Planet Ruby Starrs

We had a  little jaunt out for breakfast to Bishop Auckland - its practically on our doorstep and we wanted to look at the viewing tower they have recently opened.  Dr Fred went last year with a friend and it was due to be opened the next day so they didn't get to climb it. view from top of tower Bishop Auckland has seen better days - that much is evident as you walk down the high street - so many boarded up shops and the rest just a collection of charity shops and cheap clothes outlets - its a casualty of lost industry, an ex mining town and now there is little left to sustain it.  It felt a far cry from the 'bustling market town' advertised on its web site. The old bit of town around the market square is pretty.  Old stone buildings leading to the Auckland Castle - the country residence for the prince Bishops for nearly a century - quite what that means in this day and age I'm not sure - need to do some research... many of the buildings around the market squa

I'm really looking forward to getting back to uni this week.  Its a bit daunting as its the final year and I feel I need to make the most of it as I'll never be able to afford to do my MA - no loans to over 60's so unless I get very lucky any income I generate from my studies over the next few years will contribute to keeping me alive and fed while I wait for my delayed (due to government changes) pension. ha ha ha.... So I have been working on my dissertation (finally) and have over 2/3'd written to a reasonable standard, I have been drawing all sorts and every thing over the summer so I have quite a collection of source drawing to work from - I'm looking forward to doing more.  And I have finally decided on a concept - loosely based on Juxtaposition.  I have always been interested in opposing ideas, clashing instincts and contrasts that high light each other - this concept is the base for the full years work so it needs to be big and workable - have plenty of sc

Dr Fred and I have just had 5 lovely days exploring  Krakow.  Its a very beautiful and extremely interesting city.  As usual we packed the days in and walked miles and miles even though its very compact city centre we certainly managed to clock up some miles. We stayed in the old town a stones throw from the market square - a very good location for sight seeing, both classic destinations and also some slightly less touristy ones off the beaten track. We also managed to catch up with a friend who lives in Krakow and have a typical polish meal and later in the week a walk around the botanical gardens - which were better then expected, a lovely mix of wildness and cultivation! We started our trip with a wander around the Museum of Contemporary Art - it was an excellent collection of thought provoking and  interesting art works.   I can easily be discouraged by 'modern' art but this was quite inspiring - we didn't like it all but some of it was clever and fun, so

detail of textile art from Cheryll Kung left to right Angel of Love, the label was missing from this one... Selfie,  We visited the Great North Art Show.  Quite how this show comes about or how people find out about it is beyond me but it certainly deserves more publicity than it seems to get!!! We stumbled across it purely by accident and we were very pleased we made the effort to pop by and have a look.  The standard of work was extremely good, very varied and I think there would be something to appeal to most tastes.  For me, it was good to see quite a lot of textile art in there, less common than you might think... as most people often don't think about textile art!!! some stunning pieces from Fran Brammer The added bonus of this exhibition is it is held in Ripon Cathedral a stunning building as you expect!! I have so  many pictures of lovely stone work, stained glass windows and vaulted ceilings it almost makes me believe in some kind of deity!!!!    Still I took ye

Ok I'll admit from the start,,,this is pure procrastination re my dissertation... I have all the books out and the document open but its so much nicer (and easier) to write the blog!!! We had a great family day out to York.. it included, my best girls even a long lost one -  lunch out, the Jorvic Centre, (interesting, mostly well done especially the reconstruction bit but after that the kids were bored)  the Railway Museum, (for some reason the kids just LOVE it here - and its free!!) a little bit of sight seeing, a juggler on a very tall unicycle, a high fiveing invisible man, two excited (and eventually exhausted) grand children, one exhausted Nana, mum and re-found adopted daughter...  it was an excellent way to mark the end of the summer holidays - next week normal (as we know it) service resumes for most people - back to school, I smell winter so for our final fling this summer Dr Fred and I are heading off to Krakow for a few days, posts will follow

After a wet and wild trip to the north of the UK we get home to a glorious Bank holiday weekend for a change - and how welcome was it.. Dr Fred and I spent most of it pottering around the garden and doing nice things like lunch with friends and reading books.  I have been drawing - still trying to define my concept for the coming year... it has to be personal to me and meaningful as the whole years work revolves around it!!! Somewhere in here if you squint there are 2 pairs of shoes the washing up and a bag of rubbish -  combo of 2 x timed min continuous line drawings while camping in rain.... I'm finding it difficult to pin down - it needs to take in my love of nature and my love of travel, we've done quite a bit of nature recently but our travel has been limited due to unforeseen family constraints - I do have a lot of historical resources to draw on and next week I'm going to be looking over my past photographs and journals and hope that something jumps out and say