A New Fish Tank. Almost Mine.

This weekend, my exciting task was helping my friend buy and set up a fish tank for her children. They are roughly 2 and 4. Adorable and sweet. I am 34. Obsessed with fish. A fantastic combination for a Sunday morning.

First, we head off to my favourite place to buy good healthy fish. Monkey Fountain Nursery, in Linden, where 1st Avenue meets Bram Fischer Drive. (WAIT! Their actual address is 2 Bram Fischer Drive, Pine Park). Their pet shop is amazing. We're not buying fish yet, but I like supporting them so they'll stay in business and continue to supply me with healthy fish. We get a tank stand, a light, a lid, and then head off to my second favourite pet shop just down the road on 1st Avenue for the actual tank, and some plants. Their water plants are on steroids. Then we're off to their home to rearrange the lounge furniture and set up the tank. Granny is there. Granny worries the tank stand is rusty. She also worries we didn't get a discount. She is concerned that the gravel I bring is dirty (from an old tank, very important for happy bacterial balance), and gasps out loud - I swear I saw her flinch - when I dump a tupperware full of dirty water from my tank's filter into the new tank.

Don't worry granny, all will be well.

It's a fabulous shortcut to creating a happy bacterial balance so fish can thrive. The biggest mistake one can make with a fish tank is keeping it too clean. Fish need bacteria to thrive, they need a bit of muck, and plants need nitrogen to find their happy place.

The kids were thrilled. The little girl - 2-ish - drew me about 500 original artworks to take home with me. Including a picture of 7 eyes. Amazing. The little boy drew me some pictures, but I wasn't allowed to keep them. Weird kid. He pulled out the underwater camera to take some photos of the fish house I gave them. He also showed me a photo of the puddle of wee his sister had left on the carpet. Charming. Kids. Can't wait.

The end result is a small starter tank which has brightened up the lounge; and when the fish are in, will provide hours of entertainment for two little kids who are completely animal-obsessed.

Later that afternoon, when the water filter had done its job and everything had settled down, mom sent me this picture:

Yesterday's Bowl

Last night I picked up my latest bowl from Pottery class. I used a different glaze for the inside and the outside. Quite a beautiful effect. The glaze that I used on the inside has a tendency to run, and pool, and drip, and where it does this in thick bits, it goes metallic. Very pretty. The glaze on the outside is super shiny, like almost a khaki green, and slightly transparent.

New Glazes

I went to a Ceramics Day in Joburg on Saturday. I demonstrated the way I make my pots at my teacher's table, and I also bought these incredible glazes. With crazy chaotic splotches. I can't wait to use them. I am going to make bowls that look like universes.

Buffy vs The Doggy Door

Whilst cleaning up my phone, I found this video of Buffy when she was still a puppy, having a fight with the doggy door. CUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUTE!

My First Bioscope Job

In honour of year two with the Bioscopers, I am posting up my very first job I did with them.

These were a series of channel idents for Zimbabwe, for a brand of bread called Bakers Inn. We cut people out of bread and stop frame animated them. A fun two days.

Woah.

I can't remember where I found this photo, but I am so amazed at the ridiculousness of Apartheid that I'm posting it.

It's My Bioscope Birthday!

Now I have been directing at Bioscope for two years. How about that? It's nice to have that feeling that you are doing what makes you really happy in life. The whole nine to five thing is a joke, when you realize it is possible to find a job that gives you free time to enjoy your life. Yes, it does mean that you never know when you're going to be broke. And it's hard to plan holidays too far in advance. And when you get busy on a production, everything else has to take a backseat.

But I love it.

So I will post one of my latest bits of work. I love it because I got to shoot as though I was living in my dream world, where I'm the boss of Jeremy Clarkson. Boom!