Friday 18 April 2008

Oi



Thanks for all the comments - so glad that you think the book looks OK. It’s always a bit like introducing your new baby to the world (but with the added complication that you want people to buy your baby).


Loved your reasons for having a proper book, Marjorie. People are always very apologetic if the books are messy when they ask me to sign them. But, to me, that’s the greatest compliment as it means they are well used. A cookery book in pristine condition is an unused cookery book, I reckon.



Paper casting is such fun Aussie Jo, and I love the speed of water soluble paper. I keep thinking that I have exhausted all the possibilities but, even now, I am working on some new ideas. I really like the look of defined shapes, set within a textured area, and this is what I’m experimenting with.



Chrissy - well, I fixed the timing so it would be OK for your birthday. Glad we got that one right.



I am so sorry, Hippopip, about failing in my role as London guide. Here is a pic from the Blood on Paper exhib at the V&A to make up for it. I love the idea of Paula Rego illustrating Jane Eyre. Her narrative style makes her seem such a logical choice and I would love to have held the book and turned the pages.








I was a trifle disappointed at first with this exhibition and, as I said to my friend Jane, I had to give myself a serious talking to about opening the mind to the concept of a book. This is ironic as, when I used to teach book courses, I always started by challenging the students’ ideas of what constituted a book. The second time around, I was much better although some aspects didn’t appeal. There are some wonderful books from some well known names and the ones by Anselm Kiefer, whose work I absolutely adore, were mind-boggling. I have reviewed it for WoW so lots of pics can be seen then. I’d be very interested in the views of anyone who visits it. A great bonus that it is free and a big thanks to the V&A for that. The catalogue is super - loose folios in a box - but it is £45. Ouch.


The Russia exhibition was wonderful, fantastic and superb. We had to queue for ages and we were so tired, but it was so worth it. Many of the paintings had never been outside Russia and we were told by a lady in the queue that the RA had to put up a huge bond against the chance that some would be reclaimed by the (possible) rightful owners. Lots of artists we did not know, but such a high standard and so much to admire. We both love anything cubist so we were very happy bunnies.



You may be wondering about the heading for this post. I will explain. I don’t know how it is in other parts of the world but here in the UK our rubbish is collected once a week and big, bulky stuff or garden rubbish has to be taken to the local refuse tip. These are ruled over by what we call the Tipmeister and he has very strict rules about what gets tipped where. Every time we go we get shouted at and this takes the form of a very large man with a very red face shouting ‘Oi’ very loudly. Our problem is that this now makes us laugh so much that the red-faced man gets very cross. Yesterday one, very tiny, lightweight plastic plant pot crept into our garden waste and was spotted as we tipped it out (you have to empty the bags). ‘Oi’ echoed across the tip - he must have X-ray vision - and we cracked up. I think we shall soon be banned!



Tomorrow I am off to London again on my jolly with the girls. Will dish the dirt on Monday.

8 comments:

Maggie Grey said...

I meant to ask Annabelle to remind me of her new blog name. I forgot to bookmark it and now I can't find the right post. Talk to me Annabelle, I miss you.

Purple Missus said...

Anselm Keifer - what an excellent subject for a review Maggi. I discovered him a short while ago through Jacquelines Blog. Bought just a couple of his books - his work is amazing and very inspiring. So glad you are going to share him.

Gill H said...

Hi Maggie - brave enough to comment at last - have followed your blog for ages. About 'oi'. We have one at our tip - until I went on my own lately with about 10 bags (only supposed to take 6) of heavy clay from the garden. I did the helpless female bit (not good at it)and I was suddenly 'my little lover' and he carried all the bags. Try leaving Clive behind a bush at the gate! Looking forward to your new book. Gill H

West Country Buddha said...

Hello Maggie! I'm so delighted by your comment. I've missed you too. The new blog is www.westcountrymother.blogspot.com (don't think Ican do a link in a comments box, sorry).

I'm struggling with tips and bins at the moment as we've just been switched to total recycling and fortnightly bin emptyings. It's so complicated and hard to remember which bit of rubbish goes where. And the bins are HUGE and have to stay at the front of the house looking ugly. Which reminds me of a funny story. I took a couple of my finished textile pieces with me to a gardening meeting the other day as someone had asked to see them. (yellow daisies and purple cow parsley) Much talk ensued about the hows and whys and so forth. At the end of the meeting another lady came up to me and asked me where I got them as she wanted one. I was puzzled. It turned out that she thought they were covers for the new bins to make them look pretty!! Oh dear, that truly burst my bubble.

Pat said...

Just so you don't feel alone, red faced man's brother works at our site but to actually get in so he can shout at you, you have to go through the third degree at the gate with his cousin. A degree in dumping rubbish could become a requirement very soon.

Aussie Jo said...

We just get nasty notes stuck to our wheelie bins for not having them out early enough (5am).
"oi" is actually a famous Aussie war cry
"Aussie aussie aussie oi oi oi"
You may hear it soon in Beijing.
We had great fun paper casting, I will write a blog entry if I can get my son and his girl friend, as differentiated from girlfriend, off the laptop. This computer is too old to load photos onto!

Megan said...

Hi Maggie

"Oi Mum" is actually my other name. As in "Oi Mum, what's to eat?" or "Oi Mum, where's Dad?". Courtesy of my 15 year old son aka "Oi Chris".

Wendy said...

I look forward to seeing your new book. Will you be bringing any to your talk at Lockeridge.
Wendy