100 Cauliflowers

Not really sure if this is industrial history or not - but it's certainly inspired by it. This is the 100 Cauliflowers Project, where cauliflowers have been growing all winter alongside the river by the old Power Station jetty on the Peninsula. Why? They say that 'up until the 1960s cauliflowers were grown here - so local residents worked to plant and grow 100 cauliflowers in the shadow of the Dome. There is a harvest festival on 17th May in a local school where children and their parents will prepare the cauliflowers helped by 'Hand Made Food' and then eat them! http://www.100cauliflowers.com/

Hmmmmm....

Started on a new piece yesterday; this one is cool, cuz it spins easily; I'm even considering adding a little motor to make is spin continuously.... We'll see...hoping to add some copper & cable to it today, & build a cool pedestal for it to sit on.....

I like the little wing thingies on the bottom; they look like a propeller going round & round :)

Kevin & I made a quick trip to Challis last weekend & visited an old mine site; had a great time! Very inspirational...and there is a possibility that we may even be able to become involved in this property; live/work there, create my sculpture garden, & invite

people up to see the process & enjoy the place. It's way early to get excited, but the possibility is intriging....

more chimneypots and lightermen

Julian Walker has emailed to say that he is extending his wonderful exhibition on riverside finds on show between the tube station and the Dome.

On Sunday 11th May there will be an artist-led walk round the peninsula with 'many fancies and delights' - but also reference to the industrial past of that area. Meet 2.45 at the exhibition site. Julian also says tehre will be another such walk on 28th June as part of the Festival of Architecture.

First Thursday Report...

Well, First Thursday went pretty well, all in all; the add that was supposed to run in the Boise Weekly somehow got missed, but the turnout was good anyway. I had to be there by myself this time; everyone was out of town--it was OK, but, I'm really not very good at "selling" my work to strangers.... The response was very positive, but no big sales that night...not too surprising, First Thursdays are more of a social thing, I think...

The fire in the torches looked cool, though...

And, in other news, we did some work on the public art project last weekend; the panel with copper is hanging in my workspace right now; oooooo the copper is soooo pretty!! Cant wait to get them all done & installed!!


Let's see, I just had my first sale on Etsy---that made me very happy. I'm still feeling it out there, but so far just the exposure has been worth the effort--quite a few visits to my website & inquirys from Etsy-ers. Will have to take s'more pics & get some more jewelry done to list.... Check it out at www.refinerii.etsy.com
Tonight, Kevin & I are making the trip over to Challis; going to my cousin's housewarming party, & then stopping at an old mine on the way back to check it out; more about that later... hopefully, it will be an inspiring trip; will take lots of pics!!
More later!!
Amber

Gas Main from Greenwich to the Old Kent Road

The latest issue of 'Gaslight' - the newsletter for historians of the gas industry - has reproduced a fascinating tender document about laying the gas main from East Greenwich to the Old Kent Road gas works in 1884. The contractor was Thos.Docwra and Sons of Balls Pond Road in Islington. and they were charging 23/6d. per yard for the work. This included costs for the employment of a ganger, a jointer, an excavator and a horse and cart - fences, lanterns, timbers left in trench, deals, reinstatement of Macadamed roads, cartage to the rubbish shoot and lead joints. Perhaps this is just a reminder that road works in East Greenwich have always been with us!

laying the gas main in Bridge Street,Greenwich

Callis Yard

In the latest newsletter of the Woolwich Antiquarians is an article by Richard Buchanan about Callis Yard in Woolwich. This describes a visit there of the Greenwich Conservation Group. Callis Yard is an old stables built in 1899 by the Woolwich Board of Health - basically what was then the local Council to keep the municipal horses. What it consists of is a three storey stable block where dust cars were kept at ground level, the horses on the first floor and there food up above. The site is likely to be redeveloped soon.

First Thursday tonight!

Wow, I cant believe tonight is First Thursday again; it seems like we just moved everthing over to Foxtrot like last week, & it's been a full month already!!! I'll be attending this evening all by myself; Mom's out of town, Kevin is working, Dads gone, so I guess it's just going to be me wandering about....oh well; makes me talk to more people that way.... Tonight, I will get some pics of the torches lit up (if my fuel arrives today, that is...) Hope to post pics tonight!

More later....

Amber