New Portrait

This new portrait is possibly one of my most complicated paintings with a lot of different elements that had to be balanced. The couple (Fritz & Bev) in the painting travelled South America on a motorcycle and the painting is not only of them but of their journey too.

It's always nice to technically experiment and push your work further; however a commissioned portrait is not the safest way to achieve this. After speaking to them I knew they would be very open to new ideas and so I went with my gut and painted without any constraint.

I wanted to capture a sense of movement (but not speed) and so the bike became fractured and I used from their own postcards which acted like markers dotted onto the canvas. On these postcards were images of roads which again added to a sense of travel and movement. One of these postcards depicts a landslide. This was chosen as after talking with them about their trip, you realise how adventurous you must be to embark on a journey of this type. This is not your average package holiday but the rewards are far greater!

Photo shoot at GGGallery

A photo shoot took place at the GGGallery with my paintings as a backdrop!

GGGallery was the setting for the promotional shoot for the new indie band Alaphabet Saints for the Guardian Online.

Take a look at the article here

Art London

If you are near Royal Hospital Chelsea in London pop in and see my new collection of work which is being exhibited with Heartbreak Gallery at the art fair Art London.

This new series of work carries on my love of pulp or low brow imagery that is re-imagined using a pop art sensibility.

All the figurative imagery (the women and men that appear) have been taken from original photographs in 40s and 50s pulp detective magazines, they have then been ‘tweaked’ and then reworked into imaginary pulp novels with myself as their fictional author.

These small pocket book novels are then oversized to grandiose proportions and paint is applied liberally allowing me to focus on areas that please me and smudging and blurring others with a heightened use of colour. The titles and logos are treated in this same manner which creates a tension between the image and the text imposed upon it.

The collection can be viewed on my website here

How to use Color in Portraits

How to use Color in Portraits 28" x 20"

This is one of the paintings I have completed over the last few months.

It is based upon an old Walter Foster 'How to Paint' book but using a Playboy centerfold as the figure, make of that what you will!!!

It is available from Gallerina.

Bring a Bottle

An artist friend of mine recently organised an art event which was based around the concept of a  'lounge'.

They used a large room in an arts centre & filled it with old sofa's, chairs, china cabinets etc!!!

Artists were invited to create site specific work based upon the concept.

They also asked artists to donate a re-designed bottle, can etc. which would become part of a 'bar' & then raffled to raise money to support future art events.

That's where I came in as an e-mail arrived from my friend asking me to create a bottle!!! Of course I had to oblige & couldn't think of anything better than a Newcastle Brown Ale bottle and a free book!

The event was great & they had a huge number of visitors to the event over the two days it was on.

On the final night we all sat around on large sofa's surrounded by 70's style coffee tables, china cabinets, low lighting provided by old lamps & of course the artwork drinking beer & watching a live band perform!

The lucky winner of my bottle in the raffle was a guy called Chris. So congratulations to Chris hope you enjoy the book too!

Mixed Show Exhibiton

I have some paintings in a mixed show exhibiton at the

GGGallery London.

The show finishes on the 18th September.

Other artists in the exhibition include

Kristian von Horn$leth & Adrian Wilson.

Visit the GGGallery website for more information.

Last few days

It's the last few remaining days of my solo exhibition in London!
So if you haven't been to see it yet, head on over to the GGGallery in Notting Hill!

Visit the GGGallery here

Journey

This is the magazine cover that I recently completed for Hawker Beechcraft's new lifestyle magazine Journey.

Not only did I get the opportunity to creat the front cover I also produced four small portraits which appeared inside the magazine.

The magazine was launched at the end of May at the Ebace convention in Geneva.

You can see the magazine cover online here
The magazine was also available as an iPad edition here

Visit Hawker Beechcraft here

Styled with Lastex Yarn

Martin White (page 11)

30" x 24"

Slix (page 16)

30" x 24"

Meridian CLINGKNIT (page 12)

30" x 24"

I've recently taken these three paintings to Gallerina.

They are based upon old swim-wear adverts from a 'Lastex' catalogue.

---

Las·tex  /ˈlæstɛks/ Show Spelled

[las-teks]

A trademark used for a yarn having a core of elastic rubber wound with rayon, nylon, silk, or cotton threads.

---

I always like vintage adverts highlighting a new technology for the time, that we now all take for granted!

The first two paintings were exhibited in an art exhibition in Bath last year which was based around fashion.

The paintings are currently for sale from Gallerina & for any more information do contact the gallery here

Modern Memorabilia Opening Night

It's about time I talked about the exhibition opening night isn't it?

It was a really great night & despite the rain a huge amount of people came, so thank you to everyone who came.

The gallery did a fantastic job & I even had my own cocktail named after me too which was electric blue and very potent, see above!

It was great to see that the painting hung so well together & I had a good time meeting & chatting to so many people too!

The gallery itself was incredibly busy all night so photo taking was slightly difficult but my wife Alison, managed to take a number of photos throughout the night so I thought I would post a few of them here.

Jimena & Kat at the gallery had predicted the weather too & had erected an awning outside the front of the gallery so that people could stand outside without fear of getting soaked by the rain!!!

There was even a singer & guitarist to entertain everyone for part of the evening!!!

It was a really great night & I met so many people & received such wonderful feedback from everyone, so thank you again to everyone who came & a special thank you to the GGGallery for a fantastic night!

If you couldn't make it to the preview night I have added the entire collection of work to my website which you can view HERE

The exhibition is on until July 22nd so there is plenty of time to visit the gallery to view the work if you are in the London area.

Visit the GGGallery's website HERE for more information.

Exhibition Night - Tomorrow!

 Modern Memorabilia
my solo exhibition in London starts tomorrow!

The preview night is tomorrow night at the gallery from 7pm.

The exhibition will run until July 22nd so I hope some of you will be able to make it to

GGGallery in Notting Hill to view it.

 

Commission for Redana

This is a painting that I recently completed for Redana, a new company specialising in bespoke clothing & accessories. The painting is of their 'Hugs Covergirl'.

As part of the commission the client wanted a film produced of me completing the painting.

The film was produced by Gallerina which you can watch below.

Modern Memorabilia - Solo Exhibition in London

Gent (Through the Looking Glass)

40" x 30"

Next week sees the opening night of a solo exhibition of my work in London.

The exhibition is called Modern Memorabilia & is being held at the

GGGallery in Notting Hill.

The exhibition will run from the

16th June until July 22nd.

The opening night is on Thursday 16th June at 7pm.

If you are in the London area & would like to visit the exhibition you can find out more information by visiting the GGGallery's website here

If you would like to come along to the opening night, I will be there to chat about my work & you can contact the gallery & RSVP by e-mailing info@gggallery.co.uk

The work being exhibited will be added to my portfolio next week & which you will be available to see on my website.

Hope to see some of there in London next week ...

In the News

In April The Northern Echo published an article about my portrait work.

In article I talk about how I started & some of the more colourful commissions!

You can read the full article here

Lego Mini Figures

Here are some of the Lego Figures which are currently in Gallerina - although since I took this photo many of them have sold!!!

They have been received really well & lots of commissions from people wanting their Lego figures from their own collection have been coming in too!

Each painting has a diagram & part names of that particular figure on the back - see below.

If you are wanting one of the Lego Mini Figures be quick they are selling quickly!

If you are interested in any of the Lego Mini Figures visit the Gallerina website here 

***

Update
Lego Spaceman Prints Now Available!!!!

Find them
HERE

Lego Minifigure Yellow Spaceman Painting

Lego Minifigure Yellow Spaceman

12" x 12"

Lego Minifigure Blue Spaceman Painting

Lego Minifigure Blue Spaceman

12" x 12"

Lego Minifigure Black Spaceman Painting

Lego Minifigure Black Spaceman Painting

12" x 12"

Lego Minifigure Red Spaceman Painting

Lego Minifigure Red Spaceman

12" x 12"

Lego Spacemen Paintings

Some new pieces I've been working on recently are these Lego Men.

This is the first set - Spacemen!

Like the paintings of bottle caps, the Lego figures are a simple way to explore colour, form and design. The familiarity of the imagery allows me to almost explode the image while still retaining it, something that I find is only possible with easily recognisable objects.

Also like my other recent work it focuses on an interest in the hobby of collecting in which the displaying of any collected objects (worthless or priceless) becomes more than its individual pieces.

This set of four Spacemen sold immediately in Gallerina last week, on their first day of appearance!

The feedback to the Lego paintings has been great!

But who doesn't love Lego?

***

Update ......
Lego Spaceman Prints Now Available!!!!!!
Find them
HERE

Recent Portrait Commissions

Some of the recent portrait commisions that I have completed over

the last few months.

Visit the Portrait collection on my website to see more work.

HERE