36 posts tagged “anthony j hughes”
My little boy has begun to show his interest in my music. I bought him a little keyboard and he does a great impersonation of Keith Emerson (No Daggers!) and occasionally a touch of Little Richard (Feet) but he really likes the sound of my guitar and especially the Ukulele - I hope it continues without too many breakages!
The place where we create is unique, sometimes evolving as a reference based ecosystem which has layers, sections or distinct areas that can chart our creative evolution.
There seems to be an obsession with those who are non apparent creative’s to ‘de-clutter’ it becomes a mantra which usually follows periods of inactivity in their work. The problem is when they start to try and impose it as good practice in all areas or ‘activity’.
My creative processes are so varied that I cannot safely say there is a method, model or ideal space. Equally my creative environment and circumstances often dictate the creativity itself.
I noticed this when I had a civil service job after my degree (well you had overdrafts to get you through University in my time).
My 6 years studying art and having the luxury of a daily creative studio had lulled me into a state of mental and physical stretching. I could literally ‘swing a cat’ and not hit the canvas!
Having studied commercial art and design for four of those years, I was well organized and disciplined when I began my two year degree in the polar extreme of Fine Art. From early on my time had been organized around client briefs, schedules and the golden rule of all creativity (usually overlooked by those trained to not consider what happens when you leave education - institutionalized) It’s what you leave out that you have to learn.
When I began working in the office job – BAM! No space, no time and not inspiration.
Having been born into a family of artist’s I was lucky not to have the constraints placed on me by some parents whereby drawing and painting, music, writing etc is something you do as a hobby and I was always encouraged by my Mother (An art student of the sixties) to pursue my creative development.
The biggest factor was the creativity itself, I had always pursued all of them with equal passion. I chose not to ‘study’ music as at that time it was a very academic path leading to orchestral work – not for someone who had grown up listening to Motown, Zeppelin and The Beatles etc. But played in may bands since the age of 15 as singer, guitarist, bassist, keyboard or anything else I could get my hands on to learn to play.
In some ways I adapted quickly to my new environment where adults behave like frightened rabbits when the boss is around – or worse, like school children telling tales to teacher to make themselves look good. Wow was this a culture shock!
My approach to painting has always been a slowly evolving process and 90% of the time was preparing myself mentally for 10% activity. Mind you the 10% activity could be three days non stop with little sleep!
So what to do when you have no time? No space and when you do get home, eat and sit down it’s time to sleep? I adapted – and writing became my number one creative outlet. Sitting in café’s, people watching with a little notebook and pen – spending my lunch breaks (That’s what I mean about the school mentality) furiously scribbling my thoughts, ideas and poetry. I became schizophrenic in my two worlds. Like a quick change into the superman outfit as I left the office – becoming someone else entirely.
Circumstances change, jobs change and my creativity changes. There aren’t many areas of creativity I haven’t worked in over the last 20 years and I continue to evolve as the creative tools and culture evolves.
So the spaces also evolve. Clean, tidy and comfy café’s are great for my writing. Large open high walled studios for painting or music and my attic space has become the hub for my video and sound production.
It’s not written in stone – a small rented flat in Moseley was the place where I wrote loads fantastic music. It just seemed to lend itself to it for no apparent reason. It was no different to the last rented flat – but had a ‘feeling’ about it.
With this in mind I decided to take some snaps of my creative space in the attic and document my current environment. Organised chaos it may look like, but it’s my space. For this period of time anyway.
Soon to be re-released the critically acclaimed Artists in Focus.
In 1998 a film crew spent a few weeks following an aspiring artist who had recently moved to Birmingham, UK.
The documentary reveals the determination of one man to access the art world, find commissions and make a name for himself.
Photograph:Anthony J Hughes
Turning the Devil’s Boulder
Traditions associated with Autumn/ Harvest
5th November - Shebbear, Devon
After nightfall men carrying crowbars with women lighting their way approach the huge stone close to the village church. As the church bells peal out the villagers set to work to turn the stone over. Apparently the devil lives under the stone, and 'turning the Devil's boulder' is meant to avert bad fortune.
One legend recalls that the stone was quarried on the other side of the River Torridge at a nearby village, apparently intended as a foundation stone for a church there. But the devil rolled it away to Shebbear - and continued doing this every night as the villagers repeatedly rolled it back during the day.
Interestingly the stone is not of a type found locally and may therefore have been transported there in ancient times for some ritualistic purpose.
Photograph:Anthony J Hughes
Enthroning of Boy Bishops
Traditions associated with Autumn/ Harvest
6th December
Many British folklore customs are of Celtic origin. The Celts divided their year by four great festivals, starting with Samhain, signifying the arrival of winter and the New Year, which fell on 1st November. Imbolc was next and occurred on 1st February, followed by Beltane on 1st May and Lugnasdh on 1st August.
Whilst these dates were all fixed within the Celtic year, the exact dates may not correspond precisely with those above, as dates were adjusted when first the Julian calendar was introduced, and later when England changed to the Gregorian calendar in 1751.The custom of choosing a Boy Bishop from the members of a cathedral choir is thought to date from the 13th century. Following his election he is fitted out in full Bishop’s regalia including robes, mitre and crozier. During the ceremony the chosen chorister and his attendants enter the church, or cathedral, and the new Boy Bishop takes his place on the Bishop's throne and receives a blessing. He then holds this post from the Feast of St Nicholas on 6th December until Holy Innocents Day on the 28th December. During this period he enjoys many of the powers and privileges of the real thing. The concept of grand people humbling themselves at least once a year is a well documented phenomenon within the Christian faith. The enthroning of the Boy Bishop was abolished by Elizabeth I and has only been revived in recent years.
It is still celebrated in: Berden, Hertfordshire; Boston, Lincolnshire; Bristol; Hereford Cathedral; Par, Cornwall; Edwinstowe, Nottinghamshire.
Photograph:Anthony J Hughes
Winter Berries
Traditions associated with Autumn/ Harvest
Autumn has always been known in folklore as a magical time. The rowan tree’s vibrant display of berries in autumn contributed to a belief in protective abilities against spirits as suggested in the old rhyme: "Rowan tree and red thread / make the witches tine (meaning 'to lose') their speed". Pieces of the tree were carried for personal protection from witchcraft and sprigs or pieces of rowan were used to protect cows and dairy produce from enchantment. When showing autumn colour, the power of rowan trees was though to be greatly enhanced.
Legend says that by October the Devil has spat on blackberries, making them inedible. However, with bramble still flowering and new berries still coming there may be opportunities to enjoy the blackberries that the Devil missed!
Photograph:Anthony J Hughes
Mop Fair
Traditions associated with Autumn/ Harvest
Mop Fairs (also "The Mop" singular and "Mops" plural) are a feature of many English towns and are traditionally held on or around "Old Michaelmas Day". They originated as a "hiring" fair and their history dates back some 600 to 700 years.
History
Farm workers, labourers, servants and some craftsmen would work for their employer from October to October. At the end of the employment they would attend the Mop Fair dressed in their Sunday best clothes and carrying an item signifying their trade. A servant with no particular skills would carry a mop head – hence the phrase Mop Fair.
Employers would move amongst them discussing experience and terms, once agreement was reached the employer would give the employee a small token of money and the employee would remove the item signifying their trade and wear bright ribbons to indicate they had been hired. They would then spend the token amongst the stalls set-up at the fair which would be selling food and drink and offering games to play.
Michaelmas Day is celebrated on the 29th September but Mop Fairs were tied to the seasons and the harvest, not the calendar. When the Gregorian calendar was adopted in 1752 and 11 days dropped from that year events associated with the end of the harvest moved 11 days later to the 10th October. This date is known as "Old Michaelmas Day" and since 1752 has been the date Mop Fairs take place.
Tewkesbury Mop Fair, as with others, takes over the entire town centre
Mops are still held in some English towns, though many have died out. To confuse matters some fairs have adopted the term Mop even though they are not held on or near to Michaelmas Day or they are a recent creation.
Mops usually last for 2 days and take over the centre of the town, they attract thousands of visitors. In recent times the Mops have become little more than a funfair with the traditional reason for the fair playing no part. Many of the rides at the Mop are fast, brightly lit and very noisy but traditional rides such as carousels and helter-skelters will still be found though their days may be numbered as visitors more and more ignore them for their more modern competitors.
Mop towns
The following towns have a history of holding Mops and still hold one each year on or around Michaelmas Day. A theme common to these towns is that they were, several hundred years ago, medium sized thriving market towns surrounded by a large number of smaller villages, hence their obvious choice as the location for the Mop.
Alcester, Banbury, Chipping Sodbury, Cirencester, Evesham, Kings Norton, Marlborough, Moreton in Marsh, Stratford upon Avon, Tewkesbury, WarwickPhotograph:Anthony J Hughes
Crying The Neck
Traditions associated with Autumn/ Harvest
Crying The Neck is a harvest festival tradition practised in the West Country of England, in particular Cornwall and Devon. Although mostly discontinued the tradition is still practised by members of the Old Cornwall Society every year.
In The Story of Cornwall, by Kenneth Hamilton Jenkin, the following explanation is given on the practice:
"In those days the whole of the reaping had to be done either with the hook or scythe. The harvest, in consequence, often lasted for many weeks. When the time came to cut the last handful of standing corn, one of the reapers would lift up the bunch high above his head and call out in a loud voice.....,
"We have it! We have it! We have it!"
The rest would then shout,
"What 'ave 'ee? What 'ave 'ee? What 'ave 'ee?"
and the reply would be:
"A neck! A neck! A neck!"
Everyone then joined in shouting:
"Hurrah! Hurrah for the neck! Hurrah for Mr. So-and-So"
(calling the farmer by name.)"
Photograph:Anthony J Hughes
`Ducks' Ditty.'
All along the backwater,
Through the rushes tall,
Ducks are a-dabbling,
Up tails all!
Ducks' tails, drakes' tails,
Yellow feet a-quiver,
Yellow bills all out of sight
Busy in the river!
Slushy green undergrowth
Where the roach swim--
Here we keep our larder,
Cool and full and dim.
Everyone for what he likes!
WE like to be
Heads down, tails up,
Dabbling free!
High in the blue above
Swifts whirl and call--
WE are down a-dabbling
Up tails all!
"The Wind in the Willows" by Kenneth Grahame
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