Dust

The other day I was in the college I used to work in and sitting on a shelf I saw an Angineux 12 - 120 zoom lens.  I immediately recognized it as the zoom lens Gerrit, my father used on Amuigh Faoin Speir.  It was clean and had been used recently as far as I could tell.  It got me thinking.  There are so many things now that seem redundant due to technology that sit on shelves gathering dust.  I think that this is sad.  I have spent the last couple of months gathering all this old technology so that it has a home.  Besides I'm sure there will come a time when I will need it.  Just because it's old doesn't mean it's obsolete.  You hear that film is no longer in use, but most times when I work I seem to shoot film.  The other day I sat in my fathers old studio looking at cans and cans of film wondering what I would do with it all.  It's been gathering dust for 15 years since he died and it's time the cans were opened, looked at, cleaned and cataloged.  I spent many years working with him.  I also spent many years working with film.  I like film, it's great to shoot and if you spend time with it the results are fantastic.  I wonder where all this data we shoot nowadays will be - whether the drives will spin up and whether all work will be intact.  I wonder whether in 50 years from now my son will be sitting in my studio looking at my work wondering what to do with it?

Nature does Matter!

Well I gave 2 talks in the last 36 hours.  On Sunday I spoke about Gerrit my father and it went well.  I was very pleased with the response.  It was very nice to talk to my friends and strangers about my Dad and I was particularly pleased that people I hadn't seen for several years came.  Also something struck me - a book about my Dad would be a nice thing to do - now there's a thought.

Secondly I went into my children's school and talked about hibernation and drawing birds.  The age group was 4 to 6 year old children.  It was an absolute pleasure and thanks Gerrit for the wonderful illustrations and slides - great to do and I'd love to do it again.

Gerrit

Gerrit was my Dad.  I worked with him, I certainly listened to him.  The nation listened to him. Most people over the age of 35 know who he was as "To the Waters and the Wild" and "Amuigh Faoin Speir" were very prolific.  In 2 weeks on the Sunday the 15th of November at 2pm I am giving a talk in the Nature Room of the Pearse Museum in St Endas Park in Rathfarnham about him.  Gerrit loved nature, I love nature.  The room is full of nature.  I am a bit apprehensive.  I have given this talk before - the last time was on the anniversary of his death 2 years ago.  But then I knew what I was going to say, I was prepared.  I had video.  This time I'm not so sure. What do I want to say about him now.  But then I do have 2 weeks to get ready.  I miss him.  I miss his wit, his intellect and his singular point of view.  Most of all I miss the endless art.  The drawings, the paintings, the sketches and the cartoons.  I learned so much from him.  Hopefully I can do him some justice...