A la recherche du temps perdu

[NotCat]

Have just returned from my first visit to Seil for ten years.

The Island is still beautiful and has benefited greatly from both the addition of the Oyster Inn and the Sea.Fari adventure. The boat trip was, I reckon, one of the best tourist attractions in Scotland and the new bar is brilliant.

Tign an Truish continues to be a bar of great character serving great value food.

The one negative comment I would make (with some reservation as it obviously has a niche) is that the Highland Art Shop/Exhibition is an cornucopia of complete caledonian keek. The poetry is dreadful and the paintings are embarrassing. We saw lots of people wanting to suppot local trades but seemed to buy ice creams and biscuits as a means of not leaving empty handed. I may be speaking out of turn but the tartan tat is embarrassing.

This blip apart, your island is wonderful and we'll be back with friends soon.

[Plab]

NotCat - Good point, well made.

It has been some years since I was last in the Highland Art Shop / Exhibition, although I do seem to remember that the poetry was indeed somewhat pish.

[majormajor]

Not being of the poetic fraternity, I couldn't possibly comment on the pishiness or otherwise of the offerings at the Tourist shop. But it seems to me we will be suffering an eternity of it whilst the coach convoys continue to beat a path to its door. Or is it a Catch 22 situation where coaches arrive because it is there, and it continues to be there whilst the coaches visit?

[wasseventhseil]

The Highland Arts, what an institution,it has no doubt sold many object's da art.... that grace the walls of Britains best loved sheltered homes, bringing light and joy to beige people everywhere.

As a girl I remember buying C.Johns finest Lemonade, folowed by a 6 inch high red, boiled sugar dummy tit, which kept me fed through many a tough day at Easdale Primary.

And if my mother had failed to give me a ha'penny for my play piece I would go in and lift a shilling from the money fountain,that resided between the "Antique" swords and the cut crystal,Then buy myself a packet of the finest Highland arts Tablet in its distinctive box.

Many a starving orphan has been brought back from the edge by recieving a free slice of pettycoat tails from the tartan tin,Why in the harsh winter of 89' the whole of Easdale Island would have perished if the Highland arts had not sent a steamer load of Lemonade and Tablet .Oh the good hearted kindness!

Ah, Wha's like ye? Highland Arts, Guy few and thier a' deid.!!

[Pentlandpirate]

Poet / Artist / Composer C. John Taylor
I had to take a sailboat through a force seven storm to Seil Island off the coast of Scotland to discover the world of C. John Taylor, but it was most definitely worth the effort.
After coming ashore, the first thing I saw was the Highland Arts Studios. All the antlers and kilts mounted on and hanging from the building were misleading, for the site is really a monument to one person: "Poet / Artist / Composer C. John Taylor."

I don't really know how to begin describing the phenomenally prodigious Taylor, so I'll take a cue from Taylor's description of himself and talk about his poetry first.

Taylor gave a wonderful description of his poetry in a concisely-written paragraph on the subject he penned on New Year's Eve in 1977:


Good poetry is a ladder, upon which our thoughts can unhindered ascend, to atmospheres uplifting, inspiring, regenerating: far, very far removed, from the ordinary, often monotonous, frequently demanding, routine of daily experience.

On Seil, I took advantage of one of the great literary bargains of the decade: two copies of 'TEN of the BEST' C. JOHN TAYLOR Poems for the price of one! A sticker attached to the cover informed me that two of the works inside were, "Mother Teresa's POEM" and, "Diana, Princess of Wales POEM."
The Princess Die poem is, well, quite incredible. Since I know of no other way of adequately describing Taylor's innovative approach to poetry in general and capitalization and punctuation in particular, I am, with all due respect, reproducing the second stanza of DIANA THE PRINCESS OF WALES.


DIANA . . . like MOTHER TERESA . . . lov-ing "Even the LEAST of them",
Brought, GOD'S Message; DOWN, to Earth again!!!
HEAVEN'S the abode . . . where . . . sure-ly SHE must be!!
Joy-fully join-ing . . . DIVINE Harmony, . . . Ever-last-ing-ly!!!

His poems about Mother's Day, Walt Disney, Mother Teresa, et al, are of equal caliber.
Even though I believe the law allows the above citation for a scholarly treatise such as this one, I should note that Taylor has taken every precaution to protect the work, as the notices on the Princess Die page make clear:


© World copyright reserved
Public Renderings of Poetry are protected by Acts of Parliament and permission for any such performance must be obtained through the appropriate Publishers concerned.

The Signature of the Poet / Artist / Composer C. John Taylor is a Registered Trademark No. 1001426.


And then there are the paintings, hundreds of them. Most of them are portraits of one flavor or another. Some of the paintings depict historical or biblical subjects; many show young women with hair styles that were popular in the 1960s. (Taylor sometimes provides the exact day on which a painting was made, but many canvases are undated.)
Finally, there are the musical compositions. They might be described as cheerful words set to jaunty tunes, but that doesn't really do them justice.

Perhaps a photograph on one of his album covers best captures the feeling of his work. C. John Taylor is in the foreground wearing his trademark fisherman's hat, holding a painting easel with a paintbrush in his mouth--another trademark--and, in the background, a dog and a young woman in a bikini sit on a rock surrounded by the sea.

I left Seil Island with a lovely tea towel. It features two kittens, a butterfly, and a brief poem (again, © World copyright reserved).


Pussy's Prayer
There's Nothing We Can Give To You; Save Love! Every-Thing We Have, Comes Down; From Heav'n Above!!


I can't recommend a trip to the the Highland Arts Studios highly enough. The world of Poet / Artist / Composer C. John Taylor is indeed, "very far removed, from the ordinary, often monotonous, frequently demanding, routine of daily experience."

nuff said!

[MA1BOB]

Just my 2 cents worth;

As someone who is looking at moving to the area, it is hard to find out what properties are for sale or let. I see the area as a great place to raise my children. Are there any estate agents in the area. How does an outsider find out about the local economy other than what the tourist boards put out? A section on "Moving to Seil" might be very helpful in attracting young people. Just a thought.

Cheers

Bob

[wasseventhseil]

Good to hear from a youngster who wants to bring up a family here, on the subject of estate agents ......
thats a species we have no shortage of you just have to look in any fetid bog or cess pool to find them, try looking on the Oban Times website or one of the other local papers for property.

[Pentlandpirate]

Estate agents
http://www.macphee.co.uk/
http://www.alexanderdawson.co.uk/
http://www.andersonbanks.co.uk/
http://www.macarthurstewart.co.uk/
http://www.residential-property-scotland.co.uk/
http://www.macandmac.co.uk
http://www.hspc.co.uk/index.asp
http://www.bruceandco.co.uk
http://www.zkz86.dial.pipex.com/whp/index.htm
http://www.scottish-properties.com/prop ... =allPrices

I'm looking too!

[wasseventhseil]

This is a message from A.R.S.E (Argyll retired solicitors & estate agents.)

Did you know that some members of A.R.S.E might retire with a property portfolio of only 5 homes?
Some might have to drive a Mondeo instead of a Jag through out their retirement?

Please! do not let this happen, if you have a property or have seen one for sale please donate it to this worthy cause !

Phone today on 0898 HELP ARSE

Offices and Shops on all major High Streets..

[MA1BOB]

Thanks for the estate listings. Doesn't anyone ever move on Seil? Luing seems to have property to both buy or let. I personally would rather take the bridge over the Atlantic than the ferry, but I have done it in the past so it can be done.

Cheers

Bob

[Pentlandpirate]

It's a bit like one of our local golf clubs. You have to wait three years just to get on the waiting list to join the club. The waiting list itself is six years long. And then you have to wait for someone to die.

Is someone going to say it's just like that on Seil?

[harbourseal]

I feel i must defend the unwarranted attacks on C John taylors shop. We must support this institution otherwise what will happen too Scotland's struggling 'Wally dug' industry???????
.... and don't forget the free tablet.... which formed a large percentage of the calorific intake of generations of undernourished local oiks .

[spiderman]

I'm famous for my web-shooters so here goes again - methinks we have a few pretentious smartarses here who think that they can talk down a relatively rare and successful manifestation of local initiative using very clever phrases like "somewhat pish". As a defender of freedoms worldwide, Spiderman obviously supports the rights of Taylor et al to make a living so long as the customers want it. Above all, it's relatively harmless. Also the rights of estate agents to advise and help buyers and sellers if they wish. No-one requires people to use them. Again relatively harmless. One harmful local exception to the rights to this general freedom might apply to the local rapers of the marine environment who are over-fishing and destroying the seabed fauna for money, coining in the dosh, building and buying mansions, sometimes allegedly without planning permission, and generally screwing the coastal ecosystem. Anyone agree? We need to encourage locally sustainable activities and those that will keep Seil and its environment healthy. Onwards and upwards! Kapow!

[harbourseal]

The ' Local rapers of the marine environment' predominantly creel fish for nephrops, prawns, scampi, langoustines - call them what you will.

Here's what the Scottish Exec says 'The Scottish Langoustine fishery is one of the most important to the economy and plays a vital role in sustaining fragile coastal communities.' Therefore Spiderman aren't local fisherman 'a succesful manifestation of local initiative'?

Particularly when the Joint Nature Conservation Committee agree that 'Current exploitation levels of Nephrops are considered to be sustainable' May 2006.

And as this fishery has no bycatch -it selectively targets prawns, with all other invertebrates and undersized and gravid prawns returned - there is no impact on the remaining benthos. The Marine Conservation Society also recognise this - 'Increase the sustainability of the scampi you eat by choosing pot or creel caught '

As for raking it in - perhaps you should look out your window more often and have a look at the weather which severly restricts the fishing opportunity in an area of prevailing south-westerly winds.

Indeed if the winters get any worse I can see most local fisherman having to lay off their butlers and downsizing to large villas!!!!!!!!!!!!

[elephantseal]

I wonder if C. John's could be designated like everywhere else (as per the current vogue).

Personally I think a UNESCO World Heritage site would be right on the mark. Us locals could tout the buses for guided tours of the guilded treasures and Easdale and Seil would benefit from the thousands that would flock to see the delights. The future street urchins of this fine Isle could line the back street of Easdale selling replicas of the artefacts to pay for their schooling.

We could start the tour 'Along these crumbled roads, many have travelled to see these delights '

[wasseventhseil]

Goodness me spidey......I thought for a minute you were a purveyor of common sense! but no, just the usual soft half baked environmental nonsense aint seen many "rapers" of the sea with mansions in these parts. Are you one of these middle class ninnys who hate the idea of any one making money who doesn't have a degree or who actually has to work for their income??

[elephantseal]

touche..

[spiderman]

tch! A few fishy chips on shoulders! Just for advocating LOCALLY sustainable fishing?! Perhaps they protest too much.....

[harbourseal]

What exactly do you mean by LOCALLY. Where exactly in your view should Seil territorial waters extend to?

[spiderman]

Let's not get pedantic, seally! - How's about as far as your seal can roam from harbour in a day!