Functionality of Maintenance 1

Painting

Last time out I was undertaking several pieces, ‘Just three words’ and 100 ways to say bollocks, in fairness it felt a little fake to me, going through some motions of concepts, I felt that I was being true to myself but I reckon I was just kidding myself. I was creatively lost, looking back  on it, the work involving writing the word bollocks using one and half inch nails and two inch 

 

nails was the final nail in the coffin. After hours of gluing nail heads onto a board something had to give, in this case I just put it at the back of the studio to gather dust – maybe to return when it felt right, it hasn’t felt right since that decision. Just three little words was just playing, thinking I was being cutting edge, witty, or in fact shoved up my own arse. So what now? Going back to basics, try and find something that I wanted to paint, had a go at looking into my past, the Ladybird book collection that was given to me as a present inspired some ideas based upon my Adidas samba painting,

no matter how I manipulated the images, played around with drawings, layouts and the rest, it didn’t feel right, so yet again in all honesty it was shelved, the result that I had lost my direction, creativity and interest in painting my own ideas.

I still want/need to paint, I’m my most happiest stood/sat in front of a canvas with a paint pallet next to me mixing colours and getting involved with the art of painting.

So what next, who knows, I’m currently undertaking work that has been asked, well, ticking over stuff, it seems that I have been working on wedding stuff, namely signing boards. The first, as a wedding present to my sister in law was a graphite drawing based on their journey together; it was a real challenge as they kept changing their ideas, making the mapping out difficult, but in the end I enjoyed the challenge, trying to make a piece of work that was suitable for the occasion and didn’t veer off to much from my own convictions! Currently, I have been asked, a suggestion from my good lady wife! That I produced a painting for a signing board for a relations wedding in Paris, through some email discussion I have started mapping out a painting, a slightly new approach acrylic on paper – not done it before discovered that with priming part of the paper caused some buckling but hopefully this will go as paint is applied. I will give updates on this as it progresses, the introduction of colour more than the three colours I have used previously is taking me into a new direction, hopefully by undertaking this it might provide me with a new creative direction, its certainly got me thinking more about my work and hopefully it will be the springboard for new work.

Trying to ‘keep my hand in’ over the last year or so, I have set myself a couple of painting challenges, I keep coming back to this word challenges, why is this? What challenges do I want to make in creating art? Do I want to improve my skills, becoming one of the top ten contemporary artists in line with D Hurst, Chapman brothers (previous thoughts about them on blog), it would be nice, but to be honest it aint gonna happen.

One of the reasons for lack of posting/painting on a regular basis will be posted within the ‘functionality of maintenance’ in due course; Pinner Rugby Club, but within the context of this post it is about art and painting I produce (is that the term I want to use?) connected with the rugby club I set up a competition 

Competition – seek and thou shalt find

Following previous successful competitions we have introduced another one. On the website there will posted this image

I know there is one on this post but there’s another one somewhere else on the website (very funny quoting this one!) nor is it the one in the ‘pelican brief’ that again is just advertising the competition – I give up!!

The first one to email me where it is on the website will win. The date it will posted will be Sunday 7th March. The prize…… something a little different; a personal graphite drawing 10”x 8” on paper of the winner in action, signed and dated. (personal choice of image and style) there are examples in the latest newsletter found on website as a pdf or a paper copy in the clubhouse

it has now been posted on the website, as of 8.13pm Good luck

things then transpired 

The final presentation was made by Paul Talbot who ran a competition on the website to locate a picture of Tommy Cooper wearing his famous fez with the Pinner RFC logo on it. For the first person to find it the prize was a portrait drawing, completed by Paul Talbot, this was extended by the winner’s request; Neill ‘Bullet’ King for a painting, not only of himself but with three of his first team mates

 

In fairness, the idea of making this painting did give me a buzz, using colour, trying out something different that extended me was great, I didn’t have a time limited, so as with most things it slipped away, the initial ideas, drawings etc got started but put in the recesses of my mind and studio. I have now come to the conclusion that I need to set my time targets, I work under pressure and with this I set myself a date to finish in time for the end of season awards, I finished it unfortunately, the winner did not turn up! Got some great feed back and may pursue this line of painting further, who knows might get a couple of commissions from it (always nice). 

all day I dream about .... update V

terrible lighting has meant I need to take the photos again, but here's the written aspect (close up)

all day I dream about.. update IV

Spent a little time last night on the lettering on the painting - now third layer has been applied - being basically a cadmium red base it really contrasts well with the lime background - in fact it makes my eyes go funny (an effect I was hoping to achieve!)
will post image later today - light permitting
other work currently on the go - just three words series - applied second layer of blue, thinking about the background; maybe opt for a white with a hint of colour, or just zinc white, have to a have a think and play.

all day I dream about .... update II

well, having been away soaking up the sand, sea and saltwater (didn't get much time for any of that!) I have returned and locked myself away in the 'shed' to continue with the painting.

Currently working on 5 pieces as I have to wait for the paint to dry!!

Some go with current projects - funny portraits, some just appear from no where and the Adidas one is the starting point for a series of paintings as previously posted.

Applying the second coat I changed the tone slightly, giving it a slightly more yellow/lime hue, after that had dried, I looked again and have mixed a sharper hue using lemon yellow and (now in fear of saying this!) fluorescent yellow. The effect just gives the basic lime green an edge and pulls it up from the canvas. Anyhow, time and third layer will tell.

P.S. just thought I'd mention - well done to Jafabrit for her exhibition, looks great and I hope you will gain success from it.

all day I dream about .... update

spending a little bit of time on the painting, decided to go for a lime green, like the contrast with the black and the fresh look it will hopefully give. Noticed after working on it that I may need to increase the size of the brush that I am using to get a flatter surface. Although on reflection, I do like the marks that are left on the canvas, the movement created, I have in the past always left them so I don't think that will change, also, as I paint arse about face - paint the background after painting the image it does give the surface of the canvas a texture. Haven't worked out the colours for the three bands (Adidas) and the text/placement on the canvas.

post: quick photo of work in progress (taken in half light on the decking!!)

further Adidas!

What Does "Adidas" Mean? The Legend The "Adidas" brand of athletic shoes (popular in the 1970s) got its name from the first letters in the phrase "All Day I Dream About Sex." Behind the Legend There are two bits of misinformation at work here. The first is that Adidas is a sexual acronym. Actually, the sports manufacturer is a great proponent of fairness in competition and the product name is a warning directed, in particular, at young athletes. The name is an acronym for "Athletes die ignoble deaths after steroids." The second mistake is that people dream about sex all day. In fact, most normal, healthy people only dream at night, and during the day think about sex approximately every two minutes (if they are male). Much more interesting is the Nike brand, the name of which is a self-referential acronym: "Nike Is Kind of Expensive."
source: Yahoo small business

all day I dream about ....

with a little research its amazing what information you can find!
Adidas acronyms,
All Day I Dream About Soccer
All Day I Dream About Shoes
After Dinner I Do A Shit
All Day I Dream About Streaking
All Day I Dream About Stereos
All Day I Dream About Sea
All Day I Dream About Studies
After Dinner I Drink A Shot
All Day I Dream About Salvation
After Dinner I Did A Shit

all day I dream about .....

for those who maybe interested/ trainspotter types amongst us!
Adidas (established 1920)
This leading global producer of sports footwear, equipment, and leisure wear is widely recognized by its trefoil logo, launched in 1972, the more geometric performance logo introduced in 1991, as well as the three stripes that run across many of its products. However the company's origins were modest, with the first handmade training shoe being made by the company's German founder Adolf (‘Adi’) Dassler in the family home in 1920. The company's first shoemaking factory was established in 1927 and Adidas shoes were seen at the Olympic Games in Amsterdam in the following year. Tennis shoes were added to the range in the early 1930s and a second factory opened in 1938. However, it was confiscated by the Nazis in the following year and taken over by the US army after the end of the Second World War. Although Adi Dassler quarrelled with his brother Rudolf, who went on to create the Puma brand in 1948, the Adidas company developed a strong presence in the post-war years with effective publicity campaigns. Its products were successfully promoted at succeeding football World Cup competitions and Olympic Games, including those at Melbourne in 1956, Rome in 1960, and Tokyo in 1964, where a significant percentage of athletes wore Adidas shoes. The company began manufacturing in France and, in the early 1960s, began to diversify into the production of footballs (1961) and tracksuits (1962), the first tracksuits with the characteristic three stripes being marketed in 1964. The company was also concerned to innovate, producing a number of key designs such as the Achille jogging shoe (1968), the revolutionary Torsion sole system (1998), and the Predator (1995). Association of the company's products with leading sporting figures continued to be a key part of its marketing strategy. Both Mohamed Ali and Joe Frazier wore Adidas boots for their world heavyweight boxing bout in 1971, the German World Cup football champions all wore Adidas products in 1990, and the French World Cup winning team of 1998 was also sponsored by the company. In the early 1990s the company was radically restructured, in 1997 taking over the French Salomon Group, a leading manufacturer of winter sports equipment. The company's success is highly visible today in the large number of people around the world who carry its logo on leisure wear, sporting goods, and equipment, whether or not they are highly active participants in such activities.

all day I dream about sex

Some of us may remember this logo from our teenage days. I used to own several pairs of football boots, trainers and kit bags with this image festooned across them. I recently bought a pair of 'sambas' and practically live in them. Maybe its because I hanker after those days when I was youthful (probably more like fitter!) and wearing them releases past experiences - scoring a try for the school, carrying a white holdall as carried by the Dexys Midnight runners or just bumping around in them, who knows. But as time moves on so do we, but we can always try to revisit them: friends reunited has proved that. As with time, things change - looking at the new image/styling of the Adidas logo its lacks heart and it does leave me cold,

So where does all this fit in with my painting?

Working on a small project about items that evoke a personal response I intend to complete a series of 6 paintings which reflect different stages in my life.

As a school kid, we often heard the phrase "all day I dream about sex" with reference to Adidas and many other connotations (which i cant think of at the moment), it always stuck in the depths of my mind and seeing Adidas sports wear always make me think of that time and saying.

Returning to a larger canvas than the ones I have recently being working on I have started painting the afore mentioned painting; size 100 x 75cm

First stage - marking out in paynes grey (again image not brilliant - taken at night in shed!)