Category Archives: East Sussex

Posts relevant to events in East Sussex County

Brighton Mini Maker Faire, Saturday, September 7th

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I climbed out of the car at 6.30 in the morning. I had been dragging the road, trying to find a peace of sleep somewhere along the way from Dover to Brighton, without success. The rats were romping about the car now they had chewed a hole in their box, and the shame of our sad looking, overloaded station waggon (estate car) begin further lowered into the ground by the shameful wheelbarrow wheel (the car manufacturers call a “spare”) on the driver side rear, since 60km outside of Calais was too much to sleep with. Gawd those things are gruesome!

I staggered up the front steps and awoke out house sitter with the news that he was about to be woken up. I unpacked the car, the trailer, and repacked the trailer for the days event, departing at 9am for a 10.00 start. Cutting it fine I was, yes certainly! Going straight from the saddle of a 1400mile drive into the waiting arms of a festival event was far too much to seem real. I felt I was living someone else’s life!

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The day was slower than last year… I think the morning rain had something to do with it… yet according to the door counters, the numbers were the same as last year. I did notice people arrived wanting to paint an hour or few earlier than last year, knowing who I was and what to expect.

I had a steady stream of people all day long and, when I got to the end of it (so I thought), the woman with three kids that complained at me to compensate her 20 minutes of spectatorship with turns for each of her kids really showed me an ingratitude. What does this person know about driving 1400 miles to do a festival, and being shouted at by someone like her?

But I didn’t let it get me down and got on with packing up (after serving two of the children – the third declined to impose). The after-party was great and so too was the performer whom I had seen at last year’s event. I enjoyed watching her very much, with a beer in one hand and a sandwich in the other. Yeah. Life is good. 🙂

Beach blues…

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I was once told by a professional car boot seller that hot and cold days are both disasterous for sales, and here the same holds true for beachside busking, it appears.

Today’s weather was perhaps the most agreeable I have ever known. The beach was so tightly packed I think there would have been better trade in shoehorns than in records.

Yet… I did get a suntan. 😀 😀

Btw, the kickstarter video was completed yesterday and compiled today. This old and cranky computer of mine handled the job admirably and in it’s own sweet time. @1004Mb, the upload is gonna take a very, very long time.

Life goes on. I trust yours is a great week!

A street pitch in Brighton

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Last Sunday (30 June) the sun was out and the winds were light so we went to Brighton beach to hone our street performance skills and to (hopefully) gain some video footage of crowd reactions to the record spinning process for addition in to our urgent Kickstarter application; the bigger the better!

My team and I arrived at the rocky beach at around one, just by the pier. The previously sunny skies had been swallowed by a ground level cloud and an unpleasant chill was in the wind. Without unpacking fully, I keenly grabbed some paint from the top of my box, put my head down and spun a disc in anticipation of an audience reaction. My crowd formed instantly! Tho’ I can never tell how many people are watching whilst my head’s down, they were, at a guess, 3 and 4 deep, murmuring ‘oohs’ and ‘aahs’, with candidly appreciative remarks to make the icing on the cake.

Among the first visiting artists of my day were a group of four, Izzy, Teddy, Holly and fourth whose name I don’t quite remember (phone a friend?) whom reminded me a little of myself in the shoes of a numerological #8 artist… life is not all about bread and butter!

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Rounding off the day, I met Bobby, an electrician from Kent who was at first reluctant to have a spin, yet when he did… it was pure magic! His face changed completely and, when he returned to collect his completed work, he presented me with some Chinese takeaway, as a tip! Thank you Bobby! May you see Australia soon!

While packing up at around 5.30, the wind had grown even colder. The big win of the day was film footage. Next weekend looks like a touch of summer is arrived – stay tuned!

Booking cancelled…

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Just thought I’d add a note here to mention that tomorrow’s birthday party I had been booked for by a local celebrity, has been postponed indefinitely. In the meantime, I have been pitching to a local cinema house to paint a piece for them – doing the research work and prodding forums for ideas only to be met with a cone of silence in the communications department – the cinema simply stopped replying to my emails. I did send a note to them yesterday asking for an update – after a week’s silence from their end, which was surprising in itself seeing as every other email I sent to them was answered in under fifteen minutes!

Sigh… life goes on. I have been clutching at straws to earn a quick buck to pay for the tour and neither one or the other appear to be in the process of coming into being. Uffah.

A busy weekend

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This weekend went really well for pre-tour experience! Saturday we were in the middle of a.huge street party where there were many stalls to match. The Kemptown carnival was a bustling booze up with live music and hardly a space to put one’s elbows!

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We pitched in a side street which was nice at first only to find that we were out of the.main traffic flow and that the mouth of out street served a a perfect stage forth local samba band! Whistles and drums beat loudly making communication near impossible… So I went for a walk instead. I met the badge lady who inspired me to make some of my own using my spin painting as a design template – I made 8.
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The day wasn’t brilliant by a long shot yet I did learn that many hands do not brisk trade make when so many other services are on offer, including and especially the dreadful alcohol! Human wreckage was strewn about the street like litter by 6pm and, as we were one of the last to pack up, found ourselves the focal – or should I say vocal – point of their mind-meander. :-/

Sunday came upon me by surprise, despite the fact that I knew for certain that it follows on from Saturday. On Saturday, we were told of an event being held at Stanmer Park. We had no idea what it would be so rolled up anyway. The guard at the gate phones ahead and directed us past an event dedicated to nature where arts and crafts were being exhibited.
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There was a huge marquee housing photographers, jewelry makers, textile artists and character designers, to name but a few.
The day began very quietly in spite of reports pouring in of a hectic event down the road. I enjoyed the sun, chatted and showed off Rameses to a lazy flow of lunchgoers whom were lulled into sleepiness by the weather, the atmosphere, and the sweet melodies of live bands.
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Today has taught me that I need to spend some time educating my attendees of my plans! Whilst it is nice to engage in competitive bicker over the worth of a pound, my knowingness of my own project’s needs does sour the bantering experience for me, somewhat. I suppose I’d best get on to telling you about that one!