Monday, 29 June 2009
Huffing and Puffing
It's too damn hot. I can't do any work because it's bad enough being in my house let alone being in a wooden shed/suntrap. Hot and bothered are two good words to use. I'm stuck indoors watching a marathon of episodes of Supernatural on the internet. Don't get me wrong, I do love summer, but when it's above 34'C in the garden with no breeze, I don't feel too impressed with mother nature.
Saturday, 27 June 2009
Deviating from the point (10 things..)
First off, the progress news: mid-way through another painting - another 3x3ft one which isn't going quite as swimmingly as I'd hoped but never mind, I shall persevere, they always turn out ok in the end- I'm sure it is salvagable.
Secondly - I got invited to exhibit a painting in a gallery in Long Island NY (!!!!!!!!!!!) Another one I can't do because they want a small thing and I don't really have anything small apart from Mrs O'Reilly Goes to Market and I'm not really prepared to pay $50 for 30x40 inches of wall space on top of postage and packing at this stage of my career - I mean, yes, it would be awesome to be exhibited in New York, but right now I have to be realistic in terms of what I can afford to do - I don't have an indefinite amount of money and that little gig would probably set me back about £50 in total at least - if it doesn't sell - total money down the drain which could have been spent on art supplies.
Speaking of art supplies, does anyone know of a good crackle glaze they can recommend? I want to have a painting glazed but so the varnish cracks and looks like an old oil painting - so far I've mainly been able to find pastes that you mix in with the paint which then crack, so the whole thing is cracked and I don't really want that - and the other thing the people in the art shop suggested was using an oil based glaze and then putting a water based one over it - but they also said that that is pretty uncontrollable so there's no guarantee of how it'll end up.
I am still finding this incredibly surreal - this whole being taken seriously by other people thing. I dunno - maybe it's because when I first made this decision, I had such a hard job of convincing my family and friends that I wasn't joking and that they should take me seriously - art is as much of a real job as any other desk job - it's just an unconventional one with incredibly unsociable hours - that now people are actually taking a serious interest in my work I can't quite believe that they're not pulling my leg! hah the life of a skeptic eh?
Another point is that although people like Rivy and my other friends all say they love my work, in my own eyes, nothing I do is good enough - which I guess is a good thing because it means it gives me the impetus to keep going and to keep striving to do better with every piece I do.
Now for the rundown in literature, art, music and photography from external sources (aka mainly from my shelf, the radio and deviantart)
LITERATURE: I'm reading Shirley Temple's autobiography at the moment - mainly because I'm a huge fan of Judy Garland, who, as we all know had... quite a messed up life. As much as I love her, I don't see the point in glossing over the truth and romanticising my idol. Now she was working professionally pretty solidly since she was 2 and there's an alarming pattern between child stars and drug abuse and how absolutely messed up they become - the first 4 modern examples that spring to mind are Britney Spears, Michael Jackson, Liza Minnelli (who I also love, but admit that she's had her issues in the past) and Macauley Culkin or however you spell it - so basically I was wondering given that she is possibly THE most famous child star in the history of entertainment to date - How little miss Temple ended up so NORMAL! I admit - I don't know much about her (yet) but being catapulted to international stardom before she was 5, having dresses with her name on the label, dolls made in her image, kids going to school with her face on their book covers and lunch boxes... how does anyone get their head around that and remain with both feet on the floor?? I'm only about 1/4 of the way through it at the moment and she's about 6, but it seems that it's largely thanks to her mum and dad that she survived this - most child stars mums are pushy stage mums who just push and push and push their kids to fame and then live off the profits - Ethel Gumm being a prime example (Judy's mum) siding with the producers against the best interests of their child for the sake of money, not nurturing them at all or really asking the kid if it's what they really want to do....
Shirley saw her mum dancing and wanted to do the same, so her mum took her to Meglin's dance school where she learned, she took her to auditions, but the only 'grooming' she did was to say 'sparkle' and Shirly just did her thing - when she came home she was a regular little girl - it's just that they kept moving to bigger and bigger houses as her income rose - she made mud pies, she got spanked when she was naughty, she got hugged a lot and encouraged but was always treated as their daughter rather than a star and i really do think this grounding is the reason why she's still here and people like Judy and Michael aren't and people like Britney ad nauseum almost aren't - or are in body but not in mind.
So. Here's to Shirley!
10 things art-wise that I found on Deviantart today that I liked!
Plague Parade-detail1 by *kuksi on deviantART
MENTAL how much work was put into that!
Portrait art deco 2006 by ~avacreat on deviantART
The Native by ~hardcoremiike on deviantART
I've always had a thing for Native Americans - probably me just being totally English and ignorant of the reality of things but in films anyway, they always come across as being so wise and totally one with nature, and respectful of the world around them, and to me, anyway, I think that is something we should all aspire to.
today i hope by *relaxeder on deviantART
Manhattan Bridge by ~LinaLightning on deviantART
London Street by *duytter on deviantART
this guy has really got the feel of london here perfectly... for me anyway ;)
Loch Glencoul by ~NewAgeTraveller on deviantART
Canterbury Cathedral Interior by ~fetch-a-spade on deviantART
Seascape Ireland by ~chalk42002 on deviantART
Robin by ~JoeyBee60 on deviantART
and now 10 for photography
New York by ~fiona438 on deviantART
.: remember tomorrow II :. by ~biszkopciik on deviantART
London
Charles might get embarassed by this coz it's one of his, but I think it's gorgeous, so sorry dah-ling, it's up and it's staying up!
A stroll on the beach.. by ~CharlieCreighton on deviantART
stars shine, stars fade by ~mediocre-matt on deviantART
hometown glory by ~muszka on deviantART
m ii by =Pretty-As-A-Picture on deviantART
Dream On by *antre on deviantART
My favourite photographer on Deviantart: '~CompleteSilence'
41413 by ~CompleteSilence on deviantART
Knight by ~MacKenziesPride on deviantART - i love the lighting in this, even if the photo itself wasn't painstakingly composed coz it's just for stock - still - i think the lighting is beautiful
If I Were A Butterfly by ~tenaciousc1 on deviantART makes me think of those silk screen prints! :D
aaaaand finally - my 10 songs of the moment
this is CRAP quality video, but it's such a sweet song
you can hear better quality of this here: http://www.myspace.com/lowanthem
'the horizon is a beltway' is also great!
ignore the pile of crap video - just listen to it
Hands down my favourite song at the moment
Secondly - I got invited to exhibit a painting in a gallery in Long Island NY (!!!!!!!!!!!) Another one I can't do because they want a small thing and I don't really have anything small apart from Mrs O'Reilly Goes to Market and I'm not really prepared to pay $50 for 30x40 inches of wall space on top of postage and packing at this stage of my career - I mean, yes, it would be awesome to be exhibited in New York, but right now I have to be realistic in terms of what I can afford to do - I don't have an indefinite amount of money and that little gig would probably set me back about £50 in total at least - if it doesn't sell - total money down the drain which could have been spent on art supplies.
Speaking of art supplies, does anyone know of a good crackle glaze they can recommend? I want to have a painting glazed but so the varnish cracks and looks like an old oil painting - so far I've mainly been able to find pastes that you mix in with the paint which then crack, so the whole thing is cracked and I don't really want that - and the other thing the people in the art shop suggested was using an oil based glaze and then putting a water based one over it - but they also said that that is pretty uncontrollable so there's no guarantee of how it'll end up.
I am still finding this incredibly surreal - this whole being taken seriously by other people thing. I dunno - maybe it's because when I first made this decision, I had such a hard job of convincing my family and friends that I wasn't joking and that they should take me seriously - art is as much of a real job as any other desk job - it's just an unconventional one with incredibly unsociable hours - that now people are actually taking a serious interest in my work I can't quite believe that they're not pulling my leg! hah the life of a skeptic eh?
Another point is that although people like Rivy and my other friends all say they love my work, in my own eyes, nothing I do is good enough - which I guess is a good thing because it means it gives me the impetus to keep going and to keep striving to do better with every piece I do.
Now for the rundown in literature, art, music and photography from external sources (aka mainly from my shelf, the radio and deviantart)
LITERATURE: I'm reading Shirley Temple's autobiography at the moment - mainly because I'm a huge fan of Judy Garland, who, as we all know had... quite a messed up life. As much as I love her, I don't see the point in glossing over the truth and romanticising my idol. Now she was working professionally pretty solidly since she was 2 and there's an alarming pattern between child stars and drug abuse and how absolutely messed up they become - the first 4 modern examples that spring to mind are Britney Spears, Michael Jackson, Liza Minnelli (who I also love, but admit that she's had her issues in the past) and Macauley Culkin or however you spell it - so basically I was wondering given that she is possibly THE most famous child star in the history of entertainment to date - How little miss Temple ended up so NORMAL! I admit - I don't know much about her (yet) but being catapulted to international stardom before she was 5, having dresses with her name on the label, dolls made in her image, kids going to school with her face on their book covers and lunch boxes... how does anyone get their head around that and remain with both feet on the floor?? I'm only about 1/4 of the way through it at the moment and she's about 6, but it seems that it's largely thanks to her mum and dad that she survived this - most child stars mums are pushy stage mums who just push and push and push their kids to fame and then live off the profits - Ethel Gumm being a prime example (Judy's mum) siding with the producers against the best interests of their child for the sake of money, not nurturing them at all or really asking the kid if it's what they really want to do....
Shirley saw her mum dancing and wanted to do the same, so her mum took her to Meglin's dance school where she learned, she took her to auditions, but the only 'grooming' she did was to say 'sparkle' and Shirly just did her thing - when she came home she was a regular little girl - it's just that they kept moving to bigger and bigger houses as her income rose - she made mud pies, she got spanked when she was naughty, she got hugged a lot and encouraged but was always treated as their daughter rather than a star and i really do think this grounding is the reason why she's still here and people like Judy and Michael aren't and people like Britney ad nauseum almost aren't - or are in body but not in mind.
So. Here's to Shirley!
10 things art-wise that I found on Deviantart today that I liked!
Plague Parade-detail1 by *kuksi on deviantART
MENTAL how much work was put into that!
Portrait art deco 2006 by ~avacreat on deviantART
The Native by ~hardcoremiike on deviantART
I've always had a thing for Native Americans - probably me just being totally English and ignorant of the reality of things but in films anyway, they always come across as being so wise and totally one with nature, and respectful of the world around them, and to me, anyway, I think that is something we should all aspire to.
today i hope by *relaxeder on deviantART
Manhattan Bridge by ~LinaLightning on deviantART
London Street by *duytter on deviantART
this guy has really got the feel of london here perfectly... for me anyway ;)
Loch Glencoul by ~NewAgeTraveller on deviantART
Canterbury Cathedral Interior by ~fetch-a-spade on deviantART
Seascape Ireland by ~chalk42002 on deviantART
Robin by ~JoeyBee60 on deviantART
and now 10 for photography
New York by ~fiona438 on deviantART
.: remember tomorrow II :. by ~biszkopciik on deviantART
London
Charles might get embarassed by this coz it's one of his, but I think it's gorgeous, so sorry dah-ling, it's up and it's staying up!
A stroll on the beach.. by ~CharlieCreighton on deviantART
stars shine, stars fade by ~mediocre-matt on deviantART
hometown glory by ~muszka on deviantART
m ii by =Pretty-As-A-Picture on deviantART
Dream On by *antre on deviantART
My favourite photographer on Deviantart: '~CompleteSilence'
41413 by ~CompleteSilence on deviantART
Knight by ~MacKenziesPride on deviantART - i love the lighting in this, even if the photo itself wasn't painstakingly composed coz it's just for stock - still - i think the lighting is beautiful
If I Were A Butterfly by ~tenaciousc1 on deviantART makes me think of those silk screen prints! :D
aaaaand finally - my 10 songs of the moment
this is CRAP quality video, but it's such a sweet song
you can hear better quality of this here: http://www.myspace.com/lowanthem
'the horizon is a beltway' is also great!
ignore the pile of crap video - just listen to it
Hands down my favourite song at the moment
Saturday, 20 June 2009
In Good Company (the highlight of the morning)
A fat, black rat huffed and puffed as it squeezed itself between the panels of wood that separate my garden from next door. Shiny, silken, with a long scaly tail and yellowed teeth. Once through, he hurriedly scurried across the lawn (while being chased by my mother in her apron, armed with a broom) and disappeared into the quince bushes at the other side of the garden to play with the cat on the other side of that fence.
I watched over my steaming coffee as my mother, red faced and red slippered returned to the house, while my father stood under the grape vines with a mug of tea in one hand, stroking his beard thoughtfully with the other; pondering over what action to take regarding this uninvited and unwelcome visitor.
My neighbour, bald headed and black-hearted has no idea of his four legged tenant. Prior to today, I would have said the rat would be in good company and clearly chose to live there, because he recognises his own kind. The fact that he has chosen to play with a cat rather than stay in that man's garden has made me reconsider this opinion.
I watched over my steaming coffee as my mother, red faced and red slippered returned to the house, while my father stood under the grape vines with a mug of tea in one hand, stroking his beard thoughtfully with the other; pondering over what action to take regarding this uninvited and unwelcome visitor.
My neighbour, bald headed and black-hearted has no idea of his four legged tenant. Prior to today, I would have said the rat would be in good company and clearly chose to live there, because he recognises his own kind. The fact that he has chosen to play with a cat rather than stay in that man's garden has made me reconsider this opinion.
Monday, 15 June 2009
Sunday, 14 June 2009
A Video
Finally sort of figured out how to use Premiere Pro and photoshop to edit video - here's a little something I put together of my friends and I from our uni days *sniff* I want to be a student again! I miss this so much! :(
Wednesday, 10 June 2009
Happenings.... or... more to the point... nonhappenings
I just got an email asking me if I could do an exhibition in St Albans next week! this would be my first exhibition and taste of being a 'real artist' but I had to turn it down! *throws self on floor in tantrum* I'd have to submit six framed pieces by Saturday - which I can't do, because I can't afford frames for a start - and more to the point - I don't have a stack of spare paintings just lying around on the side for 'just incase' moments like this yet - I'm not willing to part with any of my USA collection yet either because the collection is only half done and I want it all in a gallery at the same time, otherwise it defeats the whole object of having 13 paintings for 13 colonies! ARGH! I'm so miffed! I could seriously use the money! he'd only be taking 20% off me in commission fees as well!
I don't know whether I should be over the moon because I got the offer and it shows at least someone is interested in my work, or distraught because I have to turn it down.
Now I know why we were born with two legs: so we can stand on one while giving ourselves a good kicking with the other.
I think I might just have a coffee and a sit down.
I don't know whether I should be over the moon because I got the offer and it shows at least someone is interested in my work, or distraught because I have to turn it down.
Now I know why we were born with two legs: so we can stand on one while giving ourselves a good kicking with the other.
I think I might just have a coffee and a sit down.
A Very Short Rant.
Right. I am getting absolutely sick of people 'reading' my blog, or visiting my website and saying 'we'll link to your amazing site if you put a link to ours' 'win win situation' etc.
My site/blog is about art, photography and a little bit of music. Why the hell would I want to link to watertanks or powertools or herbal remedies? If you are one of these people who is reading this and thinking of emailing me requesting the same, in the nicest possible way.. FUCK OFF!
However if you're an artist or musiciany type person and I like your stuff, THEN I'll consider it. To any other promoters of unrelated goods, please don't waste my time as well as your own by emailing me.
My site/blog is about art, photography and a little bit of music. Why the hell would I want to link to watertanks or powertools or herbal remedies? If you are one of these people who is reading this and thinking of emailing me requesting the same, in the nicest possible way.. FUCK OFF!
However if you're an artist or musiciany type person and I like your stuff, THEN I'll consider it. To any other promoters of unrelated goods, please don't waste my time as well as your own by emailing me.
New bits n bobs
I've been taking it easy for the past few weeks because this arm/hand/elbow has really been playing up and I find the painting action tires it out really quickly so I've mainly been out and about while we had some sun taking photos of bugs. I have a lot more respect for those critters now than I did before, having spent a lot of time staring down a macro lens at them! haha
My friend has been an absolute darling and installed photoshop CS4 for me so I'm trying to figure out how to use it... it's a lot like Corel PSP but everything is in a slightly different place and with different keyboard shortcuts too, which I'm having to learn...I'm also learning about filters and whatnot too! it's a whooole new world! I'm totally geeking out over the wonders of complicated technology! I watched a half hour long video on 'tutvid' about vectors this morning... and I know about as much about them now as I did then. Slight information overkill there, I think.
I know photographywise there are a lot of purists out there who are totally anti-manipulation/editing, and I'm in two minds about it - I confess I'm not overly keen on all these fancypants weirdy beardy colour effects that people seem to be going nuts for lately, but I find that the camera doesn't see the world the same way I do, and I generally edit my pictures to look the way I saw the original.. and also - what's the harm in taking a good picture and turning it into a better one - and turning a snap into art? I don't know why some photographers are so uppity and closed-minded about it. Yes it's slightly cheating, but you can push the boundaries further and that's what art is about in part, is it not?
However, here are the two latest paintings first (and as soon as I figure out how to put a slideshow on this thing, bugs etc shall appear!)
Acrylic - to be paired with that 'looming' piece of Times square
And I'm beginning to conquer my fear of buildings... OK not fear, but I've always been absolutely useless at painting buildings so have avoided them like the plague because I'm really anal and perfectionist when it comes to things looking like things.... forcing myself to loosen up and be expressionist is really hard - seeing a crooked line or slightly wrong perspective absolutely does my head in, but I'm learning (slowly) to leave it and that it doesn't really matter - it adds character and as long as it vaguely looks like what it's supposed to be the viewer won't complain too much (I hope)
mixed media
There's also a vaguely funny story to go with this one. After doing a few of the Mrs O'Reilly paintings and outlining things - I've discovered that I cannot stand outlining with a paintbrush - I am hopeless - everything comes out wibbly and blotchy and looks retarded and... well, basically - I hate doing it and I don't have the patience. So. I remembered seeing a kind of pen in my art shop - a paint pen - the kind of thing people use to write on those black menu boards, right? So I thought to myself 'self.. get yourself one of those and quit whinging'. So I went in. 'I'll have one of those in black please - one of the thinner ones'.
'Have you got any ID?' he says. The guy behind the counter. Who is floppy haired and about 17 and blatantly in some emo school band playing keyboard.
'excuse me?' (blinking)
'Have you got any ID?'
'for WHAT?!'
'you need to be over 18 to buy those'
firstly - wtf? it's a PEN??? secondly 'Are you kidding? Darling, I'm 23.. give me a couple of years and I could almost be your mother'
'Sorry... I need to see some ID'
Well it's a good job I keep my old uni library card... I mean.. ID for a PEN?!? I don't drive... I don't carry my passport around with me.. I hate ID.. I know I'm on the short side, but always having people think I'm under 18 isn't so much a novelty as an inconvenience. What am I gonna do with a pen that needs proof of age identification?
Stick em up!! - I have a pen and I'm not afraid to use it... don't test me man, or I WILL draw on you!
... jeesh.
A side note - some of Dad's friends came round to dinner the other day and got dragged down to the studio by the parentals, but they think that I have the elusive 'it'. How much of this is truth and how much of this is them being nice because they're Dad's friends, I don't know - but I'm hoping there is some vague truth in there that others agree with.
My friend has been an absolute darling and installed photoshop CS4 for me so I'm trying to figure out how to use it... it's a lot like Corel PSP but everything is in a slightly different place and with different keyboard shortcuts too, which I'm having to learn...I'm also learning about filters and whatnot too! it's a whooole new world! I'm totally geeking out over the wonders of complicated technology! I watched a half hour long video on 'tutvid' about vectors this morning... and I know about as much about them now as I did then. Slight information overkill there, I think.
I know photographywise there are a lot of purists out there who are totally anti-manipulation/editing, and I'm in two minds about it - I confess I'm not overly keen on all these fancypants weirdy beardy colour effects that people seem to be going nuts for lately, but I find that the camera doesn't see the world the same way I do, and I generally edit my pictures to look the way I saw the original.. and also - what's the harm in taking a good picture and turning it into a better one - and turning a snap into art? I don't know why some photographers are so uppity and closed-minded about it. Yes it's slightly cheating, but you can push the boundaries further and that's what art is about in part, is it not?
However, here are the two latest paintings first (and as soon as I figure out how to put a slideshow on this thing, bugs etc shall appear!)
Acrylic - to be paired with that 'looming' piece of Times square
And I'm beginning to conquer my fear of buildings... OK not fear, but I've always been absolutely useless at painting buildings so have avoided them like the plague because I'm really anal and perfectionist when it comes to things looking like things.... forcing myself to loosen up and be expressionist is really hard - seeing a crooked line or slightly wrong perspective absolutely does my head in, but I'm learning (slowly) to leave it and that it doesn't really matter - it adds character and as long as it vaguely looks like what it's supposed to be the viewer won't complain too much (I hope)
mixed media
There's also a vaguely funny story to go with this one. After doing a few of the Mrs O'Reilly paintings and outlining things - I've discovered that I cannot stand outlining with a paintbrush - I am hopeless - everything comes out wibbly and blotchy and looks retarded and... well, basically - I hate doing it and I don't have the patience. So. I remembered seeing a kind of pen in my art shop - a paint pen - the kind of thing people use to write on those black menu boards, right? So I thought to myself 'self.. get yourself one of those and quit whinging'. So I went in. 'I'll have one of those in black please - one of the thinner ones'.
'Have you got any ID?' he says. The guy behind the counter. Who is floppy haired and about 17 and blatantly in some emo school band playing keyboard.
'excuse me?' (blinking)
'Have you got any ID?'
'for WHAT?!'
'you need to be over 18 to buy those'
firstly - wtf? it's a PEN??? secondly 'Are you kidding? Darling, I'm 23.. give me a couple of years and I could almost be your mother'
'Sorry... I need to see some ID'
Well it's a good job I keep my old uni library card... I mean.. ID for a PEN?!? I don't drive... I don't carry my passport around with me.. I hate ID.. I know I'm on the short side, but always having people think I'm under 18 isn't so much a novelty as an inconvenience. What am I gonna do with a pen that needs proof of age identification?
Stick em up!! - I have a pen and I'm not afraid to use it... don't test me man, or I WILL draw on you!
... jeesh.
A side note - some of Dad's friends came round to dinner the other day and got dragged down to the studio by the parentals, but they think that I have the elusive 'it'. How much of this is truth and how much of this is them being nice because they're Dad's friends, I don't know - but I'm hoping there is some vague truth in there that others agree with.
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