Hestia's Highland Fling

I know that you probably FELL upon this posting, in the hope that I have kicked Tartarus out and embarked on a mad, passionate affair with some man in a bothy somewhere.  Come ON, people!!!! *claps hands together like school teacher*  It means that I went to the ballet.

Scottish Ballet's Highland Fling.  Technically, Matthew Bourne's Highland Fling, but he not only gave permission, but actually oversaw the choreography for Scottish Ballet.  *impressed*

If you are a long-suffering time reader, then you might recall that I met up with an old school friend after a hiatus of about 20 years?  Well, we decided to celebrate our 50th birthdays jointly, by having an outing to the ballet.

Some background information  *does the wobbly-time-shifting-hands thing*

We were impoverished students (always had enough money for a sausage supper and a pint of wine at the uni disco though) and we liked our culture, so we would take our  £410 grant money and use it to buy a season ticket for Scottish Ballet.

We saw lots of excellent ballets, from the best seats in the house (the Dress Circle).

So what better way to celebrate our passage through life? A night at the ballet!!!

Aphrodite (she'd like me to call her that, rather than her real name) bought the tix, I booked a couple of inexpensive hotel rooms and before you know it, it was performance night!

Here's my hotel room.  The Campanile hotel at the SSEC - absolutely brilliant value for money - bright, clean and a lot nicer than a room costing £29.00 per night might suggest!

Here's what I can see from my seat in the Dress Circle:

This is looking straight across to the boxes.  Next time, we're going to get that box on the far left and wear tiaras....

This is the ceiling.  Of the Theatre Royal, not the Campanile Hotel bedroom.

The stage, set for Act 1.  That bright light actually says 'Highland Fling' my camera couldn't cope with the different lighting conditions.  To see what the set actually looked like, there's this, official photo.  I don't know who the photographer is, but this is definitely not my photo:

I won't tell you the whole plot, but it ended in tears.  The choreography was by turns lyrical and edgy.  There was a lot of Bourne's humour - even little animals in the Sylph's forest.  If you can get a ticket to see this when they tour it, please do - it's really good.  Aphrodite even gave a little gasp as the final scene played out.  Telling you nothing else, but GO!

Hestia says..... TADAAAAHHHHH!!!!!!

I know.  I am battering on through the projeks with the relentlessness of a Keanu Reeves facial expression..... but feast your eyes on THIS!!!!!

The Hall - with the two crappy panels

Realising that puttying in the temporary glass was probably a Big Mistake

So we stopped and 'ad a cup of tea.

Right, said Tartarus..... help me get the glass out

After a lot of gentle hammering - which takes skill lemme tell you - the glass was out

The frame was reputtied (not a real word)

and the new glass panel was inserted!

I leaves a messij for footyoor jenerations

TADAAAAAAAAH!

(looking from the front of the door)

From the inside looking out

Now, I've just got the other one to do.........

Hestia...goes to Art School

So it came to pass that I found a life-drawing class for me and my buddy to attend at the Glasgow School of Art.  Of course, I realise that PAYING to walk through those hallowed doors is not quite the same as getting in under your own merit, but I'm not letting that put me off.

We get to Glasgow and book in to our accommodation.

My Day Carer was in a similar apartment downstairs.  This is mine.  It's a studio apartment, at The Whitehouse Apartments on Clevedon Terrace, Glasgow.  Great place to base yourself if you are ever in the city.  There's a wee bathroom and kitchen too.

This was the view from my window:

This is my bag of artist supplies.  All completely virgin.  Like myself *cough*

We were in the Charles Rennie-Macintosh building.  THE place to be.

nicked from The Guardian. Soooreee!

This is me looking up at a light shade from the foyer, where we were sitting, waiting for our tutor to come and get us.  Fancy, eh?

Those images of great artists were done in mosaic and were dotted all around the foyer. I had been very excited, and it suddenly hit me that I was going to have to draw.  And draw WELL.

This is where I stood for two days.  I didn't sit down to sketch once.  I haz to stand up.  My legs were killing me by Sunday evening.

This is where the life models posed for us:

The heaters were really needed - it must get freezing having to stand in the same position for 15 minutes or so, in the bare scuddy.

We were given a hand-out on the etiquette of working with life models - not to touch them, to be respectful of their privacy etc.  Sadly, the sheet failed to mention that I must not guffaw like a pre-teen when the male life model whips off his robe and you are confronted by a male willie.  And it's the first willie that you've seen over 12 years old for six years.

The male model was a beautiful creature.  You know when something is just lovely to look at and you forget that you've only got three minutes to get the pose onto paper? Yeah, that was me.

We were taught lots of techniques to help us get a proper person-like shape on the paper, but it was quite hard work and some techniques I just couldn't get the hang of at all!

Also the tutor was good-looking too.  I know, I sound quite pathetic, but every time the poor soul came near me to improve my technique I started tittering like a GIRL and unable to string two sensible words together.  I am old enough to be his mother.  Almost.  But still, a cat can look at a Canadian, right? :-)

Here are some examples of my work.  These are the good ones.  *impressed faces* on please!

oh lordy, they're all on their sides.  Might be best way to look at them.

Seriously, if you are harbouring a notion to try a leisure course at Glasgow School of Art, please sign up!  The tutors are very helpful and pleasant, the models are a delight to look at..... and you are in the Charles Rennie Macintosh building!!!! Come on, what else do you want?!

If you could go to art school, even for a weekend, what would you choose to study?

Hestia's big TADAAAAAH!

Ladies and Gentlemen (and you other assorted types)

I have actually COMPLETED some outstanding projects!!!

First up, I am totally SWOLLEN with pride - my stained glass window!!!  I cannot tell a lie, Tartarus helped complete it (the last four pieces) because I was wasting enormous amounts of glass (and my temper!) by trying to cut an inside curve on the glass.  I managed to do one side of that flower, but the other half was proving tricky (and sweary) so Tartarus took my last piece of glass and simply ground it into shape in the garage.

He has already started the soldering process, as you can see!

One down, one to go.....

This one has taken about three years to do, so am hoping that the second window takes considerably less time to complete!

TADAAAAAAH!

Then, if that wasn't enough, I sewed up two knitting projects.  First of all this pair of wrist warmers (yeah, I know that they're just rectangles sewn up the side with a hole left for my thumbs) but come on, IT'S A COMPLETED KNITTING PROJECT!!!!!!  You've seen the Drawer(s) of Shame..... I have actually finished something!

And THEN, if these two magnificent bits of Projek Completion were not ENUFF, I give you this, my Readers' Wrap, started about three years ago and completed this afternoon.

You'd better all be wearing your *impressed* faces.

Of course, there is still the small matter of the Half Knitted Sock and the Nineteen Balls of Wool With No Discernible Purpose that are hidden beneath my desk.  All this success has gone to my head:  I haz volunteered to knit a sweater for Sonshine.

He's not too thrilled, but since when did THAT ever have any bearing on anything knitted for a child?

So, come on, share what you've completed recently!










PS - Am not insensitive old cow who lives in fantasy world of knitting, glass and gin & tonic.  Have written about Boston bombing on my Tarot blog.