The latest clutch of crop circle calendars have arrived to adorn our walls for the next year. ANDY THOMAS finds some wallspace…


There are four crop circle calendars for 2005 currently in circulation, and we have seen three of them for review (there is apparently another from Freddy Silva), which are as follows…


1) WILTSHIRE CROP CIRCLE STUDY GROUP

The latest effort from Francine Blake’s group follows closely the format set down last year, blending crop circle images with the Mayan ‘day-sign’ symbols for each day. It is an interesting New Age assumption that Mayan symbolism and crop circles must have a connection, but the appearance of the so-called ‘Mayan Wheel’ formation at Silbury this summer (featured prominently on the cover) does at least make for a more definite association this year. However, by sticking to Jose Arguelles’ ‘Dreamspell’ version of the Mayan calendar, it is not strictly accurate to say that the placing of the featured Mayan symbols are actually in line with the authentic Mayan system, which was adjusted by Arguelles to work within his own parameters – see Geoff Stray’s comments in last year’s calendar reviews. But most will in any case be too confused by the long explanation of the Mayan Tzolkin system and too distracted with looking at the circles and scrawling ‘Aunt Doris’s birthday’ in the date squares to worry about this.

Graphically, the layout of the calendar is busy (a little too busy?) and attractive, full of accompanying silhouettes and smaller pictures, and the main photographs – all from the 2004 season – are detailed and colourful. The crustacean-like design at Tan Hill, for instance, is almost shocking in how much detail of the lay is visible in an aerial shot. Some of the photographic composition is a bit odd (March’s ‘bee’ pictogram and October’s shot of the Savernake Forest maze are too much field and not enough formation), but there’s little here to cause complaint.

AVAILABLE FROM:
WCCSG, PO Box 939, Devizes, Wiltshire, SN10 1XD
E-mail: WCCSG@ukonline.co.uk
Tel: +44 (0) 1380 739 966


2) LUCY PRINGLE

Lucy sticks to her long-established format of classic formations accompanied by seemingly unconnected but aesthetically aligned non-circle photos of architecture and nature framed against simple white backgrounds, and few will take issue with that. Wisdom quotes and small silhouettes of crop circles adorn the pages, and previous purchasers will know what to expect.

The photos (all Lucy’s own) are bright and bold, if sometimes a bit small (the quotes might have been better smaller instead), and the nicely varied selection of formations is largely from more recent years.

Thick card and good wide date grids make this the easiest of the current calendars to actually use, and as such will suit those who like to liberally scribble notes and reminders beneath the glyph of the month.

AVAILABLE FROM:
Lucy Pringle, 5 Town Lane, Sheet, Hampshire, GU32 2AF
E-mail: LucyPringle@aol.com
Web: http://home.clara.net/lucypringle
Tel: +44 (0) 1730 263454


3) ROD BEARCLOUD

Rod has been a soldier at the croppie frontline for some time now, producing DVDs and artworks examining the extraordinary geometry and meaning of crop formations, but this is the first calendar he has produced. Taking a bold stylistically different approach from the competition, facing the obligatory full-size photo of a crop circle, each from the 2004 season, is a circular date grid framing a ring showing the phases of the moon.

This calendar is very much for the celestially-minded, including astronomical and astrological details, and includes sunrise and sunset times at sacred sites around the world for each month. Each quadranted page is packed full of smaller photos, quotes and colourful silhouettes.

Though some of the photos are a little murky in places, this stands out from the other calendars in being a radically altered approach to the expected format, and as such will please those with a more adventurous and spiritual bent.

AVAILABLE FROM:
Rod Bearcloud, Tlaquepaque C-107, Sedona, AZ 86339
Web: www.starnationgallery.com
Tel: (001) 928 282 4940

UK copies can be ordered from Kate Fenn at:

kat@echoseekers.fsnet.co.uk

3 Elder Court, Lavender Drive, Calne, Wiltshire, SN11 ORL, UK