This guest article from Bex Phillips is part of a collection of stories, tales, and ideas about Adventure, that will be on my blog this month. If you would like to chip in I would love to hear about your Adventure, whether it was a purposeful expedition or evolved through the wonders of just living; email me at Catherine@InMovement.co.uk You can also explore more at Playground Sessions on the 5th of March 2013. It’s all about Adventure #IAAA, in Manchester from 6.00pm, book your place here-Playground Sessions.
So there I was, doin’ wot I did everyday. Day in, day out. Just standin’. Standin’ in the same spot, waitin’. Standin’ in my field in New Jersey waitin’ for crows to scare tha life outta. And then it happened. Moy sudden desiyer to leave. Expand my horizons. Travel, try out new things. Just cos I’m a scarecrow doesn’t mean that scaring crows is all I’m capable of. It was then I decided I needed to leave my crops behind and foind work in a new field.
Shortly after this I was found in a heap behind a diner a bit woyse for wear if ya know wot I mean. Some schmuck mistook me for a pile of junk ready for the thrift shop. So he boxed me up and threw me on a delivery van, I was headin’ to Manchester Township in NJ but ended up in Manchester UK! Go figure!
So I’m an outta work Scarecrow, and whilst I’m tryin’ to find employment I spend my time watching claysic horror moovees and other weird shit! I like to share my opinions about the moovees I see on FB and pop mini reviews with clips and comments on my group payge (Vinnys Horror Society – VHS). Just watched ‘Basket Case’. What a classic. Hey, that freak in the basket’s my kinda guy. Love that shit!
The reason I am able to do all this is thanks to Manchester based artist [EK!]. They drew me as an idea on a page last year and since then my story has grown. . .
[EK!]: My back ground is in Dance and Design and between 2001 and 2010 I ran my own small dance company [EK!]Dance by Design. In 2010 I decided I needed a break from the arts and started work in an independent record shop and now I have had time to take a step back am re-emerging in the art world as by[EK!]. I’m focusing on my design skills to create various series of collectable design for the commercial sector including illustrated prints, tees, badges and greetings cards. [EK!] also creates hand drawn portraits of buildings to capture peoples businesses or homes as one-off illustrations.
My new work still embraces a lot of what my past dance work did: urban and rural environments, architecture, and the preservation and appreciation of these things.
The new challenges I have faced since beginning to set up my new business mainly relate to social media and the internet. Something I had become really out of touch with and a little bit intimidated by. If I’m honest, I hadn’t got a clue how to set up something as simple as a Facebook page, but understood that for my business to work I had to learn these skills and face my demons. This is where Vinny the Scarecrow helped me along.
By using an alter ego I was able to explore this new digital world with no fear. If I made mistakes it didn’t matter. I could take risks I wouldn’t have taken before because no one knew that I was Vinny and Vinny was me. He has opened doors to new groups of people and different pockets of knowledge that I would never have dipped into as myself. I now know various facts about the State of New Jersey including annual crop statistics, the success of the NJ Devils ice hockey team and receive the latest updates from Bruce Springsteen’s fan page. Not essential information I know, but something different to think about and consider. And this often sparks ideas related to the development of my new business.
Practically Vinny has enabled me to become more confident when using tools available on line He has made me work through problems from a different perspective, he allows me to play and exercise my imagination and take a step back from reality once in a while, but most importantly he is fun and allows me to be free.
I would recommend an alter-ego as a great personal and professional development tool as it opens the door to solving problems and thinking through ideas from a fresh perspective, seeing the world in a different light and pushes you to take risks.
My company is still very young and still in the setting up stages, but as my company develops I know there will be a certain scarecrow alongside me helping me along the way.
Please visit my page on FB itsbyek or follow me on twitter @itsbyek to track my development and view my work.
HEY! Somebody writing here! Can’t a guy share his thoughts without some broad hijacking his page! Sheesh!
So. . . . follow me on Twitter @vinnyscarecrow or come and share the horror and scarecrow luv on FB, search for Vinny Ucello and my group Vinny’s Horror Society (VHS) . Look forward ta hearin’ from you schmucks! Ya know wot I mean? Ha! Peace out my friends. . .