Picton street christmas market

Just a quick drawing of the Picton street christmas market...from above!

Trial of Stephen Farrow

Today I went to the Crown Courts in Bristol for the trial of Stephen Farrow accused of murdering an elderly lady and a reverend in a sadistic and aggressively anti christian set of attacks. I came late into the trial. The prosecution was beginning to sum up their case. He admits the killing of the reverend with diminished responsability due to mental health but not to the killing of the elderly lady, although the evidence weighs heavily against him. He has refused to leave his prison cell so I couldn't do a drawing of the defendant but I did manage one of the prosecution.

Im pleased with the facial expression particularly so ill include a close up of that.

Interestingly I got chatting to members of the reverends church which usually you wouldn't do due to the circumstances but they were very open positive characters even under these conditions which I guess is testament to the power of religious belief.

Court drawing,

I thought I would start posting my court room sketches as it fits in with the theme of the blog, I haven't done many and the Post took one of my drawings and didn't give it back (I gues I have a lot to learn about these media types) so ill post an early one I did of Ricky Smith who was sentenced to 28 years for the murder of Keith Soons with a screw driver.

 

I don't have the best pastels but as far as im concerned I got a good likeness. The Paper didn't use it because they said he looked too old, but I thought he looked about 40, It turns out he's 27. What could I do?

Rally against the badger cull

On the 11th of September a rally was held in Bristol by the Coalition of Badger Action Group, C.B.A.G. With his shockingly white head of hair and dark eye brows, Brian May made the ideal spokesperson for this cause.

The coalition's statement was that the government is going ahead with a cull of Badgers using high powered rifles; a cruel an unreliable method of execution, as a means of controlling bovine Tuberculosis. They claim that poor farming practices are to blame instead and that the cull is wholly unnecessary. The leaflet fails to explain why the government chose to go ahead with this action but I think it was because they are avoiding the costlier method of Badger vaccination, although if badgers aren't to blame why spend our increasingly precious tax money vaccinating them? Perhaps they are carriers but not the main cause? Yeh that sounds right. To be honest the reasons why the government chose this action seemed ambiguous from the speeches and leaflets but I suppose the intent of the coalition was to avoid animal cruelty which, of course, is an important issue.

Bristol Balloon Glow

Last night I went to the Bristol balloon glow. If you've never been, you must! Its around 30 hot air balloons firing their burners in sequence at night so they glow like giant lightbulbs.

on a technical note the challenge with this drawing was the short time scale, (the show lasts maybe 20 minutes or there abouts) and it was at night for which I had one of those clip on book reading lights.

An argument over a stolen phone

The other day I saw a drunk having an argument with an officer because someone accused him of stealing their phone, a phone someone else tried to sell me an hour prior to the argument. The issue didn't resolve itself that quickly.

Muslims at prayer in Queens square

Hello!

I was in queens square the other day taking some rest when I saw some of the foreign students from the language school doing their afternoon prayers and I thought 'Oh my god the Islamification of England!' Nah not really, you see no matter much I try to get inside the heads of an E.D.L member it still doesn't make much sense does it!

Seriously I really like seeing this I find it reassuring. Being able to humble yourself is a great virtue and whether you believe in a deity or not it should be practiced somehow. Otherwise people walk around thinking their life is more important than someone else's which is an unhealthy mind set that is encouraged in our society... you know, because 'you're worth it!'

E.D.L Rally and a conspiracy among short people.

Well the English Defence League came to town, did you notice? Alas I only managed one drawing due to the rain and fast pace of the event.  I went to meet them at temple meads but only a few came out the front entrance so we all went to meet them at Redcliffe wharf where they had gathered at the Colosseum bar for a pint or two or more.

I have to admit I thought the police did a fantastic job, all groups were contained and kept separate and no one did anything questionable. They turned the whole area around Kings street and Queens sq into a no go zone that had all of the anti-fascist groups wondering where to go.

When the E.D.L were having their rally in Queens sq I had a few people from the opposition; who couldnt see past the police barrier, tell me that there was actually no one in there, it was all a ruse. But I am tall and could see them past the barriers, not to mention you could hear them on the loud speaker.

The EDL were marched out of the center and the police got in their vans and left and everyone went home. now that's a tidy protest!

On the 14th of this very month the E.D.L is coming to town and will be met with strong opposition. Ive tried drawing them before but they were all up in my face so I will try again! this time ill get them.

Mr Woodnote

One day a couple of musicians came to the bear pit. Everyone was getting very excited about him coming to play for us. I had no idea who he was but he seemed to be a minor celebrity.

 

He was performing using a saxophone and a loop pedal also there was a rapper rapping about things as they do.

Ok so here's some cleaned up versions of some of the drawings on the pastry bags about the alcoholics.

I'm pleased with these. The style helps make these drawings small vignettes on the lives of the alcoholics.

Here a drunk comes across a couple of girls trying to interview people passing through so he takes his opportunity to speak his mind.

Diamond Jubilee!

This weekend the Queen celebrated 60 years on the throne. A lot of people I know were avoiding anything Jubilee related. I myself thought I would do the same until I realised I was missing a drawing opportunity. I found that the event brought together a range of people from different classes, all together under the same umbrella (almost literally). The Jubilee seemed as much a celebration for the Queens reign as it was for 'her' people. It seems some kind of irony that the thing which diffuses the division of classes and alleviates the sense that the lower class is somehow lesser than others is the Royal family.

At this point my only problem with the event was an aesthetic one as the flags and Union flags are a little garish.

 True to the British way, people stuck out the rain. I'm sure a lot of people have what you would hope were well informed opinions as to why they don't like the monarchy but I think they may be over thinking things because what I saw was, well, quite pleasant.

The good things

As well as a sketch book about societies darker side i want to have a sketch pad focusing on societies better side, things which are there to bring us together.

Musicians turn up at the Bearpit to perform for people. This guy seems to be a minor celebrity, everyone seems to know him, 'mr Woodnote' the saxophone player. I asked him to sign it for a friend of mine.

Public table tennis (made of concrete so it cant be vandalised). Bring your own bats! This is a great idea, people come and play and sometimes strangers play together.

New Job; New Ideas

I have a new job working in the Bearpit in Bristol. For those who dont know the Bearpit it's an area in a roundabout with underpasses and is a popular hangout for drunks and addicts alike. Its ripe for development and there are 3 different groups looking to improve the area sometimes in tandem and often with a lack of communication. Ive decided to do a sketch pad documenting the ups and downs of being an addict (as far as i can perceive). the sketch pad isn't ready yet so the drawings have been on pastry bags (the new job is a coffee cart) but it seems to add to the charm.

 

Here is a man getting angry at his girlfriend over money. These sketches were meant as preparatory studies to be re-done in the sketch pad. The result of this process i feel lacks the livelyness of the direct study but has an improved composition, need to find a way to blend the two.

Boredom seems to be a common emotion

sometimes something new and exciting happens, such as these two girls interviewing commuters for some reason. An opportune moment to have a rant and a laugh.

a quiet moment.

My Musings

I've been thinking about something that aroused my thoughts during the passing of the stick at Mitcheldean. There were talks about how they will act if an eviction went ahead and I raised an issue regarding their attitude towards people within 'the sytem' which I found derogative. They made the point that they percieved 'the system' as amoral (which is undeniable) and that they wished to state their opposition to 'the system' by not conforming in anyway with it. This could take on the form of resistance such as in an eviction situation. But as I see it this is the problem with such groups; they wish to change 'the system' but are unwilling to mediate with it. Public image is going effect public opinion which is obviously an important part of getting people on board with a movement, It needs to be inclusive to have an effect. The workshops and public events are designed to do this but on a more fundamental level the perosonal attitudes of the individual activist and the desire to conform to a particular lifestyle only serves to be exclusive. They become trapped by their ideologies and their sense of identity. From my personal experience in a public facing job I can say that the opinion of people from within 'the system' is that activists are dirty and that their ideologies are unrealistic, its not that this person is ignorant or amoral its only that they know a particular way of life and it is my opinion that until the activist can learn to mediate with that lifestyle the eviction will always be round the corner and 'the system' will remain unchanged.

The Wilderness Center, Mitcheldean.

Last weekend I packed my camping gear onto my bike and went to stay with a  friend of mine and a group of 'squaters' (although they choose not to use that title) in a place called The Wilderness. It use to be an education center teaching chidren about the wilderness until the council withdrew its funding. Until recently it was occupied by security staff until some activists requisitioned a couple of the buildings which include a barn and a mock saxon house. Their intent is to use the building for its original purpose and have been holding workshops like coppicing, wood working and foraging.

 

This is the common area where they hold talks and have tea. They are a pleasant bunch some of which are from the local area and some from Bristol. They seem to know what they are doing but they were having troubles when I arrived in the form of a strange vomiting bug that had gone around and a looming court appearance to get them evicted. Needless to say i didn't get to see them in their prime.

 

They hold sessions where they pass a stick around the circle and you're only allowed to speak if you are holding the stick and you are allowed to speak what ever is on your mind. Their is an air of silent tension as the stick makes its journey, at least I perceived it as tension.

 

The grounds of the complex are beautiful; there is a Saxon house which two people are sleeping in and a set stone monuments that had been carved during its time as an open education center. They said that the coucil plan to redevelop the area to 300 houses. I don't know how substantiated these claims are as its a steep outcrop of very old stone that I wouldn't have thought would have made good foundations but if it is true I wish these guys the best of luck, It's good to see squatting with a purpose.

Julian Assange Extradition trial.

On recent visit to london to see Prime Minister's Questions I heard on the radio that Julian Assange was to be Fancing a trial headed by 7 judges at the supreme court that day. Naturally I figured something was going to be going down so as it was just a hop across the road I thought i'd have a look.

 

The crowds were by no means overwhelming, it was a cold day though. A few policeman and a gaggle of foreign reporters clutching at any bit of information that they can gather from the public before deciding that it was too cold and blowy before bailing out to the pub is all that you can see. Incidently my hands went numb 5 minutes into this drawing so considering that I'm rather pleased with the results

Union march bristol

More cuts to the public sector sees a lot of people facing redundancy. Naturally this gets the unions up in arms so mass rallies are held in  most major cities around the UK.

Bristol's rally heads from college green, round boldwin street (past the banks) towards castle park.

 

Unite flags en-mass. 

 The rally ends in Castle Park with speakers in the pavilion.

Occupy London

Protesters try to occupy the London stock exchange in a bid to highlight excessive bonuses given to bankers but their attempt is stopped by police and they end up setting camp next door on the grounds of St Paul's cathedral. This turns out to be a blessing in disguise as the church finds themselves unable to use force to evict them and couldn't say that they disagreed with the movements ideals. Lets call it a crisis of conscience.

 

The movement is inspired by the occupy Wallstreet movement in America. Many famous faces stop by to give speeches.

 

there's a free speech stage for anyone that wants to share their view and lots of information about what they are doing.

St Pauls Carnival

Here are a few drawings I did of St Pauls carnival in 2011 before having a good old dance.

This sound system was Called Negus Melody, I stayed here most of the night. You wouldn't believe the bass.

These people are dancing a t the Instrument of Jah soundsystem

 

looking down City road you can see system after sytem. I had the impression that as you walk from the heart of st Pauls through the carnival toward city road and eventully Cheltenham road the music and demographic turns progressively from largely Caribbean with reggae and ragga and that sort of thing to largely white K heads with dubstep and drum and bass and is on the whole less social. doesn't that say it all? On the whole I think this event is great event for st Pauls to show what its got and long may it continue!