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
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).
This has led onto more drawing commissions, the later being of a colleagues sister and fiance for their wedding present/use for table places at the wedding itself.
I must admit, I don't particularly enjoy working from photos in this way although I set myself little challenges with each one. The family group was to get the detail of the garden in the background, the couple texture and folds of the clothing.
