Tromso, Norway: Documenting TSC 2011

In April, I got to go to Tromso Sound City festival courtesy of Liverpool Sound City here in the UK. The festival ran for two days with conferences in the day and live music at night.

I covered the event for a radio station but in my free time (and when I wasn't larking about in front of the stage and waiting to see some Northern Lights), I documented some of the fun I had, and what I could see from the island.

When the chalk ran out, I used my fingers (swapping concrete for snow). When we got to the top of the mountain, everyone else joined in.

This was us (myself, Dave Haynes, Dick Carruthers, Pete Fowler and Kev McManus) taking a taxi over "the bridge of death", in order to see what lay on the other side of the waters...

Writing on the side of a house

Chalking on the wall between the music festival's venue 'Driv' and the water...

Watching some bands (Miles Kane above) and giving my sticks a break

Dancing with some Norwegian electronic artists who pull shapes we could only dream of, and spreading a love of vandalising through chalk...

Going up in the snow cart (big moment)

Using our fingers to draw the things we love most in the snow. *See note about chalking in snow

Pete loves monsters

I love words

They all love each other

Members of the Tromso Sound City team braving temperatures lower than that of Neptune

Gazing yonder to places far more beautiful (and temporarily cooler)...

Leaving.

***

Sefton Park, Liverpool: Easter Chalking...

For different reasons, my friend and I ended up in Liverpool (and not at home) on Easter Sunday this year. In a bid not to spend the whole day sulking about it, we met up at Lark Lane, Liverpool, bought some icecream and then drew all over a nearby park in chalk...

 Writing about what we could see...

Writing about what we wanted to see...

Guessing who might win...

Or lose...

Creating a 'Duck Crossing' 

Sam woz ere

Trees are green

                                              Obeying chalk orders

                                               Playing with rocks.

                                                 Stating the obvious.

               Wondering what the concrete wall has been put there for...

Playing in the sun/saving the Easter egg reunions for a cooler day (when the chocolate is colder and, naturally, tastes better).

***

Dublin, Ireland: I put my chalk box in my hand luggage...

I went to Dublin to visit my friend Gillian who started a Fine Art degree there in September. Chalking entertained me whilst she finished off a piece in time for a deadline...

Somewhere near Temple Bar, Dublin...

For my brother David.

But really it's a message for anyone.

My sister Winny told me to leave her name in as many places as possible.

So I wrote it in two very carefully selected places.

(She's big into bicycles)

(She's big into illustration too)

This one is for Rosemary Dey Trenton (Tommy the security guard's sister). We had a deal that if I left her name in a recognisable place in Dublin (like Carlisle Bridge), she would take a photo of herself in New Jersey wearing the 'I Love Barry' bag I gave her.

Still waiting on the bag photo. Lovely scenery over the bridge though...

For David Kipling. 

I walked into Doyle's to ask if I could write on the side of their pub in chalk but the regulars looked a bit grumpy so I walked back out, wrote it and then ran across a really busy road without looking.

According to www.tripadvisor.com, Doyle's Pub is no.37 of 87 places to go for nightlife in Dublin.

“Good place for a relatively quiet chat on a saturday night” , they say...

For Timo Tierney in Liverpool.

'TANKS A MILLION'

Well, we did.

And it was very green.

St Stephens Green, Dublin.

For Hewy. Because when I text her to see if she'd like a message left, she replied saying 'Hewy. That is all'.

Guinness Time.

Because you can't chalk on the side of a glass but it was necessary to drink some whilst in Ireland.

Mission Dublin: complete