Thursday 13th December 2012

I'm excited to be running a book making workshop for children at Rhapsode's new premises in the Wynd in Letchworth (round the corner from the Fenners building where I have a studio) on Sunday the 16th.

Details here

Tuesday 27th November 2012

Tomorrow I'll be talking about books with some children at David's Book Shop as part of Rhapsode's Giving Tree project.  Looking forward to it.  If you are near Letchworth you might like to pop in to David's and see what it's all about, especially if you love books and would like your local schools to have plenty.

23rd November 2012

Was great to spend some time at Gosh Comics today, perusing their delicious selection of graphic literature.  Spent an obscene amount on books and stayed to get some signed by three of the Nobrow Press artists: Luke Pearson, John McNaught and Kyle Platts.

Here are pictures of some of the books I bought - suppose I should give some away as Christmas presents:

Everything We Miss by Luke Pearson (Nobrow Press)

Hildafolk by Luke Pearson (Nobrow Press)

The Moomins and the Great Flood by Tove Jansson (first english edition of her very first Moomin book)  (Sort Of Books)

Megaskull by Kyle Platts (Nobrow Press)

I am a Bunny by Richard Scarry (a 'golden sturdy' board book from 1963)

Coraline by Neil Gaiman, adapted and illustrated by P Graig Russell (Bloomsbury)

Dockwood by Jon McNaught  (Nobrow Press)

I also saw the Mughal exhibition at the British Library today which was wonderful.  Here's an article that explains it better than I can, by Alastair Stooks for the Telegraph. And here are a few inadequate images of some of my favourite exquisitely detailed paintings from the exhibition; they obviously have to be seen in real life to be appreciated fully though.  The exhibition is on until the 2nd April.

14th November 2012

I am attempting to write a 50,000 word novel this month, along with thousands of other people, inspired by nanowrimo. I'm finding that hard but exciting.  I'm making pictures to go with the novel - and it may be that they will be the end product rather than the novel.

Here are some of the drawings:

But tomorrow I am having a break from that to make some small books.  I'm making a growing trail of small books, one for each day of 2012.  They are a mixture of stories, diaries, sketchbooks, explorations and celebrations.  Here are a few photographs of the work in progress.  I'll finish the last one on 31st December and then I'll decide how I'm going to present the books.

9th November 2012

Saw Richard Hamilton: The Late Works at The National Gallery today.  It was a wonderful to see this work, all produced in the ten years before he died last year.

The show is exciting, beautiful, rich and enigmatic.  Referring back to his early photomontage works but suffused with a shocking dignity, these pictures are a digital mix of photography and painting, playing with layers, reflections, perspective and his personal iconography, that includes startling statue like nude females seemingly transported into cool interiors and from another plane.  The pictures are calm, powerful and melancholy.  

This work is quite unlike the more political Hamilton show at the Serpentine a couple of years ago which is not surprising.  As he said, "What I always say is: I do whatever I feel like.  People don't seem to understand that an artist is free to do whatever he wants and I've always relished that possibility."

I strongly recommend that you see this show if you get a chance.  It is on until the 13th January (and it is free).

16th October 2012

Saw artist/architect Maya Lin at Tate Modern yesterday evening, one of a series of Tate lectures by American artists.

She showed images of her architecture, art and memorials and discussed the work.  Felt very inspired and liked her explanation of these three separate endeavours as legs on a tripod.  All her work is thoughtful, conscious and clear (as was her lecture).

Here is a link to her memorial website 'What Is Missing?'.  She encourages people to add their own memorials to things that are endangered or have disappeared.

6th October 2012

Today was the Big Draw at Fenners.  Digswell Arts Trust fellows Debbie Bent, Miriam Fraser, Abu Jafar and I worked with visitors of all ages on group and individual drawings using a wide range of media and techniques including glass, clay, charcoal and projected images:

Here are a few photographs - more info to follow.