SSW Life Weeks 1-3 (though right now we're in week 6! I'm so pokey!)

Hello! We've gotten quite settled here in Lumsden and we are actually just a little beyond the half way point! So seeing as it's week 6, I should probably show you week 1-3! (I knew I wouldn't keep up with this! Well, at least I'm doing it!)) In this new album, you might notice a distinct lack of any pictures relating to what I'm making or looking at for inspiration. That's because I have pulled out those photos and will put up a post this week that is just about that alone.  Also, I didn't really have much clay to work with till week three anyway, so I was just kind of taking in my surroundings and whittling (Really!). It's a very, VERY different thing to be at a residency where just looking about you and taking time to be inspired and affected by your surroundings is just as important as the making itself, than being at grad school where its about making art at a break-neck speed and constantly defending every aspect of the final product. Took some major re-calibrating even though I've been out  of school well over a year. But more on that later... So the album for this post is mostly our daily life in Aberdeenshire...and other people doing artistic things! I won't say much here because this album, like the other's, is heavily captionized.
General thoughts about our first few of weeks here: we both felt instantly welcomed into the very small and constantly changing community with-in SSW (we, unfortunately, have very little contact with the rest of the tiny town). There has been plenty for Ben to do. Some times he spends entire days at our house drawing, playing banjo and making bread. He's just finished a drawing for the Carolina Chocolate Drops (a big-time old-time band from North Carolina) and a drawing for the banner on the SSW Blog (not posted yet...but it's got lots of sheep!). He is often at SSW (note: the house and SSW are 1 block apart) helping out with various projects as well.  As for me, it's funny that  I thought I would have SO much time to make art that I would get sick of it, but there are so many activities and fun distracting things going on here or in the area multiple times a week! It's also interesting to come to what feels like  a very remote place, seemingly unattached from any thing we know...yet the Tin Hut, where the Hot Seats have played 4 times over 6 years, is just down the road, Emily (the creative director) lives in a cottage owned by a potter and metal sculptor who teach at U of Georgia and have been repeatedly to Penland, AND Emily was at a wedding in NY state last year and saw the Gentlemen play! Small tiny world.
Anyway, I'll get on with the pictures, since there's so many! Click Me. Enjoy! More fun stuff coming soon!
Oh! Cool thing tomorrow (Thursday)! If I were on top of this, I would have already posted
about the radio station launched here at SSW on Oct 15. You can  see SSW's Blog post about the launch here.  ( I gave very popular pinch pot workshops :) The station is online just 5-7 each evening, but Ben and I will be on air talking about art/playing music between 5-7 UK time and 12-2 US time if you want to listen live. BUT you can go to: Radio Lumsden's site here and listen any time! I'll send out a reminder tomorrow.

Ok Bye!