Lemons...

Where I'm At

I'm very much in 'Illustrator' mode right now (which is a good thing)... but it's meaning that pots have to wait. Anyway, I've got nice projects on the go and hopefully I'll be able to post more of one project as I'm sure they'll be available to buy soon. As always with this work you have to wait until you can share it publicly, which isn't great for blogging purposes! It would be nice to show a job as it progresses in real-time. I'm working hard, not slacking off... honest! I'll have a few pot pics soon and my throwing has had a bit of a breakthrough, so I'm feeling good about that. I just want to keep throwing now! I'd somehow managed to put myself off throwing, even though I know it's how I want to make most of my pots. Crazy.

FUNEX

A classic.

Just Because

The Earl Of Rone

I'm currently making this fellow in clay to sit on a stump alongside my Whittlesea Straw Bear and Hastings Jack In The Green. I'll have photos of that soon. For now, I'll leave you with this picture. I've tried to create one before, but it didn't work. It was easier to draw him this time, basing it more on my clay interpretation, rather than the photographic reference I had. 

Cautious Street Artist!

Every time I've walked past this Mini Run Start line on St Leonard's seafront, I've wanted to add this finishing line. Well, this morning I did.... rather meekly, in chalk. Conceptually strong, execution....weak! Once it washes away I'll replace it with a bigger FINISH.... well, once i 'man up' : )

Can you see it???

Can't Get You Out Of My Head

This is stuck in my head and has no plans on leaving anytime soon. Where else will you find Hannah Montana, pygmies and a mummified cat in the same song?? Nick Cave's on form, a great album and this is 8 mins of perfection.

What I Did On My Easter Holiday

Rainforest. Texas's Easter holiday project for school. It was a good kids craft project to work on. Well, I enjoyed working on it! ; )

Mutha Uckers

Old, but still good.

Noah Purifoy

Final instalment from our trip to the States back in Jan. On our last day out in the desert we made the short drive from the Joshua Tree Inn out to Noah Purifoy's Outdoor Desert Art Museum of Assemblage Sculpture. Now this place is cool. You can read more about it here (the photos are way better and it'll save me a lot of time!). There's just a whole batch of different installations all slowly weathering away out on this nice plot of desert land. It was a bit chilly and windy in January, but I recommend it to anyone who gets out that way. We mainly took video of it, so i don't have many photos. I can see my own backyard going that way one day. Nearly everything that I should throw out gets a 'Hmmm, i could probably make something out of that'. If i had the land, i would just pile it up! Isn't everything just art waiting to be made??

Snapshot From My Desk

Margaret Brampton mug, Winchcombe lid (It's good to have a lid on your coffee!) Paul Bommer invite (beautiful print job)..... my post-it note.

Teachers and Tutors

Hey, while I was thanking an old tutor I thought i'd put a post up to thank some others who put me on this artistic path (Think of it as my Oscars acceptance speech!). I'll start with my Secondary School art teacher Mrs Thorburn, who I still stay in touch with. Well, I would if i ever emailed or remembered to write in the Christmas card! (sorry Brenda!). The next one is a bit more unusual, positively Strange... Mr Strange (Peter), was my English teacher, but i get the feeling he sometimes set projects just to let me draw! We'd have to write an essay or poem etc, but there would be a weird "or draw a picture" option. I couldn't believe my luck!... but here's the sneaky bit (as I suspect he well knew) I became more interested in the book as a result! I was interested in the characters, what they actually looked like, what the mood was etc. That's great teaching, isn't it? Years later when i started as a freelance illustrator, i would get sent these Manuscripts to read so i could create the book cover image and I would think of Mr Strange, think of where it lead. That was Secondary School. Then it was Foundation at Nene College in Northampton... and John Harper. He sensed my unease and insecurities and really made me believe a bit more, pretended he knew what i was really like inside! and he'd drag me off to the print room and just get me wiping ink around with rags and printing on old bits of wallpaper (I know, madness!) I loved John Harper, always smoking, always enthusing... or raging. I needed him. From there i ended up in Lincoln with Howard and then I went on to Kingston Uni, where there was a great cast and all valuable for different reasons. Step forward Jake Abrams, Colin Mier, and Paul Wright. It's safe to say there is no way I'd be doing this for my living if it wasn't for all those named (and probably a few I haven't). Thank you to all of you, wherever you are now.

C.R.A.P for Howard

I'd forgot about these. I doubt anyone was paying much attention, but I posted some glimpses of these images way back in Oct. Well, they were for one of my old tutors, Howard Pemberton, from back in my Lincoln days. Howard was just what I needed, the right person in the right place at the right time. Life throws up these moments. Anyway, he finally left in December, after many years tolerating motley batches of students. I for one am very grateful to Howard for all his help and encouragement and I know that I wouldn't be doing what I do now without it... damn you Howard!!! Oh.... C.R.A.P?.... One of Howards favourite words was "crap", everything was "..crap"! It was kind of a running joke 'Howard, what do you think of this?"...... "crap!". Ah, they don't make educators like that anymore! These little images were created especially, so i could send him a little crap print. I hope you liked it Howard. (He never keeps in touch, but i suspect he checks in ; ). I'd also like to say "Hi" to any Lincoln students checking in. I loved my time there, it's a great little city to be a student in.

 

Sandy Calder - Conjuror of Magic

The circus of Alexander Calder, one of my favourite artists. A trained mechanical engineer, but turned to art, making beautiful wire sculptures and mobiles and stabiles... which were such huge, monolithic things, yet somehow managing to barely touch the ground they stood on. I used to (and still do) drool over his studio/workshop. Watch Sandy roar like a lion!... it's cup of tea time.

Tim Marrs - Mopar

Here's a nice little project another of my studio buddies, Tim Marrs, worked on last year. It suited his style perfectly. I'm lucky to have these guys around me, very talented folk.


Tim Marrs- Mopar 75 Years from BERNSTEIN & ANDRIULLI on Vimeo.

Chris Watson - Hand Drawn Type

Thought I'd share some of my studio buddy Chris Watson's recent type work. He created two custom fonts for Voltage, see them here, along with nice little video clips. Talented guys my studio buddies, I shall put a few more bits from the others soon.