Collaborative Doodles

Here’s the before and after photos of the second painting that I ‘added to’ as part of the mail art Collaborations project set up by the Helsinki based photographer, Adam Monaghan.
I’m not quite sure what was going through my head when I did this one but I suppose that’s one of the joys and draw backs of starting a painting or drawing without having any fixed intentions – which I suppose would make this one a kind of painted doodle. I’ll be interested to see what it turns into once some of the other artists in the group have added their touches to it.
Although the project is still in its early stages at the moment, more and more international artists have started to take part and the initial results can be viewed by clicking this facebook link.

More-Whale-Less

Just a quick note to let you know that the closing of the latest 'Whaleless' show, KETOS 2.1, at the Civic Aquarium in Milan (where I am exhibiting my 'Poorly Remembered Whale' sculpture) has been put back, and that the exhibition will now close on Sunday 23rd May.
Click here to see more artwork from the show, including this fantastic photograph by Fernanda Veron.

Squidosaurus Rex

As I’ve been without a studio for a while (and therefore not able to work on any sculptures) I’ve been doing a lot of drawing lately. Even though it was a kind of enforced break from sculpting – with me having to move out of my previous studio due to it being redeveloped – sometimes it’s good to take a break and do something more playful for a while. So I’ve been doing something I love; namely, defacing text books. In this drawing I’ve combined two of my favourite creatures – a T Rex and a Colossus Squid.
I’ve also just found my battered 1870’s copy of ‘The Works of Hogarth’, with 62 illustrations and can’t wait to get scribbling – very Chapman Brothers I know, but what the hell.

My New Studio - YAY!

After what feels like an eternity of searching (please excuse the histrionics but I've only really had the space to do small drawings and paintings for the last couple of months) I've finally found myself a new studio to work in. Although, admittedly, a little bit more work needs doing to the space before I can start sculpting again - as you can see from the photo which shows my materials and equipment cowering in the corner of the room, waiting for some nice people to come and build a couple of walls around them.
My new studio is on the ground floor of La Ruche, a five story building in Whitechapel, London - just over the road from the Whitechapel Gallery. All five floors are being converted into artists' studios and there will also be a cafe and workshop space on the ground floor. Needless to say, I may have to venture out of my work space every now and then just to conduct quality control checks on the cakes selection in the cafe.
La Ruche is part of HIVE Projects which was launched in November 2009 as an extended arm of T1+2. HIVE Projects works with urban regeneration and heritage sites, together with established and emerging artists.