“I’m looking for old solid wood furniture for up-cycling; if suitable I can arrange to pick it up. Give it a new purpose… the proceeds will be going to a good cause.” So says Richard Kelly who is a wizard with wood. Be it a rocking horse made from an old table or a fancy chair from a piano! He’s a self employed visual artist and bespoke wood sculpture with extensive training and 25 years experience in both fields.
However, it’s his recent work that has caused a sensation on Facebook, over six feet tall these Troll houses are fashioned from larch wood which is durable and doesn’t need weather treated. Fortunately he has a local supplier who makes pallets from larch wood so there is always a ready supply, important following a mystical commission for these fantasy dwelling. It came from Sticky Fingers, an arts programme in Newry which has worked with over 100,000 children throughout Ireland since it was established 18 years ago. Although closed at the moment their home in the Imaginarium Arts Centre is usually a hub of activity and is recognised as the first dedicated arts venue for children and young people in Northern Ireland. Just imagine the wonderful opportunity for them to go along any day and get creative – sculpture, gluing, writing stories, dressing up and making friends. I often think playgrounds and programmes like these should be scaled up for adults, why do children have all the fun! For the Imaginarium you have to be 0 to 17 years of age to become one of the 1500 who in normal times attend every week. It’s much missed but hopefully will return soon.
“We won’t be beaten.” Grainne Powell is the inspiration behind the centre and she’s a determined woman. “We plan a big show in the autumn and outreach programme during August.” When this professional venture is up and running again, amongst other things the story centre, the 200 seat theatre and the cafe will be back in operation with all the safe guards required and the children will have a new delight, a Troll’s custom built house to inspire storytelling.
HAPHAZARD HOUSING
These timber dwellings are a story in themselves. No two are the same, it depends on the day, the materials and the architect’s imagination. It’s not surprising Richard describes his work as surreal and his houses haphazard, there’s always a twist to fascinate be it with sculptures, paintings or woodwork.
Apart from his skills on canvas Richard is also trained in addiction and mental health counselling and runs creative recovery programmes helping people rebuilding their lives through craft workshops.
These days, however, his freelance work is taking more and more of his time and the Stick Fingers commission has filled his days during covid lockdown over the last few months. The dwellings are solid and secure, full of character and each one has a personality of its own. These ‘haphazard’ houses stand over six feet tall, have windows and window boxes, chimney pots and porches and apparently are a magnet for wild life, especially birds. You can just imagine good Trolls foraging in the woods and coming back to their cosy home and their oasis of peace but in fact it’s more likely to be an excited little one with sticky fingers and smiles of wonder on their faces.
It takes time to build each one and they cost in the region of £1200 although you can add or subtract from Richard’s design and include your own specifications. “It could be put up on stilts with a ladder up to the front door or the inside could be furnished to order. I like the idea of working with people and hearing their ideas.”
Find out more from richardcreatesart@gmail.com or telephone 074 7296 5088 and for Sticky Fingers www.stickyfingersarts.co.uk
WEBSITES OVERWHELMED
Is anyone else been suffering at the hands of supermarket websites? I certainly have been although there are signs of improvement.. When you’re not able to visit in person a recurring slot is a god send – when it works. However, two out of three times when I’ve put my order in I was getting no confirmation apparently because there has been such pressure on the system, apparently, even today, I’m in a queue and if I don’t constantly check I’m in danger of losing my ongoing slot. I have spent more time talking to representatives in Scotland or in India but important to say that not all supermarkets are at fault and probably it’s reasonable to be disorganised with the volume of customers putting a strain on the system.
But I discovered one thing. Without exception the younger people at the end of the phone are the most pleasant as are those manning the Indian call centre. The older men have no patience, in fact one hung up during our call because he couldn’t take time to look through the back log of calls I’ve made over the last three months and find out what’s going wrong. Last week a delightful young man called Louis explained that the website is constantly overloaded and it’s not personal! I was relieved! When I did get my order last week, I ended up with six two litre milks and a bag of items I hadn’t ordered. Obviously a mistake with the delivery. So I hauled myself down to the store and handed it in, some confusion as to why I’d bother to bring the goods back but after a lot of checking that I hadn’t been charged for them, they were accepted by the girl at the desk. My point is, I took time to visit the store for the first time in almost four months, I didn’t want to but I thought it was the honest thing to do; there was absolutely no word of thanks or sorry for your inconvenience. On the other hand, the pressure these people are under is tremendous and we must not forget that.
It all came to a head last week. I had ordered some items from a magazine on 14th June, was told my goods would be delivered on 15th July, lady explained that it was difficult times. OK I accepted that. Come 20th July and nothing I phoned Easylife and asked what was going on. A pleasant man I think in India had a search and then came back to tell me the order had been cancelled on 24th June. WHAT?! Something to do with the bank although there was enough money to cover the cost. What can he do, not fair to take it out on the poor apologetic man but I did ask him to pass on my anger that no one had bothered to inform me. That’s another thing about shopping on line, you have to be in to receive the package if you have to sign for it and you don’t always know in advance – witness me missing a package on Friday because I hadn’t been told a signature was necessary.
On the other hand yesterday a delightful conversation via WhatsApp.
I had been waiting for a jacket ordered on line – I seem to be doing a lot of on line shopping over the last couple of months, needs must! I didn’t keep a copy of the order and I was beginning to worry it had gone astray when I got this message: Hello is it Anne – its Tomasz from Dpd. We have a parcel for you but address is missing unfortunately From Yamato Europe
I sent my address thinking that’s it away with the fairies. This back:
Hi just awake as needed some sleep, thx. Surname Correct. Parcel will be delivered on Monday
Thank you – from me
Welcome from Tomasz
Isn’t that a good way to keep the customer happy.
PURPLE PASSION
I see the Bendy Buses are taking a beating from the vandals. It all began in 2018 with 18 buses and a bill for £90 million, disruption to shops, offices and private dwellings along the route and apparently virtually empty during the day. Now there are reports that the damage by vandals has cost us £53,000 and rising.
£28,000 of that total was due to damage to ticket machines. I recently watched a well dressed middle aged man go from parking machine to parking machine poking the money slot with a thin stick. At first I thought he was robbing the machine especially as he appeared to take some money out. But was he perhaps just checking that there was nothing stuck in the slot? If he was, perhaps he should have had an official badge on his jerkin.
As far as ‘the purple slug’ as the Glider is affectionately known is some parts of the city, my question is why introduce this rapid transit system at all? We have lovely red buses that have been doing well in Belfast and the outskirts, if more passengers were going to use public transport then get Wrightbus to make a few more. And it’s not only the buses that have suffered, the worst thing of all are the attacks on staff regardless of the colour of the coach.
Another week away and Boris is going to make us all thin within a few weeks. Hooray for Boris, let’s see if this initicive has legs!