The Glass Aisle by Paul Henry – a film.

13 Wednesday Jun 2018

Posted by The tuesday swim in Music, Photography and video, Reading

Tags

aisle, books, brecon, brian, briggs, canal, crickhowell, glass, Henry, john, monmouthshire, moonlight, paul, poet, seren, the, welsh

At the beginning of May this year I spent two days in the company of poet Paul Henry to film the Monmouthshire and Brecon canal above Crickhowell in Powy where he wrote The Glass Aisle. The Glass Aisle is a long form poem and collection of songs written with Brian Briggs of Stornoway. The canal is rich with a industrial and social past, the workhouse, the kilns, and the canal is the stage for the Glass Aisle, haunted by voices that echo throughout this diverse landscape including the character John Moonlight, angler, Crickhowell. This film is a mesmerising journey, seeking ghosts from those who once lived and worked along the tow path. The Glass Aisle is available here

A film about Paul Cook – artist and traditional tackle maker.

10 Thursday Nov 2016

Posted by The tuesday swim in Fallon's Angler quarterly, Photography and video, Tackle

≈ 4 Comments

Tags

artist, cane, cook, floats, handmade, maker, paul, rods, split, tackle, traditional

This summer has seen my camera by my side more often than not, here I was capturing Paul Cook at his workshop and on the Wensum with one of his hand built fly rods…

A few more floats.

08 Friday Mar 2013

Posted by The tuesday swim in Tackle

≈ 4 Comments

Tags

avon, cook, float, maker, making, paul, vintage

After posting a shot of two rather nice old floats on the Traditional Fisherman’s Forum for the float builders to use as reference, I was most surprised to be contacted by master builder Paul Cook who has used the colours as a reference for some Avons.

Below are the original two floats that i posted on the TTF.

And here are Paul’s versions, amazing work as to be expected….

I was also given a sneak preview of something that Paul has been working on, the results are stunning but I’m afraid its all hush hush for now!

An over-dressed victorian

31 Thursday Jan 2013

Posted by The tuesday swim in Tackle

≈ 1 Comment

Tags

angler, artist, cook, fishing, floats, handmade, paul, traditional

A package arrived the other day in an eight inch length of plastic tubing, I knew what it was but I was quite taken by surprise by the exquisite fishing floats that were carefully packaged inside. Within the tube was a rolled up note from artist, writer, rod restorer, angler and all round gentleman, Paul Cook.

I met Paul a few years ago, at his house to pick up my rather sorry Allcocks Carp Superb rod which needed a new top and some general tender loving care, the result was stunning, and still is after three years of abuse. To say Paul is a restorer of rods or maker of fishing floats would be like saying Michelangelo is a decorator of churches, Paul is an artist, his floats are true works of art.

The four floats that arrived yesterday were simply stunning and even a non-angler would appreciate their beauty, a careful mix of feather, wood and coloured thread, all with an inscription ‘The tuesday swim.’ The question is, shall I cast these floats (often quite badly) into a weedy pond or a snaggy river? The answer is “yes” they have to be enjoyed in the field.

In Paul’s covering note he talks of an extra float, in his words states “Its a copy from an original Victorian float that I have overdressed for the occasion!” Bloody brilliant!