Glasgow Detail

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2011-07-28T06:09:00.001-07:00

Glasgow Airport Car Bomb

2007-07-01T00:37:00.000-07:00

This is the actual live footage of the vehicle burning.
I am saddened that this is my first post after having been away for so long, it is a sad day for the people of Glasgow and Scotland.

Well it looks like the war zone has finally arrived on the outskirts of Glasgow, with nearly devastating effect. I`m sure that for a many Glaswegians, 30/06/07 will be a sort of JFK moment, where were you when the bomb went off.
I suppose as a country Scotland and its people, in retrospect, have maybe been a little bit complacent regarding the way global events have a habit of impacting locally.
I have heard it said by many members of Glasgow`s great diaspora, that it could never happen here, that we are too civilised. We may well be on the whole, but there was an inevitability about the 30/06/07.
We, as do many other cities in the UK and Europe, have a large minority asian population of peoples who practice the religion of Islam. Over the coming days there will no doubt be great discussion and debate by all Glaswegians and Scots as to why this darkness should descend over our City and Country.
There will be the voices of bigotry, which have always been here and they have always found a cause to blindly rant about, whose only reaction will be to rage against anyone who is not exactly like them.
Their language is, and always has been, divisive, short and abbreviated. In the past, and I make no apology for my language, it was "Micks", "Jews", "Proddies", "Chinkie", "Tims", "Gypos", "Darkies", "Niggers", "Kykes" etc, and currently we have such words as, "Pakkies", "Muzzies", "Ragtops", I will not use the expletives that are usually associated with these words, we all know them.
Now this is in fact a universal stance taken about most outsiders who settle in a foreign land, city, town, village or street; the world over.
Its a language and stance inspired by fear and initial lack of understanding, of the strange, the different, the unusual, in fact anything, almost, that is different to you or I.
I think it would only be fair to say that we have all, the world over, had these feelings at one time or another. Its part of our imprinted human nature to sort of herd together as a survival instinct. The fact that its, in relative terms, easier to survive in the white Caucasian western world than most other parts of the planet is by the by, and this applies to all of our peoples who live in this western society.
This is something that the organisers of suicide bombers have known for some time, and they are now working hard to maintain and increase these divisions.
The bomb at the airport was in my opinion, another of many attempts to inspire hatred by the majority population against the minority. To increase the rants of "if they don`t like it here then why don`t they go home".
But this denies blindly the truth of the matter, scratch the surface of virtually any "Jew", "Mick", "Pakki", "Proddie" "Darkie", "Kyke", "Chinkie", etc, in Glasgow and you will generally find a Glaswegian born and bred.
None of us can "go home" easily after generations of distance, whether it be to Ireland, Pakistan, Somalia, Uganda, China, Italy, Russian, Poland, and even England, to name but a few of the homelands that Glasgows past has come from.
We may have a romance of where our roots are, but we would be in many many cases strangers in strange lands if we tried to "go home".
Without these peoples we would not have a Nation, let alone a Glasgow, and this none of us should forget, we were all a minority at one time or another. We were "these peoples", and others from other nations will follow us and they will become "these peoples" for a time.
I think a sharp intake of breath is required by all of us, we were all lucky, no member of the public has died as yet, the attempt to take lives failed.
If we all start building walls to hide behind and trenches to cower in then they will indeed have succeeded in their mission with hardly a drop of blood spilled or a body shattered.

I have been away, but now I`m back, I`m sorry about the delay!

2007-06-16T01:43:00.000-07:00

The final stretch

2005-12-25T10:43:00.000-08:00

nearly out of the park and Fish market clock tower beckons through the gloom, in the foreground on the left is The High Court and snuggled next to it on the right is the famous Glasgow Mortuary

It can`t claim to be one of Glasgow`s finer corner tenements, but Shipbank on the corner of Briggait and Saltmarket is certainly one of the more famous. It still boast an onion dome corner, and an intact wrap around victorian pub exterior!

I pass by and head down Paddies Loan and stop and click fast Eddie

I exit Paddies on Clyde Street and finally capture the south facing side of the fablous Fish market building from the middle of the street, no traffic in sight.

Facing it across the river is The Glasgow Mosque, with its eye of a needle minarate. It looks almost ok in the fog. But I know that when the fog clears so will my mind. It is one of my least favourite buildings in the city.
It looks like a cross between a B & Q shed and a sixties RAF aerodrome control tower. It was apparently donated to the local Muslim community by a Sheik from Saudi Arabia. I can only imagine that at the time he must have been wearing darker glasses than those guys tended to wear in those days!
I dont know if it adheres to islamic geometry, it certainly dosen`t look like it.
The glazed dome is to say the least unfortunate and looks as if it were glazed in polycarbonate.
Suggestion: tear it down, find another Sheik, maybey that guy who is building the tallest building in the world in downtown Dubai, and a really good architect who understands the disipline of Islamic Design.

A view doon the water Calton Place on the left Carrick Quay on the right before it dissapears and in the misty distance the suspension foot bridge, romantic or what!

A view up the toon of the romantic sun gilded mansions of commerce, education and power. The Stockwell never looked prettier than it did this morning!, no traffic and virtually no people, what more could you want!!!

Past the boathouse and back to the studio

2005-12-25T10:29:00.000-08:00

Still the home of Glasgow`s rowing club and remarkably untagged at the moment the building makes a romantic statement at the riverside.

However I think it needs jazzed up a bit, mabey take a chance and finish off the tagger magnet white finish and dare I say commission us to do some contemporary glass for those round windows, and or move the building up to the Peoples Palace to benefit from the magnificant security.
Now that would give these rower chappies the opportunity to walk down to the river with their boats over their heads as they love to do.
Look how popular penguin walk is at Edinburgh Zoo.
Is Glasgow City Council missing an opportunity here!

The tree lined river walk

2005-12-25T10:07:00.000-08:00

Time to head back, west along the river side.
I get a misty view of The Gorbals, Donald MacBean once asked me what a Gorbal was, I am not misty eyed about a tower block though the mist romances it!

Heres an unusal site, a life ring in place, like the Doulton fountain people are always throwing these into the river Clyde for sport.
Well I suppose its better than football violence, yes it does still go on, or mugging old women, and yes that still goes on too!
Yes we are becoming more civilised and kinder and less racist and even more cultured, but lets face it if you fall into the river these days the only thing that may save you is this

or this

and with George Parsonage retiring and no one replacing him as yet, I think the second option may be the only one in future.
But a word of caution, they are like the busses, you can wait for one all day and then theres a whole flock of them.

A bit of Gothic treescape

and the big stump, the boathouse looms in the distance!

Big Stump detail, will it grow again?

Up the Misty Mountain

2005-12-25T09:49:00.000-08:00

I have been dying to fit the above title in all day.
Glasgow City Councils new money spinning venture (what you thought it was moved for its own safety!) is as they say "fair coining it in".
The apparent miracelous recovery and trancendental movement (I mean who actually saw it move from its previous location to where it is now) is driving people from all corners of the globe desperate to chuck hard earned cash into the fountain for good luck.
It has been rumoured that a three legged woman from Mongolia, spontaniously grew a fourth after throwing in a ten pence piece.
It has got to such a fever pitch, as you can see, that the council have installed security to keep an eye on the dosh that gets chucked in.
I can verify its efficency, a voice boomed out requesting that I get out of the fountain outer perimeter, that I had been captured on camera and I was only taking photos!
What would have happened if I had tried to grab a handful of wet dosh, would a death ray have emanated from the rather sinister Cupola dome at the top of the Peoples Palace and fried me to a crisp.
All I can say is watch out Lourdes!

Pan Plays

2005-12-25T09:32:00.000-08:00

Pan plays his mischevious tune and probably mischeviously designed the yellow thingy in the background. Dont`t ask me what its meant to be.
I was going to wait till it was finished and go back and have a look, to see how it fitted in.
But you know me! a mouth crammed with feet.
Could it be?
1. a structure
2. a homage to the song`s "Tie a yellow ribbon round the old oak tree" or that wonderful old John Wayne standard that we all sang in the back courts many years ago "She wore! She wore! She wore a yellow ribbon"
3. Built in the wrong place
4. a replacement bright yellow doulton fountain thats screams to the tagger, paint me! paint me! I like this one.

Its meaning is bound to be filled with architectural irony, it is after all quite an old architectural idea which seems to be getting pummeled to death these days for want of better ideas.
I hold my baited breath!

Doulton Details. The trappings of Empire

2005-12-25T09:12:00.000-08:00

First we have South Africa, land of the free or was it voor!

Next we have Canada, full of those pesky French and disenfranshised Scots, well those that survived the crossing.

Next up! The Indian sub-continent. They gave us polo and on our way out we gave them a border dispute. Good old Lord Louis Mountbatten and his trusty pen, I bow before a superior map maker!

Last but not least its the biggest island in the world, Australia. We used to send the bad guys there! Nowadays it appears to be becoming a bastion of staunch racism, if you want to learn how to become an even better racist then look no further than Australia. Landless Scots and Irish were also sent there during the potato famines, with a wonderful article in the London Times (of the period) extolling their virtues, still ringing in their ears.

A homage to the gallant troops of empire, the future fodder of the Somme!

Lookin` for a fountain, A Doulton Fountain

2005-12-25T08:49:00.000-08:00

I spy through the gloom! Its the Peoples Palace, cumone Elspeth n`Michael gonnay cum hame, surely all must be forgiven by now!!!!!!!!!!!!!
I know! I`m just an old sentimentalist!

A tree being held back by the stalwart fence around the peoples palace, and just as well too!, we dont`t want that sort of riff-raff clogging up our museums, unless its conceptual of course and filled with irony!

Conceptual red path and tree composition next to peoples palace.

I knew it had been moved and figured it had to be at the peoples palace.
It had lain in dissaray for years at the triumphal entrance to the Green.
It had been slowly but shurely chibbed by us glaswegians to within a breath of its very existence. But lets face it, if its still here how could it possibly be a thing of beauty! The attitude permeates everything, Glasgow and Scotland keep their pedestals empty.
Need an architect for a parliament, a glass artist for a light house, a mosicaist for an art gallery, a shop fitter for a pub, there can`t possibly be anyone good enough up here.
Rant over!!!!!

Finally restored and relocated for its own safety the Magnificiant Doulton Fountain

Back on Terra Firma

2005-12-25T08:39:00.000-08:00

safely back in Glasgow Green, I head towards our very own Cleopatras needle, how many of the bloddy things did she have!

I take another misty tree and path shot, they are everywhere screaming take me!, take me!. I am weak willed and click!

But up close to the needle I spy this lovely little family grouping.
Ma, Pa and the wean, but I think a cuckoo has visited this nest!

Oh no! Its the Ushida Findlay Building again!

2005-12-25T08:14:00.000-08:00

Even though from this angle it looks some what like a large art deco surgical boot left behind by a crippled giant, I still sort of like this building.

In stark contrast, across from it is this delicate contemporary town house, reminescent of the victorian redsandstone Italianate mansions that can be found all around Glasgow.

However! Stuck on to the side of it is this rather unfortunate conglomeration of glass, reminiscent of guts spilling out of the building into a cauldron of tripe (sheep stomach).
Could one be forgiven for thinking that the Architect had little understanding of how decorative glass could be used in an architectural scheme.
Or was it just another example of,
"Oh fuck! we still have Percent for Art money to spend! Quick!, somebody get me the Yellow Pages!"

On the way out and back to the green I spot this nice detail in the Ushida Findlay Building. But I still don`t think this building will wear well

A nice view of the cascading gardens of the Ushida Findlay Building.

I spot the misty mansions

2005-12-25T08:02:00.000-08:00

Through the gloom at the northern edge of the park I spy the strutting outline of Homes for the Future. I decide to pay another brief visit!

Now you would think that with the impending oil crisis thats been looming for the past 30 years, that architects and developers would have started making provision for bicycle storage. Seems not!

I head up the staircase and come into this pleasing space.

Through the Ark de triump

2005-12-25T07:51:00.000-08:00

Well thats what its called locally amongst other things.
A magnificant entrance way, into what is still one of the finest publically owned spaces in Europe.

On to the Green

2005-12-25T07:43:00.000-08:00

I claw my way through the fog of Briggait and finally reach Shipbank corner, I cross the Saltmarket in a leisurly fashion, nae traffic!, and head towards the Green.

Sneeking a look at paddies

2005-12-25T07:33:00.000-08:00

The car park is deserted as I stride nimbly through it. If you ever need a parking space in Glasgow then I can thoroughly reccomend it as having plenty of space available all christmas day!
I look across Brigait and paddies market is completly deserted, mabey thats where the barratt building is going, blanket on the ground, "1 appartment block for sale 50p and I`ll throw in the Slaters Building for £ 20 million!"

I cut through the car park and see a monster

2005-12-25T07:23:00.000-08:00

I`m out the door, like a rat out the trap!
it`s about 11.30 AM and its a heavy fog, all thats missing is the snow, or else we would have had a truely winter wonderland!
The air is sharp and theres ice underfoot as I head into King Street Carpark.
I turn around to photograph the studio, but its too depressing, its christmas after all!
But the prow of the Barratt building (Regency Apartments) looms up through the fog like some Monty Pythonesque beast and I notice its got Slaters Building in tow in the background. I wonder where they could be going, and hope its not Glasgow Green!

I walked out one misty morning

2005-12-25T05:08:00.000-08:00

Its Christmas 2005, and so far its gone predictably as usual.
To quote a dear friend, "Hooray!"
Apart, that is, from the mist that greeted me through the window this morning!
A white christmas indeed.
So whats a boy to do?, well go out and photograph it of course.
But where? oh! where?
I took the easy option, Glasgow Green, you can`t go wrong with fog and trees!!
By the way I can sell you Glasgow`s famous public green for a pittance and you can build anything on it that you like, honest guv!

2005-12-25T03:19:00.000-08:00

A Gerry Rafferty Moment

2005-10-30T01:07:00.000-08:00

The Scotia to the left of me, jokers to the right, here I am
Stuck in the middle with......................
Right out of Goosedubs and I am in Stockwell Street looking up town, not quite the Reservoir Dogs moment. But as we say in these sunny climes "ahm goan up the toon", north to the Merchant City for all you consigenti out there.
I pass by Power House on the corner of Howard Street, tucked below Slaters Menswear. I heard that`s the place that Glasgow actor Robert Carlyle, got his gym equipment from. If only he had got his energy bars and energy drinks from there, then he may have been a more caring sharing human being in Ravenous. What a performance, Glasgow Hippie meets American Psycho.
I can`t pass Power House these days without thinking about Ravenous, funny how the mind works!
Power walking north up Stockwell I pass on my left the eastern edge of that great carbuncle, The Saint Enoch Centre, a giant glass tent of a shopping centre.
As I get nearer to my destination, a cheap pound shop, I stop outside Millers Art Store and finally get a photo of ReVamp an itsy bitsy little goth fashion shop that had previously been a kiddies clothing store. they always have a great window display.

Oh! Calcutta

2005-10-29T07:58:00.000-07:00

I turn left at the door and within three steps, the studio after all is in the smallest lane in Glasgow, I turn left into Goosedubs Lane.
Oh! What delights await me this sunny afternoon. But! I should have known, I could smell it before I saw it.

As the advert used to proclaim " Ah! Bisto!"

How come they never show this sort of detail on Architects Plans, we would all sleep better at night if we knew that we would be surrounded by the country fresh aroma of meadow hay!

But unperturbed I wade through Goosedubs, like an 18th century "Lazy Boy"

I look back and for a moment I think, "This is where east meets west!". The thought quickly dissolves as I contemplate the task and journey ahead.
Is it a good building? Is it a bad building? I have no opinion. Is it interesting, probably!

I went to buy, Allan Keys

2005-10-29T07:20:00.000-07:00

You know what it`s like!
A workshop full of allan keys, none of them fit that new piece of equipment and you can`t remember where you put the one that does.
A cold sweat breaks out, metric or imperial.
The WFB tells me on the phone that he can bring in an imperial set, so just in case, I will go out and get a metric set. I pull on my Lobbs american prairie boots and head out the door.
Its still summer, and look some plants that the Barratt building site have not managed to destroy are still clinging on to our bit of Barratt damaged pavement.

2005-10-28T19:29:00.000-07:00

2005-09-22T06:49:00.000-07:00

Stained Glass Evening Courses
At Glassartists@GlasgowDetail

Glasgow Detail are pleased to announce the commencement of Stained Glass evening classes.

Our first series of courses will be a 10 week course for beginners.

The course sructure will cover :-

Approaching the design of Stained Glass. Scaling to full size working drawings and templates.
Glass Cutting techniques. Leadworking techniques. Soldering. Cementing, blacking and Polishing.

All students will be provided with comprehensive course notes covering all aspects of the course, including basic colour theory, notes on tools, materials and glasses, glassworking techniques, Health and Safety notes, and a summarised history of Stained Glass.

The course will be both intensive and fun!

Applicants will have a choice of evening, Tuesday or Thursday.

Courses are continious and you can join any time, places permitting

Tuesday 7pm - 9.30pm.
Thursday 7pm - 9.30pm.
And will run all year round

Course fees £ 220.00

Places on the course will be awarded on a first come first served basis.

Don`t miss out!

For further details and Enrollment contact;

Glassartists@GlasgowDetail.
58-60 Osborne Street,
Glasgow.
G1.5QH.

Telephone:
0141 552 0555
Web site
www.Stained Glass Courses
Email;
glassartists@googlemail.com

Five in the Head

2005-07-23T14:38:00.000-07:00

Apparently this man was held down by two people and it now transpires was shot five times in the head.
Prior to that he was apparently terrorised into panic and ran, his only crime it seems was to run.
A natural reaction under the circumstances?
Should this be considered an act of state sponsored terrorism?
Should we get used to it?
But why five times in the head?
It seems that he was being watched and followed, so was there time to have averted the situation?
Is there a system in place that when a suspect bomber is being followed to a station, that allows the station to be locked on his or her approach. If there is not, then there should be!
It would only take a phone call to lock the station down and exclude the terrorist from his target, it may not stop him setting off his bomb, but it must surely be of help.
We seem to be drifting into an acceptance of an errosion of our liberty.
During the evacuation of Birmingham, we had the spectacle of machine gun weilding police marshalling people away from the suspected danger areas.
Why was it neccessary for duty police men to be armed whilst carrying out a humane act.
We used to have armed response units which were kept in the background until needed
Now we have this tragedy.
Is it a case that if we escalate our response to these satanic muslims, and I am being specific to terrorists here, will that not lead to a further escalatory response from them and will that elicit a similar response from satanic christians eventually.
I deeply resent any act that leads to a restriction of my freedom and liberty, whether in reading, a book watching a film, gathering in a public place to protest and my freedom of movement without fear.
We must not lose sight of the fact that a fundamental detail of any city or nation is liberty and freedom, without them the rich detail of live would be pointless and we might as well just exist in industrial sheds.

At the Edinburgh International festival 2005

2005-07-20T17:02:00.000-07:00

* * *Press Release* * *

Finding the Sacred in the 21st Century: A Transdisciplinary Event

organized & directed by Karen-Claire Voss

24 - 29 August 2005

Church of St John the Evangelist, Princes Street, Edinburgh

Finding the Sacred Art Exhibition (admission free)
August 6-29
Featuring works by

Graham Barbour, Rai Barbour, Jean Bell, Joe Boyle,
Rachel Cowan, Alan Dawson, Richard Demarco, Frank Docherty,
Frank J. Docherty, Andrew Fitzpatrick, Ronnie Ford, Robert Gould,
Charles Hynes, Martin Kane, Peter MacKenna, Joe McLaughlin,
Jack McLean, Craig McMaster, Don McNeil, Boyd McNicol,
Shahin Memishi, Paul Murray, Terry Ann Newman, Avril Paton,
Valentine Petrov, Paul Raine, Jim Rankin, Paul Reeves
Yvonne Smith, Leo Stevenson, Ally Thompson,
George Wyllie

August 24-27
Finding the Sacred in the 21st Century: A Transdisciplinary Event
Speakers (admission free)

Including Andrew Greeen, Lizanne Henderson, Alastair Hulbert, David Lorimer, Murdo MacDonald ,Alastair McIntosh, Karen Ralls Tessa Ransford, Richard Roberts, ,Gordon Strachan, and others.

August 24-27
Finding the Sacred - Musical Offerings (nominal charge) Featuring Flauti Animati Scotica, Frank O`Hagan`s Blues Band Hapax, the Glasgow Phoenix Choir, and Quodlibet.

In some circles in contemporary Scotland the word "sacred" is apparently problematic, usually because it is thought to entail something having to do with religion. However, the "sacred" has little or nothing to do with dogma or doctrine. As human beings we are continually involved in the process of trying to locate our finite selves within infinitude. The process of finding the sacred simply means to be in the process of attempting to gather up the fragments, to bind together the finite with the infinite, so both form one great whole; thus, finding the sacred is a process that touches everyone, whether believer or an atheist. Unlike many of the events on offer at a cultural endeavour like the Edinburgh Arts Festival, it is hoped that this event will actively and explicitly function to help people re-connect with the sacred. All of the talks, images, poetry and music presented will be geared toward forging a connection with what poet Adrienne Rich referred to as "the rockshelf furthering all that is."

For more information and to download a program and order form for tickets, catalogue and brochure , visit our website:

Kempock Digital

* * *END* * *

G8 Golf Tournament?

2005-07-02T16:46:00.000-07:00

Found this post while looking around the net, if this is true its weird!

Before you do anything else, go here LIVE 8 LIVE, and sign the petition, make your voice heard, stop fear and poverty!

Then head for Gleneagles, Scotland, I have heard that there is a marvelous round of golf to be had!
Apparently there will be a celebrity politician, golf tournament to raise money for world poverty, what a wonderfully good spirited gesture on the part of these important and busy world leaders.
There is meant to be a web site somewhere, where one can donate to the teams playing, but I have been unable to find it.
If anyone does, let me know!

2005-06-10T14:23:00.000-07:00

The Gothmobile

2005-06-10T14:13:00.000-07:00

When is a Renault not a Renault , all our shopping done at Pearsons we get ready to leave . Vroom !!!!!!!! Vroooomm!!!!!!!!!!! time to exit polo mint city, stage left. and I`ll be back in Glasworks studio before you click on that mouse !l

Side window reflections

2005-06-10T14:11:00.000-07:00

Remember Children! Buckle up!

2005-06-10T14:09:00.000-07:00

Wonky Garage

2005-06-10T14:08:00.000-07:00

I think a journey to a B&Q superstore is required before the new Porsche 911 is delivered!

Cafe Detail, Langside , Glasgow`s south side

2005-06-10T14:02:00.000-07:00

Hell hath no fury

2005-06-10T13:57:00.000-07:00

No! This is not an advert for Greggs the Bakers, if it was it would be the biggest mistake they ever made.
Actually apart from young Stewart being a brilliant organiser, he is also an advocate of recycling, this is one of his current projects, rather fetching, don`t you think.
He is hoping to have a Motor Cycle crash helmet version out of development soon.

Vroom!!! Vroom!!!! Vroom!!!!!

2005-06-10T13:54:00.000-07:00

I`m off to Pearsons Glass in East Kilbride today, and I am going to have the pleasure of travelling there in young Stewart`s Gothmobile.
Fun, you bet!
And they don`t know we are coming, boy are they in for a treat!
Stewart is a brilliant organiser and he has been trying to re-organise these guy`s for years

2005-06-10T13:10:00.000-07:00

Fish Market Corner

2005-06-10T12:56:00.000-07:00

Tourists do not come here expecting to find fish. The order of the day is now sculpture. The old Fish Market is now inhabited by the Glasgow Sculpture Studios.
If you want fish, walk a couple of hundred yards up Stockwell Street to Howard Street, and you will find Bernard Corrigan Fishmongers. A vast selection of fresh fish, game and fowl daily, but be early, it goes fast!

The Old Fish Market & Briggait Diner

2005-06-10T12:54:00.000-07:00

The Buttery, Rogano, 1 Devonshire Gardens, Malmaison, and all of Glasgow`s other great restaurants could`nt hold a candle to one of the Briggait Diner`s bacon butties. They would be responsible for starting the Great Fire of Glasgow.
Keep up the good work Duncan

Howard Street at Stockwell Street

2005-06-10T12:49:00.000-07:00

I am standing in the middle of King Street Car park, which for some reason is full of Mercedes Benz cars, whilst I take the previous two photographs and this one, its a hot sunny day, I am seconds from the studio, I don`t want to go in!
" Bit antie, ah dont want tae cum in yit, ah nither five minutes," The reply was always the same. " yoo git yer sel up they stairs afore ah cum doon in gee yer scrawney wee arse a good lethering!. Oh well, there`s nothing like fond childhood memories of Maryhill, to get you scurrying back to work! God the Scotia Bar looks inviting!!!!!

Behind Saltmarket flats

2005-06-10T12:47:00.000-07:00

Steel Street Conversions

2005-06-10T12:46:00.000-07:00

Sacred 1847

2005-06-10T12:36:00.000-07:00

White Lichen

2005-06-10T12:32:00.000-07:00

Arthur White 1796

2005-06-10T12:30:00.000-07:00

Septimus Ellis 1811

2005-06-10T12:14:00.000-07:00

Obviously a Fancy Dancer

2005-06-10T12:12:00.000-07:00

Death Row

2005-06-10T12:09:00.000-07:00

Salvation Acanthus & Scroll

2005-06-09T19:29:00.000-07:00

Salvation 1890

2005-06-09T19:26:00.000-07:00

Salvation Acanthus

2005-06-09T19:24:00.000-07:00

Homes for the ? suggestions!!!!!!

2005-05-19T11:33:00.000-07:00

But as I move west along Greendyke Street the facade of Homes for the Future, starts to look in places just that, a facade. Once again a good development let down by quality of finish. Now don`t forget I am just passing by, But I am looking as I pass, because I am taking pictures, I am not picking over things, I don`t have time to stop to long. One out of three photographs show cracking and damaged rendering,

another shows a lack of regard for the existence of pigeons, even opposite a park the size of Glasgow Green. The mesh over the slatted glazed detail is an after thought, it looks shabby!. Now some may say better that, than pigeons nesting in the space and messing it up. But what about form and function, good design is about anticipating problems, solving them before proceeding. With the advent of advanced computer modelling and rendering in recent years these neccessary after thoughts should not happen

Intervention 3

2005-05-09T20:11:00.000-07:00

Below is the image of Michael Donnelly`s book on Glasgow Stained Glass, that a number of people have been emailing me about. As I have said I believe that it is out of print.
It was originally published by Glasgow Museums & Art Galleries ( ISBN 0 902752 12X ) in 1981, and was republished in 1985, by Smith Brothers, (Kilmarnock) Ltd.
Its a great wee booklet, and I have occasionally seen it on ebay. It probably never should have gone out of print, but sadly this happens all to often.
Mabey if enough people emailed Glasgow Museums, then they may consider republishing.
People power! right on!!!!
Michael also brought out a great book called "Scotlands Stained Glass- making the colours sing".
Originally published 1997, by The Stationary Office Ltd, Edinburgh (ISBN 0 11 495793 2) Michael can be contacted at the Smith Art Gallery & Museum, Stirling, Scotland.
Hope this answers all enquiries.

Glasgow Stained Glass. Michael Donnelly 1981

2005-05-09T20:06:00.000-07:00

Back to the Future and then home to Glasworks

2005-05-06T18:00:00.000-07:00

I leave Bill`s by the Bain Street entrance, head south towards London Road, I am travelling down the most easterly part of the Barrowland area, there is not a lot here except new housing and bits of waste ground. Bain Street is a sort of boundary between commerce in its simplest form, the Trader, and the householder, during the week it guarantees to be virtually empty, but at week-ends when the Barras opens up it can be teeming with people.
Out of Bain Street and straight across London Road, and I leave the barras behind
Down the side of some rundown shops, across a bit of waste ground, I cross the cobbled remnants on Monteith Row.
As I move into Greendyke Street, heading west, Homes from the Future looms up in the near distance. The long perspective has been utilised nicely by the Arcihtectural Team responsible for the development. Nestled between London Road and Greendyke Street, the development looks south over Glasgow Green. Its a sunny day and in the distance the buildings look good, and on the whole its a pleasing modern development, but like the equally pleasing Muscle Building, it suffers from bad finishing in places. Time is pushing on and I have been out of the studio longer than I meant.
But I can`t pass by without a comment, Rick Mather Architects have designed a an excellent exterior for their central section of the development, I like it!

Rhino Memories

2005-05-06T16:41:00.000-07:00

The Saracen Head Bar, squats as it always has in front of St Mungos Well which is apparently in the back court behind the pub. Some may have said in the past that to get to heaven you sometimes had to pass through the gates of hell. Famous for its white T and shammie, it was the favoured hang out for the down and outs ( winos in other cultures) of the city, and very often the only place that served them. In all the esteemed University student guides, it was down as a must visit, not neccessarily because it was one of the contenders for oldest pub in Glasgow ( a title still hotly fought over), but more likely because it was akin to a visit to the human zoo. They would appear on a dark night huddle around each other at the bar ogle, giggle, treat every one with suspicion and general contempt depart generally never to be seen again.
No great loss. It was my local bar for several years when I set up studio in East Campbell street, purely because it was at that time the safest and most civilised bar near to WASPS Dove Hill Studios. I have fond memories of Tommy (I fought the Japs) an unsuccesful safe cracker, wee wet Mary and her wellie boots; Angus and Alastair the two brothers who inherited the pub from their father, and who famously never spoke to each other.
But one memory will always endure with me, the night we drove a Rhino jeep through the main doors into the Sarrie.
It all started because Rony a friend from the west end used to chide Angus( the older brother) about the lack of cappucino in the bar. This was a relentless joke which Angus one day got fed up with and promised cappucino on demand, but only if we could get Rony`s jeep through the main doors and into the bar. A pretty safe bet!
Well no, the next day the absolute width of the door was quietly measured along with a corresponding measurment of the Rhino jeep, we had an inch and a half either side.
We picked a thursday night for the maximum impact (chelidh night and the day that welfare was paid out, some thursdays were like walking into the witches party from Tam O`Shanter)
So on a foggy October Thursday night the jeep was ligned up, headligts on full beam, with the door. The light hitting the door windows was my que, to open and pin back the doors and in roared the jeep, all four wheels in the bar, with Rony leaning out the drivers window, claiming his first cappucino for the next morning.
Friday morning and Angus had managed to get a sort of one cup cappucino machine, the bet was honoured in full. A fleeting memory, I`m nearly at Bill`s tool store, a right turn into Bain street and I`m nearly there and there it is on the corner of Bain and Moncur Street BILLS TOOL STORE at last, in I go purchase the 5 sheets of finest grade wet and dry paper and depart

Bain Street market frontage

2005-05-06T16:40:00.000-07:00

The Sarrie Heid

2005-05-06T16:37:00.000-07:00

The sun is still shining and.................

2005-05-06T16:30:00.000-07:00

I pass the self proclaimed "oldest chippie in Glasgow", mabey it is, I don`t know. Pass by the amputee blond tenement, a possible inspiration for the muscle, and The Saracen Head looms into view, more memories.

The oldest Chippie and the Muscle`s inspiration

2005-05-06T16:26:00.000-07:00

I have never eaten fish & chips from here, but like almost all chippies at the Barras thay probably sell shellfish like welks cockles mussels and maybe even the incredibly tasty but horribly ugly clappiedo, a must try for any tourist coming to the city

Oan ta ra Barras an` Bills

2005-05-06T15:39:00.000-07:00

Ok! I know the title is a bit Francie & Josie, the Barrowland Ballroom is starting to loom large.
Out of Watson and left into Gallowgate.
I spy Shipka pass, I`ll say good by to it now in case I blink and its gone.
Head east along the Gallowgate, its a beautiful day, blue sky wispy clouds and sun.
In the distance there`s that crappy gable end mural, I never did figure out what it was about. But one way or another public money painted that!
To the right and before it on the corner of Gallowgate and Moir Street stand a taste of the new Barras.
It stands there proudly proclaiming I am the future, but on closer inspection it reminds me of John F. Kennedy`s famous "ich bein ein Berliner" speech.
If this building could speak it may well proclaim ” I am a muscle”
The Barras/Gallowgate are famous for them.
Its a pretty good looking building at a distance, but have a closer look, is it me or are building standards collapsing. This is a pretty building let down badly by a lack of attention to detail. Purple blue engineering brick mixed with green glazed brick around the back in Charlotte Street marred by numpty pseudo victorian wrought iron work. The white rendering that cloaks a large part of the building, is thankfully high enough out of the way of the dreaded tagger. But will it quickly absorb the patina of the climate mixed with what the city streets belt out, the pure juice of the traffic jam. ahhh!

The Muscle

2005-05-06T15:33:00.000-07:00

Bye Bye Shipka

2005-05-06T15:31:00.000-07:00

Goin to see Greek T`s

2005-05-06T13:25:00.000-07:00

Do a right out of Tontine and head along to the corner of Bell and High street, the day is dissapearing and I hit a traffic jam. The rules of the road are being blatently ignored, traffic blocking all junctions, buses vans cars, you can`t see the pedestrian traffic lights to cross and there is not a safe gap big enough to get through. Disgusting!
I find a way through, and get across the road, continue along Bell and turn down Watson. I cross over to get a better view of the former site of one of Greek T`s glasgow gaffs.

Thank God its gone!, because you now get a really nice view of the Glasgow City Council Parks Department and Culture and Leisure`s offices (side elevation) High Street. I give them a wave, no one waves back. The builders on the old Havana site look at me as if I`m daft. But they are the ones who are digging up and building on Havana.

Question ................... Why did Greek T not have the foresight of Nostradamus, and build most of his buildings where developers today are obviously not going to have an easy ride with planning permission.
Greek ya daftie, hindsight would tell you................. Bearsden!!!!!!!!!!!!
I am sure there must be a quartrain!

Look Greek you can see Culture & leisure from here

2005-05-06T13:23:00.000-07:00

Intervention 2

2005-05-06T13:19:00.000-07:00

The Great British experiment with democracy is over yet again, and guess what,
"Well I did`nt really mean that I would actually really stand down. I mean, well!"

Another 5 years of this, Nooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooo, well I mean sort of no.

Just what do you do with those pesky old Public Art Commissions?

2005-05-04T14:23:00.000-07:00

Cross Ingram again!.
Down Albion, turn left into Bell Street, there is a lane I must visit!

At Tontine Lane

I cross over Bell Street, I`m heading for Tontine Lane. Its entrance sits below a red sandstone tenement jammed between old victorian office buildings, its an old part of town.
Tontine Lane cuts straight down to Trongate, but I`m not going there on this trip. The objects of my desire loom large and small before me.
Both originally hail from Brunswick Lane, 4 streets west of Tontine Lane.
The larger is a neon sign artwork, with the legend in capitals “EMPIRE”. It sort of evokes bygone art-deco times, but! the letters are in reverse on both sides. This is not an old piece, it was installed late 20th early 21st century, can`t remember date. The cunning artist has confused us. On its original site high up on the side of my old bank, it looked as if it been relocated there from an old demolished Cinema or Playhouse. Passing by it just hanging there, I assume, was meant to confuse our senses, and make us question the ability ot the artisan responsible for putting it up the wrong way round, until we realise that it can only be put up the way it is seen.It is a little one word, one act play attempting to make merry hell with our senses.
Th smaller is another neon, this time not an art work, but none the less a memory of an Iconic Glasgow Pub. Its the old Mitre Bar neon sign, it`s been amputated from the body of its pub, which is soon to join the spirits of the other pubs which are now sadly gone from the block between Brunswick and Candleriggs. I will list them in order of their demise.

The Hangmans Rest
Granny Blacks
The Riggs Bar
The Mitre Bar (still standing, just.)

May their memory linger. I drank in them all, especially, the Mitre

The Mitre closed quietly, which suprised me, considering the wealth and breadth of people who drank there, but I suppose by then we were all blown in the winds.
It was probably Glasgow`s smallest old pub, and had almost all of its original interior intact, it also has a Glasgow building listing.

Why is it going? you ask!
Well stupid, don`t you know that Glasgow desperately needs a Selfridges Department store, designed by a internationl signature architect.
His name is Toyo Ito and he hails from Japan. I like his work, I am sure he`s a great bloke, but I bet you any money that if the esteemed leaders of The Tartan Army decided to build a Bus Park in the courtyard of Himeji Castle , he`d be the first to don the crash helmet and dig up the cobble stones.

So here`s a challenge Toyo Ito, we`ll no build the Bus park, if you develop a historical moral concience and incorporate the fabric of the Mitre into your Selfridges development.
Here are some suggestions.

Build it into a glasscube and use it as a window display for scarves, lingerie etc.
Incorporate it into a tea room.
Keep it as a bar, and give all those international shoppers that are going to flock to Candleriggs, a taste of Real Glasgow.
Result = A great new new building for Glasgow, and a seriously enhanced reputation for yourself amongst Glasgow`s drinkers.

I throw down the gauntlet to you Toyo Ito, are you man enough to pick it up!!!!1

In the words of Looney Tunes "That all folks" ...... for tonight anyway.

It only took about 40 minutes to get from the Bank to Bills and back to the Studio, and this is taking for ever!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

In Tontine Lane

2005-05-04T14:21:00.000-07:00

But on we go!

2005-05-03T15:27:00.000-07:00

Along the block and I am at Albion Street, which way to go?. Then The Albion Building attracts my attention. It was one of the first city centre building to be saved by conversion to residential property in the late 70`s early 80`s. It has a fine entrance way, I recross Ingram and take some shots

The Albion Building Main Entrance

2005-05-03T15:26:00.000-07:00

Albion Building Detail 1

2005-05-03T15:25:00.000-07:00

Albion Building Detail 2

2005-05-03T15:24:00.000-07:00

Albion Building Detail 3

2005-05-03T15:23:00.000-07:00

In Ingram Street - Memories

2005-05-02T14:30:00.000-07:00

Every time I round that corner, for some reason memories come back.
I cross the street to the Old Sherrif Court, its now a swish new housing development in the making. No time to stop. I decide to head east along Ingram, now across the street looms the building my first studio occupied (nearly 30 years ago), ouch! mortallity check. I stop for the briefest moment, was it really 30 years ago that I staggered out of the GSA vowing never to become a teacher, to always be an independant artist. I marvelled that at long last this wonderful old factory facade would once more survive as the quaint frontage of some very modern loft type flats being built behind it.
When we occuped it under the guise of the Glasgow Print Studio, we had the top floor and the attick. Not the smartest place for a fine art print studio, which had serious tonnage of printing presses and associated equipment, but it was cheap and had loads of space. We had a large gallery space, a well fitted out print studio where artists could come and edition prints, and teaching facilities for evening classes.
Because there was plenty of space the GPS was able to provide spare studio space to artists in other disciplines. It soon filled up, and I was lucky enough to have got my studio. I moved into the attick floor, sharing a studio with Bob Hamilton, a fine photographer, always experimenting. Next door was John Byrns studio, where he was finishing of an important commission for the Governors of the Hamilton Bequest, the painting now forms part of Glasgow Museums 20th Century collection. I did not know John well, but on one occasion I borrowed a mal stick from him. The one he lent me and told me to keep, was his fathers (who was a sign writer). I still have that silver banded walking cane and it is in continious use as a mal stick, only now its used for glass painting, so it is still an architectural tool.
Anyway,more of those days another time mabey.
I move along Ingram, and get to the corner of Candleriggs, I am standing with my back to the only certified earthquake proof building, possibly ever built on the British Isles. It was built in the late 1930`s by the wait for it!
THE EARTHQUAKE PROOF BUILDING COMPANY LIMITED
It was a demonstration build for the city of Buenos Aries, Argentina, who had commissioned this Glasgow Engineering company to develop a system that would allow buildings to survive in the earthquake zone the city was in. It apparently sits or floats on giant steel springs.
Across the street I can see the back of Glasgow`s famous City Halls, at last they are starting to sort out the mess it has been these past years.

City Halls Budelia blooms in brick

2005-05-02T14:29:00.000-07:00

City Halls Decay Romantic Rose Tinted version

2005-05-02T14:28:00.000-07:00

Intervention 1

2005-04-30T19:38:00.000-07:00

Its 3.40AM scotch time. I am just back from a 50th birthday party in a giant green house, which is part of the Peoples Palace Museum on Glasgow Green. It was Iain Adie`s birthday, he, I suppose was really the inventor of the Tartan Army. It was a good night with many of the musicians from the Stockwell Triangle performing. But the rest is for when I have finished from the Bank to Bill`s Tool Store. I am listening to Keith Jaretts wonderful Koln concert, I have put it on repeat, oh for the sun streaming in the window when I awake.
Bliss? Yes

To George Square

2005-04-30T14:31:00.000-07:00

Didn`t notice if Wellington had his orange hat on, the sun was still shining!!!
Headed up to George Square, noticed all the white tents, thought the art fair was over, I think its still a tenner entrance fee. I`m glad we still have a democratic arts setup in Glasgow. Does anyone know if Glasgow gets a fair commercial rent for such prime site space. Ok I know they may still have a half day at the end when the poor can get in, so that must be OK!!, it certainly helps keep the Elite out of art. Call me a Phyllis dine , I gave it a miss. After all I was about to pass by Page & Park at Armani, and their might be a treat in their John Street window. Nup no model of a giant dildo being gripped by king Kongs hand in that window. Mabey next time I`m passing, I will check to see if there is a London Bobbies Helmet instead.
Any way, round the corner and straight thru Glasgows all weather, all year round, street cafe scene, got thru that without encountering to many "gaping maws like roll on roll off ferries munching down on", didn`t stop to see, so don`t know what the menu munchies were. Quick Glance into the window of Hutchinson`s Hall, well worth a visit. Very helpful very friendly staff, lovely shop, well stocked and for some strange reason, very heavily stocked with scottish and glasgow made art craft work. ARE THESE PEOPLE MAD , LOTTERY WINNERS ON A MISSION, OR NOT WITH THE PROGRAMME.
RIDDLE ME THIS, YOU NAT TRUST LEFTIES, why aren`t you stocking thirty bob little red glass hearts bundled into chintzie little wicker baskets like GOMA, don`t you realise that you could maximise your city centre square foot profitability if you got rid of all this scottish stuff!!! Lets face it if they are still living and making in scotland they are plainly of international insignificance.
Listen girls, gimmie a phone, and I will
1. Put a list together of some great guys who have learned how to use scottish arts and crafts commissions as a wonderful opencast pit to extract lots of lovely dosh and export it outa here in truely magnificient cavalier fashion. Whas like us? vor sprung dur technik!!!!
2. Help yoose get registered in the Caymans
3. Show you how to buy islands in the sun, lets face it Greek and chums days are numbered.

Round the corner and into Ingram Street, no time to go into Hutchinsons Hall, which is a pity, a truely ecelectic range of artist craftsman designer work all for sale, and not massively overpriced. Made in Scotland by scots and people who have chosen Scotland as their home. If your are a tourist in Glasgow and want a flavour of Glasgow or Scotland to take away, go here. Check my links on the right.

I went to the Bank

2005-04-29T14:57:00.000-07:00

I went to bank for the studio today, and remembered to take a camera with me at long last!
I have been meaning to put up a site about the detail and details that I come across as a result of both working and living in the heart of a busy city like Glasgow. In Glasgow like any city around the world you are bombarded with detail, whether you notice it or not, and very often its the detail, rather than the grand architectural and cultural statements of a city, that impact on us as visitors and inhabitants.
I thought at first I would just do a photo diary, but as I started clicking images today, I found that I had something either to comment on, critise, praise. I was not creating art photography, but merely capturing what had come about at that click in time, but as I clicked, opinions formed.
So here we go!

Personally I would not have thought that such a bland place as a bank, would have been a starting place for a journey, but I had not waited long and it was a sunny day.

Journey 1

On leaving the bank, I did a right up Queen Street, crossed over and headed for GOMA, as I passed a little fashion boutique called STONS, I thought "that was a good image" but I had passed it (I will go back tomorrow). A quick tour round the ground floor in GOMA presented me with some familar and unfamilar images, it was a pleasant comfortable experience.
However I really was heading to the un-arti Bill's Tool Store over in the Barrowland area of the city. To set myself up for that impending retail experience, I decided to drop into the GOMA shop on the way out. I am sure that it does well, but it was a dissapointing experience. It seemed to carry as much stock in a very small space , as I was about to be confronted with, in the not so cavernous Bill's Tool Store . It was like walking into a pound shop, that sold, pile it high, art, but not at pound shop prices. It sold the usual eclectic mix of international art nicks and nacks interspersed with some token Glasgow stuff, well what I really noticed was Mackintosh bits and pieces. Most of the culture sector are highly vocal about toshienalia or Macincrap, however if its made in Glasgow, or even Scotland, and to a good standard, I can see little harm in it.
Any way!, left GOMA same way as I came in, thru the Saturday Night Fever entrance way. Don`t know why they went to the expense, at the time, of Nikki Saint Phalle, when they could have got Glasgow entertainments Entreprenur, Frank Lynch to do not only as good but better a job. He might even have done it for nothing if they had named a floor after him!
Just think The Frank Lynch Gallery at the Top of GOMA. Brings back memories of the old Green's days.. ahhh!
Any way, again, this is the first image that hits you as you go out the middle door, it`s right below Wellington's horses arse.

Revealed! What every scotsman has under his kilt !!, A Plough, all the better to....

2005-04-29T14:32:00.000-07:00