So take me to my Final Sleep.
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Anthony Scullion Kiteoil on canvas22" x 28" http://www.flyingcoloursgallery.com/ArtistPaintings.aspx |
Tuesday 17 May 2011
Ta-ta for now.
Final blog entry....I think this has been a bit of a tangential mess to be honest. Its been a lot of ranting, a lot of swearing, a lot of computer hatred and more drink than I thought I put away.
As blogs go it wasnt quite as horrendous as I thought it would be to write this, I have amused myself greatly but whether its exactly what the moderators will have in mind im not sure...
Review of my working practise? Swings and roundabouts really. Whats gone up has come down, whats been a downer has improved...I think my application of visual investigation project is something I can be proud of...I think my painting has improved, I think Iv become much more intuitive in general and I now understand the concept of "being playful" when making work...Iv also taken the plunge in being willing to try new things that interest me, rather than recoiling into what I know and Im "safe" with...Making my individual presentation as a short film was a big deal for me, and Im actually very proud of the result...I showed my family, something I never really do, and its been passed around most of the immediate relatives since...My grandad watched it, sat and thought for a minute...and then announced "If Damien Hirst got the Turner for that dead fish in a tank thing, I think you could get something with this easy!" N'yawwh.
My influence file, I worried I hadnt got it quite right, and then I realised its been there the whole time, just not in a coherent form for anyone other than me...I had sheets of artists, books in my head I know to look at, names squirrelled away in ridiculous places, all kinds of stuff, and whether Its what assessment is looking for or not, its what Iv used and whats helped me and thats what its meant to be about isnt it?
Drawing Enquiry...."Lookie Likie" started well, I found it really useful, I completely threw myself into being Jim Dine and I really enjoyed myself. I know its not about enjoying yourself, but what I mean is I felt peaceful and content working in his style, and I could actively see myself improving as the project progressed...Sadly I cant say the same for the drawing book. I hated it with a passion. I never really "got into" doing it, I wanted to, when we were first told about the book I was very excited and motivated to get going, and then just realising that my drawing technique has deteriorated not improved, set me on a downward spiral of self defeat and doom that I never managed to salvage myself from. At least I can recognise that I screwed up? Given the chance to do the project again, Im not sure what I'd do different...I think my concept was sound, its just my technical ability fails me.
Thats a depressing note to end on.
As blogs go it wasnt quite as horrendous as I thought it would be to write this, I have amused myself greatly but whether its exactly what the moderators will have in mind im not sure...
Review of my working practise? Swings and roundabouts really. Whats gone up has come down, whats been a downer has improved...I think my application of visual investigation project is something I can be proud of...I think my painting has improved, I think Iv become much more intuitive in general and I now understand the concept of "being playful" when making work...Iv also taken the plunge in being willing to try new things that interest me, rather than recoiling into what I know and Im "safe" with...Making my individual presentation as a short film was a big deal for me, and Im actually very proud of the result...I showed my family, something I never really do, and its been passed around most of the immediate relatives since...My grandad watched it, sat and thought for a minute...and then announced "If Damien Hirst got the Turner for that dead fish in a tank thing, I think you could get something with this easy!" N'yawwh.
My influence file, I worried I hadnt got it quite right, and then I realised its been there the whole time, just not in a coherent form for anyone other than me...I had sheets of artists, books in my head I know to look at, names squirrelled away in ridiculous places, all kinds of stuff, and whether Its what assessment is looking for or not, its what Iv used and whats helped me and thats what its meant to be about isnt it?
Drawing Enquiry...."Lookie Likie" started well, I found it really useful, I completely threw myself into being Jim Dine and I really enjoyed myself. I know its not about enjoying yourself, but what I mean is I felt peaceful and content working in his style, and I could actively see myself improving as the project progressed...Sadly I cant say the same for the drawing book. I hated it with a passion. I never really "got into" doing it, I wanted to, when we were first told about the book I was very excited and motivated to get going, and then just realising that my drawing technique has deteriorated not improved, set me on a downward spiral of self defeat and doom that I never managed to salvage myself from. At least I can recognise that I screwed up? Given the chance to do the project again, Im not sure what I'd do different...I think my concept was sound, its just my technical ability fails me.
Thats a depressing note to end on.
Monday 16 May 2011
00.26AM...Of course theres time for one last blog.
I'l start with the Laaaaaaaaandaaan review I did but never uploaded.
London was filled with both joys and disapointments, which I suppose one can only expect to find outside of good old Yorkshire...As grandad constantly drills "If its 'artside Yorkshire it 'int worth goin'"...London especially, being full of "Soft Shandy Supping Southerners"
In fairness, it wasnt all bad, I fell head over heels for the British Museum, the Natural History Museum and for the most part, the Huntarian Gallery...topping off the good times I bawled like a complete girl through the final scenes of "War Horse" by the National Theatre Company, thoroughly embarassed enough to be forced to console myself with possibly the most expensively piss poor pint Iv ever had in my life.
London isnt the best place when your a poor starving waif of an art student, and especially when you have tendancies to be a tight fisted git, London is a financially draining farce...another farce of the emotionally draining kind was the tube at rush hour. I didnt realise rush hour applied to pedestrians and I also didnt realise that people on the tube have developed their own walk, not dissimilar to the Icelandic Horse, which has developed its own 5th gait - a sort of fast, high stepping walk that travels at the speed of a good canter...of course not everyone has seen the Icelandic horse and for those who havent, tube people arent really that graceful, and perhaps are more easily applied to the way in which pigeons will increase their waddle rate when they realise theres a bike/toddler/any moving object looming up behind them...thats the way southerners walk. Slow down, calm it and stop getting your knickers in a twist you daft bastards...
I also now understand escalators have an ettique. left is for standing, right is for running up the stairs like you did at home when you were five and were convinced if you went slowly, the monsters hidden in the hanging coats would catch you...or was it the other way around? I dont care. Its stupid, and for my next visit im going to deliberately walk with a slow dragging limp everywhere.
The Huntarian Gallery pissed me off. Granted the curiosities they have are fantastic and well worth anyones time...I did miss a fairly big section out when I realised it was inhabited by dissected frogs (my ranidaphobia extends to even the dead ones), but the intricate internal workings of the countless other animals and foetuses there motivated me to stay (something I actually havent managed to do before, knowing that theres frogs/toads there)...HOWEVER, (Prior to my expedition to London) I had researched into the current exhibitions, and being the morbid, little person that I am, had got myself thoroughly excited about a particular section entitled “EXTINCT”…”fantastic specimens”, “remains of prehistoric giants”, “a lost world of cabinets of curiosity” and “The immense megalodon shark” claims the leaflet. All very exciting prospects, however, as someone who’s main subject matter at this time, revolves around equine matter, the real lure point, was the “remains of the majestic Quagga”. With visions of doing primary sketches, making notes and spending time absorbing every little detail about this extinct creature, its safe to say I can only describe Extinct as not only a complete and utter Anticlimax but a bare-faced lie.
London was filled with both joys and disapointments, which I suppose one can only expect to find outside of good old Yorkshire...As grandad constantly drills "If its 'artside Yorkshire it 'int worth goin'"...London especially, being full of "Soft Shandy Supping Southerners"
In fairness, it wasnt all bad, I fell head over heels for the British Museum, the Natural History Museum and for the most part, the Huntarian Gallery...topping off the good times I bawled like a complete girl through the final scenes of "War Horse" by the National Theatre Company, thoroughly embarassed enough to be forced to console myself with possibly the most expensively piss poor pint Iv ever had in my life.
London isnt the best place when your a poor starving waif of an art student, and especially when you have tendancies to be a tight fisted git, London is a financially draining farce...another farce of the emotionally draining kind was the tube at rush hour. I didnt realise rush hour applied to pedestrians and I also didnt realise that people on the tube have developed their own walk, not dissimilar to the Icelandic Horse, which has developed its own 5th gait - a sort of fast, high stepping walk that travels at the speed of a good canter...of course not everyone has seen the Icelandic horse and for those who havent, tube people arent really that graceful, and perhaps are more easily applied to the way in which pigeons will increase their waddle rate when they realise theres a bike/toddler/any moving object looming up behind them...thats the way southerners walk. Slow down, calm it and stop getting your knickers in a twist you daft bastards...
I also now understand escalators have an ettique. left is for standing, right is for running up the stairs like you did at home when you were five and were convinced if you went slowly, the monsters hidden in the hanging coats would catch you...or was it the other way around? I dont care. Its stupid, and for my next visit im going to deliberately walk with a slow dragging limp everywhere.
The Huntarian Gallery pissed me off. Granted the curiosities they have are fantastic and well worth anyones time...I did miss a fairly big section out when I realised it was inhabited by dissected frogs (my ranidaphobia extends to even the dead ones), but the intricate internal workings of the countless other animals and foetuses there motivated me to stay (something I actually havent managed to do before, knowing that theres frogs/toads there)...HOWEVER, (Prior to my expedition to London) I had researched into the current exhibitions, and being the morbid, little person that I am, had got myself thoroughly excited about a particular section entitled “EXTINCT”…”fantastic specimens”, “remains of prehistoric giants”, “a lost world of cabinets of curiosity” and “The immense megalodon shark” claims the leaflet. All very exciting prospects, however, as someone who’s main subject matter at this time, revolves around equine matter, the real lure point, was the “remains of the majestic Quagga”. With visions of doing primary sketches, making notes and spending time absorbing every little detail about this extinct creature, its safe to say I can only describe Extinct as not only a complete and utter Anticlimax but a bare-faced lie.
Wandering the corridors and staircases in earnest, like a child on Christmas Eve, desperate for a glimpse of the fat man in the red suit…or in my case, desperate for a glimpse of the extinct subspecies of plains zebra known as Equus Quagga Quagga, After much searching without luck, I resolved to asking for directions. At this point I was led down the isles of floor to roof gruesome curiosities…human foetuses, some almost fully developed, some so badly deformed they’re barely recognizable as human at all…almost like a build up, we passed the isles I had already scoured and poured over, to one I must have somehow missed…Pointing cheerfully at a shelf, the attendant announces the “Extinct Exhibition” -The Jaws of a small black tip reef shark…a DVD case for “mega shark”, a few bone fragments of the extinct Tasmanian tiger, and, to top it all off (the real piss in the cornflakes) a poorly painted A4 picture of a Quagga. I might be a mere first year art student, but I am fairly sure, that a single A4 picture…and a poorly painted, crude picture, of something that bore more relation to a badly disabled donkey, doesn’t quite constitute grounds for claiming you have actual remains of an extinct beast…correct me if I’m wrong, but I’m also of the belief, that a DVD of a film, so poor it was described in a review by The Sunday Times as “Unwatchable, almost unreviewable, this stupid monster movie makes the Bela Lugosi swan song Plan 9 from Outer Space look like a masterpiece” doesn’t quite live up to declaring “specimens of the immense megalodon shark” are there waiting for you…And stop me mid rant if I’m wrong, but even as impressive as the jaws of a Black tip reef shark are in their own right, when the exhibition (if a single shelf can be called an exhibition?) claims to have relics of a prehistoric shark that averaged 20metres in length and had over ten times the bite force of the great white shark…disappointment tends to overpower your ability to be grateful for what’s in front of you.
Perhaps if I had gone to the exhibition purely to satisfy my inquisitiveness over all things grisly, I could have looked past the letdown, and have thoroughly enjoyed the rest of the museum more...and as much as I had awed over the thousands of macabre sights on offer in the other sections; from the skeleton of the 7.7ft Irish giant, to the fairly offensive sheep intestine condom…At the end of the day, I had gone to the Huntarian Museum with the promise of a Quagga, and a Quagga there was none.
Anthony Scullion Im so happy I found you.
Fragment II
oil on board
9" x 8"
9" x 8"
Oracle
oil on canvas
16" x 16"
16" x 16"
Anthony Scullion Anthony Scullion Anthony Scullion...How the hell did I misplace a name like that? I found his works and fell in love, and just like in most great love stories I fucked up, wrote his details on my hand, washed my hand, lost his number *or name in this case* and thought he was gone for all eternity. I had his images right there and ready to be used in my influence file, but without his name, It would be fairly useless...Completely by chance, while in a hissy fit, i was throwing old papers away, and on the back of a panini reciept from a local sandwich shop, there I'd written his glorious name...Thank God im not a total idiot and had the presence of mind to save the name in two totally disposable and ridiculous places instead of just one.
The Alex Pardee Interview I found and never posted
FULL INTERVIEW HERE >>>>>> http://slamxhype.com/art-design/alex-pardee-interview/
Iv always loved Alex Pardee and reading this interview just kind of cemented it within my own brain that its ok to not know what your doing or aiming for exactly, you just have a kind of preconcious belief that your on the right track doing something creative...The highlighted sections are parts which I particularly identify with.
AP- Realistically? Boba Fett. Other than that, shit I don’t know. I think I am still trying to figure that out. I mean, even when I was younger, I wanted to do something creative, like a cartoonist, or fine art or filmmaking or something, but I never could figure out specifically what I wanted to focus on. I think that’s why I STILL don’t know, and why I seem to always bounce around and get my hands in a ton of different projects.
Iv always loved Alex Pardee and reading this interview just kind of cemented it within my own brain that its ok to not know what your doing or aiming for exactly, you just have a kind of preconcious belief that your on the right track doing something creative...The highlighted sections are parts which I particularly identify with.
SXH- Who or what do you look at for inspiration?
AP- Realistically? Boba Fett. Other than that, shit I don’t know. I think I am still trying to figure that out. I mean, even when I was younger, I wanted to do something creative, like a cartoonist, or fine art or filmmaking or something, but I never could figure out specifically what I wanted to focus on. I think that’s why I STILL don’t know, and why I seem to always bounce around and get my hands in a ton of different projects.
SXH- Who or what do you look at for inspiration?
AP- Recently I think my inspiration has changed drastically. Visually I absorb anything and everything shiny. Movies, shitty TV, the internet, friends, taking walks, people watching, etc. I do get a lot of my inspiration from pop culture, whether it shows in my work or not. Pop culture, just in general, sparks things in me constantly.
But recently I’ve noticed that I have been a lot more trusting in myself and maybe even a lot more self-absorbed. I kind of accepted the fact that, though I can keep trying and trying, I probably won’t ever get to the “level” of the technical quality of artists that I am in love with. I mean, I’m not ever going to stop trying to push myself technically and try to get TO that next level, but I have beat myself up for years about the fact that I don’t really have the technical confidence in my paintings that I would like. I would just compare myself constantly to artists that are far superior, and I think I have cut that back a lot recently. Doing that gave me a little freedom, because I know the one thing I AM confident with is my imagination. So recently, when I have a big looming project or an art show or something that NEEDS a big burst of inspiration to get started, I have just trusted myself and let myself explore my imagination and just start painting or drawing. I think there’s a balance in there somewhere that I am trying to figure out. I think it’s important to study other artists and absorb every piece of art that you love, and to BE influenced by it, but simultaneously, because all art is so personal, you need to be able to let go and trust yourself to do your own thing, no matter how good or shitty it may be, as long as it’s your own. Was that long-winded enough?
SXH- Describe a typical work day:
AP- It varies a lot. Actually, that’s a lie. The routine is similar, but the filler is way different every day. I get up about 9-10 and freak out about emails I didn’t respond to the day before, try to get some coffee, then it’s a head-spinning mess of errands, drawing, painting, blogging, scanning, and everything that goes along with that until about 3-4 am. If I’m lucky I let myself take a shower. But that’s mostly for other people’s benefit.
SXH- What materials do you usually work in?
AP- I try to explore different materials all the time, because I’m a firm believer in the discovery process. Like, yah, maybe I will be SUPER GOOD at like, conte crayon drawing on bark? So I’ll play around with that, but most of the time it’s a pretty big fail, so I tend to default to inks, or watercolors, which is what a majority of my work is done with.
SXH- What is your all time favorite painting?
AP- There’s a harsh 3-way tie going on that was only a 2-way tie until last year. The contenders: The original Creepshow Theatrical poster painting. ( http://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/en/2/25/CreepshowPoster.jpg ) The Theatrical poster painting for SQUIRM ( http://posterwire.com/wp-content/images/squirm.jpg ) and James Jean’s TOYMAKER piece.
SXH- What do you do when you’re not making art?
AP- Feeling guilty that I COULD be creating something productive.
SXH- Is there any Artist or Illustrator you would like to collaborate with?
AP- Yah there are like a billion. You, Skinner, Augor, Horkey, John Pound, Jim Phillips, Graham Ingels (which won’t happen since he is dead which sucks), Todd McFarlane, Gary Larson, The Rock, so many!
Everybody says yes, Everybody says no?
So I felt like experimenting a bit for my individual presentation...Iv never done a video before and although it shows, Im quite proud of my monstrosity!
Credits go to my collaborative partners, and for the soundtrack The Defiled - Final Sleep and In Flames - Your bedtime story is scaring everyone.
Friday 6 May 2011
The end is Nigh...
The end is Nigh...and I've just re'read my blog and realised I never got around to reviewing the London trip.
oh poo.
oh poo.
Saturday 30 April 2011
Stained Carpet
I am aware of how much I will sound like a sulky teenager but I really couldnt give a stuff.
Im pissed off. Is being a massive let-down, a condition of being human, or am I just surrounded by shit people and even worse luck?
Monday - I was enslaved at work all day, and shouted at by some wretched woman, for not having an indepth knowledge of the exact measurements of maxi dresses and further information regarding where one can purchase maxi dresses for dwarves...I wanted to suggest the kids section, but I need my regular wage.
Tuesday - Spent the entire day, fighting with Student Finance...after several hours and a heated debate, I was assured my internet account would now work...I logged in...fantastic...I put down the phone...I entered my details and clicked next..."There is an error, please log out and try again".....damn you student finance.
Wednesday - Not one, but two separate appointments with aquaintances who had readily volunteered to help me make a video for my individual presentation....Not one but two aquaintances didnt arrive, havent made contact, still havent done either of the latter, and currently seem to be orbiting in a void of non-existance, despite living across the fucking street from me.
Thursday - Attempted to make said video by myself...Failed.
Friday - Returned to work a beautiful 12 hour shift.
Saturday - Worked a further 6 hours and then managed to spill nail varnish on week old new carpet...a week old new living room cream carpet that cost mummy and daddy more than a weeks pocket money....
Carpet company = useless
Internet = more useless
Carpet Cleaning Company = Suggest a chemical cleaner I can purchase at B&Q........
With minutes to spare before closing time, I hurtled down to B&Q and was met by staff, who pointed me to the correct isle but where more than a little concerned about my need for it....Said staff contacted the chemical cleaner company....chemical cleaner company reveal their product will indeed remove the nail polish but will also melt my carpet and stain the surrounding area a fetching green and piss yellow...Several frantic but useless phone calls to friends and relatives revealed me and my stupidity were alone with the stained carpet.
Its now saturday night...I did have a date but thats not happening seeing as how Im now going to be spending my evening, laid on my stomach, scrubbing the floor with white spirit. Neither parentage are willing to exchange verbal conversation, all my contacts seem to have lost the ability to answer their phone and I've just answered a call and been abused for being an RSPCA Volunteer.
Did I mention I nearly hit a motorcyclist on the way back from B&Q? ...Im expecting Sunday to bring with it a police visit to discuss my dangerous driving, which will no doubt make me late for work, resulting in loss of said job, and no money, to buy the computer software I should have been supplied with free of charge several days ago.
I could go on for longer but Iv just realised how full our drinks cabinet is and I'm planning on changing that situation, in the hope that It will bring with it a more soothing, drunker, fuzzier future. I actually hate the human race with every fibre of my being.
Im pissed off. Is being a massive let-down, a condition of being human, or am I just surrounded by shit people and even worse luck?
Monday - I was enslaved at work all day, and shouted at by some wretched woman, for not having an indepth knowledge of the exact measurements of maxi dresses and further information regarding where one can purchase maxi dresses for dwarves...I wanted to suggest the kids section, but I need my regular wage.
Tuesday - Spent the entire day, fighting with Student Finance...after several hours and a heated debate, I was assured my internet account would now work...I logged in...fantastic...I put down the phone...I entered my details and clicked next..."There is an error, please log out and try again".....damn you student finance.
Wednesday - Not one, but two separate appointments with aquaintances who had readily volunteered to help me make a video for my individual presentation....Not one but two aquaintances didnt arrive, havent made contact, still havent done either of the latter, and currently seem to be orbiting in a void of non-existance, despite living across the fucking street from me.
Thursday - Attempted to make said video by myself...Failed.
Friday - Returned to work a beautiful 12 hour shift.
Saturday - Worked a further 6 hours and then managed to spill nail varnish on week old new carpet...a week old new living room cream carpet that cost mummy and daddy more than a weeks pocket money....
Carpet company = useless
Internet = more useless
Carpet Cleaning Company = Suggest a chemical cleaner I can purchase at B&Q........
With minutes to spare before closing time, I hurtled down to B&Q and was met by staff, who pointed me to the correct isle but where more than a little concerned about my need for it....Said staff contacted the chemical cleaner company....chemical cleaner company reveal their product will indeed remove the nail polish but will also melt my carpet and stain the surrounding area a fetching green and piss yellow...Several frantic but useless phone calls to friends and relatives revealed me and my stupidity were alone with the stained carpet.
Its now saturday night...I did have a date but thats not happening seeing as how Im now going to be spending my evening, laid on my stomach, scrubbing the floor with white spirit. Neither parentage are willing to exchange verbal conversation, all my contacts seem to have lost the ability to answer their phone and I've just answered a call and been abused for being an RSPCA Volunteer.
Did I mention I nearly hit a motorcyclist on the way back from B&Q? ...Im expecting Sunday to bring with it a police visit to discuss my dangerous driving, which will no doubt make me late for work, resulting in loss of said job, and no money, to buy the computer software I should have been supplied with free of charge several days ago.
I could go on for longer but Iv just realised how full our drinks cabinet is and I'm planning on changing that situation, in the hope that It will bring with it a more soothing, drunker, fuzzier future. I actually hate the human race with every fibre of my being.
Thursday 21 April 2011
Computers make me want to die.
I got up today with every intention of making some form of clip show for my individual presentation...I had a few errands to run first but I had it PLANNED.
Went to physio - got discharged from outpatient private consulatations and enrolled into some form of pensioner pilates class...apparently im the youngest there by about 50 years but beggars with a muscularskeletal disorder at the tender age of 19 cant be choosers...
I went onto the toxic hellhole that is the White Rose Shopping Centre; had a good old fashioned slagging match with the brain dead staff in River Island before victoriously returning their shitty goods and retiring to greggs to gorge myself on pasties.
All was going well, All tasks completed I set about starting my presentation...Immediately the computer had some form of seizure when I asked it to try and open both Spotify and windows movie maker at the same time...ten minutes and several restarts later, I managed to open windows movie maker, resigned to the fact that I'd have to work in silence...
Good hour and a half later and I'm sorry but I'm going to retreat to the pub to drown my fury..."Hell Hath No Fury Like A Woman Scorned?"....Hell hath no fucking fury like a woman whos video clips cannot, will not, all out refuse to open with anything other than windows media player...thats fantastic, I can see the shitty clips I'v made off the camera, but can I stick them together into a coherent order? Can I attach the backing music I'v found and pain-stakingly written on post-it notes all over my room so I wouldnt forget? Can I even get the clips to show up, and prove their existance isnt just a figment of my imagination? CAN I BOLLOCKS.
At this moment In time I hate computer programming more than life itself...and for the record I'v gone to the lengths of kidnapping someones laptop to write this rant just so I dont have to return to that...thing...Im furious. I'm in the right frame of mind to do some work, I set aside an entire afternoon to get started on this as I expected problems from my lack of video editing no how, I even called up a friend of mine thats doing a degree in film-making to check he would be home so I could show him my attempts and get any hints and tips off him...but to not even be able to get the damned things to open has me on the verge of a tantrum.
I have no choice but to go and stew in the pub until a more reasonable frame of mind returns to me.
Went to physio - got discharged from outpatient private consulatations and enrolled into some form of pensioner pilates class...apparently im the youngest there by about 50 years but beggars with a muscularskeletal disorder at the tender age of 19 cant be choosers...
I went onto the toxic hellhole that is the White Rose Shopping Centre; had a good old fashioned slagging match with the brain dead staff in River Island before victoriously returning their shitty goods and retiring to greggs to gorge myself on pasties.
All was going well, All tasks completed I set about starting my presentation...Immediately the computer had some form of seizure when I asked it to try and open both Spotify and windows movie maker at the same time...ten minutes and several restarts later, I managed to open windows movie maker, resigned to the fact that I'd have to work in silence...
Good hour and a half later and I'm sorry but I'm going to retreat to the pub to drown my fury..."Hell Hath No Fury Like A Woman Scorned?"....Hell hath no fucking fury like a woman whos video clips cannot, will not, all out refuse to open with anything other than windows media player...thats fantastic, I can see the shitty clips I'v made off the camera, but can I stick them together into a coherent order? Can I attach the backing music I'v found and pain-stakingly written on post-it notes all over my room so I wouldnt forget? Can I even get the clips to show up, and prove their existance isnt just a figment of my imagination? CAN I BOLLOCKS.
At this moment In time I hate computer programming more than life itself...and for the record I'v gone to the lengths of kidnapping someones laptop to write this rant just so I dont have to return to that...thing...Im furious. I'm in the right frame of mind to do some work, I set aside an entire afternoon to get started on this as I expected problems from my lack of video editing no how, I even called up a friend of mine thats doing a degree in film-making to check he would be home so I could show him my attempts and get any hints and tips off him...but to not even be able to get the damned things to open has me on the verge of a tantrum.
I have no choice but to go and stew in the pub until a more reasonable frame of mind returns to me.
Tuesday 12 April 2011
"Depravity is a fun word"
James Jean
"People tend to think of imagination as some kind of magical thinking, but its really just the ability to make connections between ideas.
I'm not a massive fan of all of James Jeans works, in fact some of it I think im quite stuck to find things about it that I do like, however hes an artist that has re-invented himself over time and time again, and I think thats something that has a lot to be said for...although argueably it gives undertones of someone who is dissatisfied with themselves and their working style, or indeed who hasnt settled and found their own way of being yet...but maybe thats just me being pedantic, as what I want most right now, is to find my way of working and to stick to it...concepts and subject matter can change and develop with time and as my education develops...but within painting Iv found something that feels right for me...ANYWAY.
His 2008 and 2009 collections are those which I find myself most intregued by, I really like his use of materials and the way its applied, theres an interesting use of colour too which I could look at for a long time and gain insight from for my own pieces.
Artist Spree
Suddenly discovered a whole fistfull of artists I want to inspect in further detail later on, notebook on hiatus, arms already covered in ink and other scribbles...Bugger it, they can live on here until I find somewhere more organised for them to live.
http://www.camillerosegarcia.com/Pages/galleries/sad.html
Alices Adventures in Wonderland - As illustrated by Camille Rose Garcia (I wonder If I can get a copy of this for Easter instead of a chocolate egg?)
http://www.dorothycircusgallery.com/past_gallery.php?IDPics=472&ExhibitionsFK=32
Glenn Barr, Mari Inukai, Mark Ryden, Luke Chueh, Kate Macdowel, James Jean, Greg Simkins, Kathie Olivas & Brandt Peters
http://www.camillerosegarcia.com/Pages/galleries/sad.html
Alices Adventures in Wonderland - As illustrated by Camille Rose Garcia (I wonder If I can get a copy of this for Easter instead of a chocolate egg?)
http://www.dorothycircusgallery.com/past_gallery.php?IDPics=472&ExhibitionsFK=32
Glenn Barr, Mari Inukai, Mark Ryden, Luke Chueh, Kate Macdowel, James Jean, Greg Simkins, Kathie Olivas & Brandt Peters
Fanny Tree.
Its getting to the gritty part of our collabortative part now...assessment isnt far away and we need to start making solid decisions about how our collaborative is going to conclude...we need to get sorted with a name...we need to write our manifesto, we need to get our publication ordered and sent off for...and thats not the half of what we have planned.
So the name prospects so far have been pretty gruesome...Amateur Taphonomy was floating about for a while, roughly translated to mean the study of decaying organisms and how they decompose and fossilise if they do...(courtesy of wikipedia)...Sounds a bit like a type-writer though so out the window with that idea...
Some rather crude and inappropriate but hilarious interpretations of some of our photographs, produced the next prospective name - Fanny Tree Inc...but maybe thats just a bit too silly and vulgar so we're going to translate it into latin instead...unfortunately "Fanny Nemus" doesnt quite have the air of sophistication that we were going for.
Something Richard said during one of our tutorials...how there was an air of femininity but without being feminist...it has an interesting ring to it...
So the name prospects so far have been pretty gruesome...Amateur Taphonomy was floating about for a while, roughly translated to mean the study of decaying organisms and how they decompose and fossilise if they do...(courtesy of wikipedia)...Sounds a bit like a type-writer though so out the window with that idea...
Some rather crude and inappropriate but hilarious interpretations of some of our photographs, produced the next prospective name - Fanny Tree Inc...but maybe thats just a bit too silly and vulgar so we're going to translate it into latin instead...unfortunately "Fanny Nemus" doesnt quite have the air of sophistication that we were going for.
Something Richard said during one of our tutorials...how there was an air of femininity but without being feminist...it has an interesting ring to it...
Effeminatus vacuus res Effeminatus
Effeminatus Nemus
We might have to put a bit more consideration into this than we first thought.
Just two of the offending articles in amongst our vast array of also mostly useless images.
Thursday 31 March 2011
Derek Hess
I do love Derek Hess, his line quality is something I have been insanely jealous of for some time now. I first discovered him through some album artwork he'd done, and his use of materials and drawing back on top of magazine pages is something I've recently begun to think a lot more about, especially in relation to my own drawing enquiry and drawing book.
However recently, when I've been checking his website for recent images, Im finding myself thinking...is this it? Really? Penguins in army helmets? just...REALLY?
Its quite disapointing, I'm all for a sense of humour in your work, but I just cant understand how work in the same digital gallery, can range from this...
However recently, when I've been checking his website for recent images, Im finding myself thinking...is this it? Really? Penguins in army helmets? just...REALLY?
Its quite disapointing, I'm all for a sense of humour in your work, but I just cant understand how work in the same digital gallery, can range from this...
2002 "Valentine"
To This...
2006 "Santa Devil"
Maybe I'm missing something.
Tuesday 22 March 2011
Who says Facebook doesnt have its uses...
I have tendancies to spend entire nights plonked in front of the laptop, getting annoyed at all the rubbish on facebook, and yet finding myself unable to tear myself away from it. For the first time (possibly ever) though, facebook has shown its usefulness, when a southern aquaintance of mine posted a link to an artist who had done portraits of his Mrs and himself...
http://iamatrapstar.com/wordpress/wp-content/uploads/2010/03/Nina-Kate-sm-819x1024.jpg
http://www.google.co.uk/imgres?imgurl=http://1.bp.blogspot.com/_qaaoo8tBRTI/S7fd4au-ZpI/AAAAAAAAAds/aNdL2HctTi8/s1600/Latex.jpg&imgrefurl=http://graffoto1.blogspot.com/2010/04/alex-young-portraits-of-alter-egos.html&usg=__Xvk8NmXnhme_qC93OhQvUjTQTyw=&h=1600&w=1295&sz=253&hl=en&start=3&zoom=1&um=1&itbs=1&tbnid=TR0jMSV-ZyUtdM:&tbnh=150&tbnw=121&prev=/images%3Fq%3Dalex%2Byoung%2BStitch%2BD%26um%3D1%26hl%3Den%26tbs%3Disch:1&ei=EQCJTYzWAoSGhQeU-8jCDQ
The artist is Alex Young and he uses spray paint on canvas, and has been obviously inspired by pointilism to create this unconventional style. Its an interesting technique, and I especially like how the drips and spatter have a kind of "accidentally on purpose" quality to them.
http://iamatrapstar.com/wordpress/wp-content/uploads/2010/03/Nina-Kate-sm-819x1024.jpg
http://www.google.co.uk/imgres?imgurl=http://1.bp.blogspot.com/_qaaoo8tBRTI/S7fd4au-ZpI/AAAAAAAAAds/aNdL2HctTi8/s1600/Latex.jpg&imgrefurl=http://graffoto1.blogspot.com/2010/04/alex-young-portraits-of-alter-egos.html&usg=__Xvk8NmXnhme_qC93OhQvUjTQTyw=&h=1600&w=1295&sz=253&hl=en&start=3&zoom=1&um=1&itbs=1&tbnid=TR0jMSV-ZyUtdM:&tbnh=150&tbnw=121&prev=/images%3Fq%3Dalex%2Byoung%2BStitch%2BD%26um%3D1%26hl%3Den%26tbs%3Disch:1&ei=EQCJTYzWAoSGhQeU-8jCDQ
The artist is Alex Young and he uses spray paint on canvas, and has been obviously inspired by pointilism to create this unconventional style. Its an interesting technique, and I especially like how the drips and spatter have a kind of "accidentally on purpose" quality to them.
Wednesday 9 March 2011
Sick of this Madness
Selfish Anxiety, burning inside of me.
Im struggling with my own brain again. Its not that im not motivated, im painfully aware of how little time we have left for this collaborative project, and I want so much from it, I know I have to put so much into it, and its scaring me that Iv got some sort of brain block. I keep thinking, il do a bit of this or il do a bit of that...and its just not enough. Im trying to think outside of my box and outside of my comfort zone, but I dont know whether im pushing myself too far or just not enough...Either way iv got a brain block at the moment, which while im used to it, im not used to knowing that its not just going to be on my head if I dont get my arse in gear, we're a collaborative and I have to contribute.
This blog isnt about whining
One of an endangered race, this blog actually isnt about whining for once. Something rather good happened during reading week and i shall express it hereforth before I forget...
http://www.norrieharman.com/page2.htm
http://www.norrieharman.com/page2.htm
Through a chain of people I was put in touch with the locally based painter Norrie Harman, who offered to meet up for an artistic chat. I met him at Red Brick Mill in Dewsbury, where his studio and gallery space live...A really interesting character to talk to; aside from his tales of alcohol fueled antics and really quite mad stories, he doesnt mince his words and once I got to grips with his thick scottish accent I realised theres a lot I can learn from this guy. I have so much admiration for the way he paints, and I was really kind of surprised at how open he was when it came to answering my questions about how he starts a project, how he starts a particular piece, the timescales etc. He answered everything honestly and gave me some sound tips and advice which im eager to try.
While I was trying to describe some of the issues Im finding myself facing, Norrie offered me an unbelievable opportunity to come and watch him work...His next project is based around skinhead portraiture, and although this is very different from my current subject matter, I feel that I can still benefit immensely from seeing how he starts a piece and how it develops in the early stages (something i struggle with)
Iv never really been taught how to paint, and I dont know what other peoples experiances have been like in being shown techniques etc, but for me, through school you only really got told when you were doing it wrong, not how to correct it. Im very sheltered artistically and I think watching someone else paint could have unlimited benefits for me in not only seeing how someone applies paint, but how they hold the brush/applicator, how they mix paint and how the thing actually looks as an unfinished work in progress...We only ever see paintings as finished works, and I think seeing how something develops would really help me. I cant wait, and by Norries attitude, hes quite happy for me to go and harass him a fair bit, I feel very lucky and very excited.
Monday 14 February 2011
I feel physically sick just looking at you.
Its actually a tough decision to work out who I detest more, BVB or Justin Bieber
Music is a real inspiration for me, I have music I drive to, I have music I chill out to, I have music I wake up to, For pretty much every action I have a soundtrack. This goes for my work too, perhaps most importantly, I have a vast and varied collection of music that I make work to...Perhaps rather obviously, I am a devout fan of a "good old gig" - Overpriced bevvies, generally big, burley, heavily tattooed blokes yelling and carrying on, smashed instruments, afterparties, and going home the next day reeking of sweat (that can mainly be attributed to the fat guy behind you) Disgusting? Perhaps....but odd as it sounds, I usually go home, (rehydrate) and find myself completely incensed, fired up and ready to make some work.
Soppy explanation over, I'll get to the point...Granted, everyone has different music tastes, but usually when you go to a gig, you expect the bands to follow a similar format or have some kind of collaborative shred to tie them together...HOWEVER, the pure filth that I was exposed to, two weekends in a row, has left me raging and severely traumatised...
Murderdolls/The Defiled/Black Veil Brides
February Tour
Sheffield Corporation
Manchester Academy
Murderdolls - Not everyones cup of tea I'm sure, I myself find them delightfully gorey and their albums could be described as a musical B Movie in their own rights....
The Defiled - Despite apearences are actually a lovely bunch of lads (surprisingly enough for southerners)...Music thats real...its angry...it does tend to make you drive at roughly double the limit but when your painting style is rough and aggressive its perfect motivation.
Beautiful lineup i thought...This was before I was visually and audibly raped by the repulsive and downright vile excuse of the main support act.
Black Veil Brides, Fronted by Andy Sixx - A man so far inserted up his own anal cavity, I'm a firm believer that his hoards of fanatics simply follow his unique stench of hairspray and anus scrapings. Lets be fair to the man, hes clearly got some form of visual awareness because I'm told that he himself, all on his todd, came up with the genius idea of hiding himself and the rest of the twatbrigade behind a black bedsheet at the start of the set...Unfortunately for BVB, said bedsheet didnt feel like being attached to the Sheffield Corporation roof and so had to be held up by roadies instead, who ceramoniously flung down the shroud (call it a blind, a cloak, screen, curtain or a shade but I refuse to use the V word) and, much like a game of peekaboo with an infant, the BVB fans exploded with ecstacy, drool and what I strongly suspected to be micturition.
I dont claim to have anything close to a definative knowledge of rock bands throughout the ages...but even to my amateur eye, one look at BVB utterly and unashamedly screams; WASP, Motley Crue, Kiss, Vains of Jenna, Alice Cooper even...Its outright plagerism and it disgusts me that people are flopping around gooing and gaaing over how innovative and "individual" this pathetic hoard are, when every single inch of their bile-raising stage get-up is stolen from bands before them. And what really fucking gets to me, is the fact that they're getting away with it. Theres influence and then theres stealing. This lot have re-invented themselves to get the attention they're bathing in now, and its a sell-out, something any self respecting artist should be repulsed by. Riding off the success of others is for the scurge of the pop world and Jodie Marsh.
For both my stints on the tour, I can proudly say I sat through no more than two songs per show. According to a reliable source, I missed out...Andy Sixx lost his hair extensions to his adoring fans...and thats the way I'd like to see these bands disapear, torn apart by their over-enthused pre-pubescent jailbait... fans.
I'm Quite Pissed Off.
Tuesday 1 February 2011
People tend to stay away, whenever they hear you howl...
Stendhal Syndrome
Stendhal Syndrome is a psychosomatic illness that causes rapid heartbeat, dizziness, confusion and even hallucinations when an individual is exposed to art, usually when the art is particularly ‘beautiful’ or a large amount of art is in a single place. The term can also be used to describe a similar reaction to a surfeit of choice in other circumstances, e.g. when confronted with immense beauty in the natural world.
It is named after the famous 19th century French author Stendhal who described his experience with the phenomenon during his 1817 visit to Florence, Italy in his book Naples and Florence: A Journey from Milan to Reggio.
Saturday 29 January 2011
A favourite photograph
"Upload a single favourite photograph to your blog"
This photograph was taken in August 2009, in Gothenburg, Sweden. It wasnt taken with a particularly good camera, it wasnt taken with any technique or knowledge of photography, but its personal to me and reminds me of my first experiance of travelling abroad, without my family. My parents paid for my flights and dropped me off at the bus station to take me to the airport, but other than that, my friend and I planned and went on the whole trip ourselves. We were there for five days and on each day we sat at this spot and ate proper "Glass" (swedish ice cream) with our friends. The entire trip was amazing but this was one of the most memorable aspects of the whole trip...possibly because I spent the remainder of the trip inebriated.
Jag älskar svenska!
Thursday 27 January 2011
Origins.
"Origin: The spleen is an organ in the body near the stomach. In European medicine from the Middle Ages until the nineteenth century, the spleen was thought to be the source of the "humours" that caused the emotion of anger. Therefore one could expel anger by "venting the spleen"."
The idea of a blog is my own personal nightmare. Not the sort of nightmare where you wake up and think, oh what an odd dream, i do hope i shant have it again...the kind of nightmare where you wake up lying in a pool of your own sweat, gripping your headboard with whitened hands and discover you've inadvertently pissed yourself. I hate being personal, I hate expressing my feelings, I hate expressing my personal feelings to the masses, i generally hate the internet..and so, by making an informed decision based on prior knowledge, i can safely assume that I hate anything that involves the internet AND expressing feelings...
I do however, quite like being a misery.
I do however, quite like being a misery.
As i'm constantly being told "Theres a lot of anger and acid in you for such a small person" I'm planning to take a step back, breathe, evaluate the situation, and best utilise my strengths...I'm going to raise my hackles to the best of my ability and bitch, rant, spit, storm, fume, seethe,vociferate and generally drown this blog in my own acid...in a fair, informative, objective, considered and evaluative way of course.
Ta-Ta for now. xx
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