Back in the saddle

It has been a very tricky few months recently.

I have had a health scare and had to go into hospital for a colonoscopy. The good news is that I don't have colon cancer, which was my biggest fear. I had a polyp, which was removed, as they can turn into cancer. I just have to have regular check ups from now on. Also, my mother went into hospital to have a large brain tumour removed. The operation went well, thanks to all the staff at Addenbrooke's hospital, Cambridge, and she is on the mend.

My daily travels to visit her in the hospital and my own minor operation were both on my mind when I finally got back into the studio the other week ready to do some work. Since discovering my mum had a brain tumour, I had found it impossible to paint anything figurative. What could I possibly depict that would say how I felt? I simply couldn't. So I had begun a series of abstract works. All of which were mainly colour studies. I have been reading Kandinsky's book "Concerning the Spiritual in Art", as well as the writings of Peter Lanyon and Roger Hilton. I worked on contrast, colour and balance in the overall design of each painting. I felt, however, that far from being about anything in particular, they ended up as just colour studies. I needed something to work from, something to abstract.


I ended up filling a sketchbook with very quick drawings in pen from my experience of the hospital. When I was lying on a gurney being wheeled around an operating theatre, and indeed when I was under sedation, I was aware of how different the world seems, with no "correct" perspective. I could almost see the operating theatre from four different points of view - from the three people working in there as well as from my own.

The Hospital Trip, Oil on canvas, 150 x 100cm (work in progress) 2012

I have begun a large abstract painting now, based upon my experiences of the hospitals I have recently visited. It is not "about" any one thing in particular, but rather an experience of time spent in this unusual way. It is a work in progress, which I would like to share with you.

New paintings and designs.

Candy Mountains went down a storm at Arbeit Gallery. A very exciting new gallery space, just off of Old Street. I'm very interested to see the upcoming exhibitions there.

I have been working at the studios on some new abstract works. I'm very happy about how they are going. Back to basics mark making, if you like, I am working on several at a time which is a pleasing way to work. Having been slogging over a very large painting for a long time, its been great to throw myself into working fast on more than one at a time.

Have also spent some time preparing graphics for Normal Designs' first collection of shopping bags. This image of mine has been re-blogged from a tumblr sketchbook blog no end of times recently, and although I don't particularly mind people using my work, I thought it only sensible to start making some money out of it myself! Please watch out for further announcements regarding Normal Designs' products, available near you....very soon!

Candy Mountains at ARBEIT

Spent a couple of days in the studio, working on some new abstract works, which I'm very excited about.

Also very thrilled to be part of this exhibition.

Candy Mountains at ARBEIT

Art during birthday week.

Well, it was my birthday last week. Had lovely presents, mainly books on how to make money as an artist and designer - very much required reading! Anyway, for my birthday treat I wanted to see the Threadneedle Fine Art Prize exhibition. Having not been selected for the last three years, this year there seemed to be a lot more decent work than I have seen previously. So we walked to the Mall Galleries, it was a lovely warm Wednesday last week, and lo and behold when we got there the gallery was closed for the prize giving! Never mind, we thought, the ICA is next door - and were installing their next exhibition. Oh well, not to worry, I'm happy, it's my 41st birthday. Let's go to Mason's Yard and check out the Raqib Shaw exhibition.

Wow! What a pile of utter toss. I mean, I know that I know he didn't make those sculptures - I know the company who does, but really?? Were the frogs supposed to be dripping with hot glue from a glue-gun? Or was that supposed to be spunk? After the dreadful anodine sculptures upstairs (although the painting of the flesh was quite good on the feet), we went downstairs...

Well, after that appalling exhibition, I thought it might be nice to pop into the always magnificent Alan Wheatley Art opposite. I saw a wonderful painting in the window. Who was that? Was it a Patrick Heron or a Peter Lanyon that I didn't know? No, it was by Alec Cumming, a 25 year old painter from Norfolk.

April 2011, Alec Cumming, Oil on canvas.

The exhibition is on until 21st October. Trust me, just go and see it. Made me glad to be a painter again. The mark making, the colour, just the use of space - everything is wonderful.

Hung new work yesterday in the Crypt Gallery underneath St Pancras church. It really is a wonderful space, very exciting to be part of a show there with some good friends from Collective Studios and some artists who are new to me. I particularly like Paul Griffiths' new series of landscapes, painted from memories of his walks in the south downs.

After that went to see Miro at Tate Modern. What a fantastic exhibition. Very hot as always in the Tate, and quite crowded, but great to see. Particularly impressive is the Barcelona Series of fifty lithographs.

Got to see the Ryan Mosley show at Alison Jacques on the last day! The work is so dense with paint, there is so much going on underneath the final layers of paint. Wonderful show. We all know how important it is to see work in the flesh, but I was reminded of this hugely at this exhibition. No reproduction can capture the physicality of these paintings.

An interesting week, to say the least!

Well, what a week we've all had! Got stuck at the studios at the beginning of the week as the riots were getting pretty close! Went to Clapham Junction with a few of the crew from Collective Studios for the riot cleanup the day after, which was great fun, though there were so many people there, it was difficult to find anything left to sweep up. Then back to the studios for some painting. Nothing much coming to me, pretty much had a blank - so that's what I painted, a blank wall.

I Still Have No Ideas (II)
Oil on board
27.5 x 21cm