16th April
Welcome back after Easter, not that I went away. I have, since the last post landed an interview for a technician’s job (hopefully) for one week, just before the show. The job is across the road at the art college, (if I get it) hopefully leading to more.
I have also decided to meet her in Thailand and spend a couple of weeks (after the degree is over) relaxing on Krabi Island while I evaluate the future in the company of the woman I love.(smug bastard)

I have spent most of Easter in the Church and whilst the weather has been hot and the sky has been a pristine azure blue outside, I have been inside the cold dank church. I am now ready to finish this. It was not until last night however that I came to some kind of resolution about the casts and how they will stand in the Church.

School was followed by work and work was followed by home. I ate quickly and then left for the library. I picked up a copy of Goethe’s "Faust" and read from start to finish. I said my goodbyes to Hammam who lives in the library of a night and returned home.

I was lying in bed wide eyed and deep in though until 2am but I do believe I had a breakthrough as to how I will display the work. Research and development, production and then destruction should be the three parts to the circle. Situating the casts amongst the pews does not work visually or physically. People need to encounter large groups and walk amongst them, become part of the congregation but not be able to penetrate entirely. I will record them in the pews and capture the early morning light (between 6 and 8am) where the sun comes through the alter window and lights the bullets up in a rainbow of colour.


I finally see some light in the distance, there is now a possibility of a "New Beginning". I am ready to remove myself,

"From the dull rooms of mean houses, from the bondage of mechanical drudgery, from the confinement of gables and roofs and from the venerable gloom of churches." (41)

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The last bullet in a series of 91

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Setting up the bullets ready for the show

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(41) Goethe’s “Faust" pp29

10th April
The blog has now become sporadic in its upkeep. This less faithful note keeping is due to my work load and the Easter break.

Last week I managed to do a few more casts on Monday and Tuesday and Wednesday were spent in the computer room doing work on my practice in context but mostly spent building a map for the degree show. Met Stephanie Woo when she came to give me her location details for the show. We had a good chat.

Thursday I picked up Jamie and brought him up to Leeds where we worked on making a cast. I wanted him to see what I was doing and be involved. Jamie loved it and was really interested in exploring the church. We went home got changed and then went for Chinese before making the trip across to my parents.
Went to Beaston Castle on the Friday with Jamie and my parents, picked up the new bond film to watch after we all dropped in on my grandparents and then home followed by films and Lego.

Saturday we went down the park played football and then started the journey back to Jamies. We stopped at Birmingham’s Star City to watch the new Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles film before completing the rest of the journey. Kissed him and said goodbye.

Home, beers, footy, bed.

Sunday made it into the Church at 9.30 and managed to knock out four casts. As interrupted in the afternoon by some guy trying to kick the door in, accompanied by his little children. Great example to set. I shouted for him to stop and by the time I made it to the door to investigate he had already fled up the street.

Monday I managed to do four more casts before being visited by Stephanie. I showed her around and we chatted. I hadn’t eaten all day so I asked if she fancied going for Dim Sum. I got cleaned up at her halls over the road and we went to eat. I dropped her home afterwards.

Tuesday I managed to do five casts and was again visited by Stephanie. This time Steph had brought a home baked chocolate cake (WOW, top draw) her parents are bakers back in Toronto so she knows what she is doing. We had another chat and I spent the final part of the day arranging some of the bullets around the church with the help of Steph.


Food shop, home, Steak and a nice bottle of red to accompany the Amazing Man U, Roma game. 7-1, sweat revenge for the stabbings.

31st March
Spent the day in the computer room working on editing and formatting this blog. Spent the afternoon helping Dave make casts of Simons Lewandowskis head. Good fun.

Spoke to my grandfather as it was his birthday and I had sent some photos of my work in progress rather than a card. I knew my Grandfather would be less interested than my Grandmother so I sent them more for her than him.

Saturday spent the entire day in the church, had Duncan and Helen visit and take away a number of bits of furniture from the church in exchange for delivering the Alter to Rangthorne for David Calder. David had cycled across to help but we were already out of the gate when he arrived. Raced him back to Rangthorne where we unloaded and then had a chat. Shook hands and then back to the church where I worked until 8, finally getting 5 casts out of the day, not bad.

Home, broccoli and bacon pie followed by a couple of beers. Bed.

Sunday started slowly, clearing up bits from the church and slowly approaching a situation of readiness. Still got the balcony area to do and most of the Pigeon poo will have to go I have now decided. Toxic osmosis would not look good on the health and safety chart.

Did one cast which failed badly before having my parents arrive on their way down from family in Morpeth. Showed them around the church and then the university, introduced them to Hammam and then showed them the Library. Received a parcel of home made pickled beetroot, some pees pudding and home raised eggs(courtesy of the Geordies allotments) before we said our goodbye.

Managed another two casts before heading home at 6. Beer, tele, Chinese bed.