Delivering the Oak Board Room Table was totally new ground. I completely underestimated what a hassle it would be. The base came apart into three pieces but the top was one large lump of timber. We hired a block and tackle, rigged up an RSJ, took off the banister rails and closed all access to the stairs from the companies working out of the building. Our destination was on the third floor and access within the stairwell was extremely tight. It came 14 inches short at the top so we had to swing it round 180⁰ and flip it 90⁰. The stress of it left the three of us totally knackered but we got it there after 5 hours.

New commissions are an ace partners style desk, with some radial inlays, and a set of room shelving with abstract doors and an 8ft mirrored wall sculpture. I'm hand carving the components of Dominique's Beautifier. It's Rippled Pear and I'm using a scratch stock and a pair of skewed pairing chisels. Totally old school, hard work but it's so satisfying. The Lapis Lazuli Balls via Afghanistan, India and Ireland turned up looking like a free gift in a cereal packet. We wondered if they were fakes. Stained in a yucky blue and the shape of a hand moulded clay ball, they have come back from precision tweaking looking a million dollars.

Galileo brought the bacon home, that's for sure. He is a tremendous horse - Nashwan with a turn of foot. Having put out in the election that "no vote was the new black" selling the percentage turnout put us back in the swim. Sven continues his run with the big one looming on 1^st September. We are all hoping to see the Holland friendly.

Martyn and Lee delivering the Oak BoardRoom Table. Half a ton of timber at 30ft off the ground in a narrow stairwell.

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September 2001

A partner's style desk in Burr Oak, Walnut and Ebony Balls. An exciting commission for a fine lady who wanted a laptop and printer hidden within the 2 outside top drawers. I had a free hand in the design and it was a joy to work on.

The Celebration of Craftsmanship show at Cheltenham was excellent. People reacted strongly to my quivering sculpture, continually touching it. Betty Norbury, the organiser, put on an ace show as ever and I sold a Spinal Chair. We are busy finishing off a tricentre table in London Plane for 100% Design. I am on my usual stand D4, sharp left from the entrance and at the top of the second row. So come on down and check it out.

The football gets better and better. Giving Germany a 5-1 thrashing helped erase memories of Waddle's blaze to row Z and Southgate's horror penalty. Unfortunately Lee has scuppered his back by undoing an Oak unit but more likely cheering too energetically Owen's superb hat trick. It's all systems go for Seoul and I'm taking some of the kids up to Old Trafford to watch us take out Greece. Saw the Irish Champion Stakes on Saturday and what a race, two great horses.

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November 2001

I hope we have some snow this winter and I though this pic of my neon acrylic sculptures may encourage it. So much has happened, so much has changed that what we have been doing here has not felt very relevant. Corporate greed and the increasing level of hatred have somewhat depressed me.

My feelings at 100% Design this year were not as buoyant as usual. The show went well and we did some interesting business but after 7 years its starting to become too automatic. On the upside, we were at Old Trafford to see Beck's epic goal against Greece. It was crap football but the rollercoaster of emotions was exceptional. He truly is a modern day icon.

My work on The Sphelix is beginning to stride forward. Conceived and birthed with Dave Constable, it is The Popstar of all Shapes. It is a symbol of unity and joining which right now is hyper relevant. I saw the picture of my dreams the other day, it was Marino Marini's "Bright Lights in the Forest" painted in 1958. It was a breath of fresh air.

The workshop is busy making a lot of oak furniture and I'm exploring some sculptures using the "Quivering" action of compression springs. One of the highlights of 100% Design was people's reaction to "Before", which is featured in the Portfolio, September/October 2001. The greatest crack at the show was "How often do you have to feed it?" The reply being "Only on Tuesdays".

Happy Christmas to y'all.

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January 2002

The snow nearly came and we all had a great break. Needless to say at 5 am on New Year's Eve we had talked up a fantastic win for England in the World Cup. The Christmas P.U. ended up playing "hi-low" in the Swindon megabowl. Anyway it's back on the pace now and I have just returned from a 2 day invitational visit to Sweden to discuss the possibility of making some of my designs. My account of the trip is below. We installed Richard and Alison's decorative shelving unit just before Christmas and I will be putting a pic up at the next update. My still camera and Panasonic vid were stolen in Barcelona Airport, along with my original footage of Gaudi's Casa Milà. I am so gutted that, if by fate someone finds it, please send it back. Happy New Year.

Hunt for The Blue Moose

Having been approached by Anders Wisth of SFCG at 100% Design last year, I was invited to visit Sweden along with fellow designer Chris Eckersely and Alan West, boss of Trombè. SFCG stands for The Swedish Furniture Component Group and the idea was to visit 6 factories to see if there was common ground to manufacture various furniture components. Unlike the UK, where the probability of part A fitting part B is about 5/2 against, Sweden has the same technical approach to woodworking as we do engineering. The word "nominal" is not used as an excuse for a crap fit.

The tour took off from Stansted Airport at 07.00, flying out on RyanAir for £26 return. The in-flight drinks cost more than the flight but for this deal to happen RyanAir has to be the new umbilical cord to the Swedish factories. We landed at Gothenburg and hit the tour running. Anders is the main man and it is his vision that has inspired the opening salvo. The tour bus was a Chrysler and we landed in to the hotel that night knackered. It was the biggest wooden structure in the northern hemisphere but, set in the middle of a pine forest, it brought thoughts of Jack Nicholson in The Shining. Light deprivation, a lack of anything to spend your money on and a max of 0.2 mg. booze to blood ratio, caused a general feeling of the bizarre. Peter Mathers from the British Embassy, David Jackson, an entrepreneur/civil engineer of 20 years living in Sweden and Anna Peterson were our fellow dinner guests.

They start work at 07.00 so it was another early start. What we saw in the factories was seriously impressive. They are highly equipped in both machinery and CAD software to drive it. Slightly worrying that the usual girlie calendars had been substituted for fir tree calendars but I put that down to the lack of daylight. We were made immensely welcome and Alan and Chris had already pioneered the first deal (next time in Euros) for a bench which is being sold in Conran's shops and is about to scoop a design award. After an interview from the local journo, Alan became uncharacteristically shy when asked about The Blue Moose.

We also toured round a large modern retail store where we hope to have a "British Design Week". The receptionist was very keen and served up a blistering kind of Swedish cream tea. Chris and I had a great laugh looking at some "size discrimination furniture": one chair that only the likes of Kate Moss could use and the other a TV slumper with hydraulic lift that Jim Royle would have been proud of. Possible dates for the British Design input are early June but I did mention to Anders that it might all go a bit frosty after the football. (Eng. v Swe. World Cup opener June 2). We hoped to visit Sven's birthplace but it proved a forest too far.

The Mayor turned up for dins that night with some of the various directors of the factories and a great line in shoes. We were up and away back to the airport at 05.30. It was an amazing trip and I seriously believe some good business will come from it.

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March 2002

Since the New Year we have completed an excellent "Bridge Table" for a company boardroom in Devizes. It had to be fork lifted through the window on the top floor and like a fool, I said I'd be up for standing in the basket with Lee. 25ft off the ground, I got crucial vertigo and felt ghastly for a few hours. Pearlfisher, the London design consultancy have just commissioned a cool desk for their reception area.

Backgammon Table

Sycamore & Leather. The third generation 3ML design.

90cms x 65 x 50 high.

My Tricentre business with Anders Wisth in Sweden is progressing. We are at the stage of seeing some samples and I am hopeful of placing an order within the next 2 weeks. Martyn & Lee have been involved in taking some time off to build a massive skateboard ramp for my son, Charlie. It's a half pipe measuring 12ft across x 6ft high x 30ft long.

11 weeks to go before kick off in the World Cup. Please note that the workshops will be temporarily closed in the mornings from June 3^rd - 26^th. We will be here but watching it all on a large screen T.V. so the minds will not exactly be focused. Email is probably the best form of communication during the World Cup. Georgie and I have been allocated 2 tickets for the Semi's & Final, providing England go the distance. Big "if" but I'm looking for a new best friend in Tokyo with a room to rent.

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May 2002

The Reception Desk at Pearlfisher looks great and we are working on another Reception Desk for a property company in Reading. I am busy making some exhibition work which I will show in Cheltenham: a desk and shelf unit in sharkskin blue Sycamore and Ebony, new Light Quivers and a quivering Coffee Table. More news on that at the next update.

My latest project is making a 3ft diameter sphere in polyethylene foam. As the pic below shows, it produces the most beautiful swarf we have ever seen. When I have finished the sphere I'll be trying to make it into a Sphelix - active leisure and loafing furniture with each side of the Sphelix acting as a chair or rest which can then be rolled together.

Blueworld Sphelix Ball

We have had 2 crop circles so far in oilseed rape. However the main excitement by far is The World Cup. We have got in the sofa, large TV, a tanker-full of beer, rockets, bunting and the whole bit. With kick off only 11 days away, it's full on excitement. We have endless bets running as the tournament progresses but the great honour lies in winning the Super 6 Oracle Cup. On each game we predict the result, double result, correct score, first and last goal scorer and number of cards. We should see most of the 64 games so let the opus begin. Latest thoughts are: I reckon Brazil will come good and Spain will choke again. Maybe the Azzurri Blues as they have a soft side of the draw. If we can beat Sweden and win the group, we could make the semis and maybe beyond.

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July 2002

Work is well under way for Betty Norbury's annual exhibition in Cheltenham, "A Celebration of Craftsmanship". It's in its 9th year and continues to be the best "woody" show around. I am showing my new Light Quivers, which are 7ft high cones of translucent veneer, set up on conical compression springs. The contained energy is released when you touch the cones and they quiver for about 5 minutes sending dancing shadows everywhere.

My other work is a fancy Desk & shelves in sharkskin blue sycamore & ebony and a Coffee Table with 4 springs as legs. I shall post up some pics and a review in the next update. For more details about the exhibition, hit www.celebrationofcraftsmanship.com

World Cup Madness

June was wiped out with World Cup Madness. We had some fantastic crack watching all the games. Truly depressing when we limped out in the quarterfinals. To go soft 4 minutes either side of half-time in unforgivable. Next stop Euro 2004 and I reckon it will be twice as tough. Italy and Spain with the hump, The Guezzy with home advantage, Turkey on a roll, The Gorange (Dutch) with something to prove, and the Tank, well I'm just so pleased they got beat. If you want our World Cup Loons you can click here. Lee was the deserved winner of The World Cup Oracle with 38 points, Johnny 33 points and Martyn 23 points..

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September 2002

McKay Securities PLC Reception Desk

Stained Birds Eye Maple and Black Granite

We have recently completed a fine commission above for a property company in Reading. As it was done in the holidays, my daughter, Bella, was doing some work experience and assisted in the fitting of the stone. We have been busy in the workshops getting the Tricentre Tables, which have arrived from Sweden, ready for a marketing push. They are now available for £775 inclusive of VAT and delivery and will be featured in the Commissions page at the next update

Celebration of Craftsmanship

Betty Norbury's show at Cheltenham was a great success. My Light Cones are going into two galleries and were very well received. It's strange not working for 100% Design, however having exhibited there for 7 years, it's gone a bit stale and I don't miss the pressure. I am busy on The Sphelix producing a loafing chair and creating 3D visualisations of products and architecture.

Beachy Head beckoned after the World Cup. After such good work in the first 42 minutes against Brazil, it was gutting to watch. We mentally went down the tunnel 2 minutes early and let them score. Catastrophic and unforgivable. We went to see Swindon on Wednesday night and they lost 2-1 to Wycombe. King and all the directors must go. Pewsey Carnival is nearly upon us so we will be building floats and drunken wheelbarrows. The Wine Race was last week so the Carnival spirit has already kicked off.

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Work is still a bit thin but is better than it has been.  My on-going efforts with The Sphelix received a boost recently when I worked for a couple of days in a plastics R&D laboratory allied to the world’s largest chemical company.  They made up some special urethane formulations for me and it was grand to don the white coat and goggles and play at being a techy boffin.  My sincere thanks to Ian Lynam and his team.  The light cones are going well and I’m putting together some better sales blurb.  The latest oracle scores are Bill 27, Johnny 25, Lee 21, Charlie 17, and the current holder, Martyn 15.

What’s the story with the Irukandji?  Georgie and I had a fab week’s hols in Queensland, Australia.  It’s a beautiful place but be warned, the sea is like a war zone.  Think of the final shoot out in The Good, The Bad and The Ugly and that’s about the level.  The Irukandji are a relatively new type of minute jellyfish or stinger.  They are the size of your fingernail, transparent and the sting is sometimes fatal.  Quoting The Age magazine, "It's not unusual for victims to rate the pain at it's worse as 15 to 20 on a scale of one to 10. Some say they'd gladly end their lives to escape it."  It was very frustrating being on a beautiful beach with a warm sea and not beeing able to go in.  25% of the hits/stings occur inside the so-called safety netting!!

There seems no solution to war in Iraq.  It’s all so desperate and I just wish that all the fundamentalists out there, whatever faith or creed, would just accept that there are sometimes alternatives to their rigid thinking.  Fundamentalism = Black Hole = Analism!!  There’s a shocking line in The Matrix about humans behaving in the same way as a virus.  We are trying hard to make that true.

Zidane's trap and scissor pass to Roberto Carlos, leading to Raul's opening goal in last nights Champion Leagues clash v AC Milan was just breathtaking. Madrid went through the worlds two best centre halves like butter. Back to reality, Swindon went down to Cheltenham (bottom of the table) 3-0.

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It's a CAD visualisation but I'm very hopeful to receive a commission to make a Sphelix like this. Since September last year I have been working on The Sphelix, creating various CAD visualisations and models demonstrating the use of the shape for Art, Architecture and various products. I am hopeful that this year should see its fruition in some of these areas. 

Work, I am pleased to say, has picked up since the lull of the New Year. We have some fine commissions on and doing the furniture for a Nightclub in Battersea has helped pay the bills. 

The footy season is nearly gone as are Real Madrid's Champions League efforts with my £50 at 3/1. Still, I'm holding a nice 12/1 voucher on Refuse to Bend for The Derby. There have been 4 crop circles so far this year. If you are keen, I suggest you hit www.cropcircleconnector.com & surf it through.

In October this year we will be celebrating that my company has been going 25 years. I remember setting it up in 1977 with Geoff Rose as a skateboard company called Looner Landskates Ltd. It has been and still is, an interesting journey and to kick off the celebrations, we are all going for a day on the lash to Alton Towers. Looking over the drop of Oblivion or flying in Air should accentuate some of the feelings we've all gone through. The line up is Me, Georgie, Martin, Lee, Mike & Pam and I should have some piccies for the next update.

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All Spikes and Batman Ears. I had a not so hilarious time showing this in the original 100% Design Exhibition in 1995 in a tent at the top of the Kings Road. An Aussie came around the corner onto my stand and sat on a Rollerbum Stool.They are so called as the sitting area is filled up with ball races that bob up and down and revolve as you shake your booty. I was on the other one and we chatted and he asked if his wife could give it a go. Unknowingly I said fine and Ten Ton Tessy came wobbling round the corner. I just thought "Shit, it will never hold and we are about to have a major bloodbath on the beige carpet!". It was an anxious few minutes but thankfully our joinery stood up.

We had an absolutely fab day celebrating our Silver Jubilee at Alton Towers. Eight of us landed in and we owned the front row of Oblivion. "No Hands" Georgie pulled her usual, and Lee was rumoured to do the same but then went very white after AIR. It's just the best place for white knuckles.

I have been busy making 2 new pieces for The Celebration of Craftsmanship Exhibition at Cheltenham. If you would like a catalogue call Betty Norbury on 01242 238582. I will review them with photos at the next update.

The weather's great, the footy season is about to start and the big Roman is buying every decent player. Watch out Fergie, although I'm not sure how long Ranieri will last if there is a run of drawers. Andy King is talking up The Town like no tomorrow and you can buy the points at 65 (No thanks). I'm holding a 16/1 on Chelsea which will soon be worth laying. Have a great Summer.

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Pewsey Carnival is a blast, the whole town gets legless for about 3 days. In the Beer Race with 7 pubs, 150 teams of 3 and a load of wheelbarrows, Fred, Me and Robert had a total gas being a "water feature". We "featured" about 6 times before having a face off with David "Shaun" Blaine which resulted in the collapse of his Perspex box. We were about to turn it into an aquarium. With nearly 40 kids and adults on The Voodoo Float, everyone had a great time. Tequila Man's brother leant us some amazing masks from Central Africa to give it the authentic style.

The Celebration of Craftsmanship exhibition went off well and some top sales were achieved. My best of show was a wall cabinet by David Lilley with beautiful free form carved doors. I sold 2 light cones and shall be making a smaller version soon. We can't seem to make them quick enough. Pictures of my new work Twin Pears and Swing Wing are on the Commissions page. Work is good at the moment, I have been carving a huge entrance screen for Lord Bath in rippled sycamore. Designed by Claire Rendall, it's a fab project to be involved in.

3 weeks ago we had a works outing plus Freddy (his first ever game) to support Swindon v Luton. We were then challenging to go second behind Port Vale. We joked we might be seeing the team on the cusp of a relegation dive as we were losing 2 ace players who we have had on loan. The match ended 2-2, the ref should have been topped and we have had 5 straight losses since then and are now 14th. AAArrrghhh. Pork pie Mooney would even give Viduka a run for his money and lastly who's the shyest tackler in the Prem, Veron or The Shuffler Pires???

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New Shades to see beyond Camp X-Ray

It's a mirror in quilted maple with ebony claws that I've digitally messed with and reversed into negative. My entry for The Monument of The Immortals has gone the way of a Greek kebab. Lobbed out onto the cutting room floor. The exhibition "Art of Furniture" in Brummie's Gas Hall Museum was a top success with excellent sales. Well arranged, laid out and organised by Artifex Ltd, it had most of the top woodies strutting their stuff. Unfortunately during the breakdown Gareth Neal and I got stuck in the lift and had to escape via the emergency top hatch. Thank god Gareth was there as I got vertigo and had to be wet-nursed down.

We have loads on at the mo with some ace commissions and a better order book for our more commercial furniture. The ongoing collaborative, called Depth Charge is going well and I sold a pair of light cones and a "wobbler" sculpture at Wycombe Abbey during our second show. My new work involves a coffee table using a solar panel to power a couple of steel balls around a circuit within the frame of the table. I hope to show it at Betty Norbury's show in August.

On the footy front the mighty Robins continue on their thrust for Div 1 and full glory. We had a great night out watching them do over Tranmere, although I'd swear Mooney is trying to emulate Ronaldo in eating all the pies. The Porto coach's reaction to Man U's demise from Europe was a classic and so typical of Robbie Fowler to pick it up in their 4-1 thrashing in the local derby at the weekend. The stress on Fergie's new pacemaker must be immense. I'm not a Gooner but they do look bloody good at the mo. Latest Oracle positions are Charlie in the top slot with 52, Bill 51, Johnny and Martyn 46 and Lee out the back with 38.

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Bernabeu Stadium  Real Madrid  v  Valencia

Those 22 dots on the grass cost over half a billion (give or take a few mill).  They are certainly not worth it but the joy they give to us fans really is worth it, Footy Fever is raging here as we count down to Portugal. Please don’t call me in early June as I will be residing with mates in a tent close to the action in Lisbon. Make some loot by backing Terry Henry  6/1 to win the Golden Boot. The 2003-2004 Oracle has been spectacularly won by Charlie, a huge well done after a tight season. The final points were Charlie 71, Bill 67  Johnny 64,  Martyn 63, Lee 51.  Swindon’s luck ran out in the second leg of the playoffs v Brighton. A last gasp goal by the Gulls in the dying seconds followed by a 4-3 penalty failure.

 The Four Goats with Georgie have safely returned from their walk on The Great Wall of China. Steeper and tougher than expected plus truly schlop food, they prevailed and had a great time. The walk was for the Dyslexia Charity and with their fellow 20 walkers raised a cool £100k. A fantastic feat and a brilliant well done.

 We are making some great commissions at the moment, especially a curved sculptural shelf unit in cherry. Unfortunately my airbed to facilitate machining the 36inch diameter Sphelix has suffered a setback and it’s a full reload with a different system. The light cones and Irie Garden furniture are on a role selling well. My exhibition pieces for Betty Norbury’s Show are a decorative Shelf unit  @ £2145, A solar panel kinetic Coffee table  @ £1965  and some large and small Light Cones.

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The Great Pyramid at Giza, Georgie and a Camel

Grayson Perry has stirred it up with his recent article in The Guardian about Arts and Crafts.  The debate about the current value of crafts rages on.  It was great to see two good current shows displaying top end work. Collect at the V & A  and The Spirit of Liberty curated by Janice Blackburn. 

However the problem of exhibiting bespoke modern furniture continues. Generalising there are 4 types of main shows going on at present; Top end  shows like the 2 above,  Celebration of Craftsmanship and Artifex  (the top eclectic woody shows) 100% Design and Milan etc. for commercial work, and lastly a host of Craft fairs which have furniture in them. I have felt for a time now that most shows are an eclectic mix of pieces by the individual makers, which itself leads to a muddle leaving the public dazed and confused. I would rather see a show curated around avenues of styles with the emphasis on individual pieces, not the artists. The problem to resolve is how to avoid seeing a truly ubiquitous material used in so many different ways that, when put together in a show, create a big fluffy neapolitan ice cream. I am getting more and more motivated about it.

 Our camel and chips holiday in Egypt was amazing. Their dexterity and brilliance at relief carving was stupendous but I felt that the modern Egyptians were being held back and slightly strangled by their old traditions.  The many styles of pillars at the temple of Karnak was breathtaking.  Lightning tours are all the range at the mo' with one week spent on The Ozzy Lentil Tour and a wild Irish weekend spent with Steve and some old mates on The Doktors Assistance Tour.

 The footy has been mad, and mad again.  Last night Arsenal crashed out with a GTP moan (gloves, tights and polos). The night before Chelsea v. Barcelona was in my top 5 games of all time. I am however speaking like a bitter and twisted punter as the sound of ripping Quad betting slips could be heard around the country after Chelsea’s hopeless FA Cup performance against Newcastle. The mighty Town stutter towards the play-offs currently with 53 points. Highly flattered and laughable that Andy King gets the manager of the month.

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Sushi trying to suss out Jeff Koons floral K9 guarding Frank Gehry's Bilbou Museum

We are all crazy busy at the mo with some excellent new commissions. Summer is coming. The McKay Reception Desk is looking ace. The Credenza grain pattern in Crown Oak has worked out a treat and I will post a photo on the next update. We have recently changed ISP so I apologise to anyone who has had click and go problems and mail returned. My pieces for the Cheltenham show 20-28th August are Conio's Sculpture, a new Coffee Table called Slipe (slip and slope), a Poolside Loafer in aluminium and an abstract Garden Screen in neon acrylic.

Since turning 50 I seem to be going downhill fast. Body maintenance is a constant battle and I am being attacked on all sides. I was stretchered out of Stamford Bridge after Crystal Palace scored and spent a few days with a fluttering heart in Chelsea Hospital. My preference for the final ride is open cask with lift.

 Lee and I have shared the Oracle Glory with 65 points each. Martyn scored 62 and I'm afraid Bill, with a paltry 41, never really surfaced from his long-term seasonal hump. There was a slanderous row with all the powerful Oracle Committee which even makes Schlebby Blatter look mild. Tip for the close season is get on Fergie to land the Sack Race @ 16/1. Glasgow temper meets Deliverance Swamp boys. Good odds and real fun if it all goes pop. Can't wait for the chanting and the Banjo's!!

It's embarrassing to be a Chelsea fan at the mo'. It's like a dirty shower. I wish they would question the Special One on his transfer strategy. So far it's 1x Dog @ 23mil, 1x Smurf (Kezman) @ 12 mil and 2x botched deals (Cole and Gerard). Still it's beyond cute when Arsenal do a front line welch and then try to wear the halo. Remember George "the bung" Graham. Yeah right. I am getting a lot of stick at the mo, all coming from green eyes. P.S Go and see Sin City, it is fab, original, extreme and a total gas.

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Poolside Loafer in beech and aluminium

I have bought a bending machine and am busy making a new range of bent aluminium and beech garden furniture. The work for Lord Bath looks amazing and I swear the log of rippled sycamore is the best we have ever seen.

I have commissioned David Hagelthorn to create the Oracle website. It is looking good and I am now hopeful of licensing the game into its 3 environments.

Betty's show in Cheltenham was its usual high standard and my best of  show was a trilogy of waveform cupboards and a slick bowl by Nico.

Swindon have fallen through the trapdoor. Rock bottom of the Division with only 7 points so far and 8 straight losses in a row. No wonder Andy King was pushed onto his sword. As Swindon dive bomb, Chelsea rise and rise. I'm firmly with Martin Samuel that the Swede should go but at least the game against Poland looked more promising. Lee is currently leading the workshop Oracle with 15 points.

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Lazydays in hammock with neon acrylic screen

No more summer Siestas, the clocks have gone back, it’s pissing with rain and damp as hell so we took off to Marrakech for a special birthday. It’s a fantastic place. Top of the mini Tour was definitely The Marjorelle Gardens just outside the walled Medina. These were built by Jacques Marjorelle who was the son of Louis Marjorelle, all time king of art nouveau furniture and a bit of a woody hero. Recently owned by Yves Saint Laurent, it oozes style and colour.

In the workshop we have recently received a commission for a large half Sphelix sculpture in resin bronze to grace the garden reception to a high profile business park. It’s hugely exciting and we will soon be moulding from the original. SoccerPundit® is moments away from a soft launch. The website is all but done. Betty Norbury’s COCD was a great success and my new work Lightfalls received a favourable response. Other notable commissions were a complex curved Reception Desk for Mckay’s new building in Dacre Road opposite Scotland Yard.

June was a bit of a right off, as we all got depressed watching England flop in the World Cup. Having scored a large all dancing plasma tv specially for the action, it seemed way too real to watch Sven’s insipid reaction and Beck’s tears. Just about the only good England moment was Joe Cole’s goal. Swindon started well in Div 2, talked it up, sprung a few leaks and are now legging it everywhere but on the pitch. A weekend FA Cup fixture v. Carlisle is likely to go belly. On a sad note the much loved Spirit Seal has pushed on through.

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