Now Say Hello Back - MAKING LONDON MORE SOCIABLE ONE HELLO AT A TIME

In lots of places, lots of people are doing some extraordinary things. This morning, after a good long Skype with my sister in New Zealand, I knew I wanted to do some blogging, find some new stuff, get on twitter, snoop around the internet a bit. So here's a great thing I found:

Now Say Hello is a one-man mission to make London more sociable via a bicycle. Bruno Clarke cycles a lot and has created a point-scoring system for human interaction whilst on his journeys: Me saying hello – 1 pointGetting a response – 5 points (unless it’s aggressive or rude)Getting a conversation – 10 pointsGetting a joke – 20 pointsHe's noting down his efforts and scores on the blog, like this:

Saturday 10th July

60 points – ok so it’s a slightly made up number, but I think it’s fairly representative of the day. I cycled 117 kilometres to Brighton with many a country hello and nod along the way. Was a lovely ride. It’s no Tour de France, but I was still pretty please for a lone effort on a hot day.

Thursday 8th July

5 points – after my fellow cyclists, a lady in red, was barked at by an enfuriated oncoming rider, we shared a little “well good morning to him too” as I cycled past. A jolly end to an aggressive start. Some people just get on the wrong side of their saddle don’t they.

I'm inspired by this and want to start my own mission - both whilst cycling around Bristol and walking around, and I'll even count when I'm in my car - most people have their windows wound down in the sun.Join in yourself. Lets collate results. Follow on Now Say Hello on Twitter - @nowsayhello

The Surface/Space/Time Exhibition is on now!

Lucy BarfootLadle Moulds 2009Glues, Watercolor ink, water, wireMy colours are sickly and my matter is sweet. I want to satisfy. I want to fulfil the materiality of objects, allowing them to talk. What is it to sense the texture, shape, and the smell? The viewer forms a unique relationship, which I have no control over.The letting go and holding onto control has a powerful effect on my work. The process of gathering objects is something I 'have to do', similar to my compulsion to repeat actions. My practice is obsessive and process-led. I am physically absorbed into a daze of making.Images:1. View from the door - I wanted people to enter the space, get close to the sculpture. I worked on the lighting to create a semi-lit, eerie feel. The Crypt is such a haunting place, I thought I could dull-down my bright sculpture to fit the space better - but once people got close, the piece was more vivid.2. Detail of ladle moulds with light shining through. Reminded me of stained glass windows. The color was different from behind.3. Me in the sculpture. Hello!

Rankin Live

Whilst in london for the Surface/Space/Time exhibition, I went to see the Rankin Live exhibition at the Old Truman Brewery. Here's the website - Rankin Live. It was fantastic, and really well set out, with the different groups of shots well defined - Photos of Rankin's self portraits, Kate Moss, Heidi Klum (I definately have a thing about Heidi and Seal, how gorgeous they both are, their kids, their yearly anniversary fancy-dress party. I'm thinking of buying 'Heidilicious' by Rankin - only £31 on Amazon!)Copyright. Image courtesy of RankinRankin himself was there doing his Live Shoot, the website is constantly being updated with the new photographs taken every day (up to about 25 portraits a day) The gallery was empty whilst I was there, so I was 2 feet away from him and his team, watching him at work, it was quite surreal, a great experience. I would love to be an artist working away at my big exhibition. Here you can see the Live Shoot page.The Old Truman Brewery is where I had my London Free Range Degree show, back in June last year. At Rankin Live, you walk in from the street, up two flights of stairs and then into the room (he's split it up with lots of false walls) I was looking for my apple circle - when I exhibited 'Sense' there, I set it up without a floor protection, and a dark circle was left in their place. But the circle was nowhere to be seen - they must have scrubbed away at that floor.One of my favorite things ever is Photobooth photographs - the ones which have four snaps in a vertical line. You could take your own photobooths at the exhibition, and only £2 a go! I NEED to have a photobooth for myself. one day! I have quite the collection of found and acquired photo booth pictures, maybe it's time I did something with them?Some things:Great Andy Warhol Photobooth shotsSquare America has some old onesThe Old Truman Brewery is right by 93 Feet EastPhotoautomat was the Rankin booth. You can hire it!Photoautomat's Flickr group

Surface/Space/time at the Crypt

My London show is fast approaching... It's at 'The Crypt Gallery', London, August 26th - September 9th.The Artists whom I'm exhibiting with:Sam CliftEve WheateRichard JackSue HotchkisMary Louise EvansSimone WallaceLucy FergusMark HoughtonJoohee HwangLuke StonesRona SmithI'm creating my glue molds, something I find very enjoyable and is of course all process-led. I used to do lots of this mould making whilst at uni. I have some old pictures, and once some of the current molds are dry, I'll take some pictures. but for now...Thinking about color here -all these colors together, one for each mold. some quite pastel-ly, very aesthetically pleasing, and fitting into The Crypt well. It reminds me of stained glass.More good color?This was as far as I got whilst at uni, but I want to make a large piece, about 4ft squared. Need to think about transportation, glue consistancy, how to speed up the process. Also need to buy about a hundred ladles. Watch this space.