First week back

Posted on September 23, 2011 by Hannah

First week back at college and it was straight down to business. We were given a three day project in which we collaborated with graphic design students to produce a zine in response to a randomly chosen location in Edinburgh. My group’s location was an industrial plot between Leith and Seafield. The area had once been a place where people would have come to sit on deck chairs on the beach, but no longer. We found nameless industrial buildings producing steam and smoke. The small bit of beach that was left was covered in rubbish and rubble. We collected up lots of the rubbish and used it as the basis for our zine. You can just about make out the image of a pay phone we found, on one of the pages above. The zine wasn’t the sort of thing I would produce but that is one of the points of collaboration in the context of college. It pushes me out of my comfort zone to experiment with people who work in very different ways to me. Still, a tough call in my first week back and with Little Owl suffering from a touch of Fresher’s Flu.

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Harvest Supper

Posted on September 17, 2011 by Hannah

Here are some decorations we have been making for our harvest supper tomorrow evening. Without wanting to sound ‘worthy’ I love Harvest Festival for its ability to incorporate celebration and prudence. It marks the turning of the seasons while asking us to count our blessings. It’s so easy to take for granted the presence of all those basics like clean water, a roof over our heads, and food to eat. It was also one of my favourite festivals to celebrate as child. Although I do have a vague memory of dressing up as a jammy dodger for one harvest assembly at school…I wonder what that was all about?! We are going to have roast duck with all the trimmings. Little Owl is busy colouring and glittering the decorations while I stitch name tags on her clothes as it’s back to school for us both next week.

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A crisp bright morning

Posted on September 15, 2011 by Hannah

This morning Little Owl and I climbed the hill to the top of the farm. From there we could see the whole valley laid out below us, crisp and bright. We swung on a farm gate singing Old MacDonald at the top of our voices, then we raced each other back down the hill. In the farm yard the hay barns were being filled up. We stood and watched the tractor for a while. Here is a little mouse I have drawn for a project I’m really really hoping will work out. In the mean time, I hope you like him.

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Baton down the hatches!

Posted on September 12, 2011 by Hannah

Here is a picture of a snug blanket Little Owl received from Big Dreamer’s mum this weekend. It couldn’t have been a better timed present either! As the tail end of Hurricane Katia sweeps over Scotland the weather here can only be described as ‘wild’. The rain is sweeping down the valley in torrents and spray is smacking against the windows. I’ve been out several times today to rescue the sunflowers but I’ve had to concede the gladioli to the wind. I wonder how the baby partridges are getting on.

Tucked up safely indoors as the wind buffets and blows Little Owl and I have been listening to some new music. I’ve just received Laura Marling‘s new album which is really good. I’m also loving listening to a young man called Jack Harris. You can catch some of his beautiful songs on his MySpace page. There is something in his music that matches the mood of the turning of the season that I see around me at the moment. The passing of all the bright flurry of summer is always tinged with sadness but there is something ancient and lyrical about the rhythm of the seasons that makes me greet autumn (no matter how ‘wild’) with contemplative satisfaction.

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Beetroot recipes

Posted on September 7, 2011 by Hannah

It is still blustery and showery here today. I watched two buzzards circling each other on the thermals. They looked majestic against the dark brooding sky. I have been meaning to blog about beetroot for a while. Vegetable growers are a generous lot and when I expressed my love for beetroot we were inundated with various beetroot seed types to try in the garden. Here are some beetroot recipes we love. Feel free to get in touch with your own ruby root food adventures!

  • Beetroot coleslaw. This is a recipe I picked up when I was in Moldova. They boil the beetroot in its skin, peel it (the skins just drop off after they’ve been boiled but remember to let them cool!), then grate into a bowl. Mix up with mayonnaise, crushed garlic, and salt and pepper. We mixed up gratings of golden beetroot, salad beetroot and the classic variety to make a sunset version!
  • Maddhur Jaffrey’s Pantzarosalata. I don’t know what the law is on giving out other people’s recipes in blog form so if this suddenly vanishes you’ll know I’ve been censored! I’m justifying it to myself with the knowledge that she took it from the Ormylia Monastery in Macedonia in the first place. Chop up a boiled and skinned beetroot then blend it with chopped walnuts, white bread, 1 clove of garlic, olive oil, red wine viengar and some salt. It’s a lovely summer dip to have with pitta breads and salad.
  • Catherine Mason’s beetroot tart (or my adaptation of it anyway). Line a pie dish with shortcrust pastry and pre-bake it in the oven. When done cover the bottom of the pie with a layer of horseradish sauce. Next scatter, slices of boiled and skinned beetroot, new potatoes, and onion. On top of this scatter crumbled blue cheese and fresh rosemary. Bake in the oven until it has a lovely crisp top.
  • Beetroot as potato. We enjoy beetroot cooked like potato wedges (they go beautifully crispy) or baked whole in their skins like a baked potato and served with butter.
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A blustery day

Posted on September 6, 2011 by Hannah

What a blustery day! I’ve just rescued a duvet cover from the wood at the bottom of the garden. I’ve decided it’s safer to dry it over the bannisters than on the washing line. Autumn is definitely here. Little Owl and I have been planting daffodil bulbs in the garden. On my mum’s advice I have been growing my strawberries in hanging baskets to try and outwit the competition for their fruit from slugs and mice. I have been catching the runners in various pots hung by string from the fence and now have quite a little collection. Here’s a picture of them for you.

 

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Blog Wall @ Raft

Posted on September 4, 2011 by Hannah

Here is my contribution to the Raft exhibition in Glasgow. We went over yesterday to set up. For those who have been following my blog regularly there will be a few familiar images in these photos. I was asked to produce a version of my blog, so many of my original sketches for blog posts are featured here. I also put up some pen and paper for visitors to stick up some comments in the way that many of you comment on my blog online.

The Old Hairdressers, where the exhibition is being held, is a great space and the Raft organisers have filled it full of loads of interesting and varied work. It was an odd feeling leaving just as the party was getting started to put Little Owl to bed. It’s a reminder to me that this illustrating malarky is something I am going to have to do in my own way, balancing priorities and finding my own solutions. It also reinforced the importance of community for me. It’s wonderful to talk to people, to hear their responses to my work and hear about the creativity of other folks. So, thank you to all the Raft lot and also to all of you who read this blog and support me in so many ways.

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Raft

Posted on September 2, 2011 by Hannah

This morning Little Owl rode on my shoulders over the wet fields to Toddler Group. With the start of the new term the conversation between the mums turns to the survival of the village school and whether the number of children will reach the quota required to employ another teacher. Back at home we have had lots of admirers of our new shed which arrived yesterday. “Nice wendy house that” was my favourite comment.

I am currently trying to get my sketches together for an exhibition called Raft which I am involved with in Glasgow this weekend. Frustratingly, Little Owl has chosen this week to drop her afternoon naps so I’m making slow progress. Nevertheless it should be good and I’m excited so if you’re in Glasgow do pop in.

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The Scottish Mining Museum

Posted on August 30, 2011 by Hannah

My parents are staying with us at the moment and yesterday Little Owl and I took them for an outing to the Scottish Mining Museum. I have drawn one of the coal trucks for you. I find industrial typography irresistible. Little Owl had a whale of a time exploring the old buildings and interesting bits of cogs and wheels. An ex-miner gave us a tour of the old workings and and a mock-up of the coal face. John started mining when he was 15 and he explained to us what things had been like when he first went into the mines. We all found the whole thing fascinating and if you’re looking for a wet weather activity around Edinburgh I’d recommend it. I found the audio exhibition of witness statements collected by the Royal Commission of 1842 especially moving. Check out this song (The Testimony of Patience Kershaw) by the Unthanks which tells the story of one of the children documented by the Commission.

Also, have a look at my friend Emma’s blog where she has posted some beautiful pics of our day out in Fife.

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Partridge chicks!

Posted on August 28, 2011 by Hannah


Sorry to recycle a sketch but we have exciting news from the partridge family. You might remember me mentioning a pair of partridges who had been hanging round the farmyard. Well, they’ve had babies! Eleven little partridge chicks have been picking and scratching around the farm. On discussion with our next door neighbour we think they must have a nest in the wood at the bottom of the garden. We’re hoping they’ll all make it but with 10 border collies on the farm all we can do is hope they keep their heads down. Our next door neighbour commented dryly that, of course the father partridge wasn’t anywhere to be seen. “Maybe he’s homebrewing somewhere,” I suggested with a wink in Big Dreamer’s direction.

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