Feb 2010 a

Mon 01 Feb 2010
Tonight when Jen got home, her fingers smell like oil paint and thinners. After work, she got started on the portrait painting module at the local art centre. This will go for about 8-10 weeks and then finally Monday nights will be freed up for other things.

Thu 04 Feb 2010
We went to the Kinetica Art Fair tonight – well worth taking a sticky beak.
Here are the better photos we took...

Below: the glass gives away the 3D mirage created by the etched sheet (set on rotation).

 

Above: Jen's favourite at the show. The speed this thing danced at was phenomenal and the colour combinations mesmerising.

Below: Really cool 3D "hurricane" created by lasers.

 

Above: This was simply fibre-optics, with invidiually placed beads set to create the figures within. These human figures were actually quite subtle at first - the photos really bring 'em up sharp.

Below: little screens with half a butterfly, and occasionally flapping its wing(s). Fun to watch.

Here’s promo on the Kinetica Fair - a nicely put together video segment: http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/entertainment/8499476.stm

Fri 05 Feb 2010
Steve had the day off work and enjoyed a relax morning until Jen came home at 1pm (she had a half day off) and we got a 10 minute taxi to the local London City Airport. We queued for 30 seconds, queued through security for about 4 minutes, and waited in the lounge a minute later, began waiting for when our gate would be announced. Gads we love our little local airport yay!

We flew up to Edinburgh for the weekend. Deb n Clancy picked us up at Edinburgh airport (they'd driven from the Cambridge area) and had a relaxing dinner with them. The hotel we all stayed at was only 5 mintues from the airport, and the event site only 10 minutes from there. All in all amazingly convenient!

OK okay - this must be the indicator of too much travel - when it is the time taken to get to and from places that is the most immediate thing to complain about!  *sigh*


Sat 06 Feb 2010
Here are some of the photos from Dance Moot, in Edinburgh. 

Left: Live music from Gaita (thanks again guys!) 

Right: friends we've not seen for awhile Duncan and Helen.

 

Mon 08 Feb 2010
Jen goes back to the oil painting again. This module is about portraiture. First part, take two portraits and swap the backgrounds, painting them using similar brush techniques. Jen has chosen portraits by Klimt and Manet for this. Here are the works still in progress.....

Wed 10 Feb 2010
Jen stayed back at work, to take photos of guests enjoying themselves for the latest gallery opening event in the reception/gallery area at work (commencing at 6pm). But at 5:20 the fire alarm went off! How ironic right at this time it was snowing .. heavily! So we all evacuated the building and out into the heavy snow. 

Thankfully the event wasn't too affected by any of this, except there was a lingering burnt toast smell hanging about the place.

Fri 12 Feb 2010
Steve grabbed a quick crumbed sausage after work, at a greasy food shop before heading to the pub for a drinking session with his workmates. Big mistake. Not very well, that sausage must have been a bit old or at least dodgy!

Sat 13 Feb 2010
Steve not well this morning, and spends the day at home taking it easy. Jen sticks with the plan and drives up to Cambridge to help Deb and Agatha with some last minute costuming. Next weekend loads of SCA people will be wearing their very best, as it will be the region's "unveiling" as a principality with a first ever Prince and Princess, as the heads of the region. The region in question being all of the UK, and Ireland and Iceland too. Very exciting and loads of preparation going into the event.

Sun 14 Feb 2010
Valentine's day. Steve gives Jen a hand made card with lots of gushy lovely words in it.
This afternoon we'll go see the film Avatar in 3D at the O2 (millenium dome) with Edith.


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