Musician portraits, 17 May 2020

My next two paintings of people I love and admire were easy to choose, Kurt Cobain from my University days and Mick Jagger, icon of the sixties.  These key figures resonant to my past have been great influences on my art.  I’m drawn to their uniqueness, which I continually aspire to achieve.

There are many parallel’s between art & music and as I listened to a really interesting interview with Jools Holland and Christine & the Queens the other night, I agreed with her influences.  Bowie for continually changing and showing us different facets of his personality and the unique voice of Bjork.  I would also add Kate Bush and Blondie to this category.  To listen to the full interview, click here:

Later… With Jools Holland,  BBC 2, Friday 15 May

I love the ‘whitened out’ face look which I’ve achieved in my Jagger portrait.  The whitened out face is something that’s been around for a long time past and present.  In pop video’s, for example Bowie’s ‘Life On Mars, one of my favourite songs, his face is completely white with just his lipstick and green eye shadow showing. It’s a technique used by mime artist's like Bowie, in stage and television lighting and particularly in fashion photography where straight frontal light eliminates the features.  Hark back to the Goth period too and it’s musical influences. 

I mixed things up a bit with Jagger, whereas Cobain uses a more traditional oil approach working from dark to light, Jagger is based on a watercolour technique leaving the canvas mainly white and then applying colour, giving it a light and loose feel.  Both paintings are available to purchase, contact Marvellous Art Gallery or Facebook me.

Mick Jagger, oil on canvas size 40x45cm

Kurt Cobain, oil on linen size 30x30cm

A Marvellous Moment! Saturday 5th October 2019

Very happy to see my oil painting 'New York Empire State' sold at The Marvellous Art Gallery.  Hoping it will give lots of pleasure to it's new owner Steve, pictured here with Marvellous Art Gallery owner, Marvin Daika (centre).

More nutty knitters from around the World!

What is it about nutty knitters that so engages the public? It is the touchy-feely-ness, the unusual look of these things in the street, the involvement of lots of the public in public art, the colour, or the sheer barmy-ness of knitting around trees, lamp posts and other features & public places?

One thing's for sure, I've never had so many comments as I did after the first post that featured Leicester's knitted bollard-jackets and the like (here), so much so that I've sought out some more crazy knitted art projects from around the world for you to enjoy. All express art in its communal, public sense. So get out there and get knitting now!

Tree knit, Cleveland, USA

Tree knit, Austin, Texas, USA

Tree knit, Durban, South Africa

Tree knit, Reykjavik, Iceland

USA Knit Knot Tree

Tree knits, Helsinki, Finland

Tree restoration knit,
Walkenswaard, Netherlands

Tree knit, Eumundi, Australia

Tree knit, Sao Paulo, Brazil

With thanks to all the photographers of all the above pictures. We tried to find your identities, without success. If you'd care to provide them we'll very happily credit you :)

Factum Arte & the facsimile in art

Program presenter Roger Law

A friend told me about a relatively new radio programme on BBC called, WOW! How did they do that?
Presented by the colourful Spitting Image founder, Roger Law, the show features the people behind some of Britain's most outrageous and successful designs, inventions and events.
I'm now committed to every episode, convinced by the recent inclusion of Madrid-based Factum Arte, whose work in facsimiles, from the paintings of Caravaggio to Tutankhamun's tomb, jumped out of the radio in full- blown technicolor and whose website has to be one of the most fascinating and creatively interesting around. To be astonished see www.factum-arte.com

Two of the paintings by Caravaggio facsimiled by Factum Arte: 
www.factum-arte.com

Art House! Leicester! This weekend! Come along! IT'S FREE!!

Art House takes place on 8, 9 & 10 June

Part of Open House Art, a great organisation that invites the public into people's homes to see all forms of art and craft work, Art House is taking place in Leicester this weekend and alongside lots of other great artists, my work is being featured!
LOTS of house owners in and around the Clarendon Park area are throwing open their doors to art lovers FREE OF CHARGE!
And as all Open House Art events, Art House in Leicester includes all types of craft and art, from ceramics and glass, fine art, sculpture, jewellery, film and photography, textiles and printmaking.
So come along and meet some of the artists, myself included! Houses taking part are on the map list under.
To find your particular interest, or me and my work, go to the Art House website and check out the artists page. 
See you this weekend :)

Last of the new white hot motors

A great fit for A Right Royal Street Party inside the 'last of the new white hot motors'!

Having NOTHING WHATSOEVER to do with the fact that my paintings of increasing size no longer fit inside our old car, Max put his foot down with a firm hand and insisted we buy a new one!
I was worried we might end up with a van but Max knows a thing or two and our wonderful new car is white and shiny and has lots of interior space, as you can see, even if I do feel a little guilty about it. 

Max: There's even room for dismantled piano accordions in the back!

Next week I may be permitted to drive the new car when we take A Right Royal Street Party to try out for another major art exhibition. Hoping this one will be a better match to my painting style.  
More soon :)