Introducing Raven
My new artwork ‘Raven’ is today’s spotlight, celebrating mystery and magic. Discover what inspired her and watch the painting emerge from first to last strokes of the digital brush.
Introducing another newly finished painting called Raven.
Did anyone else get inspired by the new Netflix show Wednesday?
The seed of this artwork was in fact twofold, based primarily on a magical street mime I saw along the Royal Mile, one Edinburgh Festival. But the gothic sense of intrigue behind Wednesday, a Netflix drama which follows the imperturbable Wednesday Adams on her ventures, in a reimagined coming of age drama, full of surprisingly compelling twists and turns, was definitely the impetus that got me thinking more about this street mime; chiming very naturally in mood and ethos
There was something wonderfully mysterious about her, steeped in an otherworldly, fairy-tale atmosphere. The idea of the Raven organically sprung from this. with thoughts of prophecy and totemic spirit. I hope she captures your imagination as she did mine!
Like my painting Rose, she is now also available as a beautiful Art print!
For buying options click the product listing below.
You have a few more days left to see ‘Raven’ & 'Rose,' up close at Putney Library, along with a super line up of other performer inspired artworks by myself and fellow artist @stella_tooth, all part of our exhibition Performers in Paint. The Last day is this Saturday 15th July!
EXHIBITION DETAILS
Address: Putney, Library 5-7 Disraeli Road London, SW15 2DR
Opening Times
Mon, Wed, Thurs: 9am - 8pm
Closed Tuesdays
Fri, Sat: 9am - 5pm
Sun: 1 - 5pm
Any Qs, let me know!
This fine art print is of my original digital painting of an Edinburgh Street mime. It was painted free hand using a stylus and pressure sensitive tablet on a computer.
Each print from this digital painting is an original; professionally printed on beautiful Hahnemühle photo Rag paper, 308 gsm thick, with top grade, light fast, fade-resistant inks.
Free UK shipping
For international shipping please CLICK HERE for a quote
Introducing Rose
Discover the story behind my new painting 'Rose,' inspired by an Edinburgh Festival Street Mime. Watch a short time-lapse of this artwork's creative journey, from start to finish.
I am pleased to finally reveal my finished painting called Rose.
It is based on a street mime I saw during one Edinburgh Festival, who completely captured my imagination. Her quiet poetry, deeply moved me, conjuring thoughts of love, faith, hope, fragility, wisdom and transformation.
The butterfly background emerged naturally as an extension of these ideas, along with the interplay between refined detail and loose drips. See how the painting progressed in the time-lapse above.
What thoughts does she inspire in you?
I am also happy to report she is now available as a beautiful Art print. For buying options see below.
You can also say hello to Rose, face to face, at Putney Library until the 15th July along with a super line up of other performer inspired artworks by myself and fellow artist Stella Tooth, all part of our exhibition Performers in Paint
EXHIBITION DETAILS
Address: Putney, Library 5-7 Disraeli Road London, SW15 2DR
Opening Times
Mon, Wed, Thurs: 9am - 8pm
Closed Tuesdays
Fri, Sat: 9am - 5pm
Sun: 1 - 5pm
Any Qs let me know!
This fine art print is of my original digital painting of an Edinburgh Street mime. It was painted free hand using a stylus and pressure sensitive tablet on a computer.
Each print from this digital painting is an original; professionally printed on beautiful Hahnemühle photo Rag paper, 308 gsm thick, with top grade, light fast, fade-resistant inks.
Free UK shipping
For international shipping please CLICK HERE for a quote
The Power of a Red Rose
A new work update, see the early stages of my latest painting on the digital easel. All part of the Performers in Paint series I will be launching this June.
Romance, love, beauty, hope and courage - the powerful associations of a red rose!
Add one quiet, introspective expression, and a fabulous costume, and you have the performer that inspired this latest piece I'm working on.
Part of a new ‘Performers in Paint ‘ series that I will be launching in June.
I am thinking of a suitable name for this painting, any suggestions?
What does she inspire in your imagination?
A New Work in Progress
It’s official I am taking part in this years Wandsworth Art Fringe Festival in June; collaborating with the wonderful Stella Tooth to put on a joint exhibition entitled Performers in Paint! In this week’s post, I'm sharing a behind the scenes glimpse of a new work in progress, that will eventually feature in this show.
This week I have been finalising my registration for the Wandsworth Arts Fringe Festival [9th-25th June 2023].
I'm very excited to be collaborating with the wonderful Stella Tooth where we will be celebrating the theme of Performers in Paint, in a joint exhibition at Putney Library! More details to come over the coming weeks!
In the meantime, here is one of the things I am working on for the show, a magical street mime I saw one Edinburgh Festival.
She is also a happy nod to another festival currently in full swing, the Venice Carnival. Something that has been on my radar forever, but that, as yet, I've never managed to get to; a trip for the future perhaps!
Who are the performers that have captured your imagination?
Embracing Grief Through Art
Watch this special discussion I had with Jenetta Barry and Al Cini talking about the power of painting when dealing with painful subjects and emotions. All part of a global line up, celebrating World Jenny’s Day and World Mental Health Day.
This Monday I took part in a special online line-up of artists and performers, celebrating World Jenny's Day and World Mental Health Day.
Creatives from all over the world joined Jenetta Barry and co hosts on USA GLobal TV & Radio over the course of 17 hours showcasing insightful performances and short discussions celebrating mental health wellness.
I shared my experiences of embracing grief through art, looking at two paintings: one of a national treasure, Queen Elizabeth II and the other, inspired by the loss of my father.
This is the 15 minute interview I had with Jenetta & Al Cini describing the journey each painting took me on; explaining how the act of painting helped me find peace with a complex range of emotions.
We also reflected on the value that traumatic and painful experiences have when they build powerful roots to understanding, leading to positive actions which can help others in profound and meaningful ways.
Presenting Walkabout Eddie
Next in my Edinburgh Festival Sketch line up, the wonderful Walkabout Eddie! Watch a short time-lapse showing my sketch evolve along with a little glimpse of Eddie’s Act!
The next performer in my Edinburgh Festival Sketch series!
Introducing Edwin Eddie Bond! Escape artist, fire juggler, magician and all round free spirit, always on the move, travelling one city and country to the next.
Check out his insta @walkabout_eddie
I found him performing outside St.Giles' Cathedral on the Royal mile. His banter was warm and comical and instantly drew in the crowd.
First he treated us to a fire juggling tour of nations; different tricks, characterising different cultures.
Next was the escape stunt, carried out whilst balancing on top of a massive segment of cylindrical pipe, which he'd found and customised with a beautiful array of patterns, cut into its surface. This, along with his patchworked jacket, checked trousers and wide brimmed olive green hat, conveyed a real sense of character and charm.
Thank you @walkabout_eddie for your brilliant show and energy and wishing you many a happy adventure on your travels!
Presenting Amelia Cadwallader
The first in my series of quick Edinburgh Festival sketches - presenting Amelia Cadwallader and her wonderful hula hoops. Watch a little timelapse of this sketch in progress and find out more about my encounter with her on the Royal Mile.
This is the first of my Edinburgh Festival sketch series, where I spotlight some of the wonderful performers I saw this summer through speedy digital watercolour studies.
Kicking things off with Amelia Cadwallader whose delightful Hula Hooping and humour I encountered in the middle of the Royal Mile on a gloriously bright afternoon.
There was a vintage chic theme that ran through her outfit and music choices, which set a warm and welcoming tone. But above all it was her lively, smooth humour that put the audience at ease, despite the increasing daring of her stunts.
It was the combination of haphazard obstacles (like her microphone that kept getting lost down her knickers) with an undeniable command of her hula hooping craft that made her act so joyful and compelling. Not to mention the effortless way in which she handled her crowd.
This little tribute to her is still a work in progress but hopefully gives you a sense of her animated charm!
More sketches coming soon!
My Edinburgh Festival Highlights
4 jam packed days of joyous creative immersion! Watch a little overview of my visit to the Edinburgh Festival a couple of weeks ago.
A mini overview of my 4 day #edinburghfestivalfringe adventure.
Impossible to cram-pack everything into 1 minute but this hopefully gives a flavour of the atmosphere!
Thank you to all the amazing performers who poured their extraordinary energy into such fantastic shows! The joy, humour, innovations and - at times - sheer physical daring, endlessly inspire and energise me.
Featured performers, in order of appearance :
@lutrek_art - 'Juliette' / 'Old Blue Eyes' / 'Marie Curie'
@ameliacadwallader - Amelia Cadwallader
@bhoundp - 'Seeds of Memories'
@agoodcatchcircus - 'Casting Off'
@flabbergast_theatre - 'The Tragedy of Macbeth'
@interactearnest - 'The Importance of Being Earnest'
@benzeiulia - #ladywhistledown
@oldtroutpuppetworkshop - 'Famous Puppet Death Scenes'
@circo.goyo - Grego Richter
@melonthehuman - Thomas Stewart
@puppetstate_theatre - 'The Man who Planted Trees'
Paddy McCullagh - 'Paddy the Potato’
@thebananamanofficial - Matt Eberhart
@thejugglinggent - Matthew Kerr
@walkabout_eddie - Edwin Eddie Bond
@yannelvis - Yann Elvis
@lacliquetheshow - ‘La Clique’
@blackbluesbrothers - ‘The Black Blues Brothers’
I urge you to click and discover the pure magic of what they do!!
INTERESTING FACTS
🎉 The Edinburgh Festival is a 3 week performing arts festival that happens every August.
🎉 It started in 1947 and is now in its 75th year!
🎉 It includes a formal ‘International’ festival and a less formal - anything goes - ‘Fringe’ festival.
🎉 The roots of the Fringe were planted in 1947 when 8 uninvited theatre groups turned up in Edinburgh and performed outside the 'official program'.
🎉 The fringe society was officially formed in 1958 and still prides itself on not vetting shows.
🎉 This year the Fringe included 3,334 shows performed by artists from 63 countries!
🎉 My first festival encounter was in 2003 when I started my 5 year MA Fine Art journey in Edinburgh and it's been inspiring me and my artwork ever since!
Watch out for some sketching spotlights coming soon!
An Allegory of Kindness in Paint
Sharing the story behind my painting called Dreams of Tomorrow and Yesterday. Discover the thoughts and characters that inspired me and see how the painting evolved.
Today I’m sharing the story behind my painting of 'Dreams of Tomorrow & Yesterday'. In this video I share the thoughts and ideas that inspired this painting.
This painting is currently available for sale, to view details click the button below. You can also come and see it face to face at my exhibition now up at Putney Library (on until 15th July). For more details about this exhibition click the button below.
The Troubadour Story
Discover the story behind my painting of The Troubadour. Watch a little video revealing the source of inspiration for this artwork.
The Troubadour (oil on canvas, 70 x 141 cm) is another street performer inspired artwork, where the characters within the painting turn into an allegory about love. Watch the video to hear how this all came about.
This painting is currently on show at my exhibition in Putney Library, on until the 15th July.
For full exhibition details or to find out more about this painting, click the buttons below.
Raising a Rose to International Women's Day
A special international Women’s Day Tribute in celebration of the women in my life and their amazing support and encouragement!
Raising a rose to all women today!🌹
Saying thank you to all the amazing ladies in my life, your support, kindness and inspiration are more precious than words can express!
Because of you I have dared to dream and in dreaming see the possibilities beyond today!😊
Painting Info:
Dreams of Tomorrow and Yesterday
Oil on canvas
100 x 162 cm (40 x 64 inches)
For further details click the button below
In the Frame
My digital painting is now out on the streets of Wandsworth, greeting passers-by. Find out the full story in today’s post.
I am very honoured that my digital painting of the wonderful duo @baccalacompagnia (aka Simone Fassari and Camilla Pessifrom) was chosen to be part of @wandsworthart 's ‘framed’ exhibition.
This was a fantastic initiative by the Wandsworth art’s team to create an outdoor celebration, featuring artworks by 130 local artists, mounting them as banners on lampposts and in shop windows, as a positive gesture of welcome to Wandsworth residents as shops reopen and life returns to the high street once again.
Given that this painting was inspired by a happy encounter with Simone and Camilla walking down a busy, festive, street, it feels very well suited to this purpose!
You can find them on Garratt lane at the junction with Earlsfield road, toward the station, offering a merry greeting to passers-by.
A Burn's Night Salute
This was the little Burn’s night salute I did last Monday, putting a street performer twist on the theme! In this post I show you how this digital painting was made.
Couldn't resist this little Burn's night Salute!
I didn't have much time to throw this one together and found it interesting to see a looser digital brush stroke emerge.
It almost suited the subject - another Edinburgh festival street encounter, which got me smiling. Hopefully he sprinkles a bit of Scottish humour on your day.
Below is the a time-lapse showing you how I painted him. I apply the same approach I take in oil on canvas painting, just replacing physical brush and paint for the digital equivalent.
More Mime Antics
Today I’m sharing another mime inspired piece, this time a digital painting which I’ve been working on recently.
It features the dynamic and mesmerizing duo otherwise known as Compagnia Baccala (aka Simone Fassari and Camilla Pessifrom) who I met along the Royal Mile during the Edinburgh Festival some years ago.
I had seen their show PssPss which combined childlike wonder and raw feeling, with highly skilled acrobatics and storytelling ingenuity. Their quality of mime paid tribute to the legends of Buster Keaton and Charlie Chaplin, whilst bringing something entirely their own to the table.
Do check out their website for more details. I particularly recommend watching the short video below where you can see them in action!
These mime acts completely captivate me, perhaps because of their very silence and how they offer an invitation to the imagination to come and play. They have the power to take you on a journey which touches something deeply human.
Your thoughts…
I will soon be printing some of my digital paintings as high-quality art prints which can be framed and hung on a wall. I am therefore curious to know which subjects you could visualise enjoying in your home.
Could this duo, or perhaps one of your favourite performers, be something that could warm up a wall and get you smiling?
Do let me know in the comments below!
A Mime Inspired Painting
Today, in honour of the London International Mime Festival, I am talking about a mime inspired painting I did a few years ago. I will also be sharing details about how you can access more information about the Mime Festival.
This week, in honour of the London International Mime Festival, I thought I’d do a little spotlight on one of my mime inspired paintings:
Dreams of Tomorrow and Yesterday, oil on canvas, 100 x 161 cm
In the video below I share the thoughts and the ideas behind the painting. If you have any further questions about this piece then do let me know.
The Mime Festival has already kicked off so check out their website for more details about what’s on offer.
A lot more content will be made available from tomorrow (18th January) onwards so don’t miss out!
Wishing you all a lovely rest of day!
A Virtual Open Studios
Here is my virtual twist on open studios, where you get to visit my studios and me from the comfort of where ever you are viewing this post. Hope you enjoy!
Every Autumn it has been a tradition of mine to open my studio to the public, to show them what I have been working on, talk a little more about my art practice and answer any questions.
This year, for obvious reason, I had to rethink my approach. This little virtual hello from my studio was the result. Hopefully it offers you an insight into my world and the things I do. If you have any questions feel free to type them in the comments below and I shall get back to you.
Dreams of Tomorrow and Yesterday
Dreams of Tomorrow & Yesterday is part of a new series of narrative portraits which places street performers against an urban backdrop in which an inner world of hopes, fears and dreams are manifested in graffiti, street signage and textures.
Dreams of Tomorrow & Yesterday is part of a new series of narrative portraits which places street performers against an urban backdrop where an inner world of hopes, fears and dreams are manifested in graffiti, street signage and textures.
Street performers have always fascinated me with their ability to conjure a crowd from nowhere and a stage from nothing. With no guarantee of payment, their performance is given on trust, offered up with as much as they can muster in the hope that the general public will reciprocate in kind. It is the ultimate in theatrical meritocracy. Over the years there are certain individuals that have stood out for me with their careful construction of character, costume, makeup and sense of story which convey often poignant references to human nature and experience. I am now finally attempting to put these ideas down on canvas beginning with Dreams of Tomorrow and Yesterday.
I first encountered the street mime from this painting at the Edinburgh Festival some years ago and have been haunted by the poetry of her expression ever since. She conjures for me all sorts of references both personal and universal. In the painting I have tried to do justice to the way she conveyed, for me, a blend of hope, wisdom, love and truth; a fairy godmother of sorts and a messenger of self-belief.
It is no easy thing choosing to pursue the path of an artist, in whichever field it may be. Self doubt is a constant companion, which both beats and drives one forward. With this painting i have tried to remind myself that kindness and encouragement are also vital for growth and self-development.
Work is now underway on 3 new Urban Narrative compositions (scroll down for a glimpse of works in progress) which weave together various ideas that i hope will trigger, for those looking, many a story.
Dreams of Tomorrow and Yesterday, oil on canvas, 100 x 161 cm (2017)
work in progress, oil on canvas, 140 x 70 cm, 140 x 120 cm and 100 x 162 cm. 3 new street performer compositions that I am now working on.