Westfield, ho!

I seem to have neglected to mention my visit to the opening day at Westfield Mall. I like the architecture (that British Museum - lite roof in particular), I like the fact that they don't have many tacky chain eateries (but do have square pie, sushi, lebanese food etc), but otherwise I'm underwhelmed. The main interior food hall was grossly overcrowded - at least half hour queue for everything - so don't expect to eat there any time around Christmas or sales. The shops are pretty much Oxford Street the second, although I haven't come across the oddly-named 'Pull & Bear' before who have a fine range of cheap and interesting T-shirts, albeit aimed at 16-year-olds.

There were a few first-day incentives around, though nothing spectacular (warm champagne, anyone?). But I was very pleased with the free turtle I got when I bought a bag from Carpisa. It's furry - which of course is a little bit wrong for a turtle, but very cute - and most importantly it's satisfyingly odd.

Using my hands

And speaking of craft, yesterday was day two of the really wonderful and rewarding City Lit course 'Jewellery: Making a Silver Ring'. I have, in fact, made a silver ring! The course runs over two sundays and is designed to be the perfect grounding in working with metal. In order to make a ring you have to learn to cut metal, anneal it (the fiery bit), clean it (the acid 'pickle' bit), shape it, saw it, solder it, make it round, decorate and polish it. Ray Duncan was a very approachable, experienced and patient tutor, who plunged us straight into the fun stuff with minimal chatter as we cut slices of copper for our test version.

I was forcibly reminded of GCSE art, in which I worked harder than in any other subject but was never going to get more than a 'B'. I am sadly lacking in manual dexterity and will not be becoming a master jeweller any time this millenium. But I had a wonderful time using my hands and learning new skills, and I have produced a ring that is round, shiny and wearable. The join is almost invisible, a victory for much filing! The decoration is not very sophisticated - another time I would try to do more with texture using the motorised tools or a contrast of matt and shiny finishes - but it doesn't look grossly amateur either, at least not to a layperson. Profoundly satisfying and a bargain at less than £100 for the course and all equipment and materials (if you wanted a wider ring or to do more you would need to buy your own).

I'll add a photo when my computer stops falling over every time I open the photo file...

Art, craft and higher mathematics

Went to an interesting Royal Society "conversation" last week between Mark Haddon, writer of 'The Curious Incident of the Dog in the Night Time', and mathematician Marcus de Sautoy. The talk was rather tantalising as they brushed the edges of so many fascinating subjects, but there were some lovely and thought-provoking moments, in particular:

- Eureka moments. Haddon said that eureka moments for writers might just be getting a sentence right, nothing more dramatic, but that what he hears at those times is the sound of a very expensive car door closing.

- Explanations. Sautoy's work is all about trying to explain something so that everyone understands the same points. Haddon loves to include explanation, hence his enjoyment in writing 'Curious incidenct', but knows that most art is designed to be subject to multiple interpretations and should leave a lot of space for the reader. He illustrated this very well by reading a sentence or two of a scene by the sea then asking for shows of hands for pebbles v. sand on the beach, boats or none on the sea etc.

- Art and science. They really probably should have stuck to art and mathematics, as there is far too much to say on this topic for one little talk, but Haddon did point out that people may be too quick to look for the similarities - the differences may be more interesting (also, there is no reason why we should all appreciate the same things).

I asked how they saw craft, where art meets physical and technical parameters (such as the mathematics in knitting).

Haddon felt that craft was different in purpose and method to 'art' because of these limitations and because the main aim is to make something for a fixed purpose - I didn't have a chance to point out that most good craft involves everything that I think gives value to art, namely (and not exhaustively):
- creativity
- skill
- interpretation of a tradition
- possible symbolism
- personality
etc etc.
And when it produces something wearable or useful as well, that is surely a bonus...

Fame at last (ahem...)

Had an email recently reminding me that the winners of the PCS & Words Magazine short story competition (open to members of any trades union) had been announced. I hadn't heard anything so knew I hadn't won, but was very pleased to see my name in the "highly commended" category! They also list those who reach the second and third readings so you appear at the top of a pleasing pyramid. The story is a little too long to post here - it's called 'Moonlight over Mount Pleasant' and involves a young boy with learning difficulties going missing at the British Postal Museum and Archive, with some possible comparisons between the sorting office, the silent prison that once stood on the Mount Pleasant site and a mind that is full of ideas but has trouble expressing itself. Very nice to have a little recognition to tell people about before I go back to work in January.