International Women's Day, Loop and Inspirational Women

The following are the 16 drawings created between 10am and 10pm.

It was a very emotional day.

Glasgow Women's Library - What's your Dream Library?

Daniella Nardini reads from 'Women Who Run With Wolves'

Kate E.Deeming - Women Dancing - Why We Have, Why We Should

Kate E.Deeming - Women Dancing - Why We Have, Why We Should - The Dance Off

Dancers of Scotland with Kim Moore and Robin Masson

Dancers of Scotland with Kim Moore and Robin Masson 2

Dancers of Scotland with Kim Moore and Robin Masson 3

Circle Dancing - The Main thing to remember is to keep moving the way you are currently facing

Maryhill Integration Network - Costumes From Around The World

The Men Folk - Half The Sky

The Madrigirls

Cora Bisset - Stitched Up

Skye Reynolds and Florencia Garcia Chafuen Rigg - Secrets

Pauline Goldsmith - The Ukeladies

Lisa Fannen - Dialogue

The Final Dance to Adopted As Holograph

Well, I've just come back from drawing all day at the Tramway. 10 am - 11pm with an hour away for an errand, and half an hour for an interview and quick dinner break.

It's been bloody intense, emotional, exhausting, inspirational, enlightening, fun, sad, moving, captivating, involving and momentous.

Females and Males of all different shapes, sizes, ages, inclinations, colour, culture, innovation and creativity proliferating the epic yet cosy performance space peppered with the awe inducing collection of 20 million 'stitches' - multicoloured woollen patches presented and curated in various forms taking over the Tramway like guerilla knitted elastoplast for the soul. 20 million stitches of the 100 million that signify the amount of women missing in the world today.

'It is estimated that 100 million women are missing from the world today for reasons of gender discrimination. These reasons include: gender provoked infanticide and abortion, the sex slave industry, and the channelling of resources and medical care to the men in communities first (eg vaccinations). They include the consequences of poor education, and preventable complications in child birth, and conditions like fistula.'

http://garterstitch100.posterous.com/pages/bigknit

At least 15 drawings were created of - but not all - the 100 events that were due to happen today. I do need to check them tomorrow. For now though, rain battering on my bedroom window, it's time to rest in a dark room with no expectations, for a new day tomorrow.

To my mum, nana, sister, good friends and to all the other great and deserving women in the world, Happy International Women's Day. I doff my cap to you all.

MusiCircus and Mondo Morricone

A layered drawing of the multitudinously talented and colourful MusiCircus Tag Team orchestrated by the wonderful Matt Ev and his beautiful assistant Stewart Smith :) One of the many inspiring, engaging, participative, wonderful and fun music happenings taking place throughout the second MusiCircus event curated by the marvellous Rosemary James.

A favourite picture of a favourite day - singing, dancing, drawing, drinking beer, eating great food, experiencing different types of music in different ways, all on a sunny spring day with good friends that turned into a lovely evening. One of those all time amazing times that have more than fully engaged all my senses. Brilliant, and thanks.

After all the above at MusiCircus I then went for a great curry at Banana Leaf just up the road from Tramway, before getting the train to the Arches for Mondo Morricone, where criminally, RM Hubbert was playing a beautiful gig in the adjacent arch to Mondo Morricone where I was also having some drawing fun. The only non positive point to the entire day, was not being able to be split into two folk, to enjoy both evening concerts. But I will see RM Hubbert play again. Mondo Morricone was a one off. Drawings to come soon, soon.

So after Billy Bragg buying my picture of him from last week's gig, drawing Efterklang on Thursday, Goblin on Friday, MusiCircus and Mondo Morricone yesterday amidst good wholesome Spring sunshine, tonight I'm off for some raucous fun courtesy of the John Knox Sex Club. It's been the best week in yonks.

1st Installment of Instal - Friday Night.

Instal: Barry Esson Introduces

Resonance Radio Orchestra with Tam Dean Burn

" " [sic] Tim Goldie

Lucio Capece & Christian Kesten - The Borders play Sunno(((

Diego Chamy, Jean-Luc Guionnet & Seijiro Murayama

Matthieu Saladin

Mattin: Object of Thought

-----------------------------------------

No Disc, , Em, Eject. - Matthieu Saladin

I can't hear what I sound like - Mattin: Object of Thought

Why does the 'song' sound better than (that)? - Diego Chamy, Jean-Luc Guionnet & Seijiro Murayama

Flash, Crash, (Neon White BatBat), Whistle, Crunch, Ker-Chunk - " " [sic] Tim Goldie

So Barry asks me, since Sir Sean Connery's too auld, Gonne walk in a spiral Tam? Make it mathematical, a bit of mathematics willnae hurt anyone..., so I'm gonna talk on this mobile, which is a pretty lightweight thing, for 48 hours - it's just the battery that weighs 7 kilos - which is why I've got this rucksack. Resonance Radio Orchestra with Tam Dean Burn

(These phrases are brief summaries written in the order of me remembering the events of the night, starting with the most uncomfortable due to its poor delivery, and omitting the one I momentarily forgot, 'Lucio Capece & Christian Kesten - The Borders play Sunno(((' which made me feel only slightly uncomfortable, slightly weak, and wishful that I'd wanted some soup)

The drawings were created on my mobile phone in series that slightly differ from each other, unless the repetition is significant to a long moment/pause.

I would like to add in retrospect, that last night opened my eyes to how many boundaries I've placed upon myself as an audience member/viewer/listener. I can blame my drawing for my lack of audience interaction, however I still wish I'd got up and danced in the sonically active darkness and communally composed chaos that was Mattin's piece, while also wishing I'd read out the label given to me by Lucio/Christian reading 'Do we really need someone on stage pretending to make us think?'

I will state that when I was given this piece of paper, I was aware of the action though ignored the performer while he searched his pocket for his piece to give me. I then fobbed it off to my friend to read out, whilst loudly proclaiming it in my own mind. I had also been struck by the negative psychology of it - Should I read this out and inform the audience that the performers had planned it all along, and in doing so, accentuate it in their minds, or shall I leave them to wonder the performance's relevance to themselves. Whatever, there were enough elements to the performance to make it a little confusing. I haven't quite sussed it all in my head, yet. The longevity of it perhaps making it all the more successful.

I also want to add someone commenting on his depression at the poor audience answers in the show by Diego, Jean-Luc and Seijiro. Most of those selected randomly with a microphone became unwilling to pause, to compose, to answer with a notion of what they really felt or thought. This experimental festival Instal, by its nature should have audience's expectant of their active engagement, their boundaries impermanent, constantly questioning rather than taking it in passively, not to answer impulsively 'no' to the question 'Do you know what improvisation means?' Audience members were instead rendered nervous high school students unwilling to proffer an answer that illuminated their ignorance publicly. However, this festival is all about the beautiful mistake, the willingness to make oneself feel uncomfortable for progressive enlightenment, it's about identifying what boundaries there might be, and then crossing them, and above all, surely its about the fun of discovery?

Allotment, Govan and the John Cage MusiCircus, Tramway

A very cool photo of me painting with UV paint at the NTS Allotment project in Govan.

By the lovely Judy Chee.

RM Hubbert, MusiCircus, Tramway

Ruth Morley, MusiCircus, Tramway

Ug! MusiCircus, Tramway

Drawing Ug! MusiCircus, Tramway

Hummingwards, MusiCircus, Tramway

It's been a busy weekend. Been doing some not bad improv painting to some quality improv music using ultraviolet paint on a big black wall under U.V. lighting (inhale of breath) as part of the last instalment of Allotment by NTS (National Theatre of Scotland), which has been the most fun I've had in ages. What a great project and special thanks to Fergus and Roy for initially having me on their proposal, to Caroline and Angie for producing the show, to the most cool Kai - the helpful Art Director, and to Fi, Kate, and Peter for all their top wisdom, help and lovely selves! It has been such a cool experience.

So that was three days of my life.

And then there was Tramway's John Cage MusiCircus full of Music Frolics and Mayhem and beautiful things. It really has been such an inspiring, engaging and fulfilling weekend. If I get any picture's I'll stick 'em up. (As you can see, pics have been stuck up). Night night for now. It's been intense.

Ballads of the Book - Pictures

What a fantastic day this was! Pity on those who didn't make it into a sell out gig. It really was a feast for all the senses. Great Accoustic, Electric, Readings, DJ's, atmosphere and art?!
Highlights?
Aidan Moffat's poetry and onstage performance is always provocative, darkly humerous and brilliant. He's also a great musician and DJ. And he did the design work for the Ballads album. Is there no end to this man's talent? Think I'll write to him and tell him he's not allowed any more.
Burnt Island, Karine Polwart and Alasdair Roberts performed some stunning music/songs. Foxface were even better than the last time I saw them - D.John is also another man with too much talent. James Yorkston was great with his fellow musicians on stage. I like his gigs but he's a difficult personality to get to know. Emma Pollock was great. Norman Blake sucked - only 2 songs! Didn't give me any time to get right in to what his music is/was - still none the wiser. Missed Sons and Daughters, and King Creosote, but I'm saving up to manufacture another me, so that next time I can indeed be in two places at once!
If anyone wants a visual souvenir/print from £18, mail me at info@jennysoep.com and grab a bargain while I'm cheap enough! Some Originals still left for sale as well if you're lucky enough to get them before they're sold out!
Photos of Expo by Andy Wilson