Half sized layout of the proposed new design of the orientation panel Having a meeting with the Brighter Bushmills group, to talk about the creative direction of a project, always brings with it a few challenges which need to be tackled head on, so as to progress on to the next stage. Today’s meeting was no different, except that we found ourselves at Innisfree house, instead of the usual meet at The French Rooms. I was also introduced to Dr. Bob Curran, whose blurbs (not a word I am particularly fond of) I am to incorporate into the new orientation panel designs in Bushmills town.
The orientation panel outside of the Bushmills Distillery as it is today. With Dr. Curran being a writer of a number of books, my first introduction came through The Complete Guide to Celtic Mythology published by Appletree Press amongst a few others that I own. And of course Bob also had a guest spot on an episode of the History Channel’s Ancient Aliens, a program I’ve been interested in since it’s beginning. It was only fairly recently, however, that I discovered that Dr. Curran was also an occasional speaker on America’s Coast to Coast radio show, a showed famed for it’s coverage of controversial ideas. Needless to say then, I had great respect for the man and It was great to meet him today at our weekly meeting. Friendly, down to earth and a hearty laugh, Bob joined in the discussions. I hope he will be pleased with my handling of his writing as I attempt to incorporate it into a more concise panel design which will be viewed by the group next Thursday.
Photo by James Battersby circa 2007. A view of the Giant's Causeway as seen from the cliff path. And then it was off to the Giant’s Causeway for a stroll, and a long think to myself. I usually like to jot down everything that I feel is relevant to myself personally from the meeting while it is fresh in my head afterwards. You write whatever you can at the table while it is being discussed, but there are always things that come to mind after the fact. I later found myself at the causeway stones, the main area that the tourists take advantage of for holiday photos. Normally I would offer to take photos of couples, or of friends, but today was different. I began to see the background for my newest artwork take shape in my mind, and so I sat beside the sea and sketched it out. As you may have noticed from viewing my gallery here on my site, I have lately been inspired by Christine, a woman very dear to me, and someone who makes my artwork more vibrant and more expressive in terms of the changes that it has underwent in the last year. In the new artwork I had the figure in place, but the completion of the design of this one in particular proved something of a difficulty. As in the majority of my artworks, I want it to say something; if not to the audience, then at least to my own self. In this case I wanted it to say something to Christine. I wanted to thank her for her kindness above all, and for pulling me back from the edge of a darkness that had taken me; before my jaunt off to Egypt at the beginning of the year. So yes, the tourists would have to find someone else to take their family holiday photos.
Mucha's Bieres de la Meuse Then it was off to the Smugglers Inn for some lunch with my brother. This was the first time; if memory serves me that I had actually eaten in this restaurant. It was there I discussed, with a very patient younger brother I might add, thoughts on the differences between communism and capitalism, Pakistani women’s fashion (I hope the Kameez are coming along nicely Christine) and Mucha’s Bieres de la Meuse painting which was the print on my t-shirt that I was wearing at the time. In the painting the figure’s headdress is very cleverly comprised of wheat and hops, two essential ingredients for the production of beer. In my own illustration work, being inspired by this same idea, I’ve been incorporating barley stocks with their seeds into the design elements in the orientation panels for Bushmills town, but in such a way as the barley itself might only be seen as a decorative piece by the general public, in the same way Mucha’s Bieres de la Meuse concealed the hops and wheat associated with beer in the artwork itself to me, up until recent times.
One of the decorative corner panels which i intend to use as my artistic signature,
complete with a few barley stocks
I like that idea of decorative work that has meaning, even if the meaning may not present itself very obviously. This is what I love about some kinds of art. Sometimes you have to study it to see a bigger picture. Nowadays the virtue of patience is well and truly hanging by a thread, with people’s attention span lessening with every new gadget that comes on to the market. That's not to say that this orientation panel will necessarily have a lot of unobvious meaning...it won't. I just mean that i enjoy the subtle qualities in artwork like Mucha's Bieres de la Meuse and thought it was a great idea.
The food in the Smugglers Inn was perfect and they were not holding back, as many restaurants do around the north coast, on their offerings. I am the sort of man who is fine with a much less helping of food…providing the price reflects that. But I am not a man who likes to be insulted either. Having customers pay over the odds for a paltry offering because you believe the “décor” of the building more than makes up for the lack of food does not really inspire much confidence. Not so with the Smugglers Inn. Plus the staff are attentative and friendly. Great food, great atmosphere and lovely staff. I highly recommend it.
So the work continues with the orientation panel designs for Bushmills town, but everything seems to be slowly but surely coming together.
The food in the Smugglers Inn was perfect and they were not holding back, as many restaurants do around the north coast, on their offerings. I am the sort of man who is fine with a much less helping of food…providing the price reflects that. But I am not a man who likes to be insulted either. Having customers pay over the odds for a paltry offering because you believe the “décor” of the building more than makes up for the lack of food does not really inspire much confidence. Not so with the Smugglers Inn. Plus the staff are attentative and friendly. Great food, great atmosphere and lovely staff. I highly recommend it.
So the work continues with the orientation panel designs for Bushmills town, but everything seems to be slowly but surely coming together.
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