Trying a new toy out in the studio today, a cast iron Notary Press, which I've fitted my logo onto. What next.....maybe I'll start wearing a signet ring over a velvet glove like Alan Rickman in the Sheriff Of Nottingham.
Card Collage
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Anti Postman
Work in response to the idea of restricting your access to internet, email and social media, in order to become more productive, and happy! This guy is an Anti Postman he doesn't delivery email, posts, tweets or status updates and he comes round and unplugs your computer forcing you to do something real rather than virtual. Is it bad that I'm posting this on line distracting you ? Probably, so get back to work :-)
Pattern 2
Pattern 1
Decided to do one of these each day before I start work, just for the hell of it, unnecessary creativity.
New Work- Me Me Me
The unhappy person resents it when you try to cheer them up, because that means they have to stop dwelling on themselves and start paying attention to the universe. Unhappiness is the ultimate form of self-indulgence. When you're unhappy, you get to pay a lot of attention to yourself. You get to take yourself so very seriously.
Romanian Painted Egg
Our Romanian friend, Errol sent this cool hand painted, hollowed-out egg to us last week. It reminded me of the wealth and ubiquity of craft in the country when we visited last year. The intricate patterns on the eggs are a hybrid of the Slavic, Ottoman and Gypsy cultures and were actually secret languages known only to residents of the regions where they were painted. Pencil for scale, just so you know its not and Ostrich Egg!
Recent Work
A detail of an image recently completed for an online retailer in the US about customer feedback.
Mother London
I didn't make the final cut for this years Serco TfL poster competition. The theme this year was London Stories, I based my image on the book Mother London by Michael Morrcock. How could an image based on a story about a psychic recluse, the blitz and subterranean pig herds not be a sure fire winner! Answers on a postcard.
London Stories
Couple of details from a recent image submitted to the Serco /AOI competition London Stories: Across the ages, London has produced and inspired countless stories. Fictitious or real characters and events in this amazing city have always held fascination, from the anecdotal urban myth to grand tales of historic legend. The aim of the competition is to attract artwork for display that is colourful, inspiring and celebrates a vibrant, multi-layered London. I'm not at all convinced that basing a poster on Micheal Morrcock's book Mother London is the way to commercial success, but I enjoyed making it greatly.
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Lights On
Thanks to Giles Nielson for wiring diagrams advice and patience, which have all helped to restore this 1950s floor lamp back to safe working order.
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Prague - Five down three to go
Continuing the recent theme of visiting former Eastern Bloc countries (only have Albania, Yugoslavia and Bulgaria to go for the full set) and seemingly following the footsteps of Alexei Sayle in his book Stalin Ate My Homework (2010) I was recently lucky enough to travel to Prague with Stockport College illustration Degree students.
Some highlights if you ever make it over there:
Terrys Posters fantastic collection of Czech film posters.
Kafka Museum an intense but informative experience, which locates and goes some way to explain his writing.
Sedlec Ossuary a small church artistically decorated by more than 40.000 human skeletons.
Veletržní Palace permanent collection of 20th and 21st century art.
Museum of Communism low budget, difficult to find but surprisingly rewarding.
Agharta Jazz Club who doesn't like a bit a jazz right? (well apart from almost everyone I know ;-) Small cellar club, saw the house band who were pretty solid.
ACLU
In the studio working on a double page info-graphic on LGBT rights for the American Civil Liberties Union (ACLU). On the playlist this fine day: Trombone Shorty, Al Wilson, Agnes Obel, John Grant and Ultravox (guilty pleasure) all washed down with lashings of tea.
Satellites and Rockets
A few details of the completed image I produced for Marquette University in Milwaukee.
Cube Satellite
Working with Marquette University in Milwaukee on an image for their bid to launch a 'Cube Satellite' (10 cm sq ) into space as part of a student project.
1960s GPO building
Spotted these great decorative ceramic tiles on the wall of a 1960s former GPO building in Milford Haven.
Second Image
Another image for the article on the attributes of the international business leader. Even chucked a bit of watercolour and conte stick in to this one.
