Believe it or not, I have actually started writing about 5 articles for this blog, and have a load of recently completed work to upload, I’ve just not found the time to finalise any of it. Shinytastic is doing well, too well in some ways, the workload has been increasing and I’ve so far been unable to find any new staff I can trust. Any good at PHP and live in the Maidenhead/Reading area? Drop me a line (freelancers only for now). I do really want people who are local as I want to build good working relationships, both with the freelancers and Shinytastic and between all of us and the clients.

Adrian, fellow typophile and general purpose excellent designer was recently involved in an exhibition which I completly failed to be aware of until after the event but I loved the photos

Here’s Adrian’s write-up and more photos.

I absolutely promise to write about some of my own work in the near future, although before I do, check out Miranda’s new site.

A while back Scott discovered a weird, slightly creepy and incredibly intriguing sculpture by a run down barn in the middle of a field somewhere between Henley and Reading. He took me along to see it a couple of times and we tookl a few photos. We did a bit of research (well googling) into it but couldn’t find any information on it or where it came from. I considered knocking on the door of the nearby farmhouse but chickened out. It didn’t help that the location reminded me of far too many horror films, a half collapsed barn and a yard full of rusted cars.

Scott, being more organised than myself, uploaded his photos to Google Earth and recently someone commented on one of them with an explanation of the sculpture:

“The Nuba Embrace” Several people have asked about the sculpture that has appeared by Copyhold Barn; it is called “The Nuba Embrace” and is by John Buckley. John created the sculpture on his return from a visit to the Nuba Mountains in central Sudan in 2000- 2001 where he was a guest of the Nuba Rehabilitation, Relief and Development Organisation (N.R.R.D.O.) during the time of the genocide. He witnessed first hand a mass attempt to wipe out a cultural identity through ethnic cleansing, slavery and fierce attacks on the traditional homelands. More recently there has been a fragile cease fire in the Nuba Mountains (the same agreement that is currently barely holding in Darfur) and when John returned to the region in January this year he says that, despite the suffering, he experienced a sense of resistance living in everyone he met. John finds it difficult to talk about his work (like most artists) but hopes that the sculpture asks the question “What is the future for the Nuba people?” and reminds us that in this ever-shrinking world we are never far away from what is happening in places such as the Nuba Mountains.

So, that’s good to know. We’re not sure if this is the final piece or if it’s a test piece for a final piece resting elsewhere. It seems to get cleaned up and repainted on occasion (although this may be our imaginations/the changing light), it’s not signposted in any way and unless you are looking for it you are unlikely to stumble across it.

Scott’s LJ Post

Photo on Scott’s website

My pics of it on Flickr (as ever, lacking any sort of editing due to lack of hours)

After far more faffing about that should be necessary my new camera (Nikon D40x) is finally with me and usable, we’re off to Worthing this afternoon so will attempt to get practice in.

Brilliantly amusing write up by Sir DeathBoy of the recent Scientology protest in London.

Anonymous vs Scientology, the London protests.

I might actually update the blog with some stuff I’ve done soon!

Friend of a friend. Would appreciate help/passing on of the details.

http://www.petitiononline.com/cle2008/petition.html

More information:
http://users.livejournal.com/_yungfuktoi_/306878.html
http://deathboy.livejournal.com/1076714.html