New work, work in progress, a day around town and the new Mural in The Pilchard Press.

Thursday:

Above is the new drawing that I finished last evening, it didn't take that much finishing off but here it is now.

Above is the drawing I started immediately after finishing the last, I am I thinking not finished but a bit freer than some of the previous drawings in this whole sketchbook work I have embarked on.

Today we went out to do 'some stuff' and to clear our heads from a big confrontation yesterday that I am still reluctant to mention. That is for some future date.

We also passed this wonderful door that I have been meaning to take a pic of it for an age.

This evening we went out to meet Shanty Baba in The Pilchard Press and I have taken a pic of part of the new murial done by James, I have never known his surname but I have known him for probably six years.

I think it is lovely new addition to the pub and the town....

I am off to draw in a while, see you all tomorrow.

What I call Contemporary Abstract Drawing.

Tuesday:

I must first report that I have finished another drawing in my latest 'whole sketchboook' work and I am very happy with the way the idea has turned out. I do try to visualise what a drawing will look like when I set out the rules at the start and this one has turned out better than initial thoughts had led me to believe.

I was hoping that the weather would be good enough that I would get people on my art tour and draw but I have to admit it was too cold and windy so after staying about 30 minutes at Barnoon Workshop I went off to distribute leaflets and posters for our future events. Above is the view from above Porthmeor about 11:15 this morning.

Above is a sign that brings sadness to the folk of St Ives and to visitors alike our best grocers have finally closed it will be greatly missed good luck to Mr Trim and co.

Earlier this year my friend and 'the artists friend' Jordan Laurence Jackson came and took some photos of some of my art and here are three pics of one drawing I did about a year ago and I hope his pics give you and idea of the work and the industry it took to get it finished.

It was executed with a uni-pin fine liner .01 pen and took many many days of work.

Another pic that Jordan took on that day is this drawing above that was also a bit of an epic task to complete, they both give you an idea of some of the work I do that I call 'Contemporary Abstract Drawing'.

Today I have started a twitter account to see if that helps me get my art out into the world a bit more. https://twitter.com/BobbyWotnotArt
We will see what happens.

I am soon to be off to draw, cheers.

The St Ives Society Of Artists, new works etc

Saturday:

Above is a drawing I started a couple of days ago and as you can see it is now finished and I have now started the next drawing in the book and I should bring you progress on that tomorrow.

This afternoon I went up to the workshop on the way to the private view at The Mariners Gallery and yet again we both have works in the open exhibition. The viewing at The St Ives Society of Artists was a busy affair as usual. It is always nice to bump into familiar faces at these things, Marie Keeling, John Watson etc. It is always nice to see unfamiliar faces too.

Above is my wife's sculpture that she put in and he it is looking good on Marie Keeling's table, they look good together.

Above an below are my two entries and I think they look and different to any of the other works in the show, fingers crossed I might sell them, I have had a reasonable hit rate in the Society shows so far so hey you never know. The exhibition is on until the beginning of January and it is good to have work on show again. I always find it interesting to be in a show in a gallery that has so much history and such big names that were once members, The Society was started in 1927, that is 90 years ago.

Here is a brief history.

"

ST. IVES SOCIETY OF ARTISTS 1927-2008 

On the 26th January 1927, the marine artist Commander George Fagan Bradshaw proposed the foundation of a society to raise the standards of the colony and to exhibit works which ‘mattered’ in artistic circles. Lanham’s Gallery was the temporary home of this fledgling Society, but by 1928 it had moved to Julius Olsson’s old studio in Back Road West. The following year all the studios were offered for sale and Moffat Lindner purchased the whole block to avoid them being turned into shops. Borlase Smart said that Lindner had prevented what might have been a serious crisis in the history of St. Ives art. Lindner was very supportive and enabled the Society to continue to use Olsson’s studio at a very favourable rent. In 1932 the adjacent studio, number four, was also rented due to the growth of the Society. Lindner became President and remained in the post for the first eighteen years. 

 

Many Royal Academicians became members of this new Society: the leader of the Newlyn School, Stanhope Forbes, Lamorna Birch, Julius Olsson, the Principal of the first private art school in St. Ives, Adrian Stokes, Dame Laura Knight, Sir John Arnesby Brown, Algernon Talmage, Sir Alfred Munnings, Sir Stanley Spencer, Sir Frank Brangwyn, Sydney Lee, Dod Proctor, Bernard Fleetwood-Walker and many other notable artists including John Park and Borlase Smart. 

 

The decision that transformed the fortunes of the Society was a brave one, taken in 1931 at the height of the Depression. This was to stage a series of touring exhibitions at municipal art galleries around the country; the first, in Huddersfield, was very popular. Subsequently over twenty-five separate art galleries hosted shows by the Society between 1931 and 1947. In 1947 a touring show was even staged in South Africa to coincide with the King’s visit. 

 

Borlase Smart, Secretary of the Society from 1933 until his death, was also its later President. He was the driving force behind its astonishing early success."

 

If you want to read more see their website on this link http://www.stisa.co.uk/history/ 

Above is one of Graham Dilley's works in the 'open' it and another one are companion pieces to the ones we saw at yesterdays opening at The PZ Gallery and it is nice to see his work in town too.

Above is a pic I took from the far end of the gallery to give you an idea of the scale of this exhibition.

I have had a nice quiet day and now I am off to draw more and get ready for a day guitar course I am giving tomorrow.

Cheers.

Work In Progress, Monday Drawing at Barnoon Workshop and 40,000 views.

Monday:

 Above is a drawing that has been slowly evolving over the last few days as I have worked on another drawing for the Christmas open which I have been getting ready for framing. I also have another to frame ready to put in.

Today started as Monday does with my wife running the drawing group at Barnoon Workshop and today we started drawings inspired by Jean-Michael Basquiat. Above is the first more literal drawing I did playing with some of his themes.

It was a hearty group today and we then got into some other drawing spinning the theme in a more personal style so above and below playing with ideas. I love attending the drawing group it helps me try new things and also to weave my own style out of it too.

Above is the drawing I completed yesterday and is now called 'Repeater' after the new Teleman song that was featured in Mary Ann Hobb's Art is Everything program on 6 Music which I have now uploaded onto the Art Is Everything platform on the 6 Music website.

The rest of today has been spent getting ready for our visitor who had originally intended to come and stay with to build a new large lantern for the Lantern Parade but we have had to not be involved this year because of many things and personalities. More of which I will not divulge at the moment but needless to say I was quite annoyed and upset about as we started the St Ives Lantern Parade and ...........
Still our friend is now down here for a couple of weeks on holiday.

I have also noticed that my blog has now reached over 40,000 views, thank you all.

I will be off to draw shortly and to catch up with world news and how nuts this world seems to be at the moment. I am pleased to be in the 'Penwith Bubble' which actually helps me not get over involved.

Cheers.

Art into Life. St Ives Cornwall and Dhyano.

Sunday:

Above is the drawing I have been working on over the last few drawing sessions and last evening whilst watching 'You Know Who You Are' A Spanish crime thriller which is pretty damn good by the way, I managed to finish it.

Above is the bleeding narrative version from the reverse of the cartridge paper.

I have had little time to keep on with the drawing above in my new whole sketchbook work but I manage to add a bit each day and this is the drawing I will continue to work on later.

Today for me was one of being out and about for a couple of hours or so, so after going to pick some stuff up at Pick Pretty Paints in the Sloop Craft Market and had dropped them off at Barnoon Workshop, I then went into town. I distributed a few more leaflets and then went to get some beach finds, as I picked up sea glass and pottery I was followed everywhere by these feathery friends, Turnstones running everywhere on my trail to see if I was dropping any food stuffs.

I then headed off to the Arts Club, which was shut and then when I started heading up to The Guildhall I bumped into Dhyano who is a local character, musician, comedian and sound artist. I had just seen his poster below and he invited me to perform as a sound artist too. We shook hands and I thanked him for the invitation for a small slot in what looks like an interesting event with an interesting bill too.

 

I have no idea of what I will do if I can find the time to work on it, I hope I do. It has been a while since I performed and probably three years or more since my last appearance there supporting Shanty Baba on one of his Victorian Puppet Theatre nights, he was wonderful that evening.

Well soon I am off to draw as is my want and probably need after so many years of trying to fit art into life.

Beautiful November Day In St Ives Cornwall.

Friday:

Today started with a very warm but chilled  green tea start up at our workshop. The weather was beautiful for this time of year. We did quite a few maintenance things and then had a few things to do in town and below is the view across the bay at about midday, it warms the soul.

About half an hour later we spent a bit of time on one of the benches near the Fisherman's Mission and who wouldn't want to linger on this spot for a while in the warm sunshine.

As you travel around our adopted town you find things like this above. It is a sign outside the utterly wonderful 'Sir Richard Burton Museum, it is a 'pocket' set up by Shanty Baba, our local Story Teller and his wife.

In last evenings drawing session I did a bit of drawing but I didn't get too far so haven't recorded it yet. I have also started working on an entry to the Christmas open at The Mariners that I have to hand in next Wednesday.

Above is a large grid drawing and looking at the drawings below they represent only part of the range of my work. I also think that they do give you a bit of an idea of what I do. All of these have been done within the last two years and I have traveled many other different paths with my drawing over that period too.

I am off to draw now so I have something to show you tomorrow.

New finished work and an episode of 'How I ended Up Here'.

Thursday:

 Above is the drawing I have been doing all week and last night I finally got it finished and I am very pleased with the way it turned out. I start afresh tonight with a black page.

Today I had to go up to the sorting office to pick up a parcel and on the way back down to a this pic looking over towards St Johns In The Field.

It is funny what catches my eye, I find things that have influenced my drawing and these holly berries are certainly akin to some of my dot drawings.

Back down on the Higher Stennack on my journey home I went past the world famous Leach Pottery. I remember my Dad driving us passed this pottery many times when I was on holiday as a kid during the 60's and 70's. I also remember visiting and have a vague memory of my parents meeting and talking with Bernard Leach. My Mum loved the glazes but little did I know then that I would end up living down the road and I would know some of the current potters too. How life turns out.

A while ago I remember seeing a BBC documentary called The Art Of Cornwall and one scene really came to mind as I passed 'The Leach' was a black and white shot of this building with a Morris Minor driving passed and it looked like it was in the country, it certainly isn't now. If you have never viewed this documentary it is a worthy insight into Cornwall and mainly St Ives and it's art history and a subject I have been very fascinated with for such a part of my life.

When my parents first brought me to Cornwall in 1965 it was the first proper holiday I had been on. Going to Cornwall then traveling from Manchester felt like it must have for others like going abroad, it had its own words and St Piran's Flag and the place was so lush, there were lots of wild life and plants I had never seen before. Many things I discovered in the first hours and first day of arrival, there were lizards, grasshoppers, crickets, slow worms and adders and so many strange plants that I have got so used to seeing in the, last seven or so years from palm trees to gunnera to thrift. I loved the ruggedness, the archeology and it rawness and wonderful beaches. I remember the feeling creeping up on me even as a nearly 6 year old I didn't want the holiday to finish I wanted to be here and I have such a strong memory of having such a wonderful time and never wanting to leave. Coming back many times over the years when my parents could afford it I got introduced to ceramics from Leach to Leaper and then I got exposed to art in galleries from Michael Praed to more abstract work in The Penwith Gallery, which I now guess I saw work by Patrick Heron, Terry Frost, Wilhelmina Barns-Graham and many others. I sucked it all in and slowly over the years and decades of growing up and the becoming an artist rather than a seeker of my own creativity.

Since then I have been in to see Carl at the BID office and then shopping then home and some website work, written this blog.

Below are a few of my contributions to the 'Your Face My Art'  contemporary portrait studio events, we are putting a few on over the festive holiday and I have to find some more pieces of suitable sea pottery shards so I have enough ready to go.

I am now ready to get on with some drawing and to get some deep thinking done on how I am going to get 2 works ready handing in for the Christmas exhibition at The Mariners Gallery with The Society Of St Ives Artists.

Whole sketch book work and progress.

Tuesday:

Above is the my new drawing and the 12th in my new whole sketchbook work, I have a lot more to do to this one so after doing this blog I will be getting on with it.

Today has been a busy day getting on with new events and website work for Barnoon Workshop in St Ives just behind The Tate....

I really have to start thinking about finishing off some work for the next open exhibition at The Society of St Ives Artist and have just over a week to get my work in. I have been fortunate to have been accepted for the last four exhibitions there. Last time the curator was Anthony Frost, son of Sir Terry Frost both abstract artists that I have a lot of time for.both.

So amid all the others things we have to do for our business I seriously need to get some other work done than in my new book work but for tonight that is what I am doing.

Below are some of the other drawing I have done recently in my whole sketch book work. When the book is complete it will have 70 drawings so quite a way to go.

I think this 'book' is coming together well.

Cheers!