some old paintings and a summer of Heroes.

part of the reason for having a blog is to spur me to keep producing art to put up here, of course life isn't like that. The Art I'm working on at present I can't show until I get the Okay from clients, or its for publishing. Production also slows down as life speeds up.

There's a time for output and a time for ideas, activity, input.
There has been fire call outs and lots to do as a union rep.
I was first on scene at a Bike crash on the hill pass when off duty.
We have a new rescue cat.
Rich has been away and back twice.
We are busy trying navigate funding bodies for help with HiEX2010.
The charity that owns the land my crafts studio is on has very controversially been taken over by another committee, so I'm up to my eyes in legal documents to try & assure security of tenure for my sub-tenants.
Everyday seems to bring good news-bad news, with no time to digest or assimilate.
I've taken up archeology site hunting & mapping again, hours cross referencing google earth, databases and hunting for piles of rocks. Its all such a big adventure, and a big battle.I met one of my Heroes this weekend Benedict Allen, why do I have heroes? why do they inspire so? in the dark times friends to project hopes and fears upon? my dream of travelling to the Altai Mountains of Siberia has been a touchstone for years, Benedict's books just seem to strike a chord, it always seemed silly to me to dream such lofty plans, to latch onto the unobtainable but now I see the sense in it.

Benedict was exactly the sort of person I'd imagined he'd be - perhaps more so ! how unusual to meet someone so accomplished, without ego, guile or pretence. Perhaps it takes a truly strong person to let go of all those defenses? I need to trust my instincts, follow my dreams without worrying why, without analysing so much. Of course as an artist one is expected to analyse and articulate why we paint what we do, then the public side needs separating from the personal, its hard to get the balance. But the Heroes who inspire us and the demons which drive us do their work regardless of whether we understand them or not.

With inspiration comes frustration, so much I want to do, so many obstacles.
" its like his thoughts are too big for his head ", no outlet.
Next emotional Roller coaster is the Pearl Jam concert in London August, seeing Hero Eddie singing those lyrics which mean so much to me will blow my poor wee mind! There's a Pearl Jam competition to paint images inspired by their lyrics on at the moment, there's a lot of emotion going into these images... watch this space. And yes I am a sad fan girl... so what !

Meanwhile there's no time for this idle pontificating, I have MASSES of work to get through. Currently painting Victorian brickwork.

Thankyou for reading my friends. Normal service will be resumed soon.

Dragons page 1 & 2 here's page 1 & 2 of the children's dragon book, the deadline has just moved forward from 'whenever' to next month.. so I'm trying to make some headway.

Not much to put up on blog the last couple of weeks, I've mostly been in the research and development phase of projects, drawing up character designs and roughs.

I had a nice commission drawing job, which I'll put up here once the recipient's got it.

What else? a painting, lots of photography and outdoor expeditions, call outs & adventures; loads in the pipeline ...watch this space !

Manga/ Comic workshops.

manga/ comics workshops at Gairloch Library with High school pupils. These were across three days and fitted in most of the schools pupils...shoehorned into a small space. These photos are of the last session with 38 pupils from second year today. If I talk and draw at the flip chart too long they get bored, if I let them do their own drawings un-guided too long it turns into anarchy. Its a fine line to tread. What frustrates me with big groups is that I can't spend time nurturing those youngsters with that creative or imaginative spark, and I can't spend time coaxing on those who are low in confidence and have never really thought about comics or cool stuff & how it could apply to them.

Gairloch is quite far north on the west coast & it did seem that less of these pupils had heard of Manga. One lad was determined to draw a fishing boat.. " can I just draw anything ?! " I then insisted he turned this fishing boat into a comic strip - which was a great tale of fishermen, a storm, capsize, helicopter rescue & off to the pub..magic ! Some others drew up on the flip chart a tale of hitler shooting himself in the bunker , when on tuesday there were complaints from adults that pupils aren't intrested in history! Session feedback was all good...phew ! next workshops are Dingwall & Ullapool, next month.

So Tired.One more day of exhibition left... managed to finish the big canvas 80 x 60 cm.
and a wee painting 23cm x 43cm.

and loads of wee sketchy pics with sheep & coos & local scenery. Now must sleep.

Exhibition week.

Its been hard work but good fun this week exhibiting at the Fire Station.

The weathers been scorching, the number of visitors & sales have been good and the feedback is great ! Creating this collection of Firefighting art is a distinct chapter and I'm not sure what comes next, but listening to people & seeing their reaction to the work has got the ideas bubbling away in the back of my head.

Its been lovely to see so many local folks stopping by, and folks who don't usually buy art or do art galleries, that for me is hugely important. I'm getting a lot of people wondering why I paint firefighters and expressing surprise when they hear that I am one. I also really enjoy it when Fire service personnel past & present come & see the work.

nearly finished the big canvas painting, its been hard work with the paint drying out & constant interruptions...but hope to have it finished by tomorrow.

Sheep & coo's are very popular with tourists & local folks, so I've been doing some small ones to warm up at the start of the day.

And another one for Applecross Hills as these sort of things are selling well. Painting green grass is hard work though !

Exhibition Day 1-Saturday

Took ages to set up ! Very hard trying to make fire station & scaffolding look like an Art Gallery, which it isnt, so I didn't.
Myself & Bruno-dog were wilting in the heat & with both doors open the wind whistled through the station sending everything flying. With all the hype I'd forgotten how wierdly quiet Saturdays can be for trade, so it was all a bit of an anti-climax after all that work. Did have some sales though and managed a few brush strokes. Tomorrow should be less work & more visitors !

Exhibition setting up.Friday evening.

The worlds worst floor to mop.

So it was 6 degrees yesterday and 26 today-thats west coast weather for you. The poor dog didnt know what to do with himself, nor does he like the firestation and all the activity. 

The neighbours cat is either stupid and doesn't realise that Bruno-dog is a deer killer, or is very clever & worked out that the heat had left him to tired to chase anything.

Hanging paintings up on Donalds kindly lent scaffold, in blazing heat.

Press cuttings about Fire Station Exhibition.

West Highland Free Press 29/ 05/ 09

Ross Shire Journal 29/05/09

Processes.I generally take lots of photos as I work. The camera gives me fresh eyes & speeds up the amount of time i need to pace about taking breaks from painting.  So just for fun, heres one of the paintings i'm working on just now.  

I'm enjoying this one as its big enough to get really stuck into,and its providing a nice break from twiddly details of fire fighting gear.

old unfinished work, this was something to do with dicotomies and finding our inner strength or such laboured nonsense. out with the white paint & lets recycle that canvas!

 Its got a long way to go... but thats basically how I start.

BBC news feature,

HERE.

Can't get better publicity than this ! I'm rather childishly excited now. Very grateful to Steven MacKenzie at the BBC for all the support he gives us with Hi Ex.

Manga masterclass.Gairloch Library with some Gairloch Highschool pupils. Photos Thanks to Fiona Downie, Youth development officer.

MonoPrints

I haven't got any oil based printing ink so experimenting here with oil paint. the line it gives isn't intense enough & it  also quickly builds up a lumpy residue on the glass. I'm going to try some colour washes over these.  I love the messy lines of mono printing. The crows were free hand drawn in with a blunt pencil, the others were basically traced off my photos with a pointy stick...too easy? is it art ?

meanwhile, anatomy ( without photo refs ) is my weakest area, I've been trying to learn Poser Pro to help set up poses for comic strip reference, but am finding it very unwieldy. For practice & to play with wonderful new pentel Brush pen, been sketching from women's fashion magazine. Most of the photos are unusable vacant bony looking rejects from drug rehab. What I need is magazines with gorgeous shapely dancers & gymnasts.

Rainbow over training- finished

final version. I can't scan in a canvas this size, I'll need to find a friend with s decent camera to get a good image of this, more & more I'm becomeing aware of the limitations of a cheap snappy camera. A couple more firey pictures to do them I'm all set for summer exhibitions, first one starts next week... yipes !

Rainbow over training.

Here's the latest finished firefighter painting subject to paint drying & tweaks.  This was from a snap taken on an RTA extrication course over at Invergordon training school.  I'll get a better picture up as soon as possible. Canvas acrylic 60cm x 80cm.

This has been hard work emotionally. Its not that i start dwelling on firefighting nasties when i paint- I do that when i drive. But i think painting comes from the same buried part of my brain where all the big emotion, tragedies and fears are lodged, same way that i used to only be able to write when upset, so all the writings are wibbley un-usable nonsense. I think next project needs to be knitted t-cosies or I'll be a wrung out wreck.

Young Carers Dragon story.
This is a first working of an illo for a childrens story written and designed by Skye Young Carers.This dragon puts out fires rather than causes them.  The character is also part based on a plaster sculpture version the children made. We're hoping that some of the artwork will be done my the children but they voted for me to do the bulk of it.

lost in the woods again.

A second bit of weekend blob out colouring.

Wild West Wendy.She's been quiet for a while, but plans are afoot..... I'd forgotten what a horrible mean character she is.

this was a quick sketch which i've just coloured for practice & play.

Hoses Ready !

Painting finished yesterday. 33cm x 50cm acrylic. This was from a photo I took at Brigade training school, firefighters donning their kit before heading into the smoke house with a charged '45' hose. Hot heavy work - I was glad it was their turn not mine. 

Bristol Expo 2009.

Had a fantastic weekend at Bristol International Comic Expo & the Small Press expo 2009. Though smaller than previous years, the atmosphere was great and it was wonderful as ever to catch up with all my favorite comics creators. Most of the highlights involve shameless namedropping or anecdotes which are unrepeatable. 

I had my Hi Ex hat on & am really pleased with the positive feedback from everyone, It looks like we'll have an awesome guest list for 2010 ! some Big big names in there.
I've also got a long list of comics projects which i will need to get done FAST!

I managed to get some con sketches which i'm usually too busy to do...

Wolverine by Laurence Campbell

Rorschach by John Higgins.

Shakey Kane.Steve Sampson. Dave Gibbons.

Paul Grist - the Eternal champion

painting more firefighting today, got bogged down with a big one, so by way of interlude is a doodle, the game was to use only a brush, no pens.

heres a canvas painting done a couple of years ago, i've just got around to scanning it in.