Floods & Frost & Frozen things

Went for a frosty Sunday morning walk with my camera.

Little Japan.

Little Stonehenge.

First of many tree photos.

First of many ‘trees in the water’ photos.

Bandstand.

A little Black-headed Gull.

Black-headed Gulls and Lapwings.

I don’t think that sign should be in the lake.

That red thing sticking out of the water is a bridge.

Future City

Whether I love or hate Milton Keynes (I think I’m indifferent right now but it varies), there’s no escaping the fact that I was born here… and, at least for the next few months, I still live here.

Future City is an exhibition at MK Gallery that looks back at the utopian origins of Milton Keynes and considers the future of the city – technically Milton Keynes isn’t even a city, it’s a town. Unfortunately today was the last day for the exhibition so it’s highly unlikely anyone reading this that hasn’t been will be able to go… all the more reason for me to share some photos!

When Bradwell Common was literally just a common.

Model of Milton Keynes features some things that were never built
(or haven’t been yet at least).

A plan for Campbell Park/Central Park that never was.

Paintings by Stephen Gregory.

Sketches of Milton Keynes from the ’80s.

“I bet the world will end and they will still be building Milton Keynes.”

– Elizabeth, aged 8.

Edward Bawden

My favourite Christmas card that I received this last year featured a nice linocut print of a cat by, graphic artist and illustrator, Edward Bawden (1903–1989). I’m sad to say that I’d never heard of him before but upon looking him up I realise I have seen some of his works before.

It seems he quite liked cats.

But he did other things too.

A good selection of his work, from book covers and advertisements to linocuts and painting, can be viewed here.

Vinyl Album Launch

I made this poster for the album launch of Glory Days by Sarah Gillespie, released on vinyl soon.

www.vortexjazz.co.uk

A real New Year's Resolution

I don’t normally make New Year’s Resolutions, in fact I don’t think I’ve ever made one. I figure if I’ve got something I really want to achieve then I’ll do it whether it’s the 1st of January or the 1st of August. I think most people feel that way, either that or they say they’ll do something like go on a diet or take up a new sport and don’t even last through to February.

But for 2014 I have a real resolution and I have no excuses not to stick to it because it’s super easy:
Listen to more music. New music. New bands. New albums.
(And old bands/albums that are new to me.)

It can’t be that hard can it? I pay for a full Spotify subscription every month and almost all the music I could want is on there. (Well, they don’t have The Gaslight Anthem’s first album, Sink or Swim, but then that’s not at all new to me.)

I decided on this resolution when I did one of those last.fm end-of-year-album-chart thingymajigs and realised my three most played albums of 2013 were all three The Menzingers albums, none of which were out in 2013. I didn’t expect any different really, I have been a little obsessive over the band this last year (ahem, Greg replied to my tweet earlier today!!!). So I’m not saying I’ll be listening to The Menzingers any less, they have a new album out in 2014, but I’ll listen to lots of other bands/albums as well.

I should probably go back at listen to some great albums I’ve missed from 2013 first…

New toy

I got a new camera ready for my Japanese adventure next year. So far I’ve barely worked out how to use any of its features but I have taken a few initial photos…

There is normally a path across here…

Bit fuzzy, but just testing the super zoom.

Rush Hour

Rush Hour - Gameplay Trailer from Antonia Jade Heslop on Vimeo.

“Say hello to Colin the Commuter, this little guy needs to get to work! Help him along the London Underground in this new retro 8-bit open world adventure.”