Dingwall library- How to draw Comics & Manga, 4th Dingwall session. This was a keen & quiet group, the 18 or so in the morning were a prolific & quiet lot. Ullapool yesterday they were all keen readers with a great grasp of storytelling techniques ... every session completely different !

Back to Ullapool the next two days. Looking forward to some spare days mid august to get on with my own looming deadlines.

Applecross Mosaic workshop- Monday 27th

18 children aged 2 to 12, 1 bucket of sea shells, 2 packs of glass nuggets, 1 old mirror, 1 gallon of glue, 1 bucket of grout, 4 plastic sheets, 1 lot of fun , 1 BIG mess.

You Are

You Are

This broken wheel is coming undone

And the roads exploding
But you're keeping me strong
Rolling along with you,...

Love is a tower
And you're the key
Leading me higher
When you let me in

Keeping us close,... so close
On down the line

Sometimes I burn like a dot on the sun
With no one knowing
But you're keeping me strong
Rolling along with you

You are a tower of
Strength to me
The darkening hour
Sees light again

Ooh wah, ooh wah, ooh wah, ooh wah, ooh wah
Ooh wah, ooh wah, you are... you are

Love is a tower
Of strength to me
I am the shoreline
But you're the sea

You are.

Artist: Pearl Jam
Composer: Vedder/Cameron

painting by Me.

Given to flyHe could’ve tuned in, tuned in
But he tuned out
A bad time, nothing could save him
Alone in a corridor, waiting, locked out
He got up outta there, ran for hundreds of miles
He made it to the ocean, had a smoke in a tree
The wind rose up, set him down on his knee

A wave came crashing like a fist to the jaw
Delivered him wings, "Hey, look at him now"
Arms wide open with the sea as his floor
Oh, power, oh

He's.. flying
Whole…
High.. wide, oh

He floated back down 'cause he wanted to share
His key to the locks on the chains he saw everywhere
But first he was stripped and then he was stabbed
By faceless men, well, fuckers
He still stands

And he still gives his love, he just gives it away
The love he receives is the love that is saved
And sometimes is seen a strange spot in the sky
A human being that was given to fly

High.. flying
Oh, oh
High.. flying
Oh, oh
He’s…flying
Oh, oh

lyrics by Pearl Jam. painting by me. 8 x 10 canvas board . acrylic.

(The Pearl Jam - GIVEN TO FLY LYRICS are the property of the respective authors, artists and labels)

Three Swans

latest Lochcarron view.

Breakerfall

"Ah.

There's a girl on a ledge who's got nowhere to turn.
Cause all the love that she had was just wood that she burned.
Now her life is on fire it's no ones concern.
She can blame the world or prey till dawn.
But only love can break her fall.
Break her fall.

Yeah, only love can break her fall. Fall.
It's like she lost her invitation to the party on earth
And she's standing outside hating everyone here.

Yeah, she's her own disease,
crying to her doll.

But only love can break her fall.
Break her fall.
Only love can break her fall.
Yeah.Yeah fall.
The world is her fall.
Break her fall.Love, love,
love can break her fall. Who?
Now only love can break her fall.
Love, love, love can break her fall. Fall.
Love, love can break her fall.
Only love can break her."

Breakerfall by Pearl Jam ( The BREAKERFALL LYRICS are the property of the respective authors, artists and labels, ).
Painting on 8 x 10 canvas board for Pearl Jam competition by Me. This is a very sad subject matter for me. two more songs to follow.

Review of Inchmore exhibition

HERE from the Hi-Arts site by Georgina Coburn.

meanwhile I'm up to eyes in work, either tied to a flip chart teaching comics/ manga or attempting to beat deadlines. Will post up work as soon as I can.

Inchmore Gallery Exhibition Opening

Saturday 18th was yet another double booked day; The Highlight of the local calender the Lochcarron Highland Games was on, plus the opening of the Art Exhibition At Inchmore Gallery near Inverness, which features some of my Firefighter paintings. This followed on from a two day craft fair in Lochcarron, busy busy !

First we set up a minimal stand at the Games with just cards, prints and art, none of the usual crafty bits and bobs to make it simpler for my Mum & Sister to kindly run & pack up for me. The Games seemed quieter than usual despite its 15 seconds of fame on 'Monty Halls Great Escape' last year. A quick once around the field to catch up with everyone, folks asking if I was exited about the Opening ? I shrug, 'nah too busy', I don't often do 'getting excited', preferring a pragmatic emotional equilibrium- I say hello goodbye to my Fire colleagues on duty for the day, then booked myself 'off the run' ( off emergency call ) and away we headed east coast.

We were greeted by Mark from Inverness college who's wine tray and helpful comments were a savior! Whilst others had expected me to be exited, what I hadn't expected was the nerves! ...surprised at myself when the crushing artistic neurosis kicked in, where was a comfort zone? where was a corner to hide in? It turns out I wasn't the only artist to feel like this so I took comfort in that and braved it out.

The Opening was pretty busy & bizarrely Rich & I found ourselves talking mostly about comics and Hi Ex. I find it odd how all the different elements of my work; teaching comic art, painting firefighters, folklore fascination- somehow always seem to fit together. Its very stimulating for me to get to talk about Art & meet other artists, something that very rarely happens in day to day life.

Towards the end, the first magical red dot of the event appeared - Hurrah !

and so shell shocked, tired & dazed-We survived my first proper gallery opening, met some jolly nice people, and talked more people into attending Hi Ex. I now nervously await the Review/s of the exhibition & cross-fingers for more red dots.

page 7 & 8

page 5 & 6-

Exhibition at Inchmore Gallery 18th July.