special stuff

Been married to herself for 17 years today.

I don't have the mental capacity to imagine life without her.

Happy Anniversary Claire.

Big Love.X

Edited highlights

Frantic painting this week, mostly from Friday night's trip to Norwich, (see post below).

These sketches, and a detail from a finished canvas, are just a taste of the subject. I'm pretty wrapped up in trying to get the essence of the place/people into the finished work.

Off again for another look tonight, so more next week.

Mad rush, so coherent words are not really on the cards, I'll try and be more lucid over the weekend.

The start of something

Well, Friday evening was my first working visit to Spearmint Rhino's in Norwich.
I was really kept on my toes trying to sketch the girls, working in the semi-darkness made it hard work, but I guess it would be a bit churlish to moan too much !

After doing some sorting out over the weekend, i managed to finish this piece today, the first of many I hope.

While I think about it, I must say a massive thank-you to Vincent, the girls, and staff at the club.
Everyone made a big effort to make me feel welcome, and got into the idea of what I am trying to achieve.

Bravo !

Another blue one.......

Finished this piece yesterday, oil on canvas, 30 inches by 24 inches.

Urban attraction

I was reading the Saturday Guardian magazine over the old toast and marmite earlier......always the same, never have time to read it at the weekend.......and I came across a piece about a guy in Manhattan who is selling time slots in a sleep booth on the 'sidewalk'.


The idea is you take a break from your frantic day and get a swift power-knap during your lunchtime, or whenever;

http://www.guardian.co.uk/weekend/story/0,,2055275,00.html

I was thinking, maybe if we slow country types need a bit of a lift.........a dose of high N R G city living if you will.....some entrepreneur could set up a booth with wide-screen and surround-sound, and we could be transported to any major world capital for 20 minutes at the push of a button.

Next thing you know, the price of hedge-veg has soared, farm gateway eggs will be flying off the trestle tables................this time next year, we could be.....

Glory be......

I have been waiting for a legitimate excuse to post this painting for some time.........Luckily for us all, the beautiful woman who is the subject of it gave me such an excuse on Friday.

Yes, yes, I know it's now Tuesday, but the weekend was all frantic, and I couldn't get to the machine 'cos my aforementioned daughter was busy "bebo-ing".

So, the excuse is that the young lady in the painting has been a major catalyst in me securing an agreement to paint in a rather surprisingly classy gentleman's club.

Think Toulouse Lautrec for the Noughties, I'm fairly shaky with excitement about it.......loads of possibilities, I'm thinking a whole series of BIG canvases, lap dancers, high heels, dim lights, what's not to like ???

After Picasso ll

This one is the real thing.............

After Picasso

Finished a commissioned work today.

I was asked to produce a copy of Picasso's Blue Nude. I have to say that despite feeling a bit odd agreeing to do a copy of a famous work, I really enjoyed doing it, and feel I got some more insight into what dear old Pablo was trying to get across.

Anyway, see what you think.

challenges

I set myself a couple of tasks at the turn of last year, one of which was to do some drawing every day.
On the face of it, that didn't seem too much of a challenge. However, this week for the first time since January, I have missed two consecutive days.
I have to say I'm more than slightly annoyed with myself. The week has just got more and more compressed, and I feel like I'm just flapping and not getting much done.

My BIG thing at the moment is an event called Open Studios, which is getting ever nearer. By the 18th of may I need to have the walls of my studio heaving with new work. The hope is that an adoring art buying public will then pour through the open door, buy everything in sight, and the kids can have new shoes and branded cereal............(as long as I get the little plastic toy)

running to stand still

Madness;........ have had a lovely break over Easter, having chased my arse for four days of a short week before it........Now I am chasing my arse again to get stuff done 'cos this week is only four days long.

More later, with some new sketches.

Iron Horse.......

So, by popular request, here's a pic of me astride my iron horse.

As you can see, heading off into the sunset for an evening of painting by the tropical North Sea holds no fear for me...........

(Identity concealed to protect the guilty).

Happy Holidays

A little something for the long weekend !

Hoping to get the iron horse pic done later this evening..........

Out and about

Outside painting all day today. Magic.

The whole coast was alive, tourists about for Easter Hols, sea a bit grumpy but luminous.
Even saw a group of young guys getting into wet suits with their boards newly waxed......brave souls as the water temperature is alleged to be up to four degrees ! I think I'll wait a while yet.

Managed to get two sketchy small pieces finished, I like the clifftop view best.

I will at some point put a picture of my Iron Horse on here. It's an old delivery bicycle. Big basket on the front which the box easel fits into, and away I go.
If any of you see me out on it, overtake me slowly 'cos I'm not hugely stable !

Kowabunga........

phew....

Mad busy weekend.
Frantic day yesterday with not one but two new models available. All winter I have been painting alone in my frigid barn, working from sketches and photographs, then out of the blue I'm overwhelmed with gorgeousness.
I suddenly got the fear when I realised my ability to paint and hold a conversation at the same time had wilted with the winter gales.
Anyway, the upshot is I have done some more towards Open Studios in May, and the wonderful
models - both debutantes - have agreed to come back for more.
It's a hard old life.