Wos on?

well what's new? after a couple of sleepness nights and late nights working I'm a wee bit tired but it's all beginning to make sense!.. I have an essay to write by next week so any spare time is spent on that.. I have been working on my first college project and have come up with a set of images that I will put in a book... I see shadows in my window and have rather torrid sleep patterns so I have been using this as the subject for my study...

I've been having meetings with Creative Unit and hi5 and we're on the move again. In St Austell and Truro..both around April and May time....news will be posted on the hi5 facebook page and the blog.

wos new?

...Along with working on a new book for my publisher I've been tying up a few commission ends... these three for Lou Lou and a card for papyrus. I'm waiting to hear from Julia Stone and a book idea she has and I now have a whole week off... infact even more than that which is unheard of over Christmas normally...

college proposal

...an idea I'm working on for my MA proposal... meanings and fuel behind it to follow later when I have time to add it on..but briefly exploring the way I natural practice art and illustration. Getting in touch with a more soulful practice that is intrinsically mine, exploring my unconscious mind/self...exciting stuff...

This is an image from the video (that I can't upload!). I want it to rotate and pulsate and sizzle to a soundtrack. Morphing from a character / shadow, that I see in my bedroom when I have nightmares, into this ball of detritus that pulses with life.

It is a very personal journey that I did not intend to follow but is very apparent in my life as I continue to deny my true potential and hide all the things, that are truly me, in my shadow! time to face the beast!..the video is also purely a sketch that represents a feeling or at least how I want the finished video to feel and look. The music is from a cd I play to calm and rebalance myself when I'm on my own... it's by Jonsi and Alex from Sigur Ros... Indian Summer from Rice Boy Sleeps.

Noodles is finished!!!

well I bleedin gone and dunnit!!!.. Noodle is all finished and sent off in full!.. I've just finished the covers woohoo!!... It really has been a hard book to get into and finish...especially with all that purple and the fact that I was so busy!.. I've added the text I created but no doubt this will differ on the actual one...

The other book has also been finished and will be collected by UPS to fly to the US tomorrow!...Those I won't put up on here! x

So onwards with my MA. I must find some more work to tide me over Christmas but not until I've had a break from the commercial and I intend to take a whole week off and get up late and go running and leave work on time and be creative! I may even do a couple of workshops and use the print room at college if I can...It feels so good to be free!!! I've started my research journal for my first proposal. I have decided to concentrate on what makes me tick and has made me tick in the past in my sketch books... to get what is in my head and my heart onto the page and into my work... To find my own voice and language. Everything seems happy again!...xxx

so many things!...

WOW!!!!!!!!!! what a few months!... I am still working on Noodle... and the US book for Sterling Publishing. Noodles writer, Sheryl has given birth.. congrats!...I have started my MA, had numerous other deadlines along with creating and co organising a collective exhibition with two events with live music and art etc. Moved in with a man! made a few new friends and contacts. Got my work in Trelissick Gallery, got some commissions to do, held a workshop and book signing at the Edinburgh Book Festival and rowed in the County Gig Rowing Championships with our A crew! I have yet still to meet with the Royal Cornwall Museum in ref to working with them on leading an empty shops project. Also working with Creative Services on an empty shops arts project in St Austell!... My next goal is to hold, with hi5 a drawing club this coming Sunday 11th Oct in the hi5 space, then onto organising our next exhibition at Christmas...! the closing party was great for the last exhib...lots of great feedback.. A report to follow. Champagne was popped!

I started my MA n Monday with a weeks induction and workshops etc. One with Andrew Lanyon which was great. He made so much sense and oozed creativity and purpose! I'm definitely on the right course. Everyone being different and lovely...receptive and open to new things...the course seems tailor made! I will post the book I started...on the workshop.. just playing with paper really.. I did notice I was making the backgrounds really simple.. something I don't do so much in my commercial practice. so concentrating on one thing or the character in question only...

I forgot I did some Christmas cards recently and here they are they were for Ling Design and it was great working with them again. I have also been offered a book with my old client Parragon.. Taking this Santa character and giving him his own book! in talks about fees etc but may take it up.. watch this space.

noodle and hi5!

More noodles illos....aaand.......The launch party was a huge success!!

Edinburgh Book Festival

...well we went, we did and we saw!...James came with me and we stayed in Edinburgh for three days and two nights. The fringe festoval was on too so we went and saw Rich Hall and some galleries and that was all we had time for after my event and just hanging out at the book festival. The city was lovely and not overcrowded at all. My workshop was sold out with 20 kids and their guardians and did a book signing after the workshop in the book shop afterwards! We were relaxing in the Authors yurt with Ian Rankin, Iain Banks, Raj Persaud and Menzies Campbell which was really lovely. It was a completely new experience to be part of something as highly regarded as the International Book festival. A real priviledge!..Bath festival next year as well I hope!...

Edinburgh festival and more noodle!±

and more noodle!!!...although going slowly and I know I will amend most of these to add that something special but the bones are there and looking ok...

Still loads to do and Edinburgh Book Festival was a welcome distraction. It was so awesome to be in such a lovely city and nice people. Didn't feel hectic.. just really relaxing to wander around.. We visiting lots of galleries with different work from the Cornish scene, which was refreshing. some inspiration found by both James and I. The best was being on the same bill and in the same author's yurt... as Ian Rankin, Iain Banks, Menzies Campbell and Raj Persaud among others! The workshop I did was sold out but I only signed one book! But Steve Smallman who wrote one of the books had sold and signed loads the day before so that's great. I didn't expect anything so it was great either way.

Well here's more noodle artwork this time...... altho the wool looks a different colour....oh well! all still full on with hi 5 etc and just trying to fit it all in... off rowing now!

hi5! flying high!!!...still!

well we had another meeting today but it was in the space this time which was really exciting as it all felt really real. We have All the Fires onboard for the launch night...and Soup gallery has an open night on the same night so working with them and sharing customers hopefully....I''ve done a couple more pieces and they're all very different which I quite like.. here they are... they;re not finished yet as I don;t like them enough yet but I can go back and change bits when I have a few and can see them all together and see what journey they were on and where I want them to continue.

hi5! flying high!!!

well... hi5 is going amazingly well.. I've actually started doing some sketch prelims...here they are.... just doodles really but I like the approach using both oils and acrylics...they are along the right lines...we have a space in Truro next to Bunters which is great and a couple of amazing people on board helping and giving advice and the space etc...so watch this space and the facebook page where new pics are going up...at the moment I'm taking inspiration from pics off the web so I have yet to find my own real original content but I'm sure I will. Just working through the pics and using the style I have used when I started my professional career. Just putting paint and colours down using a roller or brush then working into and on top of those colours layering and see what images come out of it...so the painting actually creates itself and guides me rather than me making the decisions...all very exciting!! now is the time to go big!!!xxx

more noodle!...

more noodles doodles .. here's some colour thumbs in progress...more pics less words today... not much time for blogging distractions.

what a great day!!!

hey.. I've had a great day!!!.. I had an email from Julia (Stone) asking if I could try and image for them for a new album cover. It's only a trial as yet as they're not sure if they're gonna use it yet but I really enjoyed doing it.. Back to my old realistic style... I didn't spend too much time on it and did it in half a day but I like it!... it needs a banner and cherubs and some flowers dotted around yet but this is the basic image... Great to be back in touch and hoping they use the image. I also made some brownies for my mate Duncan who's birthday it is and made some more cakes for the gig regatta on Sat..so all in all a really industrious day!.. and the sun came out aaaaaand I was in the winning crew at the local Newquay races last night.. Felt great! and we won a medal.. it was a real squeez as we were second all the way round until the last stretch where we passed the winning boat by a boat length to take the finish line in style!!! woohoo!!.. my boy has gone up to Leicester for a week so I miss him but lots to look forward to this week including meeting the hi5 guys at the Krowji art show in Redruth this Sunday..12 til late I think.. Bands playing and lots of tea and cake and art!... I did these logos for our group. I quite like them. the single hi5 hand works best...

Noodles doodles!

...and some more Noodles doodles...hi to Sheryl (Webster) the writer! 

Here's a small test of the wool to be possibly flocked... this is only a test so I'm hoping to make the wool more fluffy and more floppy looking... also the design I would like to happen on the front cover... if they go with it? we'll see... 

...and another page spread sketch in progress. I'm also just doing some Christmas card designs for Ling Design so fingers crossed I do some they like and I get some new work out of it!

...well not much to report this week. Just been twiddling my thumbs a little. Sat on the beach reading my arts mag and went swimming on Wed afternoon... (although feeling a little guilty) but thankfully as it poured down on Thursday! Anyway having waited for work with new client, Sterling to start I've actually started sketches this week. Work with my main Publisher is slow so finding things to do inbetween work with them... buut I have created a print from the image I did for Angus and Julia Stone...The Beast... I had an enquiry to do a print of the image so I've made it look like an etching and I'm quite pleased how it's turned out...

Seed Surf exhibition

Exhibition on for a week...the event below was great to be part of. Peoples String Foundation were brilliant and look forward to the new album they are recording as their own songs were brilliant!... the tea and cakes were exceptional. I may have got a couple of new or have at least interested customers. It was so lovely to meet new people and get my work out in a different guise too. Mixing in circles I wouldn't necessarily mix in respect to my artwork... taking the more laid back approach and heading for smaller events rather than solo shows in galleries etc. The artwork I had up and also the other guys work, listed below, is now up for the next week or so, so go along and have a look if you're heading up towards Tescos in Wadebridge. 

seed surf exhibition tea party sunday

I am taking part in a small event in Wadebridge on Sunday. It's in the units opposite Tescos. It's a brand of surf wear called Seed Surf. It's a shop that is opening it's doors to me with some illustrations and a photographer... of course the event wouldn't be worth it if the Tea Appreciation Society weren't there serving tea and CAKE!!!!! yum!... so it starts at 12pm and ends at 7pm... the work on show from me is the same work on the title bar and some others featured in my blog. Should be a lovely afternoon if the weather holds...

noodles doodles!

the last couple of days have been taken up by doing doodles..thumbnails...for my next and current book. Noodles Knitting.. here are some images...and some characters. It's really hard compromising on composition and what goes into the spread and sometimes characters too. But somehow we always get a compromise. I like the more simple illustrations with not much background...but they want background...

I'm also currently doing a commission for a client while I'm waiting for feedback on my thumbnails. It's nice to have something else going on and also something different to do... have a rest from a project and go back with new eyes... although I sat down in my chair taking a break for 5 mins this week and fallen asleep!... maybe not such a productive rest! or maybe it was!

greeting cards...

Having not had a great week in the studio I got in early and stayed for long enough to do some quick card images... I need some cash and these may just do that for me...

I've just said yes to doing a small board book in the US so that should bring in some pennies which is great and that's with Sterling Publishing. Also tapping up some old clients too.

sunny!

sunny days!!... it's beautiful out there and I'm inside drawing mice...in the snow!!... but hey I got a small surf in and a lovely cliff run and some yoga and vino in the sun in good company... all in one day so all good. Today I'm tackling my new book characters... it's taking a while to get into it but my first image is in progress... I am of course distracted by little things and this little teapot keyring did this time so I took a pic... thinking of the tea appreciation peeps...

I did take part in the Rock gig rowing event at the weekend which was lush...we came third in our heat too and beat the boys which is always great! beautiful glisteny water...

Before the event we went up a day early and camped and wandered into Padstow and had a look round... along with having an overpriced pasty which was ok until a huuuge seagull came down and nearly ripped my hand off and taking half my pasty with it!!... we stumbled across a lovely gallery, Padstow Fine Art.. ran by a lovely lady

 Steph. It was her gallery and she currently had on show David Pearce, who's work on show was awesome. really inspired... also the work of John O'Carroll who we met when we went to his gallery just round the corner.

 

I also realised my friends work was in there too, Robert Emery... aka Munch!...A lovely afternoon meeting lovely people who do lovely things... Inspired!...

...and here's a little something I've done today.

nuthin goin on!

..well I don't seem to be able to start or do anything of any substance this week. Waiting for a client to come back with feedback on a sketch and just generally feeling like my head is fluffy cottonwool.. nothing going on in there!... buut a rest is good after a hectic month or so of long working days...these are two I've just played around with... I love the beast image that both Julia and I created so have been working with him as a figure to propel me into doing some creative bits...could even make a good animation??

 the other is James's childhood toy Oppety who also features in one book I did called 'There Are No Such Things As Monsters!' 2009 publication....these are in oils which I haven't used since college so trying to get to grips with them...but it is beginning to work although I have a long way to go to get anywhere near where I am in my head with them... I'm getting some work ideas together for the show in sept with hi5 so a slow steep hill to some work good enough to grace the walls of the show... I think I'm off to get some storage bits for my bedroom! make the most of my empty head by shopping! x

and on the slug theme here's a great picture I took on the Scillies... huge schlugg! I did laugh!

THis guys work is really interesting. I love his painting...Carmen Segovia..http://www.marlenaagency.com/carmen/carmen_frame.html

nice things...

my friend and I are hoping to collaborate on a book idea I have....he co founded the Tea Appreciation Society and although I would never tell him he's got quite good taste in music and art n stuff!....go and have a look...I've done some work for him ...some he used and some he didn't grrrr!!! They are now working with Howies on some tee ventures and have their logo painted on the wall of the Carnaby street store.. woohoo!..

...wos on

... well my first blog ever...so watch this space and when I get a few moments I will add some more exciting stuff... I've just finished my current book...I've had the proof back and it looks ok. this is one image from it. 

I am collaborating with four friends this year for an exhibition here in Cornwall. We are called hi5 and hope to find an empty shop somewhere in St Ives in Sept, in conjunction with the St Ives festival. 

I have recently been to the Lemon Street Gallery where Anna Gardiner is exhibiting. Really lovely paintings with loads of texture and really good variation in size and pretty impressive prices! http://www.lemonstreetgallery.co.uk/anna-gardiner-exhibition.asp

I'm off to Edinburgh Book festival in August to do a workshop and sign some books etc which is exciting...

I have just finished working with a couple of singer / songwriters... one being Benjamin Winter. ...providing him with artwork for his album out in Sept 09.

the other being Angus Stone and his new venture as Lady Of the Sunshine. Producing artwork for the album leaflet.

Continuing to do commissions for locals and constantly getting emails from the website for commissions and just advice on the world of being an illustrator.

...but for now that's it and should do some work! cheerio