27 02 2022

 

It's finished as a painting, no doubt, but it does none of things I was trying for - the anger and the hatred of the guards, the total confusion and fear of the expulsed. Only the dog is about right - playing a part - and in the event he was totally muzzled so that's a cheat.

So... turn it to the wall and walk away, slowly. My brother is visiting tomorrow for 4 days so I'm outta here.

25 02 2022

 Did set foot in the studio yesterday but only to look ... friends to lunch, lost the day. Today is catching up with paperwork (as it used to be called - computer admin now I suppose)

Pre-occupied. Going to London mid-march to deliver co-mission. Will be there for Jans funeral and should be able to make it.  Have booked tickets for the Vincent Portrait Courtauld show - nick of time, sold out massivly. Have to try to see as many of the family as I can... hard to arrange. Errands for Bob to fit in. 

Paintings arrived in Zurich safely!!

Have to think about what other work should be in London, sigh.

22 02 2022 #2

 First package made up - 195. 

22 02 2022

 Can't resolve this shadow .... it was a large part of the memory so dont want to junk it, but can't get it right. 

Maybe back to the flaming sword. Sigh.

21 02 2022

Painting is laborious, waiting for the paint angel to strike and take over but it ain't happened yet. Done 134 corks!! Dex says, no rush - autumn/winter fine. Even more hermetic, Lincoln in the winter hahahaha

Here's Jan Pienkowski, died over the weekend; taking another slice of my life with him. Every time a friend dies I'm dimmed. He was such fun. I was lucky to get to spend time with him when he took a year out to paint but he had the spirit of a designer - a brilliant one, fortunately,  - and went back to work after the year out.

Took this photo in 1983. A group of us used to life-draw in his Barnes house. In those days... well, he was always trying to shop us chattering like 'a cocktail party' and as he did various covers for books he would get the audio version free from the publisher. This was v innovative in the early '80's... he would play us audio books and then there was the debate about the book and etc etc.so not really an aid to concentration. Had some good models. Some good artists there, mostly from his design studio if memory serves. He taught me to draw under tables! We always carried notebooks then and any excursion to cafe or bar was drawn. Quick marks, not looking at paper. 

It's not just Jan passing that I mourn but that the world that made him possible - that he co-created? - is gone. Im out of touch with real life but I have the feeling that *real* creativity is ended. The world is all audience, demanding entertainment. 

Sounds like time for coffee.

 

19 02 2022

 Can't believe I spent an entire morning packaging a couple of paintings... but so it was, packing, unpacking, repacking. By astonishing good luck, a friend is driving to switzerland tomorrow and can deliver the goods. Maybe this happenstance has unnerved me.

Having to wear wrist strengtheners now on account of the installation work.

Don't like the painting I'm working on.

Grumble grumble grumble

18 02 2022

Very pleased with myself for finding a way of  getting drawings wrapped round corks without crippling myself. It's now quick and easy and furthermore I don't stop to admire each one (!) --which had really slowed the process--

Elastic bands round bradle clamped to workbench, stretched and slid with ancient bone handled hook and Miss Hatchetts' fathers' marlin spike over the prepared cork. Now the time goes on cutting up the drawings. Easier than tearing in terms of accuracy, since most drawings are largely blank paper and its the marks I need.

Painting drying before the finishing fiddling.

 

17 02 2022

The feet were an issue - until I left the studio for my morning coffee, ran in to Ole-Benkik and asked to see his soles :)

Started dressing corks for Dex. Totally charmed by each but not sure how the totality will work - still, will find out. Other problem one of dexterity; hands hurt. Off to Carcassonne on the bus to think about all this and hang out in a change of air. 

 

16 02 2022

Still haunted by this event... 

 

14 02 2022

 Pottering agreeably. Drawings for the man expelled by force, spotted in Narbonne. Flaming swords a step too far??

13 02 2022

 Surprised - delighted- to be asked by old friend-and-collegue Dex Wright to make a piece for Digital Place in Lincoln. 

Provisionally called Messages in search of a bottle, it will be drawings and cork and therefore easy to send [hush my mouth - post Brexit nothing is easy]

He also proposes a zine which sounds like a good plan too. Absolutly nothing in it except an exercise in hermeticism.

When the studio is finally cleaned - nearly, nearly - I will make a start. 

11 02 2022

 This from old student friend - back in the day still recall the endless talking in coffee bars with Hugh Hawes and Rich Allen, the subjective arguement and many others which are still being expressed here in his video....

https://vimeo.com/675323835

10 02 2022

 Spotted in The Art of Islam show in Narbonne - more consellations, nice. 

The other thing that I'm interested in (though not-nice) was watching a man being hurled through a doorway by three security guards. Still ponderin'.

07 02 2022

 Been laid up with a startlingly violent stomach bug and now off to Narbonne for Bobs birthday.

This blog is getting to be full of excuses for not working.

04 02 2022

 The colours in this don't show in a photo - which reminds me of a dinner in London about 30 years ago where artists were discussing whether it was worth making anything that didn't reproduce well. In those days hardly anyone had heard of David Jones because his delicacy made reproduction a farce, but nowadays its easy. Interestingly the artists present didn't see a problem and would do what they do, but the commentators there were uneasy.

Will try and get a better snap because I think its done. 

02 02 2022

 Plodding on... today for the first time it began to take life.