Significant influences over the past year: The science fiction novel Riddley Walker by Russell Hoban. For me, the early stages of a project are usually spent engrossed in practical and theoretical research; reading text books, watching documentaries, going to museums and galleries etc. All in pursuit of the mystical creative hook. The elusive trigger that, when found releases a tumble of ideas and associations - usually when it's least expected. Books that have previously hi

Sahej Rahal, artist. I saw Rahal's works, UNDERGOD and Saras, at the Cairns Brewery last year as part of the Liverpool Biennial. Now every time I stutter over a detail I remind myself of the raw immediacy of this piece - material was pummeled, stuffed and stretched in a clay-fest orgy. Meaning was unnecessary, engulfed (for me) by the sense of spontaneity in the handling of the material. I don't remember the furniture but looking at the image below, it makes sense; the desks

00,007 wall, Windermere 00,008 Bedeguar Gall or Robin's pincushion gall found in hedgerow. Caused by the larvae of a tiny gall wasp, Dipoloepis rosae. Being so prominent and interesting in appearance, this gall has more folklore attached to it than most. The term 'Bedeguar, Bedegar or Bedequar' comes from a French word, bédegar, and is ultimately from the Persian, bād-āwar, meaning 'wind-brought'. Robin in Robin's pincushion refers to the woodland sprite of English folklore.