Advent Calendar

 

There have been two things I have been meaning to do for year after year. And I always suffer for not doing them about this time of year.
Maybe I am making a new years resolution early.

1/ An Advent Calendar.
In my workshop there is a little note reading "How small is a shrine? (or indeed, how small can it be?)

 

I have been thinking about, planning and composing a set of recepticals for ten years.
This would also give me the chance to draw out a little gift each day - maybe "give" them to someone. And sometimes fit them in a little home.

2/ An actual Calendar.

Maybe call it "Perennial" or something like that: The (historical) symbols being something that have been used again and again from Roman times onwards.



*

Well this is at least a theoretical stab at "Advent" - Its a collection of the 25 advent messages I hope to send out from now till Christmas.

1st December 2012.
To Simon Smythe,
Being the first Advent present, I was unsure what to give you, in some ways these things ought to reflect something- maybe our relationship, or maybe whats going on in the world at present.
So you have got a kind of rag doll - ( I'd make those sad rags into glad rags if I could [hand me down] )
Having said that and seeing that its Christmas, I will try to make them all reasonably upbeat.



2nd December.

To Mal Williams

Concerning the "everybodies" - together, we are strong. 

 



 

 

 

 

3rd December.

To Peter Flack.

You get the first elf Pete

 



4th DEcember
To Linda Sheppard,
Its a television set-but not a normal one-it simply enhances what you are dwelling on, and can elongate your ideas.

And, the amazing thing about this telly is that you can turn it off when you want to.

 

p.s. walk like an Egyptian.

5th December,
To Sean Tighe.
A travelling clock accompanied by the 4th Christmas elf.



To Eleanor Avery,
December 6th

Tigger

A smug, but loving pet.

"I didn't get all the cream - just most of it"

To Nigel Amson and Sabine Gollner,
December 7th.
A Wendy House for the kids.

 

To Bob Meecham.
8th December.
Three Premature Kings.

 

9th December
To Phil x Will Gray
One I started earlier (more than ten years earlier)
entitled "a happy marriage" - dont you think they look exactly like you?

 

To John Rogers,
December 10th.
A climbing frame to keep you in trim.

Are you still in Iceland?

 

 

To Jeanette Thomas,
11th December.
An advent post for you, its a bird house within a house.

To Derek Jones,
12th December.
Away from it all.

 

To Mary Romaine,
13th December.
A night at the opera. (or is it pantomime?)

 



To Olga Humphries,
14th December.

Something to loose in the Christmas Pudding

To Elaine and Colin Chapman,
15th December.
The Wonder that is Advent.

To Dave Checkley,
16th December,
A smattering of primary elfs.

To Khalid,
17th December.
A golden winged ship.

To Richard Butler.
18th December.
Another song.

 

 

 

 

 To Kim Wiersma,

19th December.
It does what it says on the label.

 

To all chaps.
20th December.
A years supply of the right kind of beer.

 

 

To Tom Wiersma and Alison Campbell.
21st December.

Perfect timing on at least two fronts then.

Soon we will be sailors, sailing on a salty sea,

with the waves of the world our only company.

 

 

To Anne Brierley,
22nd December.
three "rescues" for your pack.

 

To Martin Humphries,
23rd December.
I did it my way.

 

 

I was going to send this to everybody, but the machine scewed up my picture and I cant fit the reconstruction around my family commitment dictates.
There you go.
whilst saving the image, I accidentaly put my foot on the plug which shut off and destroyed the bottom third of a weeks worth of work - it actually turned it yellow maybe I should post it.
I was going to tag everybody I know on this one, make it really mad.
Shit happens.

Season's Greetings to Everyone, Everywhere -
Coming to you today from the Massed Choir of Swinging Elfs
Performing in the Birmingham Amphitheatre at Brookvale Lake, under Spaghetti Junction.

To Sue Macleod,
31st December.
Being the first zoom-in of a seriously intense picture.

Happy New Year to you and yours Sue x

2nd January 2013.
More blow ups from the advent elfs.
Evolving characters, woof woof.

Flack the Elf.
An incredible likeness, although I used a photo and that does lack the depth that aposed portrait possessess.

They are singing Hey Jude, which of course is what every ensemble attempts as a finale.