Celtic Hearts Entwined

I finished the Celtic Valentine card in a bit of a rush - like, while I was making the first cuppa on the morning of Valentine's day. I was reasonably pleased with it but the longer I looked at it the less happy I was.

So I started again.

Watercolour and coloured pencil on Fabriano Classico .5 HP 140lb. watercolour paper

Happy now Awa Rich?

Yeah, well, y'know... Get'n there.

Don't Call Me Shorty!

A diminutive Nordic character. Watercolour and coloured pencil.

No particular reason.

Celtic Hearts

Last week's brief at the Putney School of Art and Design Illustration class was to create a bookmark or a Valentine's card.

Several people produced Valentines bookmarks so I was not being original. I removed some bits after the show and tell session as the general opinion was that they were unnecessary. I had to agree.

I was going to do more to it but this morning I decided it was done. There are more ideas germinating from this project.

There always are Awa Rich. Thing is to do summink about 'em!

Can you see 6 hearts?

(Watercolour and coloured pencil on 200gsm cartridge paper)

John Singer Sargent

I did my daily dip into my favourite art blog - Charley Parker's Lines and Colors - and was delighted to see a collection of charcoal portraits by one of my favourite artists, John Singer Sargent.

I love the spontaneous  appearance of his watercolours and charcoal drawings, but at the same time they seem so precise and considered.

There was a familiar looking face amongst them.

I made a copy of this drawing in watercolour, a few years ago, during a painting class with Ian Ellis at the Putney School of Art and Design. The exercise was to copy a painting or drawing by a well known artist using tertiary greys - mixing greys from primary and secondary colours.

And the winner is...

Not Awa Rich!

Shurrup, who asked you anyway?

Old Thrubby Gets The Blows

I have picked up a bunch of microbes that find my trachea a convenient place to bring up their offspring. I can now do a passable impression of Paul Robeson or Lee Marvin.

When life gives you lebons, sig da blows!

So, they're killing cartoonists now. That's brave

There are those who destroy.

There are those who stand and stare.

There are those who create.

Be a creator of things that make this world better for everyone.

It's the only chance we've got.

Anthem for 2015

When I was a teenager back in the early '70s me and Awa Nick (m'bro) would, every Sunday night, visit our place of worship The Magic Garden - a music venue in a converted warehouse opposite the Hull City Morgue. If you go in search of the place now you'll be disappointed as it was demolished years ago and a brand spankmenew shopping centre stands in its place (Like Hull needs another shopping centre).

The Magic Garden was part of The Hull Arts Centre which became The Spring Street Theatre which, in turn, evolved into The Hull Truck Theatre under the directorship of John Godber. The Hull Truck thunders on in a swanky new venue which is part of the St. Stephen's shopping experience.

Er, I may die before you get to the point Awa Rich.

We saw many bands some good, some amazing and some utter shite (the entire audience walked out, preferring  the jam session in the bar - the main act went on to become a world renowned heavy metal band who are still on the go, I fear, and still shite).

One of the amazing bands, which we saw several times, was Esperanto - so called because of the mix of nationalities in their lineup - whose subtitle was Rock Orchestra. There were 10 or 12 in the band and could barely fit on the small stage (I don't know the technical term but it wasn't quite theatre in the round more like theatre in the 275 degrees) They made such a huge sound that people had to be peeled off the walls after the gig. They had two lead cellists and two drummers before it was fashionable. Their version of Eleanor Rigby was so far ahead of The Beatles (I was never a fan).

http://youtu.be/T2V1MTGWJgA

Cut to the chase Awa Rich!

A couple of years ago I heard a band on Mike Harding's folk programme on Radio 4 (I gave Mark Radcliffe a sporting chance but his voice - a cross between Keith Chegwin and Bruce Forsyth - and his Blue Peter presenter forced enthusiasm drove me nuts, so now I have to look elsewhere for musical inspiration.) They were called The Moulettes and they reminded me so much of Esperanto (apart from their vocals which are very sweet, Esperanto's singer was more gritty and suited to smokey jazz clubs).

Nearly there! You can do it Awa Rich!

Apple has added an evil new device to iTunes. When you're listening to an album there's a linky thing in the upper right of the title that says "More in the store" you click it and you see more music by the artist you're listening to.

I was listening to 'Revenge of the Bear' last night and I clicked and I bought The Moulette's latest album 'Constellation" and I've been playing it like I ate all that Devon fudge on our holidays this year.

And finally Awa Rich!

The opening track is called 'Glorious Year' and it's so infectiously happy and positive. I defy you to  :-( or sit still.

Clamp your best German Kopfhörer (No, not those Dr. Dre Beats fashion accessories!) over your lugholes, crank up the volume and click play

All together now...

"This will be a glorious year, I can feel it in my fingers!"




more at http://www.moulettes.co.uk/

Go buy the albums The Revenge of the Bear and Constellations. Help pay their bills.

Come on Awa Rich, we all want to know who the World Famous Heavy Metal Band was that everyone walked out on!

OK, It was Judas Priest. Kingston Upon Hull - City of Culture 2017. We have taste 'Kay!?

I'll say more about this soon as I dare say you have no idea where Hull is.

Someone I occasionally help with puter problems asked me "Hull, City of Culture? Que?" Knowing his vulnerable underbelly, I suggested "Andrew Marvell"

I was quite surprised when he replied "The greatest poet of all time!"

Go Hull!