Milling Around

Milling Around

Getting the life sucked out of you in retail employment, needs to be combated by jolly excursions. I am trying to make time for these kind of adventures. Even if it is just once a month. But not only that I need to broaden my horizons and get inspirations for my own projects.

So a few days ago we went to Farfield Mill to be precise. I have always admired the ingenuity of water mills. Something simple and so effective. Wind mills come to that are similar. But there is something, well to me, that is soothing about it. The water passing by and the creak of the wheel. Although in this case the wheel was replaced with a water jet. I have long been interested in mechanical history. But I digress.

The building it’s self is pretty unpreposessing. And like probably the hundreds around it back in it’s heyday. But there is something about the old wooden floors and the thickness of the walls. I imagine the noise was pretty unbearable. It also being graft. Life was very different to now. Visiting these kind of places, reminds us of just how.

Being a textile mill, the majority of the displays were about that. But the Mill is also a center for Artists. Each with there own little studios. There is a lot of inspiration to be taken from seeing hand made pieces of art. From wooden stools, pottery and woolly hats.

What I’m Thinking About

It has been a week! I have not had the time or the inclination to sit my self down and get out the Lino Cut tools. I know its a cop out, and that some might say why bother. But as I sit here, it is all to easy to say it doesn’t matter. What if another day goes by? The fact I have sat down and wrote this is a big step forward for me. I could have easily given in and gone and watched a cozy crime drama.

But I made the decision to at least get something down in writing. Just to say to myself I can focus myself. Well sort of. There is still a part of me that doubts. Doubts that I can do any physical art. That my efforts will look no better than a two year old. However, if I never try, I will never know.

I know my style is very unique to me. It’s easy to sit down and do my doodle. When it comes to transferring those ideas it becomes very different. Just for the fact I know I can double tap on the screen of my iPad and it will erase any trace of my misdemeanors. Drawing something on a page. With either ink or graphite is a very different beast. It feels like a commitment. Unlike the the fluidity of the pixel.

It’s not as if there’s not enough guidance and example out there. But getting that first mark seems to be evading me. So if there is no marks made in the coming week, I will erase my digital existence from here and sneak back to the shadows of the digital doodling. Never to speak of lofty intents again. And you can hold me to that!

And finally

I am experimenting with how I put these posts together and am still unsure of if this template is right. But nothing quite seems to fit what my view of how I want to present my site. Getting to grips with alien technologies is one thing. Design is a whole other. For the time being I will plug on with this format until I find something more setting. But certainly growing by doing is the name of the game.

Until the next time…