Not another post about the Edinburgh Art Fair!

Well, yes it is. See right for the final version of the big (3 ft square) female face painting which is shown on at least two other entries in the blog.

I receive quite a few emails from people telling me that they like to see paintings in progress and this one is certainly a good example of how much a painting can change.

So, she is off to the Edinburgh Art Fair with six other paintings and after Wednesday I will be able to relax. It’s impossible to tell if art is going to sell- it all does sooner or later but for me most of the time it’s more about feeling that people like it than making money.  So long as I have a tin of beans in the cupboard and a pint of milk in the fridge I don’t worry too much

I have also been frantically trying to finish another 3 ft x 3 ft square canvas based on the model Jamie who posed for me earlier in the year.

This one is a similar pose to Timorous Beastie and Timorous Beastie Too. It is called “Rest And Be Thankful” and there is more face in the painting and the background is very different.

The Edinburgh Art Fair runs from 20th – 22nd November.

After an unsettled couple of months, things seem to be coming together.

There is a bit of a buzz about the WASPS Artists Studios at the moment with the build up to Christmas but I am focussed on the forthcoming Edinburgh Art Fair.

I am hopin gto have seven paintings there and rather than take the easy route, I have been continuing to work on paintings that other artists are telling me to leave alone.

They will be uploaded soon to the relevent galleries.

Carrying on with all my recent “New Age” (I hate that term!) interest, I had my tarot cards read at the weekend. This was done by a girl who apparently “works in the light”. She was certainly very pleasant and I enjoyed it very much. I sway between skepticism and thinking that there must be something in it.

Time will tell.

Abstract Art

I really feel like I can’t get my teeth into painting at the moment and it really has been an odd few months.

Add to the recent turbulence of studio upheaval and moving home and the flu struck last week. When is my time to miss it? On top of all that there has been the website redesign but secretly I love tinkering with it. Anything which makes it an improvement is good in my book.

I have been itching to get back into the studio and get on with it. Just befor I got ill I attacked a canvas with ample mix of frustration and gusto. An odd mix, but how I was feeling at the time. I have rambled on a bit this year about the Picasso quote “Painting is stronger than me, it makes me do its bidding”, but it really has struck a chord.

I am not going to go into the origins of where this painting came from although I have shared it with close friends. Enough to say, I used my hands for part of it instead of a paint brush and it was the rsult of experiencing Shamanic Reiki.
Smokin !

It really has been a strange few weeks and a friend commented that there has not been the same amount of new art appearing on the site.

I guess that this is indeed the case but I am still painting.  There has been some personal upheaval including at the studio. I am working on several commissions at the moment, which I am thoroughly enjoying as well as some other new paintings in between .

Although I have been at the WASPS Artists Studios for 4 years now, I still feel

Abigail McLellan, "Anthurium"

a bit like the “new boy” as there are many artists who seem to have been there since art began! A couple of doors along from my studio are the studios of Alasdair Wallace and Abigail McLellan. I am quite a fan of Alasdair’s work and Abi was a familiar figure around the building. She was wheelchair bound for some time. Abigail died suddenly recently at only 40 years old and although I did not know her well, I do know that I will miss seeing her about the building and that her death was a huge shock to many of the other artists.

I wanted to mention Abigail in my blog and there is an excellent article in the Independent Newspaper which is worth a read.

Apologies. It’s over 2 weeks since I have posted a blog. One of those times when after the WASPS Open Studios there seems to have been lots going on when I expected some calm.

THere have been various after event chats and the Parade Artist’s group is also gearing up for the next exhibitions in November and December. It was during one of these chats in illustrator Teresa Flavin’s studio I snapped this pic. Teresa’s glass vases, a pretty dynamic daytime sky and some lovely Glasgow tower blocks. When will they pull these things down?

If you have read elsewhere in my blog you will know that I am a big fan of fellow painter, Joe O’Brien. Joe has his first solo show coming up shortly and when he had to get some paintings sent by a courier it was all hands on deck to keep the grumpy courier happy.

I did assist, honest, but just had to stop to snap Joe and Wasps artist Frank To getting to grips with the bubble wrap. Frank seems to think I am trying to mention him as much as I can in my blog just to improve my Google ranking as he is such a media darling. I would never do such a thing Frank To.

Elswhere, I have had a go at “Shamanic Reiki”. Possibly one of the more interesting experiences of my life to date but I am not going to go into it here for fear of it coming across all wrong and that would never do!

On the painting side, thanks for the emails asking where the new art is. I am painting. I have been working on several commissioned pieces of art and in between working on some new artwork which is just taking it’s own path really.

More new paintings soon.

It’s 10.55 pm and this slightly exhausted artist just wanted to log in and say a huge “Thank You” to everyone who turned up at the WASPS Open Studios Event this weekend. Thanks also to all of you who emailed with messages of support, it really was appreciated.

A huge amount of planning goes into making this event enjoyable for visitors and I would also like to thank the WASPS staf at Hanson Street, Frank To for the after event “bar” in his studio each night and a very special shout out to the wonderful Gillian Orr who really should have stopped what she was doing and go and sort her own studio rather than worry about everyone else.

It’s Gillian time……

Glasgow Artist’s Studio Drama

No it’s not some crucifiction scene from an avant garde play and it’s not a burgler caught in the act.

The Open Studios event at WAPSPS may be an annual event but I have to admit that so too is cleaning my windows.

I am an incredibly messy painter and there is no point doing anything to the floor other than brushing it but giving the windows a clean is always a good idea.

Today though I found myself stuck with a heavy bucket of dirty water and had to be “rescued” by a fellow artist who found it all very amusing.

Nothing for it to put on my best silly grin

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It’s been another mad week but in a good way this time. Getting ready for the WASPS Artists Open Studios event each year is a bit like Christmas coming.

The studios are busier than usual and most artists seem to be in a good mood. The studios can be a strange place. there are quite a lot of shy people about who can’t even lift their heads to say “good morning” , there are the art snobs and there are some really decent folk about too.

I am convinced Frank To has a strategy of keeping other artists off their work by visiting for a chat when he is on his tea break. I am suspicious of Frank as I know he has read the book “The Art Of War”. Frank is one of the good guys and is having great success with his artwork at the moment but don’t be fooled by the pleasant demeanour. Fall aslleep at a party and you will either find yourself with a painting…..on your face or your hand dipped in a bowl of warm water. (Apparently it makes you wee in your sleep).

If you have read elsewher in my blog you will know that I am also a  fan of the art of Joe O’Brien. Joe is so talented it is simply disgusting! I was passing his studio the other day and I thought the radio was on….but no, it was Joe singing and playing the guitar. Bloody good he was too. The pic above is Joe strumming away in front of one of his current creations. I also video’d him but the file is too large to get up on here.

Anyway, it’s been a great week in the build up to Open Studios and hopefully there will be a lot of art lovers through the doors as we have the biggest event yet with artists from 2 other WASPS premises joining us.

You never know, Joe O’Brien might even strum you a tune.

I am definately back in the swing of it. I think after an enforced break and with the WASPS Open Studios event coming up the creative juices are flowing and I have had a lot happening in the studio.

Lots of palette knife work and painting without drawing first which I like to do now and again even though it can be scary. I had some company this evening as my daughter was working with me and she took this snap of me and the painting which was first posted below. As I have said elsewere, having a figure next to the artwork gives an idea of scale and apparently it’s a healthy thing to do on a website for various reasons, not least because it shows that the website is run by a real person.

Promise, I am real and you can see the above artwork and me at the WASPS Open Studios event this weekend if you come along.