Friday 27 November 2015

Updates on Bianca's projects




1. I'm twirling flowers









2. I'm drawing the shrub in front of my window. I was going to draw the entire garden, but I don't think I'll have time. I'm stuck in the bush.













3. I'm making a body mask with scotch tape and the photos of flowers from Montreal.







































4. I'm memorizing and broadcasting bbc news summaries in front of my window. 
summary #3     https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=1bgQU-hjJg4
summary #4     https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=LFvywEtDNSU
summary #5     https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=4_M7c0e8aXI
summary #6     https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=WCEP4VClYkU

































Wednesday 25 November 2015

Writer's Log, stardate 11.24

Well into the 2nd week now at Wren Cottage. Made some adjustments to my normal routine, gotten into somewhat of a groove now. Since daylight hours are short, any excursions are during the mid-day light hours.

Locally, I have blazed a trail from Wren cottage to Fordingbridge. I like to let my mind wander when I walk, like at home thru the parks, so I found a proper footpath that skirts the roads and cars. Neighbour up the road told me where I could find the trail head. Takes about 45 mins to the Norman church in Fordingbridge.

As well, with my visual artist resi-mate Bianca, we had an all day excursion last Saturday. Headed out early in the AM to Avebury (approx 45 miles north), a small village built in & around large stone circles (stone age remnants of humans). Also spotted a white horse craved into the chalky hillside of county Wiltshire. Legend of the horse, "its often claimed to commemorate King Alfred's victory at the Battle of EĆ°andun in 878."  (as per wiki)

Our second stop was Stonehenge. Bitterly cold on the plains that afternoon as the sun was setting. I think the reason the Druids (?) chose this spot was b/c of the brilliantly frigid winds that blow over these plains. If they were offering sacrifices to appease the gods in this place they must have surmised, here was one of the gates to ice-cold hell.

Our third stop was Salisbury. Arrived just in time (purely by chance, not planned) to attend a Christmas concert in the great cathedral (50+ orchestra, 100+ local choir singers) and a few professional opera singers as well. The acoustics were impeccable inside that stone marvel.

As for my writing, have been getting the juices flowing by working on side projects, ie researching Hemingway's links with Canada, and educating myself on the Bronze Age (copper & tin). I do not know where these topics are headed, but that is OK.

Have been chipping away at main project as well, aka the "world war II story." Hope to focus more on this project as the days turn. Lots of cool books in the cottage, flipping thru a few (esp photography). Also learned a new phrase - 'to pop  a squat' - head behind a bush to do your business when no toilets nearby. Photo: Stonehenge at sunset.

- signing off,
Fabrizio

Friday 20 November 2015

Update on Bianca in Dorset

Hello!!!

I've arrived in Dorset to this incredible room:


Which is crazy amazing! I'm loving it, but I'm also trying to see how its going to influence the project that I proposed for my stay. The room is definitely putting a spin on my initial intention. I applied with the concept of burying my head in shrubs of flowers to avoid evil, but now I don't have to do any burying because I'm surrounded by real flora anyways (even if some of its dying, its good enough). I'm in a predicament - seemingly surrounded by the real life utopia I was initially trying to imitate.

The situation is especially funny because of the mural in the room I grew up in, which I showed in the presentation. I guess both Fabrizio and I are living in our child hood rooms! I'll post it for you, Adam, because you haven't seen it yet.




So I'm jogging my mind out by making a bunch of little drawings and other projects. I'm trying to kind of settle down and see how I want to react to all this. I'm not going to post everything I've been doing in this process because its a lot, so I will link to my tumblr, which I'm using as a kind of digital studio wall at the moment.

http://biancahlywa.tumblr.com/

Hope everyone is doing well,
Bianca Hlywa






Thursday 19 November 2015

Fabrizio's log stardate 2015.11.19

Hello Rufus Stone associates. My first Blogger post, hopefully I've logged in properly and you read me loud and clear. Have now settled in Dorset, these last few days - after several active days in London. Managed the drive from the city to the countryside without serious incident - its been a long time since I drove 'stick', and its been since never that I drove on the left hand side of the road! Not to mention the steering wheel and gear shift on opposite side as well. Awkward but, once I got the hang of it we were westbound thru narrow, curvy country roads, slick and leafy this time of year. At Wren cottage I took the middle room on the top floor, the deep blue walls reminded me of my bedroom when I was a kid.
Photo: from 35000 ft somewhere over the Atlantic