Peoples Republic of South Devon

Peter Randall-Page - studio

There’s a saying that if you keep chipping away at things long enough, you get some great sculpture, or something like that. We got in touch with supreme chipper, or renowned sculptor, Peter Randall-Page to find out about his workshop.

Why? Well, Peter will be giving a talk with Chris Chapman on May 31, at the Appledore Arts Festival, followed by a show Granite Song at the Burton Gallery (June 14 - July 16), Bideford. He will also be teaching on the Dartmoor Arts Project in July (July 26 - August 2).

“I have three very different areas to my studio: the office for all the paperwork, the maquette studio where I draw and make models and this, the barn, where the large scale work is done.

There is always sculpture in various stages of development, at the back are finished sculptures waiting for delivery to shows and clients. In the middle, works in progress and at the front, rough stone waiting to be dealt with.

I have a team of assistants who help me realise my sculpture. At the moment they are working away on a large commission for the Jerwood Foundation leaving me the luxury of solitude. I find the process of drawing and carving stimulates ideas and often leads on to the next piece.

Of course all kinds of commitments encroach on my studio time but this makes me value it all the more.”

• Peter Randall-Page is teaching on the Pattern & Structure course and visiting lecturer on the Stone Carving course at the 2008 Dartmoor Arts Project Summer School - Saturday July 26 to Saturday August 2. For details of courses and how to book visit the Dartmoor Arts Project website

• For further details about these and other projects visit Peter Randall-Page’s website

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We cannot live on love alone

May 23rd, 2008

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The Death of Booting

The weekly technology column from those good people at Plymouth’s Orange Crate

How great would it be if, like any other household appliance, you could switch on your pc and use it straight away? Although the times are gone where you could turn on your computer, go and make a cup of tea then come back to see it still booting up, an element of that seemingly endless wait still remains. But for how long…

Late last year software developer DeviceVM and hardware manufacturer Asus teamed up to release Splashtop – a Linux based operating system stored directly on a computer motherboard. For those of you with a slightly lower Geek Factor, let me explain what this combination implies.

Linux is a computer operating system (OS), similar to Microsoft Windows. However unlike Windows it is free and ‘open source’, meaning that programmers are allowed to take the underlying code and modify it to create new operating systems. A motherboard, on the other hand, is the core component in a pc or laptop to which all the other components, such as the processor, memory, and hard disks, are attached. Current operating systems are stored on the computers hard drive, and to boot up and access it takes time and system resources. But if the OS was embedded directly into the motherboard it would eliminate the need for this sequence, enabling you to use your pc almost instantly.

For around six months this option has been available on the higher end Asus motherboards, but the cost involved has made it unavailable to most users. Despite this the feedback has been very positive, resulting in Asus’ aim to incorporate Splashtop on 1,000,000 of their more accessible motherboards per month in the near future.

So is this the beginning of the end for Windows and computing as we know it? Well, possibly not quite yet. Although Splashtop incorporates some useful features such as web browsing, Skype, photo and file viewing, and chat programmes, it doesn’t quite cut the mustard. Think of it as an secondary option that you use for a quick fix of email viewing or web browsing, rather than a full blown alternative to the current system. But as the screen shots show, the idea has come a long way in a relatively short space of time so who knows where it might lead? In a couple of years time you may be able to switch on your pc and check your emails while you’re waiting for the kettle to boil to make your tea…

May 23rd, 2008

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Chagford’s footprint

posted by Cptn

Chagford is stepping into Change your Footprint week, May 27 to June 3 with both feet.
On May 31, at noon Mukti Mitchell, author of The Guide to Low Carbon Lifestyles will unveil solar panels from and composting from Proper Job.

Later in the day Mukti will be leading a free workshop on How to Live a Low Carbon Lifestyle between 2pm and 5.30pm at the Jubilee Hall Chagford, suppoted by CASE (Chagford Action for Sustainable Energy).

At 7.30pm the Jubliee Hall will show the films Power of the Community and Carbon Weevils, a Forkbeard Fantasy film, plus discussion.

Earlier in the week top selling author of The World Without Us Alan Weisman will be speaking at Chagford church on Tuesday May 27 at 7.30pm.

On Sunday June 1 between 10am and 3pm, there will be fun down at the Chagford Allotments including a composting workshop with Nicky Scott of Devon Community Composting Network at 11am. For more details, contact Chagford Allotments chair, Chris Licence on 01647 433802.

On June 3, Satish Kumar will be at Jubilee Hall at 7.30pm. Tickets from the Big Red Sofa on 01647 433883. Get in now, we hear the tickets are going fast.

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May 23rd, 2008

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Why wine?

posted by Cptn

Devon is the new California, doncha know. And one of the indicators are the slew of fine wines that are popping up, so it’s with great pleasure that we can inform you that friends of the republic Kenton Vineyard (’nestling in the foothills of the Haldon Hills’) will be opening its gates to the public from Sunday May 25.

And to celebrate the vineyard’s first birthday, and the uncorking of English Wine Week, there will be a first birthday celebration, with cake. Plus, an exhibition of painting by Jo Talbot Bowen and vine trails are free for the afternoon with a fun nature trail for children under 12.

During the week (May 25 to June 1) the vineyard will be open every day from 11am to 5pm, for the rest of the open season, which ends on September 25, the hours will be Thursday and Sundays 11am to 5pm.

With barely time to take a sip there’s a behind the scenes tour on Tuesday may 27 at 3pm (£6) and Saturday May 31, noon to 4pm there’s a fundraising event for RNLI, with all trail proceeds going to the charity (£2 adult) with a wine quize and prizes and refreshments.

And the wine week ends with a bookable tour with the winemaker, it takes an hour and you get a glass of the stuff.

Phew, you’ll need to put one to chill now.

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your republic needs you

May 23rd, 2008

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