revolution!!

We had a day off yesterday, visited a wholefoods supermarket in Giffnock in Glasgow......just tooo much lovely food and goodies!!

Then to the Glasgow Sir Chris Hoy Velodrome in the Emirates Arena to see an afternoon AND an evening of track racing in the Revolution series..the fortysecond event in ten years.

Rather late home....but worth it!!    It was fun seeing people I've known since they were Under 10 (years) racers with the Maindy Flyers in Cardiff, racing well at the top level.

pottery progress

I'm just waiting for the first bisque to cool after yesterday's firing. I know there will be casualties...I turned the gas up a little as it reached 300 C , as the flame seemed to be going down- the gas bottle was nearly empty I had thought...and it went up too fast. Hopefully it will only be one large bowl....
The next batch is drying nicely with the heat of the cooling kiln, hopefully that will be another kilnfull, if not there are small things that need making that can fill it.
I need it all glazed to have things to send a examples with the application for the Aberystwyth Christmas Craft Market. I could just use work I already have, but it would be a pity not to get these in as the shapes are developing nicely.

The opening of the Craft in the Bay Summer Show is tonight!

Chapter

I met up with friends today, that I hadn't seen since about 1974, the end of Foundation studies in Cardiff College of Art (now part of UWIC).
They now have daughters who are students!

He was in at the beginning of the old school in Canton, Cardiff, being turned into an Arts Centre, in 1972.

It has not long been refurbished, and is looking very bright and shiny, but it is still as vibrant in content.

Headed home, thinking "gardening time"....and arrived home to soft rain. Just right for the garden, if nothing else.

Cardiff Walk 24.3.11

This was Delivery Day for the bowl to Cystadleuaeth Artist y Flwyddyn/Welsh Artist of the Year Competition.
I delivered The Oily One to his work at Pedal Power and walked down past the new cricket ground and then the Welsh Institute of Sport, then crossed over the river to the Arboretum by the castle.
The traffic was busy so I wandered through the arcades.
Buttons and Beads!!! in Castle Arcade

Which I suppose has inspired the designers of the newer arcades

The view from the steps shows the mix of old and new, St. John's church tower on the right, the Millenium Stadium poking up in the sky behind it. The yew tree in the churchyard is in front of the scaffolding hiding the front of the indoor market gable, then 1950s brick buildings and more 19th century stone with the 1970s tower block on the left.
1880s shops on the right and the new library in the distance, looking down the Hayes
Hayes Island Snack Bar-now closed and usurped by a burger bar

Upstairs in the Indoor Market
One of the old streets of Cardiff, still surviving- Womanby Street, the home of Clwb Ifor Bach
Westgate Street Mansions- memories of Edinburgh
My favourite on the Animal Wall of the castle

Northern stop on the Boat Bus route from Cardiff Bay
A clear sky apart from vapour trails old and new
Back to the old park gates
and drive home.