UNTITLED COMPOSITION 22 / 12 / 2017

Abstract / 2D Vector Drawing / + Texture

TWISTING REALITIES

Real-life: London, St. James's Park, Feb 2017

Digital: Birmingham, Smallbrook Queensway, Oct 2014

UNTITLED COMPOSITION 14 / 12 / 2017

Abstract / 2D Vector Drawing / + Texture

LAWN ORDER

'HATE HAS NO HOME HERE'

While holidaying in New Jersey in October, we went strolling from South Orange, to Maplewood. Amongst all the usual fun Halloween garden displays, I was struck by these other types of messages on people's lawns ( see below ). They are from a side of American life that we, in Europe, rarely get to see: The Normal. Thanks to the media, all we hear about is mass shootings, sordid denouncements, foreign policy 'mistakes', vested interests and corporate cynicism. Algorithmically, what you see below does not get noticed in all that noise. But hopefully, in the real world, these affirmations have an impact. At the very least, it puts you in a better mood when you see them.

HIVE MIND

While waiting for the Brooklyn train at Columbus Circle in New York City, I took several photographs of the opposite platform ( above being the best one ). I liked how all the commuters were neatly framed by the metal girders. Once I looked closely at the pictures on the computer screen, it became obvious just how many of the people were looking at their phones, to the exclusion of all else. A ubiquitous scene from modern life.

Is it purely artists, or Homeland Security that take a neighbourly interest these days? 

It's kind of depressing how dependent we are on these gadgets. Personally, I prefer to carry a book when I'm commuting. I find carbon-based media much more reliable.

Aside from that, I love the painterly rendering that zooming-in achieves on these iPhone 4 pics.* There even appears to be a faint halo/outline effect around some of the figures.

NEW EDIT ( below ): The lady in the blue jacket is a fascinating focal point, so here's a 'Portmanteau Edit' of the same scene, which looks even better!

*Self-aware alert: If I was that into carbon-based media, I would be standing there sketching, like in the good old days - not messing with an iPhone like everyone else in these pictures.

8¬[

SNOWBOUND

Being snowed-in right now in England, the enforced time at home has allowed me to find these drawings from December 2004, when I was staying in New Rochelle, New York. We were similarly snow-bound, and on one of the days, I spent an hour in the garden looking at tiny fragments of twigs that had fallen off the trees from the weight of the snow. They looked like intriguing bits of code, or written characters from an as-yet undiscovered language. It was very satisfying to make art that was so minimal.

Twigs in Snow I - IV New Rochelle, NY, ink on A5 paper, circ. Dec 2004

Stone in Snow, New Rochelle, NY, ink on A5 paper, circ. Dec 2004

PENCILLED IN

As mentioned in the previous post, November's work-in-progress is now out of bounds due to being on display at Custard Factory. This has necessitated starting a new piece before the other is finished. The difference, is that this time I am making pencil shapes first, rather than automatically painting onto the blank grid. Whether this will result in a piece of work that looks significantly different than its two companion pieces is debatable. But at the moment it's a refreshing change to spend longer composing in pencil.

Untitled Work In Progress, Pencil on Canvas, 60cm x 60cm, Dec 2017.

WORK IN PROGRESS (cont'd) DETAIL SHOTS

Work-in-progress, as featured in the SOLSTICE exhibition, currently in the Nomad Room at Custard Factory, Birmingham UK, until February 2018. Curated by Zarina Keyani.

Untitled Work In Progress, Acrylic & Biro on Canvas, 60cm x 60cm, Nov / Dec 2017

WORK IN PROGRESS - DETAILED ANGLE CLOSE-UPS