LIFE REALLY IS A ROLLER COASTER
At our July Orlang session we explored our memories of the Summer and in particular summer holidays. Amongst other things, Christine brought her swimming costume and a bucket and spade with her in her basket this week.
Evan remembered the changing huts on the beach at Montrose, he recited "Learning to Swim" by Eunice Buchanan for us. We discovered that not all the members in the group could swim, as, in their youth, it was considered to be a dangerous activity.
For Frances a day trip to Dundee, with a film at Greens picture house
was a Summer event. Or even a fish tea at Franchi's in Kirriemuir.
An impromptu version of Donkey Riding ensued after viewing this image and the tune was identified as the marching song of the Argyll and Sutherland Highlanders by one of the members.
Edwin Morgan
"The Picnic"
In a little rainy mist of white and grey
we sat under an old tree,drank tea toasts to the powdery mountain,
undrunk got merry, played catch
with the empty flask, on the pine needles
came down to where it rolled stealthily away –
you lay
with one arm in the rain, laughing
shaking only your wet hair
loose against the grass, in that enchanted place
of tea, with curtains of a summer rain
dropped round is, for a rainy day.
The group had many memories of "the berries" and how the money earned picking them paid for the next years school uniforms.
Christine read the group a beautiful story called "Going to the Zoo" by Marriot Edgar
Maureen introduced the photographs of Grace Robertson a photographer of Scottish origin (daughter of Fyfe Robertson) who produced a series of images of a group of women going on a day trip to the fair.
The roller-coaster in this image was the basis of the art lesson.
The group members used simple strips of card and glue, attaching the bent, twisted and curved pieces to a card base to represent the tracks and the movement of the roller-coaster.
In doing this the group created simple 3d card sculptures describing motion, height and scale. To emphasis the scale, the group placed tiny figures on the bases.
Even also volunteered to take a virtual tour on a roller-coaster!
