Sighthill Painting

This weekend I painted the picture below. It features two tower blocks in Sighthill, Glasgow, the subject matter I most like to paint, see some previous paintings here. I have been fascinated by high rise residential buildings and the people who occupy them for as long as I can remember although I appreciate its a bit of an off the wall interest. Luckily for me my beautiful sister shares it too so our idea of a fun afternoon might be to drive off somewhere and photograph some interesting blocks. Anyway, this picture is a mixed media piece and includes the use of a strange black paint created by mixing linseed oil, picture vanish and black oil colour creating a very shiny texture. There is also some 3D items such as the blocks and the roses which were made from old books and splattered with gold paint. Its an eerie night scene but I actually find tower blocks very inspiring. Not only are they visually dominate and stark in a way that draws me in but they also are full of stories of both hope and joy and sadness and repression. Many people who lived there are dogged by negative stereotypes even though they are full of pride and dignity, keeping their flats and living spaces immaculate and pristine. I'm particularly intrigued by Glasgow and what happened there. During the post-war slum clearances the Glasgow authorities believed the best way to deal with the desperate need for adequate housing was to rehouse people in high density schemes around the city, many on the outskirts, making it difficult to travel to amenities and employment. What started out as a fantastic way of life in the thriving 1960's became a unpopular and difficult way of life by the drug and crime riddled 1980's. However, many people had fantastic experiences there and now that most of these buildings are being torn down this way of life will eventually become a thing of the past. While researching Sighthill for my painting I came across a beautiful short documentary by Chris Leslie on three people's thoughts and feelings about the Sighthill blocks on the eve of their implosion. I have posted it for your pleasure as its really powerful stuff if you like hearing about other peoples lives and how they lived them. Kat x

Day of the Dead

We all enjoyed our annual Day of the Dead get together at White House Farm. Can't remember the highlights which is usually a good sign but do remember battling with my red contacts lenses and vampire fangs. Also recall having to leave the party in full costume to feed the horses which proved a surreal experience climbing over the fence in fishnets and leather dress, the neighbours certainly got a fright! I defiantly need an excuse to dress like that on a regular basis as channeling a creature of the night is empowering to say the least, I am feeling the need to make a vampire inspired music video so watch this space!! Kat x

Dale Farm

I've just finished watching a BBC documentary about the Dale Farm eviction. Only if you've been living on the moon could you have missed any of the recent rise to notoriety Irish travellers have experienced. From the highly addictive Big Fat Gypsy Wedding series to individual success's such as the recent BB winner Paddy Doherty, their lives and culture have been a national source of entertainment and intrigue. I have found myself torn between respecting their way of life, morals and ideals to struggling with their lack of integration and contribution within the society they are willing to take from. Its a difficult one to wrestle with but the Dale Farm drama stirs up an uneasy feeling of a community forced into an impossible dilemma in a cold and ruthless world. Their dilemma illustrates how the people that run this country insist on promoting equality for all its residents, the term 'one rule for one and not for another' was frequently used by MP's and politicians when justifying their motives behind pushing the eviction through. I hate the rigidity (is this a word?) we live in, chained to a routine of doing things by the book, trapped in our own rules and regulations. The travellers appear reject this way of life and to gain strength from each other which encourages a 'us against the world' mentality. My fear is that we will be too late in realising the importance of preserving the diversity of cultures that currently exist within our country. Our community could learn a lot from the travellers who hark back to a way of life we left a long time ago in return for the faceless, commercial, crazy paced word that we have created for ourselves. The traveller way of life certainly seems a poorer deal for women but they seem happy enough in a simpler, role defined existence mainly involving caring for the home and family. On a personal level one of my first jobs was as a receptionist at a caravan park. Two months in I was promptly sacked when I took two six week bookings for tourer pitches from a couple of friendly dark haired, irish gentlemen, ooops. My father-in-law's worst nightmare features his beautiful green fields and a gaggle of white caravans so I guess there's always two sides to every story. I welcome your points of view, Kat x

The Katryoshka 'Heidi meets vintage Mrs Claus' make over

Several events have lead to this much needed make over. Firstly, my new hair which is tatty already but I love it, secondly my landmark 35th birthday and lastly, I have begun to sew again. It feels like ages since I made clothes I was really excited about but finally its happened and I can't describe my relief. You begin to doubt you ever enjoyed something if your repeatedly disappointed with the result. As all keen sewers know, it can be a lot of effort to produce a dress or jacket so to then not like it can be a blow. I think its probably all down to taking a bit of a break, being creative in other ways and allowing myself to become re-inspired. Back to the make over, I sure need it as the last few months I have been trudging around in ripped trousers and muddy boots with the horse as the perfect excuse. I shall also be trying to wear make up on a daily basis, heavy brows, red lippy and mascara at least. Below are four outfits I made this week and shall form a basis for the look, lots of frills, lace and velvet, I'll keep you posted on how the look evolves. I apologise in advance for the pictures but its half term and the only photographer available was my six year old daughter and then when she got bored, my four year old son, beggers can't be choosers! Kat x 

 This dress has that Mrs Claus feel and sewing on old broken brooches to a dress can be so effective and give it a very glamourous feel.

 This is a velvet kimono style jacket and to finish the edges I simply cut a large zig-zag which stops the fabric from fraying.

This dress is rather bold and was made while I watched the original Moulin Rouge. Frills galour!!

Finally a very useful cape that I am planning a tutorial for as its proved so useful in keeping the shoulders warm and looking stylish at the same time!!

Katryoshka on tour - Zealands, October 2011

This weekend I spent a brief but intense two nights in Bantham, on the South Devon coast. Catch up on our previous visit here. Anyway its become a kind of a tradition we do on my birthday when you can be almost guaranteed some nice, sunny weather. We had lots of fun and the only incident of displeasure occurred on Saturday night when we visited the local pub. Now I have felt for some time that the pub has been going through a sort of evolution process in the last few years. Gone are the locals and farmers propping up the bar and instead the new clientele appear to have been chosen to compliment and enhance the very high priced menu and slightly detached atmosphere. I hasten to add I have made these observations when sober and on Saturday night I was not so. I guess five ladies in high spirits crowding the bar is not ideal but as there was no where else to sit we made ourselves as home. I do believe a couple of songs broke out but I was abruptly told that singing was banned while there were any diners present or at least until the singing was 'in tune', the cheek!! The manner in which we were spoken to led us to believe that it was clear we were not welcome so everyone but one left and stood outside debating the event. Meanwhile, my friend who had remained inside to finish her drink had it poured down the sink and was shown the door. I am of the opinion that we need to preserve what is left of the British pub scene and celebrate its very essence and tradition. Music, singing and laughter are surly key to a great atmosphere and a great night out but I guess not everyone feels the same about this. Other than that we had a lot of good times, beach, beer and dog mania as usual, catch it all here on this short stop-motion film, Kat x

 

Katryoshka on tour - Setting up shop

I have so many blog posts I want to write but a lack of time means its all coming in drips and drabs. I spent some of last week 'helping' set up Alpha Male and his brother Toby's Christmas shop. I use the term help loosly because my forst and only attempt at pricing the stock involved accidently giving a £70 santa a £20 price tag so I was moved onto the more fitting task of shop displays, not too much that can go wrong there thankfully. May I present to you a short film of the experience, I have never witnessed so many boxes in one room before!! Kat x

 

Katryoshka on tour - Tony Graffiti at the street art gallery

Friday evening was rather enjoyable to say the least. Emma and I had the rare experience of leaving the kids at home and venturing out on a mission to the big city! We started at 4pm, slightly stressed after a day trying to tie up a million loose ends. First stop, Juliette's where I bought a strip of hair matching my own current shade, then round the corner to Fly girls where I had the strip of hair sewn onto my own. Emma was also there to have her weave tightened. Fly girls is a homage to fabulous Afro Caribbean hair styles and we were hoping to get a piece of the action. An hour or so later we departed, me with ludicrously long hair as I wasn't really sure what length I should be buying and 18" didn't seem that much at the time. Let me tell you, it is! I shall have to work the new hair into my vintage Heidi meets Mrs Claus makeover that has sorted of taken over my image the last few days. Then we progressed to the Green Street Gallery where Tony Graffiti, a chap who's acquaintance we had made at the Mosley Folk Festival. He was doing a mural there and we were very impressed, catch up on that post here and see us stalking him on here on this video. After the festival he had invited us to his excibition, 'smoke crack and sign on', sounded like a laugh so we thought we'd go along. The 'gallery' was a run down warehouse on a dingy street in industrial Digburth, fab and very appropriate for an exhibition of street art. His pieces were big, bright and bold and the event was full of cool looking young people. Of course we were working it with our new hair and felt that familiar excitement one feels when you rubbing shoulders in an atmosphere you find equally familiar and unfamilliar. We sailed home elated after our short but intensely fun night away from Whitehouse Farm and even managed to pig out on KFC on the way home!! Kat x