Visual Arts

What else can I say other than sorry for not posting as much as I probably should have done, but between having a job for a few months over the winter, looking for a new job, getting through first year of my PGDE and all that entails ( I passed beautifully, 18/20 in my essay and two great reports from both my class teacher and my tutor) I haven't had a lot of time to hang around and post anything blog-worthy.

So today, while I have five minutes before heading out for lunch, I thought I would share this; Jay Evans - Vis Arts - my Facebook page devoted to my artistic moments with mixed media and environmental art and also my photography projects. My current project with the camera is to take photographs of Shetland's decaying fishing and whaling stations, I have decided to take them all in colour and then move them into black and white with various filters applied to them to create a mood which reflects the background and the feelings I want to express through the images.

In terms of art work I am experimenting, the weather is too good at the moment to be in the workshop/studio so the best thing I can think to do is to be out drawing, painting and really looking at what Shetland has to offer. I have a few ideas, one being a collection of images that reflect the land, air and sea's hidden rhythms which is a tricky concept to get together and has so far involved a lot of thinking and scribbling rather than actual drawing, painting and creating. The environmental stuff comes with found object sculpture, I love it because you can use anything, leave it for a moment then watch wild take it back and reclaim what was for itself once again. Which, in the world of bringing things full circle, is another reason to be out taking photographs of the old fishing and whaling stations.

They are each old and a part of Shetland's history in their own right, but slowly the sea is reclaiming the piers, plants are reclaiming the buildings and the Shetland weather is slowly taking away the rest.

I think, well, I hope, that they tried to deliver my swanky new dry suit yesterday. Unfortunately I was at work, so I missed the delivery but fingers crossed thats what is was UPS was trying deliver rather than the new sail for the boat, but I guess I would settle for that to arrive as well, it means tho that I will have to start chasing the dry suit folks again.

I have a month left at work, its kinda sad, I've really enjoyed working with the wrasse and other fish, would love it if they could keep the job going for me beyond March, they've been really good with me needing time off for teaching placement, given me heaps to do, listened to ideas and generally I've learnt a lot about fish. Of course I have more to learn, but I reckon this has been a good start.

Have been doing a lot with arty stuff as well as putting together websites. Not sure what the summer is going to hold, whether I spend it welk picking and selling art or I see if there's another job out there that will let me have the time off for teaching practice, its a good course don't get me wrong but parts of it seriously get in the way.

Good grief its nearly mid-winter, another year ended and a new one to begin, with a full scale taste of what it is to be a nursery and then primary teacher as my first placement arrives, just after the schools go back. In the meantime I am loving my new job as a Hatchery Assistant over at the Marine College.

The artistry is on again, it was sort of on hold but creating is something I need so I'm trying to have a day messing about a week, mostly at weekends, so I can get my fix. Then I find time in the evenings to do homework for college and sort out bits and pieces for the boat.

Waiting on more snow falling, and my folks to arrive after having been delayed, and the cake to be ready (its only just been made - oops).

So have a happy winter-time, the start of longer days, and keep on looking for that first fresh scent of spring

30

It happened, last Monday I turned 30. A lot of people panic about being 30, some how I feel invigorated, ready for anything and willing to climb the highest mountains or swim the 7 seas just because they are there. Its rather a nice feeling, its like waking up after a long deep sleep, and all I want to do is run around and tell the world that I am back and here and ready!

Two weeks into teacher training and I am loving it, I'm the only Ranger on the course, which makes for some interesting conversations as times, but it does make the planning and curriculum side a little easier to get my head around.

I've not had a great deal of time to play with my art tho, and I really must get on with mounting and framing so I can move on and do more and the light is epic just now for being out and taking photographs. So it is just as well that I am ahead with my course work and can spend next week catching up with art and whelk picking once the tides start to back off again on Wednesday.

Then there is training, admin, and all those other finicky little things that I do and cannot get away from, that I really must write down and tick off as they are completed. I have a feeling my to do list will be a mile long again, and I do wonder if a timetable would help?

Ah the absentmindedness of a Saturday morning, I really must do something constructive!

I have done it!

Finally I think a few people might be saying, but I am now officially a self promoting artist (and trainee teacher - that starts next week says I in a slightly apprehensive but excited tone).

The art side of things is something I have played with for years, so now that I have the space, the time, the inspiration and inclination I have come up with this - www.shetlandinfocus

.com - himself's dad gave me the web space a few months ago and I never did anything with it, we talked about it but we had other things to do so I n

ever had a chance to really get into it. This year however, I moved all my art stuff into the workshop and started work on various bits and pieces.

This last month I started working on a project about the Drongs, a series of sea stacks in Northmavine. As ever the ideas booked filled up quickly, only this time I was able to develop it and create a few good bits of art which I now need to mount and frame.

I've been busy..

I've been diving, watching otters, welk picking, watching what felt like summer vanish in an instant and I have been creating.

Its been a summer where I've started climbing again, all be it bouldering but the want is there, every crag calls, and I'm hoping for a dry spell of winter cool that will let me get out and play. Finally the bike is fixed as well so thats in need of greater use, and I need to sort out my gears as well, but unlike brakes they don't stop you riding they just make it easier.

Next year Faroe and Norway beckons - and before then language lessons will be needed.

Projects 101

I could nearly say that I have 101 Projects to do, but its really more like 4 projects with 101 things to do in them. Earlier this month I took on an interpretation project for the Sandlodge Mine, which is proving to be fascinating. It's amazing to think that so much industry was present in Sandwick.

Then I have the gallery, using photographs and other bits and pieces we've made over the last few months. It won't be open full time to start with, I just have too much to do elsewhere between Sandwick and working with the boat during June, but I am hoping to give it a good go in July and August before we go to Orkney.

The other two are still in progress, some work for me to do, some work for others to do and then more work for me, which I am in no way complaining about.

The next week is pretty hectic, I have an exam, I've a house to organise, a boat to sort out, project work to be getting on with, and hopefully we'll get confirmation of some pretty cool marine work for the boat to.