Letters

As part of an on going project which I actually started last year, I have recently sent some letters (regular letters by post, not email letters) out to some people I haven't ever met. Let me explain.
Last year I searched on facebook for people with the surname 'Garrud'. I have never met a Garrud other then my own family and I have always been told that I would probably be related to anyone with that surname. So I decided to search for them on facebook. There were quite a few results but not many. Next, I contacted them via facebook asking them if they were willing to take part in my project and therefore give me their address so that I could send them all a letter. Some were reluctant and seemed a little suspicious but I got quite a good response overall. In the end I sent out eight letters and got six in return which I was happy with. In response to the letters I created a piece of work using maps and blind drawing. I was happy with it but I felt that I could definitely get more out of the whole thing.
I have now decided to return to the idea. This time, to link in with my work on memories etc I have asked them to write down a description of what they have done that day and also a memory. It is important that it is hand written.
I know that doing this over email or facebook or whatever would be a much more efficient way of doing things but I think the whole point in the work is the act of sending and receiving letters. I love waiting for the letters to arrive (if any do) and I find the marks and stamps on them really interesting. The envelope tells as much of a story as the actual letter.
I just really hope that I get some replies!

books

These are two second hand books that I have recently bought which have handwritten messages in the front. The top book was from a charity shop in Bath which I bought specifically because it had a message in it and the second was from Amazon market place. The message in the front of this one was entirely coincidental.
Since I bought the second one I have been going into charity shops and looking for more books with messages in but I haven't managed to find any. It would take hours and hours going through every single book in a shop and as I have no way of knowing whether a book will have a message in or not, they are difficult to find! I will however, keep looking as this has really inspired me to make a piece of work.

I think I'm thinking too much.

I've been thinking a lot about memories lately and I wanted to write this down before I forgot (and just turned into another memory...?) Memories are interesting because they are so subjective. They change and morph. They are influenced by things that happen later on in your day. Is anything we remember ever an accurate account of what actually happened? And if not, how do we ever record or remember anything properly? You can't carry around a video camera where ever you go and record every single one of your actions. Or could you? It would be difficult and most probably incredibly boring to watch back! 

Also, can you implant memories? I have memories from when I was really little, maybe 3 or 4 years old. I would get into really awful tantrums and my mum would put me out in the hall. I have distinct memories of banging my head really really hard on the wooden floorboards and generally thrashing around in frustration. But do I really remember this or do I just think I remember it because I've been told about it so many times?

I have said memories far too memories in this post. I think I'm going to lie down.

Evenin'

I can't read maps. But I like them.  I am also going to work with them this year. Let's hope my sense of direction improves.

Here is a (not very good) picture of a (not very good) piece of work from last year on my (not very nice) carpet with my (not very nice) feet at the bottom. Enjoy.