The Sockman’s Toe

There are no ‘keep off the statue’ notices on The Sockman in Loughborough town centre.
People rub his toe for good luck.

I don’t think it works but just like my mum I always do it.

Others sit their children on Sockman’s outstretched stockinged leg.

His other foot is bare. One sock on one sock off. The statue is by Shona Kinloch and when commissioned and unveiled the press printed comments from outraged councillors and a few members of the public. They were wrong in their protestations. People in general love him.

a toe in the hand
or coins in a fountain
good luck hunting

Paul Conneally
January 2019

Wax and Wane

wisteria

the wax and wane

of my heart

Paul Conneally

May 2017

Cod Cheeks and Loin

Loughbohemia is almost as far from the sea as you can get in Britain but every Thursday and Saturday the sea comes to town with the market and its fresh fish and seafood stalls.

her shopping bag drips

all the way home

cod cheeks and loin

Paul Conneally

Loughbohemia

May 2017

True Love Story

True Love Story

The modern day pawn shop is doing well in Theresa May's Britain.

At the start of each day the shop assistant in Loughbohemia's 'Cash Converters' carefully puts out the display of pawned engagement and wedding rings for those considering taking the plunge themselves to peruse, buy and sell back when times get rough.

hush little baby

a mockingbird sings

here comes the bride

Paul Conneally

Loughborough

May 2017

Fresh Bananas

Fresh Bananas

I have no religious belief. These two men do. They arrive on the edge of Loughbohemia Market sometime between 7.30am and 8, set up their leaflet stand and grab a takeaway coffee to help keep out the cold.

They are Jehovah's Witnesses and they would like to save my soul, yours too.

They don't shout out to people passing by like the fruit and veg sellers do. Quiet in their smart suits their leaflet stand does the talking: 'The Four Horsemen How Their Ride Affects You'

I know they mean well. I welcome them and all people with convictions within the law to our streets. Free speech is worth fighting for especially for those we don't agree with. Street preachers religious, political, social or economical add to the frisson of our streets.

twice round the market

a bag of fresh bananas

on an empty bench

Paul Conneally

May 2017

Morning Rush

Morning Rush

From around 7am market traders arrive in their white vans and transits to start setting up for the Thursday market in Loughbohemia's town centre market place.

There's not quite room for all the vehicles at the same time and so thee are moments of calm amongst all the activity as stall holders wait for their workmates to get in with the produce, be it women's fashion, men's socks, fruit and veg or kettles.

morning rush

an on the move coffee

and a bunch of tulips

Paul Conneally

Loughbohemia

May 11 2017

ART EVERY LITTLE HELPS - Paul Conneally 2017

ART EVERY LITTLE HELPS

Paul Conneally

May 2017

Pull and Push

post heart attack

the pull and push of

the fast food wagon

Paul Conneally

Loughborough 2017

Rubbing Shoes

rubbing shoes

the ghosts of bluebell wood

whisper to me

Paul Conneally

TULIPS AND PANSIES

TULIPS AND PANSIES

Queens Park in Loughborough is an ideal place to walk when you're recovering from a heart attack. It's flat and each time you do a circuit you find new things in the old to look at and wonder, to instigate new stories, true and made up.

A man being taken for a stroll by his three Jack Russell dogs nods a greeting and is pulled on by. We pass again by the aviary and nod again.

A group of Italian adults are playing in the children's activity area. They missed the sign that insists that adults unaccompanied by children are not allowed in the playground.

teenagers share
a spliff in the park bandstand
tulips and pansies

Paul Conneally

April 2017

'LIKE FATHER LIKE'

'LIKE FATHER LIKE'

Paul Conneally

April 2017

Marta Oliviera-Child - Head Chef at the Bom Bom Patisserie

Marta Oliviera-Child is the head chef and co-owner of the Bom Bom Patisserie in Loughborough, Leicestershire, right in the heart of England.

Bom Bom Patisserie has been operating a few years but only opened the café part of the business in May 2016. It has proved to be a tasty, stylish and instant hit.

Marta comes from Brazil where her mother runs a restaurant. She came to Loughborough in 2006, like so many young people do, to study at Loughborough University. She always had a dream to open a patisserie and luckily for the people of Loughborough she has and what a patisserie it is!

after the pastry
the cream
on the end of her nose

Little Onion

Find out more about Marta and the Bom Bom Patisserie by visiting its website and hey, even better, the patisserie itself!

Photograph and text: Paul Conneally

Balancing An Apple On Your Head Race - Loughborough University

Participants in the 'Balancing An Apple On Your Head Run' at the artist led Fruit Routes Apple Olympics at Loughborough University.

Fruit Routes was conceived by artist and environmental activist Anne-Marie Culhane.

Photograph: Paul Conneally - Loughborough - October 2017

The Loughborough University Fruit Routes Apple Olympics 2016

Participants in the artist led Fruit Route Apple Olympics at Loughborough University wear not numbers but the names of fruit tree varieties that are planted on the Loughborough Fruit Route and associated orchards across the university campus.

Events in the Apple Olympics included the '1km or so' run, apple not shot putting, balancing an apple on your head race and the egg and apple race.

Fruit Routes is an ongoing work conceived and led by artist and environmental activist Anne-Marie Culhane.

Photograph: Paul Conneally 2016

.
.
.
.
.
.

Competitors In The Fruit Routes Balancing An Apple On Your Head Race2016

Competitors in the artist led Fruit Routes Apple Olympics balancing an apple on your head race. Each competitor wears not a number but the name of a fruit tree species planted during the Fruit Routes work on Loughbohemia (some call it Loughborough) University Campus.

.

Other events were the '1km Or So Fruit Routes Run' where the aim was for all competitors to cross the finishing line together and not shot but 'apple putting' not forgetting of course the children's 'Apple And Spoon Race'.

.

Fruit Routes is conceived and planned by my long time collaborator artist activist Anne-Marie Culhane with and for the wonderful Loughborough University Sustainability Team and it's a pleasure to work on and have be associated with it as artist and poet year on year since its start.

.

Paul Conneally
Loughbohemia
October 2016
.
.
.
.

Early September - Lost In The Supermarket

early September
she shops for this year's
last barbecue

Little Onion

from the ongoing photo series 'Lost In The Supermarket' by Paul Conneally

Imperfection Is Beauty

Imperfection Is Beauty

For me it started with Claire's Accessories startled to see a young girl sat in the shop window getting her ears pierced. Now every high street seems to have at least one beauty salon that seats its customers in the full gaze of the public as they undergo one treatment or another.

I can't understand why someone would want to receive such treatments in the form of what my mother would call a 'pippy show'. It feels performative, and it is. There is no notion of it being intended as public art but it could easily be mistaken as such. 

Does this set up lead to more sales? Well the salons must think so or they wouldn't do it. 

I want to stop and stand and stare right in and were it actually a 'performance' I would but find I can only glance furtively as I pass on by towards the market place.

here comes the weekend

a slice of cucumber

on each eye

Little Onion

Loughborough

September 2016

Photograph: Paul Conneally

The Child Sculpture - Loughborough - Priley Riley 2015

The Child Sculpture by Priley Riley

The Child Sculpture currently sits inside the small Carillon Court shopping mall in Loughborough town centre. It was made in 2015 by then Loughborough University fine art student, Paula Riley, in celebration of 100 Years of Ladybird Books which was based in Loughborough.

Paula goes by her artist name Priley Riley which is also emblazoned across the book that The Child Sculpture is reading. Speaking at Loughborough University in 2015, Priley said:

"To make the sculpture, I first constructed an armature which I modelled the original clay child over. I then cast this clay child in plaster and used the plaster moulds to cast resin into. The final sculpture, therefore, is a glass fibre resin cast."

The Child Sculpture has become a favourite with children and adults alike as they do their shopping in Carillon Court and is sure to feature year on year in Loughborough's now annual festival of children's book illustration Loogabarooga that takes place each October across the town.

Paul Conneally
September 2016



..

..

The Odeon Cinema - An Art Deco Building in Loughborough

Since 2011 this cinema in Loughborough has been The Odeon but it has been many other names since the original building was built in 1914. It is a great example of an art deco frontage somewhat spirit by the lower and very recent shopfront style signage.

It didn't look like this when it was opened in 1914 as The Empire Picture House operating both as a variety and picture house. The Art Deco refit came about in 1936 and was designed by architect Archibold Hurley Robinson. It opened as The New Empire on 30th March 1936 screening Will Hay in “Boys Will be Boys”.

Its catalogue of names down the years include: Empire Picture House, New Empire Super Cinema, Essoldo, Classic, Curzon Cinema, Reel Cinema and now The Odeon.

Paul Conneally
September 2016
.
.
.
.

Got That Bingo Feeling - Loughborough 2016

'Got That Bingo Feeling'

Do you know it? That 'bingo' feeling? When things suddenly come together, make sense? A realisation?

Feels good. A rush of serotonin. Moving on with new confidence.

Sometimes you have to work hard within that sense of 'this is never going to happen' or 'I just don't get this' until BINGO! Things fall into place and it's on to the next challenge with new enthusiasm.

Nothing comes easy but welcome the toil, invite in chance, ride the bad times and savour those bingo moments.

Paul Conneally
Loughborough
June 2016