applecross paintings

The View from Sands beach as seen in 'Monty Halls Great escape' on BBC. 

The famous 'Bealach Na Ba' high pass over to Applecross, the highest road in the UK and stunning. Scary in a 12.5 tonne fire appliance !

Both these paintings are 36cm x 25cm, acrylic paint, i'll get them framed & up for sale asap.

Flyer design

 for a Theatre company
www.ragearts.org.uk

I'm still un-happy with what happens as soon as I ink things, maybe i should miss out this step & just opt for a scribblier pencil & paint approach?  can only work this out by doing more !

everything but painting

There just isnt enough hours in the day! I lost a lot of April with holidays, broken vehicles,computer repairs, hobbling feet & family stuff - now its a major catch up which means I've been working a minimum of 15 hours a day. I've been trying to get enough stock of crafty bits for all the shops & sales, but it tends to take over from the painting.

 Once the process is started I have to see it through, especially with pottery which is drying out too fast as I type.

 Its also frustrating as life has been emotional recently and this translates into pictures in my head which I'm keen to get out. Back to work!

Comic papermache bowls in progress

leafy bowls drying out too fast.

a light portable folding cardboard display stand for prints, not a straight line in sight! genius.

Hi Ex dates 2010 !

We've got a few guests & exhibitiors already, looking forward to catching up with people at theBristol Comic Expo in two weeks . A lot depends on funding for the next HiEx, so I will be busy with applications over the summer. fingers crossed, it would be awful to have to downscale it when everyone enjoys it so much.

Is it Art though?

well of course it is !  heres my latest tattoo, gore n all, fresh & painfull. I've been wanting this design for YEARS, but haven't had the time, money or tattooist. Its based on a pazyryk design as are some of my other tattoos, I added embellishments to the design and it was beautifully done and tweaked to fit by the talented & lovely Calum McWilliam at http://www.tattooswhileyouwait.com 

Crafty Bits.

April is being a very challenging month, damaged feet, no transport, broken computers, being away for family stuff all seems to be mounting up against me! However, I have rushed to get some craft items finished & out in the shops. Enjoying doing pottery again, even though I can only manage small items in my unpredictable little raku kiln, avoiding the worst of the weather & firing outside. As well as the items above I've been doing beads, buttons, pendants, and leafy bowls with melted glass.

have been selling original art & prints, desperately need time to get some more done for this summers exhibitions! ( got up at 4am today to try & catch up...seriously, its mad ! )

I haven't blogged in a while as I'm never sure which bit of my complex life to share where, however i feel a new spring clarity so shall stick art wafflings up here. Inane gibberish on facebook and portfolio at www.balnacra.com.

I've been surging forward with art projects recently, moving steadily on multiple fronts. I've been frustrated that there seems so many disparate elements, and asking why why why do i do what i do & what is it that I actually do? which direction should i focus on?

I have to make craft items to fill the local shops for the sudden rush of tourists; firefighter paintings for some exhibitions this year; touristy paintings both landscape paintings and more quirky highland coo type things. I've held off with comic strip work as i don't like the way it comes out & have been trying to let a more fluid natural style of line work develop, playing with ink, paint & photoshop, i wish there was more time to experiment.

The wee girl is wearing big boots in sympathy to my feet pain, she needs to watch those laces with that big heavy sword though.

frustratingly we've had some computer trouble & now photoshop isn't working properly, however there's 3 trillion other things to do so ever onwards !

feedback is welcome as I wilt in a vacuum!