BSMGP

British Society of Master Glass Painters to you. They held their Conference on Aspects of 20th Century Glass at the Glaziers Hall 30 July/1 August and very good it was too. Some super lectures, interesting slides, lively audience, much more varied than the usual art historical crowd because many of these people were hands on artists and practitioners/craftspeople. And I learnt so much! I gave a lecture about FB's stained glass based on my current research which seemed to be well received (I hope they weren't just being polite!) - the first time I've used digital and I have to admit that it has convinced me that this is the way to go - it was wonderful being able to take small details of the stained glass and show them together with related works.
The 2 day conference did make me think about the responsibilities of a lecturer, especially a paid lecturer, so for what it's worth:
1) have good images
2) prepare well, work out the logistics of the speech, the forward motion, think about what you want to say and how to say it
3) engage with the audience in some way - show enthusiasm, add some humour, emphasise words - don't drone
4) don't um and ah every few seconds - if you can't ad lib successfully then write a script
5) keep to the alloted time scale, don't over-run, especially in a conference situation

Gareth's Glass

Brilliant news! I rang Gareth today, dreading that family problems and ill health may have delayed the Brangwyn/Tiffany panel further and, not only was he writing me a note at that very moment, but he has started work on the cartoon, and he sounded his old enthusiastic self. I am just so relieved. Unfortunately August is now booked solid for both Charles and me, so we've tentatively agreed to visit and film the first part of the glass making process in September. YIPPEE!

Meanwhile Piper has taken up most of my waking hours!

old hats

Dear FBSG
I fear that hours spent on you will be few and far between over the following few months due to the fact that if we are to film Piper on location it has to be during the long summer days, the research needs to be done in tandem, and there are basicaly no hours left for you since I work 8-10 most days anyway. And someone is paying me (minimally) for this work, which helps lubricate the wheels etc - so, huge apologies FBSG, but you are going to have to lie dormant for the next few months - but if people want to know what is happening in Libby's hectic life meanwhile you might discover an inkling on http://piperpapers.blogspot.com.
More anon, doubtless,
Libby et al

New project

Well, the good news is that we are definitely 'on' for the John Piper film, commissioned by Mike Goldmark of the Goldmark Gallery, Uppingham. The bad news, to a certain extent, is that if we are to accomplish all the filming we want to capture before the dark days creep in, we'll have to film on location once a fortnight from now until late September - which doesn't leave a toadstool of space for FBSG. I'll try to continue logging FBSG and writing the film scripts but the main problem is that having left a project for a certain length of time the exact visual recall of the hours of film becomes dimmed, so if something proves to be not quite right, you can't necessarily recall a tidbit which would suffice or improve.
Nevertheless, we aren't complaining, it keeps us busy and the brains ticking over, and we now have a sister blog which records progress on the new project, to be found on: http://piperpapers.blogspot.com/

Coping?

Work, the garden, everything is beginning to overwhelm me!
Garden - I'm a fair weather gardener and the weather has been so lousy that I've hardly been out this year until the current heat wave, and then I suddenly realised the weeds had taken over, so had a mad splurge the last few days and it looks tolerably better, but with 1/2 acre to tend tout seul (although I draw the line at mowing the lawns) it's a bit of a facer.
Work - Returning from the last trip to Film Farm I worked flat out for a few days on our new project and then an absolutely hectic week on the Tokyo Brangwyn Exhibition 2010 for which I've been appointed consultant curator. Plus lectures, meetings, general catching up - FBSG hasn't had much of a look in. And in recording Driftwood #3 I mistakenly let myself in for completely revamping the Reproductions page of my Brangwyn website and adding all 100 illustrations - something I've been meaning to do for ages, but takes a tad longer than a few minutes!
But I did get a break to celebrate Labour Day and we had a walk round the Saxon Shoreline north of Folkestone with views of Sheppey and then back inland to Luddenham, windswept and pleasantly bleak (contradiction in terms?) and one could almost imagine what the coast would have been like centuries ago with just a few dotted farmsteads, sheep grazing, birdlife flourishing. then on to the Sportsman at Seasalter, which I believe is the only pub in England to have a Michelin star and it was EXCELLENT. Nothing pretentious, plain decor, scrubbed oak tables, mix of chairs, relaxed but knowledgeable waitresses and good quality fresh food superbly cooked - so if ever you are in the region - make a detour! (beachuts at Seasalter above)

Off again Saturday to visit my mother, travelling via Northampton armed with tripod and the new Olympus E510 - very swanky! Then a few days at Film Farm either discussing the new project or getting on with FBSG. Our projected trip the first week in June to interview Andrea about Miscellany's approach to the music and thence on to Gareth to film him making the stained glass panel has had to be postponed unfortunately - probably until August.

(below: Bluebell woods, Kent, 1 May 2008)

Northampton again

Ruth has emailed that the prototype is the Mansfield Road Baptist Church in Nottingham - which is really odd because it stated a West Bridgford church in the Abington Avenue Minutes. I've already arranged to visit Northampton on my next trip up north, together with tripod this time so I don't get camera shake. I'm feeling a new camera coming on - something with SLR possibly. And then I'll check out the Baptist church. Phew, academic rigour!

Quarters

Go on, you're kidding me - we're 1/4 way through the year already? Aaaaargh!
Well, the 2nd edition of DRIFTWOOD is published, and I've written the script for the Tiffany section. When we met up at Film Farm 24 April we recorded all my dialogue for that section and re-recorded Northampton because I'd enlivened it a tad - hopefully. Unfortunately it transpired I hadn't got sufficient images to keep the dialogue going in the Northampton film so when we started editing, the whole thing sort of unravelled and we didn't get very far, and my photo of the memorial plaque had camera shake, so I was somwhat in the doghouse - hey, give me a break, I'm comparitively new to this game. Anyway another lesson learnt and good job this isn't the Apprentice - otherwise I'd have been FIRED!
However we did produce a rather lovely opening page which will be used for each section, including the Brangwyn Portfolio wrapper design (rather Batik looking), a relevant quote and a logo which identifies each window in both the film and the PDF files.
The good news - there is some? - is that we've been commissioned to produce a DVD about another artist (NOT Brangwyn) which is all rather exciting but under wraps at the moment, but needless to say, it ended up monopolising most of our precious few days, brainstorming and so forth.
Meanwhile Gareth has family problems so the project could possibly be delayed yet again on the Welsh front. Another heartfelt AAAAARGH!