michael fairfax

Barefoot into the night

2012-01-19T16:02:00.002Z

from my new cd 'echo of the spheres'

trying to find a way for my blog to link soundcloud.....ummmmm

West Bay Coming Along

2012-01-17T15:51:00.003Z

Sent pics today of the central part of my West Bay paving scheme. Featuring the carving of Nick Durnan and the words of Paul Hyland. All coming together and looking good.

On a beach in north somerset

2012-01-06T16:21:00.005Z

A short film of me playing my own 'fish bass' see early blogs for pictures of the instrument.

Filmed by Rupert Green on a breezy day towards the end of december. This is a short version I have put a longer version on you tube http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=a6c2nkrNZ2Y&feature=youtu.be.

The busking amp was brilliant as was the hd camera and very good mic borrowed from the Neroche project team..many thanks to Gavin.

Soprafina in the Water

2011-12-20T18:02:00.002Z

A trip on the Bridgwater Taunton canal with Tim Hill and Jules Bushell recording sounds, including hydraphone in the water whilst Tim blew his Soprafina, in the water. I haven't heard the results yet but can hardly wait.......good day!

The Pole

2011-12-15T15:44:00.005Z

So amongst the gales, the rain, the onset of winter, I have been seeking solace in my weatherbeaten studio at Hurstone. I have been making more instruments to play, to create a noise, as one is finished so it informs another..Here we have the first attempt at an acoustic chamber, a trip into the wood, a large fallen oak and chainsaw in hand the bottom part is cut and hollowed out, plunge cutting a cone to remove and finishing off with an arbourtech.

A large Hazel pole is cut to hold the piano tuning keys and then the wires, a spiral of wires of differing lengths to enable different sounds.

I also thought that it would be rather good to have a circle of glass marbles at the top of the chamber so that a light source could be put inside and the marbles will glow with the light when performing..Yes the visual element is important as well, the theatrical element onstage. These are sculptures too, the aesthetic that I bring to all I make both visually and aurally. So to the playing, so far I haven't amplified or used any means of tone generator, this little beast has plenty of sounds, bowing it brings a range, plucking and striking too. The first gig I can bring it out will be the 21st January at the Congregational Church in Wiveliscombe..so there is one for the diary already. I can't wait to get this beast into the performing arena.

Fifty years

2011-12-09T12:16:00.003Z

To celebrate John Moat's occupancy of Crenham Mill I have made a small sculpture for him and Anni.

So a celebration to the mill with love

Gimlet Eyed Mariners

2011-12-07T15:21:00.003Z

The Gimlet -Eyed Mariner's CD is now available on the Slightly off Kilter label details here on how to get your copies!!!!

http://slightlyoffkilterlabel.blogspot.com/2011/11/sok040-gimlet-eyed-mariners-dark-secret.html

go in your hundreds and I'll wear glitter!.

ADVENTures

2011-12-01T12:31:00.001Z

It is december the first! the first day of the advent doors is alive. go to http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=3yY9aVBazV0

and watch

ADVENTures

2011-11-21T17:27:00.003Z

Oh yes a new venture with Rupert Green.....The advent calendar has a new look online. Behind each of the 24 days before chiristmas will be a numbered door for you to open on the vimeo website, links will be shared via facebook, this site, email and hopefully spreading virally so please do your bit. Behind each door is something different, something beguilling or scary or sweet or? You open the door and discover

Long Bow

2011-11-07T12:39:00.005Z

The Whitley Festival film makes it very difficult to see the "long Bow' instrument I was playing and the image of it outside my studio is also fairly tricky so I thought I might put these images up just to show it in more detail.

Whitley Arts Festival Reading

2011-11-01T12:01:00.002Z

In the evening of the 29th October 2011 I played a solo gig at the Whitley Arts Festival due to an illness in Jessica Curry's family. I was to play alongside the film 'The Colour of Pomegranates' for 30 minutes. After an splendid evening watching an array of wonderful and strange short movies it was my turn. To close the evening and the festival, I have made a number of instruments recently, see old posts as well as the 'long bow' just completed. This was to be my first show where I wouldn't play a laptop, ipad or korg kaosillator to create a bed or loops, this was to be just my instruments through various effects. At the soundcheck all sounded good, the room had a dynamic and all was set. I clunk on stage and the evening went well, the sound of the instruments filled the room with ethereal otherworldly sounds, the audience bewitched by the wonderful images of the film and the sounds seemed to be enthralled. So a great evening, the instruments were stroked and plucked by an inquisitive audience after the show. My appetite set for more shows and more instruments what a few weeks this has been for music. I drove back to somerset late through the night, thoughts bouncing through my mind, darkness and motorway....very rock and roll...Let's have more!!!

Curtain of Hearts

2011-10-25T17:08:00.002+01:00

A film

a soundtrack

an atmosphere

Long Bow

2011-10-21T15:58:00.002+01:00

Another instrument for bow mainly: This one is 2 metres tall and not only can the string be bowed, but also the oak sticks from the side, a plaintive sonic sound is heard from all complimenting the deep bass string. The instrument can be bowed by two bows.

West Bay Carving

2011-10-13T14:51:00.003+01:00

Nick Durnan standing in front of the fantastic carving he is doing for me, for the West Bay project which is nearing completion. Installation will begin on the 24th October, if you are in the West Bay vacinity please have a peep.

Water and Islands

2011-10-07T16:27:00.003+01:00

Private commission:

Carved from a piece of elm I have had around my studio for many years.

the burrs become the islands saved from the seas around them or are they marooned?

A Night of Light

2011-10-07T16:07:00.012+01:00

A Night of Light at Hestercombe Gardens: One night only part of Somerset Art Weeks.

I installed my piece of video and sound in a tunnel. When I created this piece in 2001 as part of 'Genius Loci' a year of the artist project this tunnel hadn't been dug out and the original was shown in the orangery, (not very satisfactory). Now the piece has come home and the setting was perfect. The sound rang around the tunnel and the resonance of the Water's Journey was now complete, especially the big booming sounds of the waterfall. Now that was another issue, the water course has changed so much over the ensuing 10 years, the waterfall doesn't. Some of the rills have no water, the video of the Water's journey has become an historical document by mistake. But this was to set the record straight and my how well it worked in that tunnel especially as the evening got darker and darker, the visual display hang in the darkness and the aural sound filled the space. I can go home happy now after those tens years.

Gimlet Eyed Mariner's gig

2011-09-25T14:21:00.001+01:00

Well that went well.

A huge thanks to everyone that came

To Billie-Daisy and Solly for their cameo roles

and of course to Barry for his intuitive playing .

To David Bond for letting us use the church which was a great venue.

The initiation of my new instrument went down really well and I think this is a new avenue of work and playing, it adds a unique sound and creates a focus for the audience.

I have a recording of the second half of the show if anyone is interested, it does include the new instrument.

Our debut cd has arrived on the slightly off kilter label (http://www.slightlyoffkilterlabel.blogspot.com/)

unfortunately a day late for the gig.

Gimlet Eyed Mariners

2011-09-22T15:42:00.005+01:00

The gig, the gig

Tomorrow the 23rd of September is the gig in wiveliscombe at the congregational church at 7.30

The 'must do' event on the calender.

I have made a new instrument to play...not even a pic on the blog it's that new!!!!!

electro acoustamatic improv music

barry witherden and michael fairfax

not to be missed.

Parhelion

2011-09-16T10:20:00.003+01:00

Yesterday was the private view of the work at West Coker. Three very lovely girls were helping Simon with car parking and the like, I asked them to have a lie on the cloud bench, this first young lady did and she exclaimed she could see a rainbow,

we all looked up and there wasn't a rainbow in site just a beautiful sunny evening with a scattering of clouds, she insisted she could see a rainbow, so after cajoling I lay on the bench and blow me down if I could see the fragment of a rainbow amongst the cloud base, blimey you are right I exclaimed and we tried to figure out how this might be in a sky with no hint of rain. One of the girls muttered something about rain droplets in the sky, or ice crystals.

Later more people came to lie on the cloud bench which was proving to be very popular, I got talking to a woman as she was waiting and she said, " did you see the Parhelion tonight" of course I had to ask her what a Parhelion was, and very basically it is ice crystals in the autumn cooling sky that gets hit by the sun and produces a spectrum usually in pairs.

Of course I was able to exclaim "yes, you bet" and in a rather over excited schoolboy fashion I blathered on about how we saw it, I then of course went off to find the three young woman and told them of their find. Naturally they were delighted to hear of such a phenomena and that they had seen it.

There are many reasons why everyone should own a 'cloud bench' anyway, but I feel that this has strengthened my position and expect the commissions to rush in: so please email me at michaelfairfax@eclipse.co.uk with your orders.

the wikipedia definition of a Parhelion is:

A 120° parhelion (plural: 120° parhelia) is a relatively rare halo, an optical phenomenon occasionally appearing along with very bright sun dogs (also called parhelia) as ice crystal-saturatedcirrus clouds fill the atmosphere. The 120° parhelia are named for appearing in pair on the parhelic circle ±120° from the sun.^[1]

Cloud Bench at West Coker

2011-09-12T17:22:00.005+01:00

The work for West Coker has been delivered and installed.

Simon Lee Dicker working hard to help with the installation.

The 'cumulus cloud bench' in its new formal setting at the Lanes hotel.

Awaiting you to come and lie down and look at the clouds

the stars and moon.

Opening event at West Coker this thursday 6.00 - 9.00pm

at the Lanes hotel and Simon's gallery next door.

Open during somerset art weeks

see

http://underanewsun.wordpress.com/

for details.

The Fish Bass

2011-09-07T17:18:00.006+01:00

The latest instrument for the 'under a new sun' show in West Coker. SAW starting next week on the 16th September.

This instrument is amazing to play.

The very heavy piano wire when hit with the felt beaters reverberates around ones body, with a gently agitation of the wood the struck wire produces curious harmonics, it is a joy to behold and so satisfying to play.

To get the agitation one has to sway and so playing is almost a choreography, this is surely going to tempt everyone to the gig at West Coker on the 2nd of October with Philip Heyman viola, Jessica Curry piano, Jules Bushell bass, Tim Hill, saxophone and others, Barry Witherden korg kaosillator, keyboard. Rupert Green vocals, Michael Fairfax, assorted made instruments, guitar, korg kaosillator, ipad, laptop. Starts at 7.30pm. See: http://underanewsun.wordpress.com/about/ for details.

Rosliston Cloud Benches

2011-08-25T13:22:00.000+01:00

They came from the sky

two clouds

cirrus and cumulus

The boys came to install

they lay

They spotted cirrus and cumulus

The boys dug out the turf

to lay the benches

The boys are happy with their handiwork

The boys left

a good job done

Cirrus and Cumulus

have found their sacred ground

So please now visit Rosliston Forestry Centre

lie on the cloud benches and watch

the clouds scudding by.

You can also watch the stars at night.

michael

Cloud Benches

2011-08-16T17:25:00.002+01:00

The Cloud benches are made......tomorrow they will almost certainly wreck my car, they are very heavy, solid oak, but probably no heavier than 3 of me in the car so I am sure it will be fine!!

They are called, Cirrus and Cumulus, and I resisted the temptation to call one Christopher!

Pics will go up next week. Just heard the my band Gimlet-Eyed Mariners first independent Cd is out soon in time for our gig on the 23rd september in Wiveliscombe. That's great news and the line up for the gig at West Coker is now formed. I have Tim Hill, Jules Bushell, Barry Witherden, Rupert Green and WNO Principal viola player Philip Heyman all playing. Book tickets now from http://underanewsun.wordpress.com/ site checking out exhibitions and events.

Soundcloud

2011-08-08T15:27:00.001+01:00

I have just created a 'soundcloud' for some of my music and will upload more when time frees up.

Have a peep and a listen on : http://soundcloud.com/michael-fairfax

Rosliston Camera Obscura 5

2011-07-28T15:32:00.007+01:00

Day 5.

The finished piece.

Onscreen image.

The door.

In situ

Rosliston Camera Obscura 4

2011-07-28T15:30:00.002+01:00

Day four, the turf is laid and the door is started.

Rosliston Camera Obscura 3

2011-07-28T15:29:00.002+01:00

Day 3 and the turf is being cut and laid

Rosliston Camera Obscura 2

2011-07-28T15:27:00.002+01:00

After the second day we had this fabulous structure, the wind blew the string and magic was in the air.

Rosliston Camera Obscura

2011-07-28T15:21:00.003+01:00

Another 'Breath of Fresh Air' Project. This time at Rosliston Forestry Centre in Derbyshire.

The camera obscura has been made from hazel, sisal and turf, with a lens and screen. The project has been over 5 days with members of the general public booking into workshops and of course through traffic and help from many others. The help and support has been over whelming and the structure came together really well. The weather held and off we went.

Desktop

2011-07-15T16:02:00.002+01:00

The process making desk.

Page from sketchbook

2011-07-15T15:58:00.001+01:00

The primarily drawing for the sculpture below.

Archimedes Rings Home

2011-07-15T15:54:00.003+01:00

Probably the last in this 'noise making series' as I am off to Rosliston next week to create a camera obscura as part of the 'Breath Of Freah Air' Projects.

This one you turn the knob and the little cups hit the metal twanger and it clicks its way around.

The wood is elm for a change. Old and knarled.

Bookends Bowed

2011-07-15T15:29:00.001+01:00

Cut from the same piece of oak, these two stringed instruments sound great when bowed.

Notice the piano casters for feet.

Ringading

2011-07-15T15:18:00.001+01:00

From the twin of the thumb piano comes Ringading. To be gently tapped with bespoke hitters these steel disks hold their sound for a long while.

Thumb Piano

2011-07-08T18:46:00.002+01:00

Yes that's right another one. The archetypal thumb piano in the Fairfax style.

Lettercarving workshop tomorrow on the Blackdowns in Young Wood, terrific last time imagine the same again.

Bass Tremolo

2011-07-07T17:19:00.008+01:00

Okay, yesterday you saw it in progress, now it has been made. I really like this one, the sound of the vibrating bass string is just so good, oh what a noise and of course the plucked metal at the top, rather lovely, one can get some good sounds out of this. I will trying and record some of the sounds these things make and put them up on the site. Charred oak and hazel.

Workings in the studio

2011-07-06T11:04:00.003+01:00

More things being made. This has two listening ear pieces at the side, so as to enable the listening to the vibrations of the large piano string which can be struck with a special implement. (yet to be made)

Come Zither

2011-07-05T18:39:00.003+01:00

So I have this show in september for SAW at Simon Lee Dicker's new gallery in West Coker The Old School Room....A chance for some new work and a new approach, making things that can possibly be played, so the next few weeks more pieces will hopefully appear on the blog and an update of all that is happening. Reuben Katz very kindly let me have some old piano bits and these I will exploit and play with. The 'Come Zither' is played with a violin bow and screeches a treat.

Memorial Bridge for Philip Wetherell

2011-06-24T10:41:00.006+01:00

This bridge was made on the Rewe Mead Somerset Wildlife Trust site. I was asked by Gaby Grace to carve a few words on the bridge in memory of her husband Philip. The words are Gaby's.

The Camera Obscura in the Pillbox

2011-06-17T21:53:00.003+01:00

The Camera Obscura in situ at the Pillbox, Saltfleetby, this time viewed from outside.

The Pepper's Ghost in the Pillbox

2011-06-17T21:51:00.003+01:00

The Pepper's Ghost in situ, in the pillbox, Saltfleetby Nature Reserve, Lincolnshire

Birkbeck school Workshop

2011-06-15T10:56:00.005+01:00

Birkbeck School brought along 18 year 8/9 children to make Pepper's ghost and then see the camera obscura and my Pepper's ghost in situ. They did and what a great time they had, decapitating soldiers and glueing heads to crabs, making fantastic tableaus. Staff and pupils were all fantastic. Sci art in a heady mix. Katy Hewis from 'sciencematters' gave a powerpoint explaining the principal of the Pepper's ghost and Mr Pepper, she also did the candle trick and amused one and all with her wind up spout!

The staff were so taken with the workshop that they have decided to start a lunchtime club for the children to carry on making them and to create stop animation films of the activity on the stage.

That in my book is a result!

Image from camera obscura on sunday at the open day

2011-06-13T22:05:00.003+01:00

The day was dry, then drizzly, then windy, and lastly very wet, but not until it had really finished. 50 plus people made the effort to come, but this little girl, her sister and mother were the stars of the show, they just loved it and couldn't stop playing around the camera obscura and just looking in awe at the pepper's ghost. A lovely day, the pieces all worked well in their new environment and I got this lovely image.

Sgt Pepper's Ghost Army

2011-06-10T19:14:00.003+01:00

So nearly there. Sgt Pepper's Ghost Army is now created and on sunday will appear in the WW2 pillbox at Saltfleetby ( see previous post to see the pillbox). Once the image appears in a space which resonates with the war effort, the ghost army will have a power, ghostly, appearing is an internal space held aloft inside the pillbox, enigmatic and dramatic, all the internal workings are invisible to the viewer, they will just see the image through an aperture. Held.

Theddlethorpe beach

2011-06-09T21:10:00.005+01:00

I know you have all been waiting for the next image from Theddlethorpe, the beach with the most sky, the most sand, the most mostness. So last night I went for a walk and saw the moon and the tide and the sand and thought lovely thoughts. This is a terrific job at the Saltfleetby nature reserve, making Pepper's Ghosts and Camera Obscuras for an old pillbox on the sand dunes, thank you Ignite and the Breath of Fresh Air team for getting me on board this really has been a joyous time, in part of the country I didn't know at all and now have very warm feeling towards. Roger Briggs at Natural England has made life so easy for me here, always there when I need him. On Sunday we have the final event as the pillbox is open to the public with the camera obscura and the pepper's ghost. Katy Hewis from 'sciencematters' and I are taking school workshops on monday and tuesday, where the children will make pepper's ghosts in inventive and imaginative ways. Then, that is that, a farewell to Lincolnshire, I hope I will return again someday, hopefully with more work, but maybe just a visit to the unspoilt beach that is Theddlethorpe.

A secret.

Camera Obscura drawing

2011-06-02T12:48:00.005+01:00

The workshops in Saltfleetby. Four different primary schools all the children came into the pill box and drew the image on the tracing paper, these they were able to take back to school and look at the right way and side up and see how Canaletto and many other painters have used a camera obscura. I wasn't fussed about the use of colour but wanted them to look and see what was actually there. Some found this more difficult then others, but they all had a go and no one got to frightened in the dark claustrophobic pill box. I think there is something intrinsically beautifully about a camera obscura image and after these workshops think that every school should have one set up permanently somewhere.

Pepper's Ghosts

2011-06-01T18:09:00.003+01:00

I promised to return with news and maybe some images, so with no further ado, after glue and tape, card and acetate, a few leds and a pepper's ghost appears. Now that is accomplished an artistic interpretation next week in Saltfleetby. My this is fun.

Pepper's Ghost

2011-06-01T14:47:00.000+01:00

working up models, may put one online later.

uuuuuuuuuummmm

Workshops in Saltfleetby and the Pillbox

2011-05-25T22:18:00.008+01:00

Hurrah. The pillbox on the edge of the saltmarsh. East Lincolnshire coast what a contrast to the west of england, blimey this is flat and salty. Roger Briggs of Natural England is our host, bringing his immense charm and hordes of primary school children to the workshops that Chrys Allen and myself are running. Chrys is a star of organisation and monitor of everything particularly gates! she leads the workshops with the children getting them to investigate the reserve. ( I am sure she will explain in detail what she is up to) I have the pill box which I have converted into a camera obscura with three apertures (nesting swallows meant we couldn't use the other side). Roger and I fitted the plywood, metal and lens elements.
We cleaned out the pillbox to hygiene that would befit...........well wild animals and artists. Once the frames inside were in place and the tracing paper attached........magic, oh beauty, the images appeared east, south and west views, this was a time for Roger, Chrys and myself to sit and contemplate, the more we sat the more we saw, the more time stood still, the images slightly moving, upside down, obstensibly green, blue skies and cumulus clouds. We went home at 8.00 tired but things were looking terrific.
For the past two days we have had the schools in, Chrys has done her bit. Roger has explained the nature reserve and I have sat in a dark five foot high by six foot square slightly damp concrete box awaiting my victims.............ooooops I mean the children, they come in, slighty nervously because of the dark, but then with gasps of excitement as they see the images and then the bafflement of the upsidedown nature of it all. Once I have six inside and a member of staff I tell then about the use of the pillbox and then explain the working of a camera obscura, its links to the working of the eye, the way artists have use camera obscuras and optics in the past.
After this they are given felt tip pens and they can draw on the tracing paper, trace the outside image, this they love and when they finish I cut out the paper and set up for the next group until at the end of the day all pupils have been in and done a drawing, these drawings are then given to the teachers to take back to their schools.
The children really have been brilliant and embraced the dark environment, the spiders and the wet sand inside, so far not one has 'freaked'. Again this can be said of the staff who have all come through a very narrow and low entrance on hands and knees without a fuss a real testement to the staff of all the schools who have so far been involved.
Two more schools to come on thursday and friday and then a public viewing on sunday from 1 - 4 pm

Roger has sorted all materials we made need, stayed on to work late, drank tea and been a great host for the project.

Chrys and I are staying nearby in Theddlethorpe (great name), with walks on the salty beach that go for miles and on the walk to the sea we pass razor shells, starfish, sea anenomes, oyster shell and lots of other shells, sand and sand and sand and eventually the sea. Fantastic, the crispness of the salty sand as ones foot treads on it is weird but wonderful.
I haven't mentioned the Natterjack toads, the Sandlings, the Oystercatchers, the Reed Warblers and a whole host of amazing wildlife, but I may later!

see http://ignitebreathoffreshair.blogspot.com/ for info about the project and future blogs

To Saltfleetby

2011-05-20T10:09:00.002+01:00

Onwards: To Saltfleetby, a nature reserve, a pill box on a nature reserve, Natterjack toads on a nature reserve.

Job: To create camera obscuras in the pill box, workshops with local primary schools, drawing the landscape using the camera obscura from many angles, six apertures, six views. The Natterjacks, ah the Natterjacks.

Job: To record the Natterjacks and then create the Natterjack symphony for later use in the pill box, all will be revealed later when I know how and what, but it could involve a 'Pepper's Ghost'.

Littoral Workshop

2011-05-16T21:45:00.003+01:00

We came to sunny branscombe for the day

roselle leading us to the silent walk beach

exercises, words on paper and it flowed

it was such a blooming pleasure to be lying on the beach

thinking words.

then lunch

umm

homity pie and stolen chips

a bowl in pebbles

filled with more pebbles, controlled pebbles, spilling pebbles, coloured pebbles,

thought pebbles.

sand

sunburn

the revealing

stories.

home again

jiggity jig.

the sea air possessed me

Littoral Workshop

2011-05-05T15:10:00.002+01:00

Poet Roselle Angwin and myself are holding a Littoral workshop on the beach at Branscombe on the Sunday 15th May. Details are on the attached flyer. Please book asap. You will spend the day creating poetry/words relating to site and then interpret your words and the site in a series of sculptural interventions using the materials at hand. The day brings into focus the minutiae of the site with the age of the cliffs and the jurassic coast, a personal journey and interpretation.

Bring a packed lunch or shop at the nearby cafe.

Neroche Bench

2011-05-02T12:33:00.004+01:00

So on top of a motte and bailey castle on the blackdown hills my latest piece of work sits waiting for you to sit upon the charred oak surface. The words are by Gavin Saunders the project manager for the Neroche Project and a testament to the work that has been achieved here over the past five years. Carved from local blackdown hills oak during the winter it is now ready for the rambler to sit and take in the wonderful views over the blackdowns and beyond

Tis an age

2011-04-22T11:06:00.005+01:00

Blimey life just goes on and I have realised that I have not put anything on the blog for ages. So here we go. WNO carries on towards the performance on the 3rd may to an invited audience in Cardiff. Jo has finished his film for this and I really can't wait to see the final version. The family had a break in Valencia and Carcaixent with cousin Sean, very hot. Lots to do on my return, A proposal for Cambridge, an application for the PRS New Music Incubator, one has to be invited and very kindly Jess put me forward, I really would love to get this opportunity to work alongside and collaborate with fellow musicians, sound artist et al. The Gimlet -Eyed Mariners have just had a great session yesterday, certainly one of the best and the recorded cd sounds brilliant, moving in new directions and Barry was on great form. Very enjoyable. The Blackdown Hills book 'along the wild edge' is out and looks great, obviously a brilliant cover! So all in all good stuff

Dust to Dust session

2011-03-23T15:30:00.003Z

Here we are at the WNO headquarters, presenting our ideas for the days work which was a really good session and the music created by the end of the day sounded really good. To hear this you will have to go to the project electroclassic site as before. It will be on the site very soon.

West Bay Bronze Fossils

2011-03-18T14:21:00.004Z

I have had the West Bay bronze fossils back from the foundry in wales and have given them the once over and here they are looking old and fossilised in their own way. I think these will look really good in the paving scheme and hope that for many years they will baffle and delight.

Graphic Score

2011-03-16T15:09:00.003Z

After last weeks session with WNO Principal Players, we discussed the graphic score I had previously produced and the needs it required for them to read it better. These I hopefully have addressed with this new score yet keeping the visualness of the last score. I have included some time references and more instrument demarcations. Next tuesday will be the meeting of us all, so I guess I will have a better idea then of how it is going. this is new to the players and new to me but very exciting nonetheless.

Playing alongside WNO

2011-03-10T14:54:00.005Z

On Tuesday something I never dreampt could of happened, happened. After discussing the graphic score and how to interpret it, a number of run throughs and re-aquantices with noise making I got my chance to play with WNO Principal Players. we went through the piece and with the help of Sennheiser supplying a fabulous pa, made the room shake and vibrate with noise, my body was shaking with the noise and the adrenaline of what was happening.

Listen to what happened and to read more go to the (project electroclassic) link opposite.

2011-03-10T14:54:00.001Z

Graphic Score

2011-03-02T11:56:00.004Z

I have created my first ever graphic score for WNO. Jessica Curry and I spent time in Brighton discussing how we would like our work to develop with the players and the score we might create. We worked on an improvised piece together and from that a doodled a rough for the score. Since returning home I have developed the score and the above is the result. This I will be presenting on tuesday next week to the players and we will see if they can interpret it. I was very impressed with the way they interpreted Jess's fibonacci score so have confidence in them.

Rosliston Camera Obscura Workshops

2011-03-01T14:36:00.006Z

These went really well. Held over two days, students, staff and members of the public signed up to have a go at making their own camera obscuras with my help. The camera obscuras are to be left behind and become a resource for the centre and I think it was brilliant that everyone who made one of these gave them over. I know that I would have found it really hard as they created some wonderful designs and really got inventive. The staff of course can now pass on what they have learnt to others. It really is such a simple technology that anyone can make something, and the design take it further.

I would also like to thank everyone at Rosliston Forestry Centre who made me very welcome and gave me a lovely birthday but also put up with my streaming cold and hacking cough.

Music and the like

2011-02-18T17:33:00.004Z

Work with the music has carried on, a week in Brighton with Jess taking the project further.

Our improvisations proving a total pleasure, the mixture of the laptop and logic plus Jess's minimal piano worked extremely well, a brief excerpt is on the WNO electroclassic site.

Meantime it looked for a moment as if the West Bay carving had got lost in the post and I was going to have to carve them again, a very worried foundry had seen neither hind nor hare of the blessed carvings, after a chat at the post office I discovered they were sitting in a sorting office in Narbeth west wales. They have been collected and the casting process awaits. I thoroughly look forward to receiving the bronze casts as the alchemy of process never ceases to give me huge delight and the buffing and patination process is fun.

The catkins are abundant in the wood, badger tracks pressed into the mud, bird song chirping, buds budding, the skeleton of the wood revealed before the spring bursts onto the scene in that teenage enthusiam.

Off to Rosliston in Derbyshire next week to hold some camera obscura workshops and a birthday.

First Session With WNO Principle Players

2011-02-03T17:44:00.002Z

That was fairly amazing. Two days, and in that time the players have created a fantastic interpretation of the 'Bees' the electronic score I created last week. Go the the 'electroclassic' site opposite to hear the score and see how Jo has been taking images and creating beautiful graphic images. Jess introduced them to the 'fibonacci graphic score' she had created, which they interpreted in many ways under her instruction. The players also gave us all tremendous delight in bringing in their favourite music and playing it to us and each of the other players. This proved to be one of those special occasions when the hairs on the back of ones neck have a life of there own. I feel very privileged to have been present. As it also was to have them created such a great version of the 'Bees'.

New Audio

2011-01-27T13:42:00.004Z

I have just posted my latest composition entitled 'bees' on the WNO//3 blog site: http://electroclassic.tumblr.com/ or click the link on 'websites' to the right. As I can't post audio here, please visit if you would like to listen to it. The explanation is on the site so I won't replicate.

Monday and Tuesday next week are our first sessions with the players. Oh boy can hardly wait.

Castle Neroche Bench Detail

2011-01-25T17:58:00.002Z

Here is a detail of the lettering once burnt, this will be wire brushed back and teaked oiled.

Four strong men will carry to two chunks of oak up to the Motte and Bailey castle and site there.

Neroche Bench

2011-01-25T17:54:00.003Z

I am carving the words of Gavin Saunders the Neroche Project Manager onto a large piece of oak to create a bench for the top of Castle Neroche on the Blackdown Hills. The above photos have been taken over the last couple of days.

For all things Electroclassic

2011-01-19T16:18:00.002Z

The WNO have set up a blog for all things relating to the Electroclassic project, if you would like to keeps tabs with that please view the blog site: http://electroclassic.tumblr.com/

West Bay Carving 1

2011-01-19T16:15:00.002Z

As promised here are the other two carvings for west bay. Again in oak, imagery this time fossils and rope.

West Bay Carvings

2011-01-14T17:02:00.003Z

Okay as promised. Here are some of the West Bay carvings. Carved in oak 100mm x 100mm, these are to be cast in bronze at MB foundry in west wales.

What is going on

2011-01-13T17:56:00.006Z

This is like a diary. the diary that you mean to write in everyday and then 'things' get in the way.

Well I have noticed that people have been coming to the site but I have had nothing new for you to see. Not a good advert.

what has been happening?

West Bay continues, lots of detailing the words with poet Paul Hyland. Detailing the stone carving for the central motif with Nick Durnan. Detailing the whole design with Martin Peacock, this all takes time and doesn't necessarily make good blog material.

I have now started the carving of the little bronze features and once (maybe tomorrow) I have something to photograph I will post images. We always want something to see.

Electroclassic is starting to move into gear. We have set up a blog on the Tumblr site (http://electroclassic.tumblr.com/) so keep an eye open for that. We have just been given the repertoire for this season: Il Trovatore Die Fledermaus Concert repertoire information

Bach: Brandenburg Concerto No 3 Bartok: Piano Concerto no 2

Kurtag: Quasi una Fantasia Beethoven: Symphony No 7

I have downloaded this lot and have been listening to it whilst carving, and yes I did enjoy it.

WNO Project Electroclassic

2010-12-20T11:51:00.005Z

For all of you who have listened to Tapes and Ashes or the Gimlet-Eyed Mariners there is a new twist in the my sonic world. Composer Jessica Curry (http://www.jessicacurry.co.uk/), My brother Jo (http://www.jofairfax.co.uk/ who creates films and light installation as well as the public art he is known for and myself have become a dream team.

We have been selected for the research residency (see below) with the Welsh National Opera. This is terrific news and another foot on the electronic ladder that started all those years ago in the early 1970's as a callow 19 year I studied electronic music in London with my grandfather Ernest Berk. Working with Revox tape recorders, ossilators and modulaters. sticking tapes together creating massive loops and playing tapes backwards. to know working with Korg Kaosillators, Logic on the Laptop and more recently various synths on the ipad. This is tremendously exciting and working in the above team and with the opportunity to work alongside the musicians in the WNO, yes excitement is coursing every vein. Roll on the New year.

Earlier this year, WNO///3 undertook research into music copyright and intellectual property issues with funding awarded by Arts Council of England’s Digital Content Development programme. A lot of questions were asked and a lot of answers weren’t necessarily found, largely because the territory is complex when it comes to classical music, and the approaches to dealing with the issues to date often contradictory and frequently restrictive for those artists wishing to evolve new ways of combining digital art with live performance without either risking their shirts, or a law suit.

The idea behind Project Electroclassic is breathtakingly simple, but cuts to the heart of the matter; it’s to go back to basics and asks what might be possible – by asking musicians and artists engaged in the field to try out something new in a risk-free environment. Project Electroclassic will bring together digital sonic artists, composers with a classical music training and WNO musicians to test drive and maybe even breach the boundaries. The selected artists will join musicians from WNO’s Orchestra in scheduled sessions in March through to April. They will be asked to develop creative pieces from audio samples, possibly a live performance, or a piece of sonic art, or a digital media installation; all the work will be broadcast on WNO///3. WNO///3 will also host a performance featuring visual artists and musicians as part of a series of events, including Electrostatic at the Colston Hall, Bristol, in May 2011.

But most important of all, the residency will focus on open debate of the complexity of music copyright and intellectual property. A short symposium (including live performance) is planned, which will illustrate the key findings of artist, composer and musician alike.

West Bay Bronze Fossils

2010-12-01T10:32:00.003Z

For the project below I will be carving a number of wooden fossils that will be cast into bronze, instead of carving fossils such as ammonites, belemnites etc, I have decided to carve images from the main industries of West Bay such as; rope making, fishing and boatbuilding as well as a 'brittlestar' and maybe a 'shark's tooth'. There is a feeling amongst the locals I have spoken too that the 'fossil theme' may have been overdone.

I have also brought in the poet Paul Hyland to write the verse for the paving and the stonecarver Nick Durnan to carve the central motif and the edging work. Their participation on the job will guarantee great quality and bring another dimension to the scheme.

West Bay

2010-12-01T10:29:00.003Z

West Bay project is going well. This is a general overview of the plan, there are a few subtle changes but on the whole this is the gist.

Pottering

2010-11-04T17:49:00.003Z

No image, a disgrace, pottering at hurstone studio these past few days, making a few camera obscuras in preparation to meetings in saltfleetby and Newark next week. Tinkering with my old bicycle from my youth, took it apart and have cleaned and oiled it, pumped up the tyres and today had my first solo ride on it for probably 15 years. Oh dear how unfit and how large are the littliest hills, I am moving to East Anglia or Holland it this is to be pursued!

Music, more tinkering with the Ipad in Reacatable app and Moog mode all very exciting some great sounds achieved and a pointer for further Gimlet-Eyed Mariners work and solo stuff under the Lepus non de plume. Also have wired up and Old Marshall valve amp and some old speakers to create and right old din in the studio today, guitar through a zoom box....oh boy more fun. And hot off the press looks like a record deal is happening for the Gimlets with the 'Slightly Off Kilter' label in Brighton. So maybe a cd out for the christmas rush!

No images but news of the old creative drive still working or tinkering.

Neroche Book Cover

2010-10-18T12:58:00.002+01:00

The Neroche Book Cover. My photograph taken from Culmstock Beacon. A bit of jiggery pockery in photoshop. All it needs now is my Fat Pen Font and that's it. Book should be published by february 2011.

Golden Section Bowl

2010-10-18T12:50:00.002+01:00

Back making again. A leaving present for Tanya James. Tanya has been the editor of the Neroche book of which I am the picture editor and we have had such fun creating the book and working together on the project. She has become a good friend. So a bowl with holes.

Crisis in the studio!!!

2010-09-14T10:06:00.002+01:00

It's the 12th of september, it's 12.30 pm and I go to the studio to put prices onto the work before the private view at 4.00 pm. The doors to my studio will not open , I force them to and I find broken glass, fallen shelving and a fine mess. Wiveliscombe Carnival is in full flow and all people who could help me tidy are there, listening to music, eating fine food and generally having a good time. I have clearing up to do! Slowly piece by piece I remove the detritus. John Bone comes by and saves my bacon by implementing a propping system so I can move it without the rest falling and creating total havoc. Sara pops up for a second to lay a table cloth in her finery, but trooper that she is, gets stuck in and helps put heavy timber into the land rover. She has to go, she is judging the carnival floats. I manage to get the studio clear and clean just as they first people arrive. The private view itself is great, everyone very complimentary about the new work, sales, good discussions. By 8.00 I am ready for a drink and a flop.

Sunspots squared

2010-09-14T10:03:00.002+01:00

An idea born in the winter and come to fruition at the end of the summer. the carved squares give a unification to the organic shaped wood (oak). the spots burnt using a convex mirror bring the elemental, the fire to the earth.

SAW Private view

2010-09-11T18:06:00.003+01:00

Please feel very welcome to come to my private view tomorrow sunday the 12th september 2010.

4 - 7 pm at hurstone studio Waterrow somerset. Ta4 2 at for those with sat nav

nibbles and drinks

Needle Growth

2010-09-02T18:14:00.002+01:00

I think this will be the last of this series for Somerset Art Weeks. Time is running out.

I have the Private View next sunday the 12th and alot of clearing up in the studio. I have one last sun piece to make which hopefully I will finish tomorrow and then bam cleaning time.

Berries of Glass

2010-09-02T18:11:00.003+01:00

Finished this one today. Put in the glass and watched as the sun reflected off the surface. as autumn approaches the season of berries, this reminded me of the berries in the woods.

Charred surface absorbs the sun.

Studio Shot

2010-08-25T15:35:00.002+01:00

I have had a bit of time in my workshop at Hurstone and hope to get back in tomorrow after a period of time chasing paid work, with success I discovered today as I heard I have received the West Bay Commission. More of that on later posts. But for people who like to see artist studio shots here is mine. the piece in the foreground I hope to finish in the next week. there is a lot of drilling and carving to go yet and then of course the prerequisite burning.

Star Gazer

2010-08-12T10:27:00.003+01:00

See below for details. I spent a wonderful evening with my 11 year old son lying on a platform in the garden last night watching 'perseids'. A lovely display of shooting stars in a clear sky listening to him talk about the stars, galaxies, the universe, ufo's and aliens. This sculpture just has to be called Star gazer in honour of that moment.

Bulb

2010-08-12T10:21:00.003+01:00

These I have been working on for a while, but yesterday finished off the removing of char and the polishing. Both cut from single limbs of ash from a fallen tree in the wood. They are a nod in the direction of japanese architect Takasugi whose wonderful tea house can be found at http://www.dezeen.com/2009/03/12/takasugi-an-by-terunobu-fujimori/ Now that is a dream commission. So anyone out there who could like to commission me to make a similar (not of course the same) sort of structure with my aesthetic I would happily accept!

Cloud Benches

2010-08-10T15:49:00.002+01:00

A circle of benches to lie on and observe the sky, the clouds in particular. Grouped together for the educational purposes of the centre. there is the possibility for further ones to be sited in more remote locations

camera obscura for rosliston

2010-08-10T15:40:00.003+01:00

I haven't been making for a while but designing. There is the possibility of a commission at Rosliston in derbyshire for a camera obscura and cloud observatory. After consultations we have now gotten down to some design. So what better place to preview the pieces than on the blog.

There are various cantations of this design, but i will only put this one up

Tapes+Ashes

2010-07-30T15:26:00.003+01:00

Gig of the century so far.

Salix. Meles and Quercus in fine form at the brewhouse, taunton

the music you hear is totally improvised.

we create as we go along listening and responding to each other.

film projection: jo fairfax

go to you tube and watch the 7 part films.

links below:

part 2: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=_o9mxriyPbY

part 3: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=cJufMTIBhuQ

part 4: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=km60477r_RM

part 5: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=vEH5dSC5XuE

part 6: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=tL1tRYG-IJQ

part 7: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=EYxN25A2MHQ

Crocoak

2010-07-08T18:24:00.002+01:00

After the mark making of the end of the lamp piece I decided to carry that surface through onto a whole piece to see what it would look like.

I like the way the lines follow one another and the way the burning reduces the strictness of the order.

The joys of burning

2010-07-08T18:21:00.002+01:00

When burning the oak with a blow torch, there are always times when the oak burns, glows and smokes in a most delicious way, this by no means captures that, with the smell and the heat as well, but it gives an idea. On hand water and a paint brush to save the lost of vital pieces.

Fortress Lamp

2010-07-08T18:18:00.003+01:00

After a time away working in Tintagel making sundials with families and children and a trip to York for an interview for Sustrans, which unfortunately I didn't get, especially as it was a smashing job for the new cyclepath between Morecambe and Bridlington.

So back making and back to the charred oak series.

Bone Wounds

2010-06-24T17:36:00.003+01:00

More bone than wounds.

The small wounds on the top with the gentle gouge marks

brings a different element to this piece

I love these and will look for more pieces of wood with these small wounds.

Hooded Bird Wounds

2010-06-24T17:32:00.005+01:00

This is all so different from my public art, this is improv. I have no idea when I am making these what will occur. All I know is that the growths/wounds/diseased bit stay, I don't know how the ends will be or the mark making, it just happens. Joy.

Oval Wounds

2010-06-24T17:28:00.004+01:00

I think creating the titles is the hardest part for the growth series. They really are becoming a family. It is great fun to be back using spokeshaves, drawknives, carving knife and gouges as well as the arbourtech and sander.

Serpent Wounds

2010-06-23T14:24:00.001+01:00

As with the previous image, this could have gone anywhere, but it has a feeling of a serpent, obviously it's not a serpent. It can be anything.

Fish Wounds

2010-06-23T14:20:00.002+01:00

Back to the wounds and growths series. I chain-sawed a number of diseased ash limbs on monday and took them to the workshop in the garden, my intention is to work on these over the next few days. There are growths, I just work around these, totally intuitively, I have no idea what they will look like, which is strange but very liberating. I think the process is a winner so have confidence in the outcome.

Conning Tower Growth

2010-06-18T11:54:00.003+01:00

Whilst clearing the ash tree limb from my shed and cutting it up for fire wood, this piece leapt out at me and called, 'Michael I am a piece of sculpture waiting to be released' so of course I chainsawed and arbourteched, drilled and gouged, charred and polished and the 'Conning Tower Growth' appeared.

Lucky escape

2010-06-11T09:29:00.003+01:00

Whilst having breakfast in the woods with my family we heard a bang, thought nothing more of it and went about eating and drinking, then a creak and some more creaking. Yes, something was happening and it didn't sound too good. Then a serious creak and a 'let's move quickly' we did, a crash, a thud, the ash limb broke and landed on the top of the 'palace', luckily it remained attached to the tree, otherwise the 'palace' would have been splinters. I jump onto the roof to check for damage to the liner and carpets, but it seems to be okay. A few days later Paul came over and with remarkable skill took the limb down without any damage to the 'palace'....an almighty phew from me.

Those Boring Worms

2010-06-03T17:24:00.002+01:00

I am getting more and more into the idea of these things having been at the bottom of the sea for sometime and the manmade element being intervened with by the organic and weird creatures.

I think the next one will have a feeling of being wrapped in growing tendrils of some sort. Not sure yet but something is percolating

Pitted Arch

2010-05-27T14:24:00.002+01:00

A lovely offcut with a flying edge just crying out to be pitted and burnt. How could I fail its demands. I countersunk and burnt and now it arcs in the sunlight.

Pig-Bull

2010-05-26T16:20:00.002+01:00

Leave a growth area on the oak.