Sophie Douglas and The Arts School

The Serpentine Pavilion 13

“It is a really fundamental question how architecture is different from nature, or how architecture could be part of nature, or how they could be merged…what are the boundaries between nature and artificial things.” Sou Fujimoto

Yesterday I finally got around to see this years a pavilion. As I approached I was underwhelmed by the size. From brief glimpses on the Internet I thought it would be bigger, more consuming. As I walked around I became less sure of its mass. it is deceptive, with layers, levels and stairs. I feel I need to go back in different weather and at different times to see how it alters the structure. I have the impression this is part of the work. Aesthetically I like the basic shapes of lines and circles, and the white and grey sitting quietly, yet boldly in the space.
For further information visit the Serpentine Website:

Inside the gallery is the work of Sturtevant. This exhibition shows her works from 1970.
“Central to her thinking is the relationship between repetition and difference. The works are not ‘copies’ but probe beyond the surface to demonstrate the power of Gilles Deleuze and Michel Foucault’s thinking about repetition.” (Taken from the website). This work reminded me of my past exhibition re:09.03 where I used old damaged videos from my youth to consider the idea of past images being present in your memories.

Here is a piece that is created from the idea of using past images to create new works, and images of the pavilion.

When it all goes wrong

It started out so well, a new culinary experiment! stuff a giant mushroom with spinach, bread and cheese, and the old favourite if chicken thigh cooked in a bacon, tomato sauce… It was going so well…

And then I attempted my first experiment in a baked desert. It sounded so good, a raspberry and dark chocolate cake. It looked so good! But looks are very deceiving in this case. It was rubbery, dry, bitty, sour, and so bad we actually spat it out…

Moral of the story, it is ok to experiment but have some basic clue of what you are doing, and make sure you can get to a shop for a replacement!

Weekly Photo Challenge: Masterpiece

This photograph I took a few years ago, but have been re looking at today. I think it is a masterpiece because this is an unedited “holiday snap” that was taken in Angouleme, France last year, For me it is real, and surreal in one space.

The city house many amazing pieces of street art, as well as Comic book art museum.

The joy of street art is you come across whilst wondering, and it makes your double take reality.

When you run out of inspiration: Photo Remix

I love it when you are sitting working, and take a break to get a bit of inspiration, and someone else is doing the same as you. The world is a small place, and we are not alone!

The Power Of Quiet

Lovely moving illustration!

101 Books

I apologize if this is a little off topic today. I don’t normally post about nonfiction here at 101 Books. But as an introvert, I find this both fascinating and encouraging.

Susan Cain is a nonfiction author who wrote a book called Quiet: The Power of Introverts in a World that Can’t Stop Talking. I haven’t read it, but from what I understand she outlines what it’s like for an introvert to live in a world built around extroverts.

I love these types of animated videos, and I find this one especially effective. You might also remember the short animated video of The Old Man and the Sea in this style.

Anyway, this voiceover comes from Cain’s Ted Talk about the book. RSA took that audio and put it over an awesome little animated feature.

If you are an introvert, or if you know an introvert, definitely take the three…

View original post 21 more words

Healthy eating our favourite things

We wanted pizza for dinner so instead of buying one, I made it! fresh ingredients (even herbs from the garden) low salt and sugar ( the base recipe wanted 4 times more than I put in and I really don’t think it needed it!) and I have to say, delicious! So I have blogged about it. If you want my recipe let me know!

The Olympic Park

Doing it for yourself

This week I went to a 3 day residential boot camp. It was an experience I hope I never forget, definitely good and bad bits, but overall worth every second. I think a large part of life is about learning, and here is what I learnt.

The good bits:
do it for yourself: it is your body, your life, be the person you want to be. I can walk farther than I thought, I can do more than I thought, I am stronger then I thought, it’s all in my head.
ignore others: that feeling of others judging you that so many of us have, well they probably haven’t noticed you, and if they have and judge you badly, then they are type of person not worth bothering about in this world, how can you be badly judged for being healthier and happier?
Think before you ingest: If you are going to eat it, know what it started life out as, or as my sister says, if you can’t explain where it came from to your grandmother, don’t eat it. If you are drinking a smoothy and it says “5 oranges, 2 apples, 10 strawberrys, 2 bananas” etc imagine eating that much fruit in one sitting… Understand food better. I have eaten more the last 3 days of Healthy food and feel great, and satisfied. Lazy life style creates self fulfilling endings… If you have low fuel, you have low energy to do things that make you happy, low fuel to make you skin glow and hair shiny, give yourself the best fuel!
our world is obsessed with rushing: in the words of Ferris Bueller “Life moves pretty fast. If you don’t stop and look around once in a while, you could miss it.” (Quote sorted from
http://en.wikiquote.org/wiki/Ferris_Bueller’s_Day_Off) the world is quite beautiful, especially where I was in the Cotwolds! <br/<br/

The bad bits:
We are pack animals: Some people complain to much, some not enough, and I tend to get drawn into the complaining cycle. It made me think of scuba dive rescue training STOP, THINK, ACT! Do you really need to indulge the conversation, is there a reasons why a kinder comment or option could be used, but mainly does it actually matter? I refer to the first point of the good bits, be the person you want to be.

Moral of the story:
Challenge yourself: Go to fat camp, do the art course or photography course, apply for the job, or whatever it is that gets you out your comfort zone, or challenges you to do more and be better.

Eat better: it is good for you, the environment, money, life and everything else.

You can do more than you think you can.

The Cotswolds are beautiful and England can be hot!

Thanks for reading! Here are a few pictures

Re visiting old places “The Birdhouse”

“The Birdhouse” today (day) and 3 years ago (evening)

End of another academic year

So it’s the end of another academic year! Students done well, I’ve tried my best, learnt lots having taught different courses, hope I inspired them for good not evil!
And it ended with a lovely walk through a field with some gorgeous colleagues, and a delicious meal prepared by my husband when I got home, which ain’t bad for a man with a dodgy ticker!
Once again the future employment situation is uncertain, which I guess is felt by allot of teachers in the UK, but I hope to continue to work at the college, and if not let’s hope for new and exciting things to happen. Here are a few pictures of today. Sun keep shining!

Share this:

Share this:

Share this:

Share this:

Share this:

Share this:

Share this:

Share this:

Share this:

Share this: