Tuesday 30 September 2014

SPARKLING..

                             World © Geoff Wilkinson - All rights reserved


As I promised Sunday, Mindi's scooters in all their glory. There's nothing like a bit of sparkle on the chrome to get the pulse racing, perhaps I should dig my crash helmet out of the loft. Vespa's and Maserati's there's nothing like a bit of Italian style.



Monday 29 September 2014

WAR!

    World © Geoff Wilkinson - All rights reserved


I spotted this rather unusual numerplate in Wanstead a few days ago. I think because the news is always so full of turmoil and strife in the world that it stuck out so much. Hopefully you had a peaceful weekend.

Sunday 28 September 2014

SCOOT ALONG..

                       World © Geoff Wilkinson - All rights reserved


My friend Mindi has this sign outside his office. As you may surmise he's very keen on scooters, especially  for his day to day running around. I really like the colour of the sign on that brickwork, very smart. Check Teusdays post for an interesting picture of his scooters.

Saturday 27 September 2014

ROLL UP, ROLL UP....

                   


                       World © Geoff Wilkinson - All rights reserved


Last year there was terrific demand for The Wanstead Society's calendar, so this year it's been printed early to give everyone a chance to get a copy. We have again this year donated the pictures for this wonderful calendar. It has twelve great pictures of Wanstead inside plus of course the cover picture, the bikes at Wanstead Station, one of my  personal favourites. We have it in stock at the gallery, '84' in Nightingale Lane. It's never to early to think about buying for Christmas so here's the perfect gift and why not pop another in the bag for yourself. It's marvellous value at just £6 and all the money goes to The Wanstead Society who do so much on our behalf.

On sale now at our gallery:
'eightyfour'
84 Nightingale Lane,
Wanstead,
London 
E 11 2EZ

0208 530 1244




Friday 26 September 2014

AND HERE'S ANOTHER...

                      World © Geoff Wilkinson - All rights reserved


I know I published a similar picture on Monday but I'm afraid I couldn't resist this one. When I saw this reflection picture in black and white on the computer screen as opposed to the colour  version, sigh... well what can I say.

Thursday 25 September 2014

NOW WHERE...

     World © Geoff Wilkinson


In all the time I have spent wandering around Wanstead I had never noticed this sign before. I discovered it on my Saturday morning walk, I'm not going to say where. It's a little Thurday morning  brain teaser for you, let me know if you know where it is.

Wednesday 24 September 2014

A RIVER RUNS..

                      World © Geoff Wilkinson - All rights reserved


As I have said before, it's funny how moving water in a river, garden or the sea seem's to have such a calming effect. This stretch of water is of course the river Roding that borders Wanstead. I could spend hours just watching leaves floating by wondering where they will end up.

Tuesday 23 September 2014

A GREEN ROOF..

    World © Geoff Wilkinson - All rights reserved

Now I love this idea! This solves the 'where to keep the dustbins' problem with some style. I was passing this house near Christ Church when I spotted this lovely wooden 'shed', the best part of it of course is that it has a planted living roof. I have seen similar on eco houses but never on dustbin refuge but then why not. Brilliant, well done.

Monday 22 September 2014

FALLEN LEAF..

                     World © Geoff Wilkinson - All rights reserved


Here's another picture from the rainy days I referred to yesterday. I was wandering across Christchurch Green when I found this fallen leaf lying next to a puddle. I like the way it lines up with the reflection of the trees in the water. I have a feeling that it's going to be an early winter, lovely colour on the leaf though.

Sunday 21 September 2014

THE TROPICS...

    World © Geoff Wilkinson - All rights reserved


Unless you have been on holiday you may have noticed that we have had a little rain in the last couple of days. Accompanied by thunder, I didn't see any lightning, we have had one or two of what I can only describe as tropical style downpours. The thunder didn't bother me, I slept right through it on the first night, there again I did sleep through a mini 'quake, actually it was an earth tremor in Los Angeles. Anyway I took this picture in the High Street on Saturday morning and I quite like it, better weather for the rest of the week according to my iPad.

Saturday 20 September 2014

WATER LOGGED....

    World © Geoff Wilkinson - All rights reserved

I had such a good shoot in Wanstead Park the other day, I still have a few pictures to publish so please bear with me! I particularly like this one because to me it's not quite perfect . The park has so many great views, I was pleased to find this log lying in the water it just threw the view a little off kilter to me.

Friday 19 September 2014

A DOG'S LIFE..

    World © Geoff Wilkinson - All rights reserved

I met this character over in Wanstead Park, rather handsome my daughter thought. Bit of a sad expression in this picture but when we met up he was very cheerful and interested in everything.

Thursday 18 September 2014

POINT OF VIEW..

                     World © Geoff Wilkinson - All rights reserved


I quite like graffiti in the right place, I know it's not everyones cup of tea. The talent show by some of the artists is amazing, I came across this piece on a river Roding walk, it's on a concrete wall under the A406. It came as a bit of contrast after all that greenery and peaceful flowing water still it's someones point of view. 

Wednesday 17 September 2014

GREEN FINGERS..

                            World © Geoff Wilkinson - All rights reserved


I know it's very popular to have bi-fold doors at the rear of the house to 'bring the garden inside'. However the owners of this Wanstead house have had a good idea, they have painted flowers on the wall of the porch by the front door. Great idea, I really like it especially with the leaf pattern on the door mat.

Monday 15 September 2014

STANDING TALL...

                          World © Geoff Wilkinson - All rights reserved

I came across this guy trimming a hedge in Wanstead the other day. I admire the fact he appears to have great balance plus a head for heights. I personally got dizzy just thinking about it while I was taking the picture.  

Saturday 13 September 2014

GRAND FINALE...

    © Geoff Wilkinson - All rights reserved


This is the Grand Finale of the fabulous Wanstead Fringe. The Duke pub in Nightingale Lane is hosting a street party today that will go on into the evening. There are straw bales across the road to keep it traffic a free zone, as you can see there is a band playing, children and people dancing and of course an excellent pint of beer on tap. It's been a great week, at our Gallery 'eightyfour' in Nightingale Lane we have had craft workshops, a photography evening and three photo walks, it's been full of people and brilliant. The Fringe may be over for this year but I'm look forward to next year already.

Friday 12 September 2014

ALWAYS IN A HURRY..

    © Geoff Wilkinson - All rights reserved

I had a couple of minutes to while away in Hackney the other day. I wondered along to Hackney Road to see what was happening. It was rush hour, this must be one of the busiest roads in London, I was in luck just as I arrived this classic E Type Jaguar sped past heading East. A Wanstead resident perhaps ?

   World © Geoff Wilkinson - All rights reserved

     World © Geoff Wilkinson - All rights reserved

     World © Geoff Wilkinson -All rights reserved

Wednesday 10 September 2014

HANDBAGS...

    World © Geoff Wilkinson - All rights reserved


I love these handbags. We have them on show at the Gallery as part of The Wanstead Art Trail, they are the work of local artist Jola Spytkowska. The amazing thing is all these wonderful bags with such great faces are ceramic, they really are worth seeing. I prefer the picture above with the 'floating' shadows on the wall however, you can  see a more conventional view below. At the bottom of the page you can see Jola's biography.

                        World © Geoff Wilkinson - All rights reserved

Jola's bio:
I first studied for a Diploma in Ceramics at Braintree College which then led me to Goldsmiths College London where I gained a Post Graduate degree.
I currently work in 3 areas: my studio work, teaching and public and private commissions
I design and handbuild figures and beasts by slab building.  These are one offs and some limited editions and I sell my work through galleries, exhibitions and craft fairs.

My work is figurative.  I look for human and animal personalities in the everyday objects around me.  Through drawing I explore the images I have collected in my memory or with a camera or the objects I have found in a scrapyard, a kitchen or a tool shed.  I find that there is many a creature waiting to emerge from some of these objects  Looking at an old tape measure I might suddenly see a friendly dog looking back at me.  A round metal jug can have the potential for a bird- like creature.
Lately I have realised that handbags have personalities too!

From an early age portraits in pencil led to drawings of heads combined with mechanical elements 'Heath Robinson' fashion and were early hints of my later fascination with the ' mechanics' of objects.  A passion for scrap yards followed with photography focusing on the beauty of discarded materials with rich powers of association.  Collecting junk trained my eye to perceiving the potential human and /or animal element within the objects and drawing became the key to releasing them.

Tuesday 9 September 2014

FLOWER POWER..

    World © Geoff Wilkinson - All rights reserved

I spotted these colourful flowers on a window ledge in Grosvenor Road the other day. They aren't real of course, they look a lot like a childs toy to me, they brighten up the house though on an otherwise overcast day..

Monday 8 September 2014

TALES OF THE UNEXPECTED..


    World © Geoff Wilkinson - All rights reserved

I have to admit to doing a double take at the weekend. It's not every day you see a giant dove travelling along the High Street, I did wonder if I have had to many espressos before lunch. It was of course artist Anna Bisset delivering her willow 'Peace Dove' to the art installation at Wanstead Station. I posted a story about it yesterday, it is part of The Wanstead Art Trail. The second surprise was to find this totem pole made of tyres in the garage in Wellington Road. As this years Art Trail's theme is 'Make Art not War' it seemed appropriate the figure painted on the tyres was a World War 1 soldier. Well done all round.


                             World © Geoff Wilkinson - All rights reserved

Sunday 7 September 2014

DAY ONE, IT'S ALL HAPPENING...

    World © Geoff Wilkinson - All rights reserved


Well day one is over and the Wanstead Fringe and The Wanstead Art Trail is well under way. It's been fantastic, at our Gallery, 'eightyfour', we have had a great day of craft workshops plus a photography walk. I took the picture above at an open air screening of the Lego movie, part The Fringe programme, in the grounds of Christ Church, it was a full house with 200 tickets sold. In the afternoon I went along to Wanstead tube station where members of the Art Trail were hard at work. There was a fantastic peace dove made from willow, the work of artist Anna Bisset having the final touches in the form of feathers added to it. There is lots going on at the station art wise so do take a look on your way to work this the week.

    World © Geoff Wilkinson - All rights reserved

     World © Geoff Wilkinson - All rights reserved

Saturday 6 September 2014

ANY IDEAS ?

                      World © Geoff Wilkinson - All rights reserved

I came across this weathered  wall on my Wanstead Park walk the other day. It runs  along the side of the river Roding, I wonder if perhaps it was part of the original Wanstead House layout and used as a dock for boats on the river. Any suggestions welcome.

*Don't forget today is the start of The Wanstead Fringe and The Wanstead Art Trail, lots of stuff to see and enjoy...

Thursday 4 September 2014

JAPANESE OR CHINESE...

    World © Geoff Wilkinson - All rights reserved

As I mentioned in a blog earlier this week, the lake in Wanstead Park has a covering of algae over a large part of it. However when I found these overhanging branches I thought I would use it to my advantage. I think it makes a lovely backdrop to the leaves, to me it has an oriental feel to it.

Wednesday 3 September 2014

MUSICIANS...

     World © Geoff Wilkinson - All rights reserved


There must be a great number of musicians in Wanstead who play string instruments. I quite often see them walking along the High Street or Cambridge Park carrying their instruments over their shoulder. Is there a music academy or school nearby that I am not aware of ?

Tuesday 2 September 2014

LOG JAM..

    World © Geoff Wilkinson - All rights reserved


I came across this pile of felled trees on my Wanstead Park walk. There was something about they way they were all lined up and orderly, it had to be a black and white shot of course.

2) ANOTHER DAY CLOSER...

                 World © Geoff Wilkinson - All rights reserved
..to the Saturday 6th September,  the start of The Wanstead Fringe and of course The Wanstead Art Trail. We have lots going on during both so please check our Art Trail and Fringe pages at the top of this page for all the information.

On Sunday the 7th starting at 11am we have Sarie Miel with us for the day.  You may have seen Sarie's beautiful jewellery on display in our gallery, 'eightyfour'. Sarie will be bringing her workbench and tools to demonstrate how she produces her jewellery. We will also of course be having our own craft work shops all day, so plenty to see and something of interest for every one. Plus,  don't forget today we are having our river Roding photo walk, bring a camera or a camera phone and enjoy the walk.

Monday 1 September 2014

1) COUNTDOWN TO THE FRINGE AND WANSTEAD ART TRAIL..


If you have ever harboured a desire to be able to draw, or perhaps you are have just started and want to advance your skills then read on. On Sunday 12th September Wanstead artist Wendy D’Souza Daniels will be conducting a two hour drawing workshop at ‘eightyfour’ in Nightingale Lane as part of The Wanstead Art Trail. 

The aim of this drawing workshop is to provide an opportunity to develop mark making and drawing skills. There will be a short demonstration, with participants being given personal guidance with approaches and techniques. Wendy’s expertise is to encourage a love and appreciation of art and particularly helping people discover and grow their skills.

This is an opportunity for beginners or those with some experience.

Pencils and materials provided. Bring your own sketchbook if you wish. 8 people max.

This workshop will be held at ‘eightyfour’, 84 Nightingale Lane, Wanstead, London E11 0208 530 1244. Sunday 12th September 1pm till 3pm the cost is £8:00

A little about Wendy:

Wendy is a London-based practicing artist with over 25 years experience, having worked in child and adult education until 2012.

She studied Medway College of Art and Design, as well as Christ Church College and Sir John Cass School of Art. A qualified designer, enameller, silversmith as well as working in acrylics and watercolours. Her work has been exhibited at the Victoria and Albert Museum and Goldsmith's Hall. She undertakes private commissions having sold work internationally. She has a large mural still on display, that was produced for Arts Olympiad in 2012. 
The diversity in the work stems from her early days as an illustrator. However there is a continued sense of life and change in the artwork. Ideas for the work are based on nature and the environment around her; colour line and fluid forms are integral to the work especially painting and working in precious metal. 
Wendy has been working on a variety of her own personal projects and private commissions.



*Check out The Fringe page at the top for a list of my photo walks during The Fringe, any camera will do, just come along and enjoy!