Autumn on Shipping Hill

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

From Roualt

4th Oct.



The philosophy behind not really caring where the work goes.

-choosing a path with a heart- as all paths lead nowhere.
Gives one the right chance to milk given directions- as it doesn't matter about the amount of attention given to (this) insignificant affair.

This "page" covering two months is a follow on from 72 Chestnuts -  a painting from Bromley 1972.
This painting was thrust under the roof, semi rotted and was covered in bat shit. I decided that its resurrection - along with Shipping Hill itself (after suffering a similar fate) would be a path with a heart.
Unfortunately, at present I don't have an image for the above picture.

5th Oct.

(just) where does psychology start and philosophy end?

The start of an outrageous Australian joke

THE RETURN of the NATIVE

 

 

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The view from the top as it was when Jim lived at the Hill. And how it practically does today after the forestry "harvest"













 

---- Is virtual showing a copout or a real alternative / addition to "live" showing?
Its certainly an alternative, if you cant do the live stuff.
Sometimes showing is not worth the effort, isn't the effort more in the creativity than in the showing?
Ruth Parke

8th Oct.

The web (blog) - a digital diary. Maybe I use it like that.
Walk five miles with me.

 

 



9th Oct.

TO DO

TA DA

10th Oct.

Chestnuts: I want it with an Indian Red, Raw Sienna, Indigo balance. Tempered with Icy leaf frost and acid decaying lemon.

11th Oct.

Art can be crafted, beautifully produced etc., but it also has to provoke grunts like huh? and wow!

12th Oct.

 

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Moderation - not a ghost of a chance!

Grayson Perry: humour in art.
A difficult / dangerous route - but that's what its all about.

13th Oct.

Digital art is hardly Tao purity, a cutting edge ability to perform and produce.
But, it can be turned to contain these elements.
1 to 1 relationships to share what you do.

Containing less profit for artists, but no controllers and more space for more creators.

14th Oct.
The snail that died trying (dried).

 

 

 



16th Oct.

COMING UP TO FULL MOON AT THE OLD FOLKS HOME.





Redefine 13 chestnut faces.

17th Oct.
Notes of the spirit world. (little book)

Writing on the backs of paintings.

19th Oct.
SQIRRELS / SHARING THE WORKSHOP WITH SQIRRELS.

20th Oct.

21ist Oct.
Front door bed.

22nd Oct.
The last salad.



23rd Oct.

the meal that ate me

23rd Oct.
Two brushes

 

Introvert / extrovert.

 

24th Oct.

 

Autumnal Woodland Disco.



25th Oct.
Frozen iffy dripping curry.
the bed
deb eht

26th Oct.
Julian Alice x Millie.

 

Alice x Millie




Stove notes from Julian Pefanis

 

30th Oct.

New runner for the stairs.

 

 

1st Nov.

Illustrating a waking dream.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Start of another song list.

 



2nd Nov.
Worthless,
Do I have to give everything up?
start again
ouch.

4th Nov.

5th Nov.
Arrival of mobile.

Grayson Perry: Why did I take on art as a kid?
Because of the insecurity of Latymer Upper.
(his refuse - when he's an artist. Maybe when he has refused as well!)

6th Nov.
Just so many trips around the sun.

 

 

 

 

Black frame?

7th Nov.

 








 

9th Nov.
Empty

10th Nov.





11th Nov.
Pointless.
All of a sudden.
I haven't spoken to anyone for many days.

Upgrade for an Autumnal Woodland Disco

 

12th Nov.
Survival mode.

What do I want and what do I need?                         

It's

Fucking

Painting.

13th Nov.
Arrival of U.S. Mail Box.

The Post People have decided that the drive is unfit for use any more and have supplied me with a shiny post box which I am in the process of hiding.

 

 

Autumnal Woodland Disco - 1st coat.

14th Nov.
Build something with the dead eucalyptus.
Ms. Twolivewires.

 

Alice: if 1 says its art - o.k. its art!



15th Nov.

Mache recipe for a potter.

Presented on a lino floor that has held many years of story.

16th Nov. Tenby.

 

 

 

 

 

Catherine x Simon Rich.

 

 

17th Nov.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 



18th Nov.

 

13 Chestnuts

 

1st Oct 13

 

How do you spend four weeks alone and stay sane? Ruth Parke

When I paint, I am alone - in some ways, the better the painting: the more alone. Especially if or when I am following the Tao manifest of "the idea precedes the mark"
So, I suppose in some ways I am already stepping up to "being by yourself" plate.

It was the isolation and total lack of communication that was difficult. Even not having T.V. was difficult - not that I watch a lot of it, but it does form some sort of alternative entertainment.

Practically speaking, I simply worked - slowly, all the time. Switching from decorating and minor building to painting.

I didn't have any self restraints and occasionally would find myself working, one way or another into the middle of the night.

There was a whole range of emotion - from utter delight at life to pointless emptiness. I wondered at times if the word manic came into play at all.

Now Showing

Why does showing the work matter? Is it about communication? or approval? or something else?

First thing that springs to mind is that showing work is part and parcel of the whole creative process. A process which I suppose I signed up to when I took the game on all those years ago. Unfortunately though, I don't always step up to the proverbial plate.

For me, the nature of painting is that from time to time I do come up with stuff that I am proud of , but maybe the edge of wanting to share it with people has worn off. At least, not always.

I was thinking about the older rock musician who has countless hours of recorded material, but who is very unhappy about the idea of bits of it being released as it wasn't what he felt he had wanted to say or wasn't crafted as flawlessly as he had wanted.

If you can't show now, you can always leave a mark to be shown in hindsight later. Maybe sometimes , it's not worth the effort to put it out whilst it's still hot.

This is about why I put showing off, rather than why show?!

I have come out with a whole gamut of stuff about the act of exhibiting do's and don'ts, excuses and whatever whilst avoiding the question "why exhibit"
I have even developed a blank area of mind over the issue - writer's block?

When,
on reflection, I realise that a very large part of my output over the last few months has been to do with putting examples of my work out on the internet - both past and present.
I guess I am looking at this question very much from a "what makes me do it angle?" rather than the philosophy of "what is the point of doing it?"

Perseverence

30-9-13

The Weight of the world.

When you are totally self directed - how do you persevere when the going gets tough - or know when to give up on a project? -- Ruth Parke.

To make a good art-work, the going is likely to have got tough at some point. (Although, you can have straight through winners. It is permissible, but not the norm.)
Maybe, it is when other people are involved that I am more likely to say "enough is enough" (is it easier to please yourself than to please others?)

So,
giving up, stopping, binning something is an awfully large statement which, possibly, I tend to run away from.
Its a kind of "Burn your bridges" type of situation, as in "I disown the thing".
I tend to lean toward more of a back burner type of stance, put it away for a bit. Perhaps too often.
Although looking back on my work, I tend to finish things without completing them - shining them up as it were. Maybe because of too many interests looming up, maybe because I see that part of the creative process as "work".

Then, having stated that, maybe it doesn't need doing anyway and the whole thing has simply, naturally finished itself. Finishing something can simply involve just naturally grinding itself to a halt, without a triumphant "I've finished that and I'm proud!"

So that's one face of it.
For me, another one can happen when other people are involved and rather than bleed over it, the thing gets packed away. But accessibly until a more positive opportunity presents itself.
A good example of this happened to me a couple of years ago when I got more than half way through a series of modern day, but traditional pub signs only to find that I didn't practically have anywhere (anymore) that was feasible to show them in.
- That was very deflating and I had to practically run away from them, they had become almost unbearable to be with.
They still hopefully await completion, but unfortunately need some sort of external stimulus now.

Which brings me to the other scenario:

Actually showing the work is part of the process, in which I bow out too often. I would say that half (the show able ) stuff that I produce has not been shown.

Berries

26-9-13

 It's been quite a few years since I took an interest in topic and composition like these.

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I love the way that the stars in the middle have edged their way over to the left!

Motivation

How do you motivate yourself to get your artwork done?
Ruth Parke

Motive: what impels a person to action - fear, ambition or love.
All of the above.

On first glance this seems to be quite a simple/straightforward question, and maybe it is.
But,
I have found as I ponder on it from different angles: there are more answers than one.
Initially, after producing art in a serious manner since I was 14, nearly 50 years, it's too late to stop. "I" don't have a say in it anymore, that would be a waste of a life.

I have always taken on projects, I like some of them to be very much in the public domain with (seemingly) very pointed ends in sight.
Although, when I'm working on a project of my own or current theme of work, I don't (always) let it bog me down it I don't quite complete it. I don't want to let that detract from something else that may be cropping up.
 

"You can only look behind from where you came"

 



I have recently been told that I am a bit of an "archivist". Maybe one of the reasons for this is in order to be able to come round again and pick up where I left off. Almost in an anti Joni Mitchell seasons thing, making it possible to "look back" whilst moving forward - - - - - - - - This image has been revampt in order to make it more fresh and relevant. 

At present I seem to be throwing a lot of stuff out on blogs etc.
I reckon that's this process in a more public format.
Although I'm not surprised at this output as there doesn't seem to be (in the way of projects) a lot happening at the moment. Maybe I took my eye off the ball.
So I suppose what I am saying here is that I have simply created my own project to power the whole thing along.
But again, without all this - I would simply keep plodding on outputting stuff. Sometimes I feel that I don't know how to do anything else.

Another angle to look at this from is the actual doing part of it. A cutting edge is needed, complacency is the enemy of creation (and motivation!)
At the moment I am making Papier-mâché out of very sensitive domestic documents, shredded and pulped in order to become immortalised! In the sheer using of this stuff, I am aware that my materials have their own history.
I remember meeting a chap in Udaipur who was making miniatures on the back of pages from the Koran. Powerful statements, mind I wonder if the Koran would actually allow him to do this.

Maybe a lot of it is simply tricking myself into believing its important. And there again a lot of it is a simple reaction to what is happening all around me, maybe even a survival process.

The He He Band

 

 

Rajasthani Street Band.

 

This was an image in my minds eye that was to be for a group. On Facebook it says create a group, so I made up the He He Band.

This was a name I wanted to use in the late 7o's when I spent a period of time playing in "squat" bands. Unfortunately it was rejected (along with "Little Plum") I now have my wish!

I had hoped I could use it in conjunction with the "group" - I should have done a little more research!

 

I was under the impression that I could simply invite people to join and they either would or wouldn't. I still hope people can "resign" if they don't need someone else's updates. On the other hand, if you have read this far, you are probably interested in being part of the band. Anyway - I "invited" over 90 people, I never expected that many people to be in.

 

It's a funny thing to be involved in. My son suggested that it maybe could be looked on as some kind of ego trip. Maybe so, but on the other hand, it's part and parcel of what I do. It's the "exhibition" thing.

Whatever, I don't see it as a continuous update of information, more, notification of recent/currents blocks of work.

Can I get a witness!!!

 

Looks like I'll be changing my Facebook cover.

New Junk

 



Another acquisition.
I have only just finished dismantling the last set of furniture.
I wonder what will become of this lot?

Unfinished signs
 But pretty close to completion, so I'm thinking of taking the actual signage out of them and turning it into a two sided painting on a stand.

 

 I like the birds on the top and the theme, certainly is about growth and, I suppose Spring growth at that.