Preliminary drawing

In my last post which, oh my, I realise now was two weeks back! I showed you a piece that I was experimenting with. Well...in between then and now I have explored all avenues with it. It's been pushed, pulled, chopped up, chopped up again and guess what...it's now been binned!! I don't easily give up on any piece and try to push it through to some sort of conclusion but this time I was definitely beaten...grrrrrr! On the positive side though (and there always is one so they tell me :)) I did learn alot from it...even if it was mostly what doesn't work! The piece above is my next victim. It's another drawing I made earlier. I just thought I'd show you whilst it's in the preliminary stages. I've cut it through the centre as a starting point and will endeavour to work outwards from there...and will needless to say, try not to mess up on this one! It's a slow process so don't expect a progress report too soon, although, I am getting quicker at it...what I really need is a studio assistant to do all the sticking work, hmmm...in my dreams!! 

Work in progress

This piece is my current work in progress. As you can see I still have quite a way to go with it. Now I've overcome some of the initial assemblage issues and devised a method of working, the process is becoming less problematic. I'm using a drawing that I made on a creased and scored surface. The creases and score marks create veins in the paper that become clear when the charcoal is applied and which have an organic appearance. The cutting up and re-constructing process is very much about building the image. I'm experimenting at the moment with different shape and scale pieces. I'm quite excited by this latest piece as it seems to be going in a new direction...we shall have to wait and see!

My finished frames

Today I've been finishing the frames for two of the pieces going into the show 'Borrowed Blue' at Sam scorer Gallery, Lincoln on Monday. I ordered the frame pieces and accessories from Ashcraft Framing and put them together myself. It was simple and straightforward...brilliant! 

Remnants of a mosaic

This piece is something I've been working on for the past few days and yes...it is finished! The idea behind the piece is to depict not an entire mosaic but the remains of a mosaic. The subject is the Roman god Bacchus (also Dionysus from Greek myth). I was reading about Bacchus' travels through India and came across this quote from the Latin tragedy 'Phaedra' by Seneca, 'Thou Bacchus from thysus-bearing India, with unshorn locks, perpetually young, thou who frightenest tigers with thy vine-clad spear and with a turban bindest thy horned head'. So this is my portrayal of Bacchus from that description. I used a drawing that I made a while back but which came immediately to mind as soon as I read the quote. Not only is the subject conveniently wearing a turban but I feel the character has an androgynous quality that is often associated with Bacchus/Dionysus. This piece is 30cm x 40cm.  

'Girl in Blue Jumper'

40cm x 30cm

oil on stretched canvas

I've been working on this piece this afternoon, getting it ready to put in 'Borrowed Blue' at Sam Scorer Gallery in Lincoln. It's an interesting show to take part in because the requirements for the show are as follows: four pieces in total from each artist - one has to be an older piece, one a new work, one borrowed from someone else and one containing a blue element. I couldn't resist when I was invited to participate! The painting above is my 'blue' piece and the drawing in the painting that you can see on the wall on the right of the girl will be my 'borrowed' piece. It's a charcoal drawing by a friend and artist Rosie Burke. I love the drawing and was delighted when Rosie agreed to hang it in the exhibition!

'Borrowed Blue' 

Sam Scorer Gallery

Drury Lane 

Lincoln

2nd September - 15th September  

All those who can get along to the 'invitation do' on Sunday 8th September 2.00pm - 4.00pm are very welcome. Please come if you can. There will be yummy tubs of ice cream (dairy and non-dairy) and lots of soft drinks too. Should be a fun afternoon! :) 

Work in progress for next year's exhibition

I've been working again on my idea for the exhibition happening next year. The subject in this piece is Venus/Aphrodite. It's just over a third finished. It's a slow process and has taken quite a number of hours already. Making the drawing is pretty quick, it's the cutting up and sticking that's slow as I'm cutting each piece individually...approximately 660 pieces in this work so far!! I like the unevenness of the pieces that results from this method. I'm still not sure where this is taking me but I do enjoy exploring new ideas even if they might send me a little crazy by the end of them!! :O 

'Market - Saturday Morning' finished

20" x 30"

oil on canvas panel

Click to buy

I think I've pretty much finished this painting now. I'll check again tomorrow incase there's something I've missed.  I've spent three sessions working on it. You could probably carry on forever with a studio painting like this but you have to call a halt at some point and sooner rather than later before it becomes overworked and laboured. Some of the fruit and veg are invented because the boxes that were visible were mostly filled with vegetables in plastic bags and I wanted more colour. That's the magic of being an artist...if you don't much like the reality around you, then you can change it!!