10 things I like this month.
Stuff worth sharing.
It’s hard to imagine how difficult it is to put together a list like this. I decided to do it because I thought it would be an easy way to round out a month of weekly newsletters. I WAS WRONG . Anyway. Here’s September's top 10.
Anne if Green Gables
A beautiful hardback copy of Anne of Green Gables from Penguin and the V&A with a perfect cover by Liz Catchpole and William Morris. This book is proving to be sonething of a revelation. It has a charm and s sense of place that were unexpected. First published in 1908. Conrad, Wells and Verne had books published the same year, all of which my younger self read and swiftly forgotten Anne will stay with me however for a long time. You can pick this edition on line
The Pilot Croquis mechanical pencil. I’ve got two of these, one with a 6B lead and one with an HB lead, and they are wondrous. Sketching on the go is about focusing on impressions rather than detail and these chunky, pencils literally nake it impossible to get caught up in detail. They are beautifully crafted, a little shorter than a normal pencil and sit really comfortably in the hand. I got mine from my favourite art shop L Cornilessen in London.
I don’t often connect with music. I am much more visual and had a massive problem with glue ear in my formative years that left me disconnected from the pop music of my youth. These violin concertos however just struck a cord. They bring to mind that played in 60s movies as the hero drove a Bentley across the Scottish Highlands. They have a dramatic sweep to them that just lends itself to some serious driving through great landscapes. I’ve been listening to them on Amazon Music when driving to Devon and they are just perfect.
I’ve watched both the 1956 and 1978 versions of this book and they are both near perfect movies of paranoia for their time. In a time of renewing cold War paranoia and fake news there is probably space for a new version but i’m not sure it could match it's predecessors.
Jack Finney's book is unusual and in many ways unlike either movie. It’s a much more traditional invasion story lingering on an early example of Cronenberg style body horror at times as it looks at the pod people. It’s a good book and a good story but unusually I would say the films are better. You can read it free on line Here.
I often find articles, recipes and I terriers on line that I want to read later. I used to bookmark them but rarely found my way back. Then I discovered instapaper. It’s a neat little app that saves Web pages so you can read them at leisure and then delete them. Easy to find in your phone or tablet's app store.
Having said I struggle with music appreciation I have been listening to Pet Sounds on repeat for some time and I would have to say it is the most exquisitely perfect album. To fit that much quality in to less than 40 minutes with perfect lyrics, melodies, harmonies and pacing. Not a word or a second of time is wasted and yet it never feels produced and is brimming with emotion.
Listen to it on your choice of streaming service, on CD or vinyl but listen to it because there is so much to enjoy and so much to learn from it in terms of being creative.
Castle Drogo is a National Trust property. It’s that absolute rarity, a twentieth century castle that looks like it could have stepped out of Tudor times. Designed by the great architect Edward Lutyens it is a fascinating place. I went there for an interview for a job (which I didn’t get) which gave me an insight into what happens behind the curtain. Stunning grounds and views complement a totally unique building that gives a real insight into the early 1900s between the wars.
The Highlights for me were the architectural drawings just hung on the wall almost like an after thought. We’ll worth a visit if you’re near Exeter at any point.
I do love a good instructional artwork. There is almost always something new to learn. Hazel Soan's book is very much a book that does what it says on the cover. Providing guidance on colour palettes, brushes and paper before moving into how to use those things it really does what it promises. It focuses again on capturing the impression of what you’re looking at as an impression rather than looking to capture detail. With this book and a little patience you really could learn to paint in watercolour quickly and well. Available from on-line booksellers and shops like Hobbycraft. If you ever considered picking up watercolours this would be a great place to start.
I bought one of these for my wife who was always looking for safety pins. It’s stylish, has some history and does its job much better than any pin. There are variations in all sizes and prices available on Etsy for securing scarves or closing gaping blouses. I liked the viking and saxon style ones and how they gave a hint of historical cosplay.
I cannot resist a bargain, especially in book firm and at £3.49 in a charity shop this was a real bargain. I was familiar with Morris and Goscinny was half the team behind Asterix the Gaul so I was intrigued to see what they created. What really made the book a highlight was the 50 pages of historic background that went with it. If you’re an artist the studios and working methods and such of other artists is like honey to a bear. Seeing the other artists Morris kept company with, the cars he had, his homes, his life in 50s New York and the looks inside his studio are the kind of stuff that enthralls me. I can’t recommend it highly enough.
That’s it for September newsletters. See you in October.