A new direction

Is it really nearly March already? I'd better write another blog post then!

Last time I wrote about the watercolour paintings of wine glasses I was working on...well, I got sick of them and want to bring the figure back into my work. I have been using found imagery, from other artists' works and old magazine and newspaper articles, as well as my own photographs for my inspirations.

The Gift, oil on canvas, 2014-15

First off I tried some hands, as I have always found them very difficult. Then I tried a face. This is Mask, based upon a painting by Michael Borremans.

Mask, oil on canvas, 2015

If you like them, or even if you don't, please do leave me some feedback below. It always helps to hear what other people think. Thanks.

Blimey!!

Well, what a lot has happened since my last blog entry. July? Really??

To put it quite succinctly, I have got married to the best woman in the world, Tori Day. Been on a wonderful honeymoon, where we learned to paint in watercolour. Had a solo exhibition at Studio One Gallery in London, called Painter Paints Paint, a series of ten paintings of the left over tubes of paint in my studio. Been taken on by a lovely gallery in Stow on the Wold, and online, Opus Fine Art. And, together with my wonderful wife, have started an MA Fine Art course at the University of Brighton! Phew!

 

 

The Smiths: How Soon Is Now

Leonard Cohen: So Long Marianne

Deep Purple: Hush

So now, we have a hell of a lot of theory to read! Getting my mind around Kant, Bakhtin and Bataille this week - phew again!

And I've been working on a series of glasses of wine for a forthcoming exhibition in Margate, Wash, of contemporary watercolours. I hope you like them. Please leave a message below to let me know.

Til next time. x

Rolf - a reaction

Well what a week of revelations we've had in England about two of the most popular children's entertainers from my childhood. Rolf Harris is a paedophile and Jimmy Saville was...well, just inhuman. Now there has been many more accusations against Rolf Harris, and the world of Twitter and Facebook is beginning to react. Today I have read the opinions of some people who "cannot believe it" and who are "gutted" that a part of their childhood has been "ruined", some people have expressed their opinion that it is a "shame", because they had enjoyed being entertained by him in their youth. Russell Brand has suggested that we may have to look to a higher power to avoid the "horror" of someone we admire being a paedophile. Apparently one radio presenter went so far as to ask "should we forgive Rolf Harris?"

I used to watch Rolf Harris's programmes as well as Jimmy Saville's as a child. At the same time, I was sexually abused by a group of men. None of them known to me, then or now. They weren't famous. They were just paedophiles. And they didn't ruin my childhood. They ruined my whole life. The same way that Jimmy Saville and Rolf Harris ruined the entire lives of every man, woman and child that they abused.

These days I have a very happy and healthy relationship with a woman I love very much. We are to be married next month. And I am grateful every day that she loves me despite my quirks and foibles, my depression and even my past.

But I will never forget what those men did to me. What they took from me. And I will never forgive them. As Rolf Harris should never be forgiven.

There, I've got that off my chest. Now to the art. Here are some paintings from my latest series, Paint. I hope you enjoy them.

Paint (Titanium White)

Paint (Pthalo Blue)

Paint (Yellow Ochre)

Paint (Sepia)

Small rant, and new work for you.

Somebody who 'unfriended' me a while ago (both on Facebook and in real life) accidentally 'liked' one of my paintings on Facebook the other day. I say accidentally because he obviously thought better of it and 'unliked' it the next day.

Now I don't know about you, but if I don't want any more to do with somebody, I stop looking at their updates. That way, I won't accidentally like their work. As said person has a habit of stealing peoples' ideas, subjects and indeed painting styles, I really don't want him looking at my recent work. So he is now blocked. I wish him well with all his endeavours, but not on the back of my work, thank you very much.

However, I am happy to share some recent work with you. Here's a selection of paintings from the last week in the studio.

Nanny's Biscuit Cutter

My Matchbox Camper Van

Grandad's Cups and Saucers

The Lovesong

Thank you. If you like this post, or have an opinion about it, please feel free to comment below.

Hello France!

I have a lot of visitors from France today. Welcome to my blog.

I have been busy again recently. My work is now installed at One Church Street Gallery in Great Missenden, a beautiful little town in Buckinghamshire most famous as being the home of my favourite children's author Roald Dahl.

Please have a look at their website for details of opening times and have a look at the other wonderful gallery artists they represent. http://www.onechurchstreet.com

I have been working on a new series of paintings at the studio. I appear to be working in small series at the moment. Right now it is cameras I am obsessed by. My grandfather's camera, my dad's old Kodak - which he took endless photographs of seagulls with on every holiday I remember!

Nothing, Like Something, Happens Anywhere

I Remember, I Remember

 

Father Cracks A Joke

If anyone is viewing from the States, you may find my work in the pages of House Beautiful magazine. I produced a painting for a Valspar Paints advert, which should be in the magazine very soon, if not already! Take care all.

Wow...busy, busy, busy!

So it's pancake day! Hurrah, although I haven't actually made any today, as I'm strangely a bit sick of pancakes at the moment...

I was contacted two weeks ago by an advertising agency from Chicago and asked if I would be happy to produce a painting for a new advertisement for a particular brand of household paint (sorry, I don't think I can tell you yet!)

At first, I thought it maybe a scam - having been had by one a couple of years ago, it does make you very wary of anything that sounds too good to be true! - but, having checked them out on t'internet, it all seemed genuine, so I said yes, I was very interested. However, the job had to be finished and sent to a photographer in Los Angeles in four days! And it was half term - I had my kids with me.

Well I work in oils, and an oil painting would never be dry in time, so I had to brush off the old acrylics. The agency were very keen to help me with my composition, colours, etc. and of course, with the time difference - they are six hours behind us - there was a lot of late night alterations to make...but I made it in time!

However, Parcelforce Worldwide did not, and it got there a day late! That was a shame, but the agency apparently liked what I'd painted for them. But I can't show you....can I? Oh why not? They're not likely to be reading this, are they? Let's hope not. Here you go...

Pancake Mix, oil on board, 2014