Summer Arches

Walking around the outskirts of Bath you often find yourself in dense green tunnels of trees and passing under bridges, their arches framing yet more trees. I am particularly aware of these tunnels as I walk my brother's Jack Russell, Rosie: Rosie has suddenly developed some psychological aversion to the nearby open meadow and prefers to skulk by the river under these dark, green tree arches.....

To the Hospital via Victoria Park:

For six months in Santa Monica, with other Treesavers, I attempted to convince the City Council of the immense value- both psychologically and environmentally- of mature trees in an urban area. Yesterday in Bath I was reminded yet again of the truth of this concept. I had to walk to the Royal United Hospital for an appointment- a hospital that for me is an emotional place being the scene of family births and deaths. The road, however, passed Victoria Park, where many magnificent trees- particularly Oaks and Beeches- stand close to the road. Having my camera with me I was soon wonderfully excited by the beauty of these trees as I photographed them. What could have been a dreary walk along a road evolved into a highly emotive and exhilarating artistic experience- all because of the presence of these trees. And here are some of them:

Green-ness

Down by the River Avon many of the trees are smothered in green ivy but now everything is getting greener and greener as the year moves on. And it never ceases to amaze one how varied the characters of the trees are in a small area...

Roxy Music / Klein Blue

Not relating to trees but relating to Art!
This post was sparked by reading this book:

Remake / Remodel, by Michael Bracewell
Bracewell explores the evolving of Roxy Music and their early Art School, artist and style-icon connections.

Excerpts:

“….Charlie Ware, who lent us some money to buy the first group van. So, again, Roxy Music probably wouldn’t have happened without Charlie Ware and Susie (Cussins).” Bryan Ferry.

“ Charlie Ware - whose sister Jill would become one of Roxy Music’s first major fans, attending all their concerts in extravagantly chic outfits - was a property tycoon who had bought houses in Islington and Bath, at one point owning two houses in Bath’s Royal Crescent. Tim and Viv Head would later live in a house owned by Ware in Lonsdale Square, Islington, where Jill - who was also an early and dedicated minimalist, according to Tim Head - occupied an entirely white room.” Michael Bracewell.

Correction: yes, I had an adjoining room to Artists Viv and Tim Head but my room was not white, it was entirely Blue - a deep Ultramarine-ish Blue, which delighted Viv as she was involved in a project about the French artist Yves Klein. My blue was similar to “Klein Blue”- International Klein Blue, IKB, an intense blue developed by Klein, as pigment in a clear resin.

Circa 1970 I had first met Andy Mackay - and subsequently Bryan Ferry - at a Fancy Dress Party when he was dressed as Marcel Proust (looking similar to the late 60’s photo below, from Bracewell’s book) and I wore a Marilyn Monroe-type bright yellow wig and Mr Freedom pink velvet hot pants.

The flyer shown below was designed by Malcolm Bird and, as a “dedicated fan”, I wore both orange and blue satin versions of this on my 70’s velvet jeans.

The photo of me below was taken by Jake Sutton at a private view of Philip Sutton's paintings, prior to an early Roxy gig in South London. I am wearing an Ossie Clark dress, with Celia Birtwell print, from Quorum and feathers from Islington’s Chapel Market. I was surprized to see that Celia Birtwell, for her range for Topshop last year, had re-issued this print for a dress that appeared to be identical to the original Ossie Clark design.

The Re-Cycling Tree

By the Bath Canal, not only do Dog Roses flourish but so do Cycles and Flags, the exotic yellow wild Iris'.....

Dog Roses and Elder Flowers

The hedgerows here around Bath are now decorated with those most innocent, charming flowers- the delicate wild Dog Roses, together with the heavily scented Elder flowers: