Starting the week and other thoughts.

 
Well the week has started with a bang but more of that later. Above is the first of two drawings started last evening and this one is finished, I am still playing with ideas that keep morphing and moving forward. I think even if I tried the same drawing twice it would look quite different and I might have to try that before the end of the book that I am currently working on and in truth can't wait to carry on exploring and inventing as I go through it.

Above is the second drawing started last evening but not quite finished well that is if I only add the horizontal uni-pin lines but we will see.

Back to this morning, for work my wife, Zoe  and I run an Arts and Crafts workshop space in St Ives Cornwall and with it being half term we are getting busier. We noticed this as we opened up and within a short time we had 13 for drawing and today was a drawing with sharpies workshop the regulars I took in the smaller half of Barnoon Workshop and Zoe took the rest in the bigger half. It was busy fun and over in what seemed double quick time. Zoe had the holidaymakers drawing on ceramic tiles and many other contemporary mediums and I had the others exploring pattern after a warm up exercise of drawing plants with sharpies. When we went onto patterns most of explored the way the ink bleeds through cartridge paper so I had them exploring what I call 'The Bleeding Narrative'. After this busy morning we went home for lunch and then Zoe went back up for this afternoons Water Colour Workout. At the end I went back up helped clear up and then we picked up some stuff for dinner and cashed in our 3 number lottery ticket and we were both surprised that we had won £25. A nice little piece of luck to put a little cheer in your soul.

I am now starting to think about what I will draw next in my altered sketchbook work that I am a couple of weeks into now but before I finish this blog I have probably the final 3 images from Jordan Jackson's last photo session of my work. Above is a postcard sized work using various sharpies a white gel pen and a uni-pin fine liner.

Above is a small-ish drawing and looking at it now it seems to be one of those works that seep out from time to time and veer towards op-art. It is not why I make the patterns I do like it when they have that kind of movement.

Above is another postcard drawing I did a while back and I think it is quite a subtle on with the distraction of the larger blue sharpie dots with tha white gel pen on and then the smaller dots in diminishing size rectangles in two colours. and this pattern does create a nice delicate vanishing point.

Well nearly ready to put pen to paper and see what comes out tonight and I will be thinking of ideas for tomorrows Drawing with Wire class and more.

So cheers all!

Two new works last night. Dada

Above is the drawing I did last night in my sketch book work, using a running out Sharpie silver pen and a uni pin. This has given me an idea for a later bigger work.

Above is a work I did with my wife Zoe Eaton last night. When we work together we normally call it tag drawing I think this about comes into that remit. Yesterday Zoe ran a soap making workshop and one of the Ladies made a paper origami box to put her soap in and show all the others how to do it to.
Whilst I was drawing the silver pen drawing Zoe started making these boxes to show me what this Lady had done and both of us at the same time decided I would do a drawing that Zoe could turn into a box. Here it is and a lovely little ephemeral piece it is too.

Also last night we watched the last part of BBC 4 goes conceptual a history of Dada. Now Dada is quite close to my heart, I found it through punk and some of the punk art work was heavily influenced by Dada especially things like the Sex Pistols covers, God Save The Queen etc

The program was by Jim Moir, you know Vic Reeves, he certainly knows his stuff and I did like the way he brought it upto date featuring Cornelia Parker, Jim Landy and the magnificently amusing Martin Creed. I wont go and tell you all about go find it on iplayer and enjoy.

Today has been a bit of a down day, not in mood but in energy we are both really really tired with all the business of the September Festival events we have had on. We have had an amazing and busy festival and we still have one sell out event to do, lucky enough we have another tutor in Erin Lacy from Pelican Prints so I will only have to be around to help tomorrow morning. Then we have to get on with our winter program for workshop and of course Zoe will be able to get back to some paintings whilst I can get into some bigger works. I have plenty of smaller scale work but need a reasonable portfolio to show off to the galleries I am going to try to approach. Wish me luck.

New tag and wood.

Above is another new one in the 'Graham's Conifer Series'. It started of very minimal but like me I just can't leave them alone and want to add more. Having said that I am very pleased with the final result.

Above is a new small scale tag drawing another 'Wotnot/Eaton'. We will keep exploring this I think.

Today has been paper making day at Barnoon Workshop, a lovely full class this morning and some pulp left over for more of our paper to be made this afternoon as you can see below.

Above is a pic a friend sent me of him bookmarking my blog. It is good to get feedback.

The day finished with a refreshing pint on the way home with some pals including Jordan Jackson. It was nice. Dinner will be eaten after this blog post. I will be working tonight on more drawings.

Cheers....

New wood, new tag and pebble

Above and below are two new ones in the 'conifer cuts' series. I have four framed but I should probably get a few more done too.

Above is another in my pebble series and below is on an old tile on it concrete base found on the beach yesterday.

Above is a little "tag" drawing that I made with my wife, Zoe Eaton last night.

I am very pleased with yesterday's drawing and today I have mostly been doing guitar lessons and ripping up bits of paper for our paper making workshop tomorrow at Barnoon, although in my head I have been planning my part in our up and coming exhibition in August.

I have another beginners guitar lesson in a little while back at Barnoon Workshop, looks like I will have four on the class tonight.

Cheers!

Tag Drawing, New work etc

Last night myself and my wife Zoe Eaton did something we had being saying we would do for ages and above is the first 'Tag Drawing' we have done in years, the closest we have got is when I remixed one of Zoe's drawings last December.

Above is the next tag we did last night, the idea is that one of us starts one and then the other adds to it if they think fit and then pass it back, somewhere in all the the back and forth we decide it is finished.

The story of our tag drawing is when on holiday many years ago we were sitting in a tent at Zennor and to amuse ourselves we started passing a drawing back and forth. It was just play but fun and interesting how our two styles mingled. We always vowed we would do more and even make a whole show one day in this manner. Well we still haven't got that far but we are considering putting some in our summer exhibition at CafeArt. These were so enjoyable last night and were done with easy accord between us.

Above is a drawing I also finished last night it has been on the back burner for a few days having the odd bit added to it. Got it finished last night and I am happy with it.

Today has been an interesting day with a Drop in and Draw workshop this morning it was busy and fun working with collage and drawing on them too.
We had a quick lunch and then I picked up fruit for the watercolour class this afternoon at Barnoon Workshop. I also picked up my newly framed works from Dean Wilkinson at St Ives Framers. He has done a good job. I would show you but they still have cling film protection. I am very happy with what he has done for me. On the way back to the workshop I took this fair weather pic before it changed and then changed again, warm but with plenty of showers.

I also received an email from The Exchange Dalston Coffee Shop and Art Book Store say that I could submit by book Double Chill for them to add if the choose in August, will find out by Friday. It seems interesting as the book will be on the shelves so people can just read it or actually purchase it, of course that means it may become a well thumbed feature on the shelves or who knows someone might even snap it up. It's future will be out of my hands and that is a part of my practice with the small art drops `I do and even one or two other pieces that are around town subtly placed.

I am now thinking that we should get on with a few more tag drawings this evening and maybe also ought to do some more on my slate drawing additions.

Cheers!