Roseland

Roseland in Ullapool

This time last week I was winging my way home from the Highlands and Islands Visual Arts Gathering in Ullapool (13 and 14th November 2006) where I gave a talk. I included some images from Roseland in Düsseldorf. The conference was organised by Hi-Arts following the publication of Georgina Cobourn's research in to the state of the visual arts in the region.

Sadly I never saw Ullapool in all its glory, as I arrived at night, surfaced the next morning in the pouring rain for a quick drive to the conference venue and then left in the dark! I saw deer along the road but no scenery.

I did meet lots of folk - new artists as well as some I haven't seen for ages. It was fantastic, too, to meet artists from Orkney. Artists Rik Hammond and Clare Gee (or ussr1049), who are based in Orkney, looked at this Roseland weblog and thought there was a connection with their photos.

Laura's Photos

Laura has sent me copies of some of her photos from the ferry to Rosenlund in Sweden. I've posted them in a new category, devoted to Rosenlund in the hope that I'll get more news and photos to put in there. Maybe I can go one day.

The Pink Umbrella

Dorothée has written to me from Düsseldorf to thank me for the pink umbrella I gave her after the opening at Malkasten. One day it was raining, and she took the pink umbrella with her when she went home. She said she thought it must look very funny because she is so small with the big pink umbrella over her head. It must make people feel very happy when they see her.

A Gift from Hamburg

I just got a gift in the post. I was so surprised. When I saw the word Luftpost on the envelope, I realised it was from Germany. So far I've only received emails since I returned from Düsseldorf, and I had forgotten the thrill of getting post from a different country. It is a wonderful photograph of the opening at Malkasten.....lots of pink umbrellas are in it! Thank you, Ralf!

Portability

Michel and Noriko gave me a somewhat crazy gift at the opening at Malkasten that I just love. It is a miniature, portable altar that folds into a an envelope barely 3 x 4.5 cm. It is shiny yellow plastic with red stitching. I've posted photos here of its interior and the wonderful giftwrap image. I don't know what inspired it, but its portability fits perfectly with my small obsession with wheels for everything to do with Roseland. I found so many wheels in Germany. I came home with nearly 100 different kinds to create new artworks. I'll be screwing wheels onto small paintboxes, or 'malkasten', which I bought in Düsseldorf and have brought home with me.