It’s interesting that something that many regard as graffiti has become so collectable. Back in January a piece of his work in Portobello Road, west London - which shows a painter finishing off the word "Banksy" - attracted a bid of £208,100 in an online auction. Of course, it helps to be as talented as he is, but it does go to prove the old adage that art really is in the eye of the beholder.


It’s funny sometimes where life takes us. Sometimes the things that we fear will drive us apart do nothing of the sort, and we realise that we love and are loved not for what we are, not for any label that others might apply to us but simply for who we are. It’s a great feeling to know that I can share anything with her, things that I’ve never felt able to share with anybody else and for that to feel good and right; and to know that it’s the same for her. It’s even better to know that come what may I’ll be there for her, and that she’ll be there for me.

I spent an enjoyable if tiring afternoon in London yesterday shooting a new model; you can see a couple of images from that in my gallery so feedback on those is welcome. I know Richie is looking to work with other photographers too so if you’re interested give him a shout. Cornwall next weekend which will be just fantastic, and hopefully there may be a few submissions from that. The lyrical winner was ~TheRabbitman who donated his feature to another artist *t-i-g-e-r. As always, guess the song and artist that gives this journal its title and next time it could be you. Answers below please, first correct answer wins.

Edit - dear, oh dear. Think Donnie Darko people.