20pph

20 pph = 20 pinwheels per hour: the rate I can make pinwheels

I have a good reason explaining how I came to find out that unusual statistic, you see after spending the afternoon on the 21st of April and again during the evenings this week making pinwheels you kind of pick up not only a certain amount of skill and speed in what you do, but you also become increasingly aware of how many you've made. Why? You ask. You'd need to look down the page at a previous post about this project to understand fully, but basically it has something to do with the 'England, my England' festival at the Brewhouse (ends May 1st). In particular their indoor beach in the gallery space met with an enthusiasm from my mis-spent youth to make pinwheels, lots of 'em! It was fun, and I promised to share some of the results with you so please see images below...

However, this is not all! Its been a busy few days at the Brew. I attended a workshop hosted by Slingshot (creators of IGFEST) from Bristol in which artists came together and created and played games all day! It sounds quite funny and to some extent it was, after all I haven't really played 'games' as in street based ones since I was 12, so to suddenly have to abandon any self-consciousness I felt about playing again wasn't entirely easy, but it certainly was funny. With in seconds of arriving for this workshop I found myself playing the role of a tree (great! I was always the tree!) in a game where a deer (who was blindfolded) was hunted by a wolf (who has bells on their ankles). The aim being that the wolf has to steal the horns off a belt worn by the blindfolded deer, except the wolf can be heard due to the bells so its not as easy as it sounds. Me, the tree, I was one of many who make up the circle in which the game is played in. Anyway, I hope you get the idea of what we were up to. The end result of which was to take some games we created and play them on St George's day with the public outside the Brew. By the time Saturday 23rd arrived the games had been played, tested and approved.

Lastly, but not least, Saturday 23rd also saw Megan Calver's interactive piece of public art in which members of the public could either wear a dragon or maiden badge handed out by Megan. Maiden's had to hiss at any passing dragons and show 'a little gallantry' by opening doors for people whereas dragons had to roar at any and every opportunity. Naturally, I chose the dragon! This was a really fun and simple way to encourage people to participate in a piece of what essentially could be seen as performance art. People seem less keen to dress up or feel more self-conscious about it anyway, so a badge along with a fun and simple instruction makes for a fun and easy result that encourages participation. It was also fun to interact with fellow dragons and maidens that came into the bookshop where I was working whilst wearing my dragon badge that day (well, I don't need much encouragement or an excuse to roar at people all day most of the time anyway!).

So, its been a busy Easter break and with more still to come soon. I didn't even get the chance to tell you about Simon Lee Dicker's projection tower outside at the Brewhouse that was built during the festival...well, I just did tell you, but expect to here and see pictures of it again very soon because its great and means all sorts can now be watched on the wall outside. Or, see it as a possible opportunity for any of you film makers out there?

The festival's still on till May 1st and there's lots more still going on so please check it out if you haven't already. More details at: http://englandmyengland.wordpress.com/

Until next time!

(above) The dragon badge as modelled here, so nicely.

(above) Megan Calver handing out her 'dragon' or 'maiden' badges outside the Brewhouse

(above) "Oh I do like to be beside the sea side"

Welcome to four tonnes of sand in the Brewhouse gallery, featuring: Kites made by local children in a workshop run by Richard Tomlinson, projected beach scene of Minehead and complete with real buckets and spades.

For more info about slingshot click here:
http://slingshoteffect.co.uk/

For more info about Megan Calver click here:
http://www.megancalver.com