The Royal Glasgow Institute has sent out a call for entries for its drawing competition 2011 and the current aim is to submit 3 views of the Balivanich water tower. The structure fascinates me, even more so now that I've discovered (via MacGillvrays giftshop opposite) that it's never actually been used: it was built by the military in the 1950s for use in emergency but, since there was no emergency, it has lain dormant with demolition imminent. The ministry of defence passed its water infrastructure over to a civilian contractor so the tower is not part of the military base any more.
When I first came to work on North Uist last year I found the flat landscape and indentikit nature of the housing disorientating - I ended up navigating by cars parked in driveways. The tower is the only constructed landmark in the islands and this distinction makes it almost too neat a metaphor for the military work in the islands. This banter is all very well but I have to actually get down and start drawing the thing: I've done a couple of sketches but I still have to plan the layout on A2.
The islands enjoy a fabulous mail service (all hail Amazon!) and I've just discovered the magazine subscription site which will get me my fix of feminism and shallow US beauty commentary (magazines Bust and Allure respectively) but apparently fancy artist paper is a request too far. When I tried adding A2 Bristol block to my Amazon order the delivery cost went up to a prohibitive £25. So my personal import list is growing (capers, poppy seeds, fancy paper, creme brulee chocolate, coloured tights ...)
I will forgive Amazon for it has delivered the bestest Christmas presents so far: a lego advent calendar for my nephews and the Flavour Thesaurus for Campbell. The thesaurus is compulsive reading and has led to my best sandwich invention so far:
sourdough bread
pastrami
grated carrot
capers
mayonnaise and mustard
Still awaiting a name but no less delicious
No comments:
Post a Comment