Here's one I made earlier ...

Returned from another week's editing session yesterday. Didn't get quite as much done as hoped, but we were waylaid by a new project.
Monday 12th:
Visited 3 churches in Buckinghamshire which have Piper windows made by Reyntiens - this for my first ever Reyntiens lecture in Swansea 6th November. Then called in at the Goldmark Gallery to collect 50 Piper DVDs to be distributed to those who helped with our Piper film and the galleries which allowed us to use their works. Arrived at Film Farm late afternoon.
Tuesday 13th:
Made freeze-frames from our filming of Reyntiens, John Burder's film and Shell's Crown of Glass using Charles' new software - DV Kitchen. Excellent except that it doesn't include the facility of finding a particular frame from a time code, so the time I spent last week finding the exact time codes was rather a waste! And I don't have time to waste! Also put the Manaton section of FBSG on the web, again with DV Kitchen using H264 compression, uploaded to Vimeo - you can find it by clicking here: http://vimeo.com/7086441. What fun!
AND we started editing the 'How to make a stained glass panel' section of FBSG. So all in all a productive day.
Wednesday 14th:
Finished editing our session at English Antique Glass (see entry 13 December 2007) and rather wonderful it looks too. Started work on the first stage of filming Gareth actually making the stained glass panel.
Worked out logistics and budget for a possible new commission.
Thursday 15th:
More work on editing Gareth. Great progress, only 2 sections to complete - hopes high that we might finish this sequence before I leave on Saturday.
Friday 16th:
Spent most of the day reviewing the budget we had worked on Wednesday and wondering how we could trim it without making a loss - which we definitely did with the Piper film - where we were on a fixed budget but kept on wanting to make the whole package better'n'better! No-one can claim they don't get value for money with our films!
However, did succeed in filming the intro for the Elveden film (Libby pretending she likes Guinness again - see above) and also the 'Making stained glass' sequence (Libby driving along a country road - see below)

Saturday 17th:
Wonderful news! We are going to Cochem, Germany for the unveiling Reyntiens' and Graham Jones' new windows in St Martin's church - which is hugely exciting, so the morning was spent booking flights, working out how much baggage would need to be checked in, if there will be space for 2 toothbrushes; organising car rental; booking a hotel etc etc. Got this all sewn up by 1pm, quick espresso and Libby was on the road south once more, leaving Charles to pack for a film session in outer Manchester tomorrow - people drawing canines at a dog show! For some strange reason all funded by Mandy's department. You know, the chap who hasn't been elected but runs the country.

finito!

Yesterday I received a photo from Gareth - the panel is complete - and isn't it just beautiful?! Gosh I can't believe it!

Having signed off on the Piper DVD I'm now concentrating hard on FBSG - this morning I finished transcribing the first of our interviews with Gareth. Charles and I have only got 4 sessions booked before the end of the year which is when I wanted to finish the DVD - but quite honestly I can't see it happening because we've still got Elveden, Dublin and Bruges to edit plus the FB bio and the 'how to make a stained glass panel' section and a brief extra about the music. Ugh, I need more time!

Gareth

Friday we drove down to Llandeilo, Charles trying valiantly to stay awake after his Venetian and Mexican jaunts (don't worry Libby was driving). The websites implied that Llandeilo was a 'happening' place so we expected lots of restaurant choice in the evening - zilch! Charles idly murmured that it would be lovely if there was a little Mexican cantina - and you'll never guess what, abracadabra, round the next corner there was the one and only cafe in town - Caffi Salvador, serving Mexican/Spanish dishes. Completely unpretentious, a lovely jolly owner chef, great food, and exactly what the doctor required. Even Charles perked up - well, a glass of wine and some interesting food usually does the trick.

This morning we set off early for Gareth's studio where the glass panel is coming along famously and we filmed him putting the leading in place, and also making a perfect circle of lead for one of his apples - posh French mustard jars come in useful. This is the last filming sequence with Gareth so he can happily shave off his beard now!

Back to the hotel to deposit the equipment and a relaxing lunch at Nigel Williams Barita and Deli. Couple of hours left in the afternoon - what to do? Charles shyly suggested that he'd been overworking and deserved a treat so what about the Gwili Steam Railway a mere 20 minutes away.

Gwili it was, and as luck would have it a train was about to leave as we drove into the car park. A dash to the ticket office - 'certainly, 2 senior citizens tickets' said the man looking at my youthful companion and I. So stunned was I that it was not until we were safely seated on the train that I exploded! To be taken for an old age pensioner - GRRRRRRR!

Injury to insult - it then transpired the fireman had turned up missing that morning so no steam trains allowed, and then the old diesel engine had broken down, so we were being pulled by some ordinary diesel engine. However at Llwyfan Cerrig stop Charles did get a chance to pretend to be a train postyman and Libby (still managing to smile) posed in front of a very old carriage - predating Libby herself.

Tomorrow it's back to Film Farm for a 2 day Piper session (see http://piperpapers.blogspot.com)

in the meantime, in between time

No, not Venice - but Teotihuacan, Mexico

What's been happening since Venice I hear you ask? Well, perhaps not, but I'm going enlighten you anyway.

It's been frenetic - for both of us. No sooner had Charles returned home than he had to pack for Mexico and process the Venice photos and rushes, which I collected on the 5th June en route to the opening of the Victorian and Edwardian exhibition at the Ferens Art Gallery, Hull. The exhibition was accompanied by a very weighty tome featuring every single work in their collection over this period - a fantastic resource and well worth having (only unfortunately not available outside their own shop at present). Contributors were Christopher Wright, Paul Goldman, the irrepressible Donato Esposito and yours truly who did the Brangwyn section (now there's a surprise!) Book and one of the Brangwyn double spreads below.

I then spent a few days with my mother in North Yorkshire before returning home to sort out all the Venice photos and rushes and put together my new Gourmet Art lecture.

Meanwhile Charles left for Mexico 6th June returning to Film Farm Sunday 14th, having worked even longer days than we did in Venice and in greater heat and without a Libby bag lady. He then had a mere 3 days to recuperate and repack bags before I arrived June 18th having given what appeared to be a very successful and fun lecture. The only negative comment I received was that I didn't allow the audience sufficient time to laugh! And the Gourmet nibbles went down very well!

So, after that minor preamble - on to the purpose of this trip. We're off at early light to drive down to wild windy west Wales again, this time to film Gareth leading the stained glass panel.

Venice

Above: The old gondola yard in Venice, which Brangwyn painted

Just spent a glorious week in Venice, mainly to film Piper stuff, but also Rigby Graham and Frank Brangwyn - so to follow the FB in Venice trail see our sister blog http://piperpapers,blogspot.com
Happy hunting!

Above: Libby jumping for joy!

Banana skins and Brangwyn

These two items may seem unconnected. However, back in 1911, the vicar of Bucklebury church, Berkshire, complained mightily about the mess in his church, pea shooters, nut shells, orange peel, defaced prayer books etc etc. We felt behoven to re-enact this scene and luckily Pepper agreed to act the part of the church cat (Zutty being far too posh looking for the part).

We had from Wednesday afternoon to Sunday morning to edit the Bucklebury film and work out what we required in the way of equipment for the Venice trip, and despite Mike Goldmark hauling Charles off on Friday to film Brian Aldiss climbing on and off a helicopter and interview same personage (Mike is publishing Brian's latest book Walcot), we actually succeeded in accomplishing our goals. Amazing Grace!

April update

Amazing how much work one can get done when staying in one place for a number of weeks. In the past 5 weeks I've succeeded in writing the film sequences for Dublin, Elveden, Bruges and Miscellaneous little bits and bobs together with putting together the relevant images, and tackled some Piper related work.

Plus I've met Peter Blake ( a hero), done lots of gardening, running and exercises and painted a picture for elder son who's getting married 9 May - sunglasses obligatory for viewing!

Meanwhile Charles has been working on putting his Robert Dawson video on to DVD and enhancing and making a grand master DVD of all his Rigby Graham films. He had also started preparing for the Montezuma/Mexico trip, to be undertaken with Anna B-G and a pile of worthies from the BM, when of course the epidemic/pandemic put a stop to such activities.

So he's got to suffer an editing session with little old me instead!

Post budget Paxo was screened against a word cloud - you too can create one by going to www.wordle.net/create - they are fantastic fun and a great time waster - especially if you start mucking about with the final image in Photoshop (this was just a quickie, made by putting in the blog URL).