2nd into 3rd

Time passes quickly and the schedule fills up.

Experimentation with gloss paint and collation of images dictates the studio work, otherwise writing a "study plan" for the year. (I see this is indeed included in one of the learning outcomes - organisation...)

Today I bought a juicer a little like this, but yellow. The plastic molded shape is just great. I also got some colourned lanterns, the colour not so pure and striking as plastic things, but more like the distressed look, good as an opposite to the shiny colours.

15 books on loan from the library
75km run this week

pause : 8 months

After a (long) time away from updating . . . a new academic year begins.

It started with a book, made with images collected from my time in Japan, being on show at the London Art Book Fair. Every year one of the tutors takes student work down to show.

This is my book with the others on show.

http://ecasecondcenturypress.blogspot.co.uk/ is the blog in which you can find out more.

The school year starts slowly and it becomes quite apparent the long break between the last semester and this has been necessary in terms of getting away from the environment and concentrating on something different, reflecting on works made. However, the feeling of getting started rather than continuing is heavier.

Keeping a good(ish) schedule
Running a lot
16 books on loan from the library

Installation

Some images of how I used the space to show some of the work I have completed here in Japan.

More Food

Instant noodles

Microwave "cup" cake mix

Expensive fruit example

"Bread"

Miso packets

Typical canteen selection

Small Painted Studies

Small developmental studies, December/January

Hikone

I took a trip out to Hikone. It is on the edge of Lake Biwa, Japan´s largest freshwater lake. It is just about an hour away from Kyoto by train.

This is the lake

And something I found by the water´s edge

The main attraction is the castle which is a national heritage site. First I walked up a large hill on the other side of town to see the old castle ruins, there wasn´t much to see, but the view wasn´t so bad.

Inside the castle, it is mostly original and all made of wood.

Included with the entrance fee is admission to Genkyu-en gardens.

I also saw this temple/shrine which was inside a big shed:

More interesting man-hole covers:



If something can be decorated, in Japan it is.

Lovely post-box

Ohara

Today I cycled up to a small village called Ohara. It was about 11km and mostly uphill. People usually visit Ohara in Autumn as the Autumn colours are said to be spectacular. Nevertheless, a trip there in the snow could be just as interesting.

Once getting there there is a walk up to the famous shrine, Sanzen-in. But I walked on to the Soundless Waterfall - meant as when the Buddhist monks are chanting you are not supposed to be able to hear the sound of the falls. Today it sounded like most waterfalls do.

The good thing about cycling up is that on the way back it is down.