The hurricane is the second named storm of the Atlantic Hurricane Season. "Bill" is on his way into Nova Scotia. His effects can be felt here this morning, very tropical air, a steady rain, a continuous breeze with light gusts. Another 5 hours and the eye of the storm is projected to pass the eastern edge of Nova Scotia just north of Halifax.
The east coast is often brushed by tropical and post-tropical storms throughout hurricane season, but we are not used to hurricane force winds and rain conditions. Fortunately Bill is said to be weakening and has been downgraded to a Category 1.
Currently the wind effects for Bill extend into Quebec on the west and over to Newfoundland in the Northeast already.
Here is to praying that Bill passes through without the kind of damage that happened in late September 2003 when Juan hit Halifax and surrounds.
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Edit 10PM
And I am pleased to report that we had a lovely afternoon in our neck of the woods, and according the bit of news that I have gotten via the web, there wasn't much for excitement in most of Nova Scotia. Power grid is out in some areas, localized flooding and tree branches blown off as well as the usual thrill seekers looking to get swept off of slippery wet rocks at Peggy's Cove and damn near succeeding in getting themselves drowned. There always at least one every year.
Sunday, August 23, 2009
Tuesday, August 18, 2009
Interview Op Taken
The blogosphere is an interesting place.
I was contacted this weekend by another blogger to participate in an interview that has just been published on their blog: The Pakistani Spectator. To hit the interview directly: http://www.pakspectator.com/interview-with-blogger-cynthia-ryder/
Thanks for giving me the opportunity to put myself out here in the big wide world.
I was contacted this weekend by another blogger to participate in an interview that has just been published on their blog: The Pakistani Spectator. To hit the interview directly: http://www.pakspectator.com/interview-with-blogger-cynthia-ryder/
Thanks for giving me the opportunity to put myself out here in the big wide world.
Cargotecture, et al
My most recent momentary obsession and research topic has been the construction of housing using decommissioned shipping containers. I think that the idea appeals because it is a relatively cheap construction material to acquire, it stacks like Lego bricks (and I love playing with Lego), the design possibilities are incredible and lend themselves to Bauhaus styling which plays into my interest in Art Deco period architecture, and it's green. I'm not a huge environmentalist type, but why spend big bucks on new when the same effect can be achieved with recycled components. Put all of that together with the desire to stay unique and voila: a new studio/house project may happen someday sooner than later. The key question is going to become where it happens though.
Here's three of the dozens of links for Cargotecture that I checked out recently:
http://www.shipping-container-housing.com/index.html
http://ecopods.ca/
http://www.containercity.com/
Still working on the submissions for the Metal Arts Guild of Nova Scotia annual competition and exhibition. It is a must to get things finished off this week as they need to be in the post very soon to meet the deadline. I will take pix of the entries, but I won't be able to post them until after the judging has taken place for the show.
This Saturday, August 22nd: Women's Festival in Fredericton, all day till 9PM.
Back at the Garrison Studio shop for tomorrow and next week I am next door at Productive Hands from 11:30-1:30, Monday, Wednesday and Friday. That's the NB Crafts Council's shop where I will be demonstrating for 2 hours each day.
And yes, there is stuff on the bench, work in progress for custom orders, but not finished yet.
Cheers,
Here's three of the dozens of links for Cargotecture that I checked out recently:
http://www.shipping-container-housing.com/index.html
http://ecopods.ca/
http://www.containercity.com/
Still working on the submissions for the Metal Arts Guild of Nova Scotia annual competition and exhibition. It is a must to get things finished off this week as they need to be in the post very soon to meet the deadline. I will take pix of the entries, but I won't be able to post them until after the judging has taken place for the show.
This Saturday, August 22nd: Women's Festival in Fredericton, all day till 9PM.
Back at the Garrison Studio shop for tomorrow and next week I am next door at Productive Hands from 11:30-1:30, Monday, Wednesday and Friday. That's the NB Crafts Council's shop where I will be demonstrating for 2 hours each day.
And yes, there is stuff on the bench, work in progress for custom orders, but not finished yet.
Cheers,
Friday, August 7, 2009
This week
Heading into a busy week starting tomorrow with my residency with the Fredericton Arts Alliance in their casemate at the Garrison District. I have 4 days to work away on some fabulous ideas for the "Sea Life" entries for the Metal Arts Guild of Nova Scotia. I worked up some maquettes earlier this week for a bracelet, pendant and neckpiece. I'll be working these all in sterling silver and will be using a lot of textile techniques in the construction.
I built a slide presentation that can run on my laptop for the residency as well so that there are images of past work, show booths, and most importantly, studio shots of where the work is usually done as well of some slides of quick and random facts about me. Sometimes technology is helpful in capturing attention when you are doing low tech work.
Once this coming week is through, then it is back to the usual studio again, to finish up the entries for the guild show and start work on some new items for the New Brunswick Crafts Council show in Fredericton, September 4-6. In between here and there, there is a women's show in Officers' Square on August 22 and I have some classes to teach as well a few casemate days to put in.
Sometime after the 20th of September when the shop closes for the season, I will be doing my first live presentation, as compared to dead or via forums, on working in the handcraft industry. This first seminar will be geared for a jewellery making audience. Once I get a trial run of this done, and secure my feedback, I'll be figuring out how to take that show on the road too.
It was an interesting week at the Garrison shop for me, a lady walked in one day wearing a pair of earrings that she purchased at the Originals show in Ottawa, from me. She loves them, and what a complement that she would choose that pair for her trip east. A couple of other ladies form the area were in too, and they were very pleased to see my work, very expressive in their appreciation. They'll be back to see more.
I realize now, what a great opportunity it is to be able to present my work to the local community. It has been a rarity until now and mostly restricted to NBCC related events for the past 3 years. Doesn't hurt to get out there and get known at least a little bit in the home town.
I built a slide presentation that can run on my laptop for the residency as well so that there are images of past work, show booths, and most importantly, studio shots of where the work is usually done as well of some slides of quick and random facts about me. Sometimes technology is helpful in capturing attention when you are doing low tech work.
Once this coming week is through, then it is back to the usual studio again, to finish up the entries for the guild show and start work on some new items for the New Brunswick Crafts Council show in Fredericton, September 4-6. In between here and there, there is a women's show in Officers' Square on August 22 and I have some classes to teach as well a few casemate days to put in.
Sometime after the 20th of September when the shop closes for the season, I will be doing my first live presentation, as compared to dead or via forums, on working in the handcraft industry. This first seminar will be geared for a jewellery making audience. Once I get a trial run of this done, and secure my feedback, I'll be figuring out how to take that show on the road too.
It was an interesting week at the Garrison shop for me, a lady walked in one day wearing a pair of earrings that she purchased at the Originals show in Ottawa, from me. She loves them, and what a complement that she would choose that pair for her trip east. A couple of other ladies form the area were in too, and they were very pleased to see my work, very expressive in their appreciation. They'll be back to see more.
I realize now, what a great opportunity it is to be able to present my work to the local community. It has been a rarity until now and mostly restricted to NBCC related events for the past 3 years. Doesn't hurt to get out there and get known at least a little bit in the home town.
Monday, August 3, 2009
Thank you
Just giving a shout out here to my regular readers over here for the past month. Turns out that there is a growing number of you that are making more than one visit a month. Thank you!
It's nice to imagine that some of the things that have been shared are either interesting or useful to you.
As well, it turns out that there is someone out there who likes my style of poetry - in Canada no less. That person seems to be checking regularly for what's new. WOW. Now that's a compliment, but my paranoid freak friend would tell me that could be a stalker. I don't think so, I think it just happens to be someone who gets it.
Anytime that any of you want to comment, complain or just agree, feel free, I do mod the comments though just to keep the spam efforts in check.
Cheers
--
It's nice to imagine that some of the things that have been shared are either interesting or useful to you.
As well, it turns out that there is someone out there who likes my style of poetry - in Canada no less. That person seems to be checking regularly for what's new. WOW. Now that's a compliment, but my paranoid freak friend would tell me that could be a stalker. I don't think so, I think it just happens to be someone who gets it.
Anytime that any of you want to comment, complain or just agree, feel free, I do mod the comments though just to keep the spam efforts in check.
Cheers
--
Saturday, August 1, 2009
Good Stuff
On the positive side of this week:
I finally got my old '97 Chrysler replaced with a newer version of the same with 213,000 less kilometers on it. This one is in far better shape body wise and only has 157,000 and the price was right, and getting it registered was relatively painless, and it doesn't shake and rattle when it rolls down the road. Thanks to a good friend for the head's up on where to find this one.
Finally getting out on the bike for a nice drive this evening. Detoured for an ice cream cone which felt a bit like being a kid again. Until today, the 1st of August, the bike had hit the road for a grand total of 20 minutes this summer. The weather has played havoc as well as a few other things interfering with the fun.
Went out last for an evening on the town with a good friend. He's just finishing up his leave for this summer after several training sessions for preparation for his deployment overseas in late fall. I think that we succeeded in finding him some eye-candy, music and beverage. He might just have overdone the shooters however, but a note late this afternoon indicated that he was well on the way to recovery.
Oh, and I forgot to mention that several new pieces were placed with Handsmiths in Halifax last weekend. It sounds like some of the new work is a hit as I received a phone call from a gentleman earlier this afternoon who purchased a set through Handsmiths to thank me for spelling Aluminium the English way in my cleaning instuctions for the work, and to say that the work is lovely. It is going to his daughter for her 24th birthday on August 12th. He was impressed with the fact that it is like so much of my jewellery, a one of a kind. The real compliment is that he considers it in the realm of the work of Chris Wallace. WOW!
It's nice when the not so good stuff gets balanced out.
--
I finally got my old '97 Chrysler replaced with a newer version of the same with 213,000 less kilometers on it. This one is in far better shape body wise and only has 157,000 and the price was right, and getting it registered was relatively painless, and it doesn't shake and rattle when it rolls down the road. Thanks to a good friend for the head's up on where to find this one.
Finally getting out on the bike for a nice drive this evening. Detoured for an ice cream cone which felt a bit like being a kid again. Until today, the 1st of August, the bike had hit the road for a grand total of 20 minutes this summer. The weather has played havoc as well as a few other things interfering with the fun.
Went out last for an evening on the town with a good friend. He's just finishing up his leave for this summer after several training sessions for preparation for his deployment overseas in late fall. I think that we succeeded in finding him some eye-candy, music and beverage. He might just have overdone the shooters however, but a note late this afternoon indicated that he was well on the way to recovery.
Oh, and I forgot to mention that several new pieces were placed with Handsmiths in Halifax last weekend. It sounds like some of the new work is a hit as I received a phone call from a gentleman earlier this afternoon who purchased a set through Handsmiths to thank me for spelling Aluminium the English way in my cleaning instuctions for the work, and to say that the work is lovely. It is going to his daughter for her 24th birthday on August 12th. He was impressed with the fact that it is like so much of my jewellery, a one of a kind. The real compliment is that he considers it in the realm of the work of Chris Wallace. WOW!
It's nice when the not so good stuff gets balanced out.
--
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