In case you've been wondering why my web site and career have been a bit flat of late — lacking a certain vibrant life-force — fear not, schemes and plans are afoot!

I hope this page will answer any questions you may have and, furthermore, tempt you with mouth-watering nuggets of what is to come! I'm currently very busy, struggling to keep far too many balls in the air, so, herewith, a brief resume of what's been happening and the plans for the future.

Apart from some major engineering repairs to Rita and a long bout of ill health for her (she is now fit and well again, by the way, and says "hello"), the major change, and reason for no new turned work or exhibitions, is that I've finally accepted that I can no longer continue turning wood. The many hours spent in damp workshops over the past 30 years, many of them hours of hand-sanding, has resulted in a couple of thumb joints and an elbow which are now too painful to allow me to carry on. It finally reached the stage where I found it impossible to hold one of my rocking pot forms in order to sand it. My eyesight has also deteriorated so that I need glasses to focus on the tool edge but these same glasses distort. Consequently if I create a perfect from whilst wearing my glasses, when I remove them and stand back to check the form, it turns to dust. (nice pun, eh?) So...

New web site

As I see it, the world is facing either financial and societal meltdown, or rampant inflation, and if the economic farce don't get us, then climate change will inevitably catch us all with our pants deeply entangled around our ankles. So, what to do? We're changing our outlook and way of life in every way we can, but, basically, I guess we're doing the same as everyone else, viz. just keepin' on keepin' on. What else can one do? So, look out for a NEW WEB SITE which will be slowly evolving over the next year. This will include all my activities. Well, perhaps not all of them! There'll be an archive of my current web site, a site devoted to new sculpture, another to my music, possibly one for my images and.... wait for it! a BLOG! No, don't go away, I know the world needs another blog like it needs more investment bankers but, please, allow me a sentence with which to whet your appetite.

Our new woodland

2008 was remarkable for us in that we bought a woodland, part of a 50 year old plantation of mixed hardwoods growing on the site of an ancient woodland felled during the 1940s. Our intention is to manage the wood so that we have a sustainable supply of carbon neutral fuel and a regular supply of raw material for my sculpture. Our other aim is to return the wood to a more natural oak/ash mix by removing all the beech over a 20/30 year period. This change of species mix should result in a vast increase in wildlife supported by the woodland. The aim of the blog will be to feature articles on the highs and lows of the general management of the wood; following a tree from felling to finished sculpture; the wildlife year in the wood; interesting observations on the results of our plans and actions. You will be able to follow my plans from initial idea to execution, with all the learning and mistakes that this will undoubtedly involve. I hope it will prove to be an insight into creativity, with a few political opinions thrown in too, and that it will allow you to enjoy the pleasures and disappointments, and the thrills of this new venture. One aspect of owning and managing my own wood which appeals to me greatly, is that when you next treat yourself to one of my new pieces, you will be able to see that it has come from a woodland managed for the benefit of the environment. I've not just been sitting down idly twiddling my toes for the past couple of years you know, but deep in thought as to how I can continue to create in the medium I love whilst reducing the effects of RSI, and my impact on the planet.

Music

As some of you know, music has always been a huge interest in my life (along with the countryside, the environment and my sculpture), and I feel that I've now reached a level of competence, confidence and creativity within its eternal sphere, that I'm happy to share the music I create with the rest of the world. As with my work in wood, which has always undergone a continual change (repetition not being one of my strong points!), the music in which I'm involved is usually improvisational. However, as with my work in wood, it's improvisation based on a deep knowledge and understanding of the medium. As you might have guessed from the photographs, I play guitar, mostly jazz and experimental. A couple of years ago I formed a band, Dynamite Dream, with the highly acclaimed improvising vocalist Maggie Nicols (Sept. 2006, Fishguard Jazz Festival!). Unfortunately, this band is no longer in existence due to... differences, but my association with Maggie and her free improvising friends opened up my creativity tremendously. My music is, experimental, Bill Frisell meets Neu!, it's jazz, and it's about to hit the world with my new trio "triosh"! Featuring the drummer and percussionist, Sam Christie, who was with me in Dynamite Dream and Shrewsbury based saxophonist, Geoff James. We play a mixture of my compositons, tunes by Coltrane, Shorter, Monk, Dylan, Hendrix and some improvised pieces. I've also recently formed a duo with Geoff James, playing mainly jazz standards. Nice and cool....

Images

The images section of the web site will be just that. A gallery of the few good photographs I've managed to capture and that I think are worth sharing.

When the new web site will be functional, I can't say, but I'm working on it at the moment. (Why does everything I do involve learning a vast amount of abstruse and esoteric techniques and skills?) Keep visiting and, please, email me and let me know what you think.

Take care and let's all do our bit to combat climate change — if we wait for the governments to act, we're buggered.

shanti, shanti, shanti (to quote the wonderful Michael Caine)

Steve

New website layout — does it work for you?

In an effort to make my new site more versatile, I've been experimenting with "re-coding" the current site that you are now visiting. I would be grateful if you could let me know if any of the main pages are behaving strangely. They should flow to fit the size of your browser but, within reason, still retain their basic layout.

People get paid to do this, you know!