‘news from the shed’

update:
contacted white cube, speaking to Irene on Monday (artist liasiion), person the other end of phone liked the idea of the project… maybe this could work

Well, things are on the move – work on the £10 note painting is coming along, see image below. I have opted for a blue grey colour rather than match the browns found on a £10 note. The reason for this: its more in keeping with my other work, brown looks s*** as seen on wild west painting, it changes the intention to make a copy of a note and I intend to use on orange as a contrast – not making a great deal off sense – late night painting!!

Update on the hype!: contacted Frieze yesterday, spoke to their press about the concept – they liked the idea but no free tickets (I had no intention of trying to get a free ticket)

I will have to queue like everyone else, but that’s all part of it.

I intend to post the full idea and thought process later/nearer the time. If it goes the further movement will be to auction the painting and proceeds going to breast cancer charity.

Next stages:

second coat of blue/grey on canvas

contact white cube gallery – in view of my intentions

post more on different groups that I am part of

bump up the hype!!

following earlier post, I’ve decided to create some home brewed hype. Whilst others may stand clutching their fivers, tenners or in fact a bit more, eagerly awaiting one or both of the Chapman brothers to deface and therefore increase the value (as quoted in post earlier) I have a cunning plan – I am in the process of painting part of a £10 note (my usual style), and hopefully, with long nights ahead will finish it by the 14th Oct – opening day at the frieze art fair. It is my intention to get the ‘Chaps’ to sign my painting, hopefully, and will extreme bits of luck, they might like the concept of creating a double stooge!! It could lead onto other avenues – someone buying it, a gallery becoming interested who knows…. but something could happen, again its like doing the lottery (although I don’t), there’s always a chance. Hopefully, using this blog / my website and any other means I can think of, i’m going to try to create a positve return. Wait and see…… I will post updates of the painting as it progresses and of any deveopments. As my dad would quite happily quote from Del Boy -’he who dares…’

Painting in its first stage – mapping out with paynes grey acrylic paint, 000 size brush on primed canvas (4 layers 1 white acrylic). apologies for quality of photo – taken past midnight, in shed with poor lighting!

Just working out a painting in my head related to the following article. The concept is to turn around by getting them to sign a painting of them and a £20 which I hopefully can produce before the exhibition closes. Yes, its a publicity stunt – if it comes off it would be fun! I’ll keep an update going.

Hand them any kind of English paper money – a fiver, a tenner, a £50 note, anything so long as it has the Queen’s head on it – and they will draw on it for you. They’ll give you back the note, now worth many times more than your original outlay, and with the monarch’s visage defaced. “Apart from the fact that it’s lazy,” said Dinos Chapman, “I prefer drawing on other people’s work. The scene is set, and you have to respond. It’s not a wheeze, it’s a very serious project. It’s free art, and people don’t give away art very often.”
Last year the Chapmans set up a small studio at the fair and painted punters’ portraits for £4,000 a time. “This is the opposite of that,” said Dinos Chapman. “That was the equivalent of a posh Harley Street clinic. This is like a drop-in centre in Hackney Wick. We’re reversing capitalism, just a bit.” He said they would be looking with interest at the way the Frieze crowds reacted during the fair, from October 11-14: “Orderly queues have a propensity to turn into baying hordes.” That certainly happened last year when the crowds cottoned on to the Chapmans’ portraits.
He conceded the hint of showmanship about the project. “Most of the things we do skirt dangerously close to fairground attractions,” he said. “It’s not an unwelcome comparison. We’re happy to drag artists off their pedestals.”

have just started working on a blog post in addition to the one on this site – writing about life in general and more ranting and raving!

called news from the shed (strange!)

Been very busy recently, what with one thing and another – working on background stuff for the site, working on another site (Pinner RFC) and funnily enough, some paintings! Also have been to a couple of gigs, Jesus and the Mary Chain – still thumping the sounds/feedback out, who were brill and the John Butler Trio – not my kettle of fish, lasted 30 mins or so and then went back to the pub (think i upset of our Aussie mates, but thats showbiz!!). A little bit of networking was achieved though and as a result managed to get John (the portraits I have done and youtube link) to deliver some web designing sessions and the possibility of me being a visiting artist to a school in south london – maybe I am famous!!!

managed to catch a couple of minutes of television last night and saw the Elvis competition – gave up after 5 mins as a few of us know there is only one elvis impersonator – Gary who performs in South Wimbledon and surrounding area, he was playing in a pub the night of the reunion with Oz and made for a memorable night.

another one bits the dust! currently I’m on a roll with my painting, the ideas, working out and brush work seems to be on top form. whilst working on this canvas, which I had sketched out some weeks ago, I had need to grab a pencil and scrawl on my wall the next ideas for my painitngs. Its quite exciting and trying to fit everything thing in is going to be hard going, but the pleasure I gain is well worth it. Two things I would like to mention here are: been looking at a lot of graffiti art recently, I’m into the stencil work that is going on, NOT the spraying of tags which is lazy, not very imaginative and to be honest crap. Some of the stencil stuff shows great talent, imagination and something I always link into – humour. I’ll post some examples and links along the way

the second: now trying to remember! Oh s**t, still cant think.

I’ll post my latest work instead

current title: with condiments (I seem to have lost it on the title front at the moment, maybe should call it blank or untitled, cant bring myself to do that)

Strange how the past catches up with you. some time ago I gave a leaving present to work colleage and a good friend who was returning back to New Zealand with his new to be wife and their (at the time unborn baby). I had worked with Hamish for little over a year and found his company enjoyable to say the least!

I must admit at this stage I haven’t been that good at keeping in contact, just the odd email here and there, nothing that unusual with me! A fellow colleage returned home over the summer and visited Hamish and family and sent me these photos. The bottle that you see him so proudly pointing at is the said present!

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When in France over 8 years ago I was in a shop (wine) and saw this particular wine, Vintage Talbot well I couldn’t resist it could I? the cost, as Iremember worked out to be roughly £35.00 (an awful lot for a bottle of red wine, as I prefer the cheaper ones found in Tesco!! Well I bit the bullet and purchased one. On my return I attended my local Round Table meeting (I am a past member) and fell into discussion with a Nick Mansi who is a bit of a wine buff. I mentioned that I had bought this bottle of wine and how much it cost (feeling rather proud of finding my namesake as a wine and if be honest, a little big headed), only to be informed I could have bought it at his local Threshers for under a tenner!! Eventually, we did open the wine and I must admit, I didn’t like it that much. but I bought some more as time went on – mainly as keepsakes and at times to hand to friends as a ‘special’ present. I notice it’s not opened!! Not to sure about those curtains also!!!

Its nice to see the old gits face and looking so well, and I promise to get in touch very soonÂ

Just in time! I finished painting the portrait of JJ last night. Currently I have four options for the title

1. ‘JJ does Hockney, Warhol style, (with false glasses and teeth)’

2. ‘Funny face’

3. ‘Strange, yet false’

4. ‘Onions’

I’m still working on a more suitable title, it will come to me I’m, if you have any thoughts/ suggestions feel free to leave a comment

anyhow, here’s the finished piece: please click on thumbnail for large view

Just taking time out to have a look at the site now that I’ve changed the appearance – home page now having small gallery and the artwork pages looking a lot more proffessional, although I’m still working on updating the links page.

Spent a lot of time over the past few weeks doing a bit of travelling and visiting folks. Some images to upload in the future!

Also been building an office for Jo – images to follow – a bit boring for most but they will be posted onto the shed uk site! (just for fun)

anyhow, just a short one – loads to upload and comment on later