Thursday 29 October 2015

Abstract leaves

This is another fine line drawing combined with gouache.  I chose this subject because I haven't produced much work which focusses just on leaves and flowers for quite a long time.  I thought it would be interesting to see how my work has changed since I last looked at botanical inspired art work.  I have included my drawing 'Flower' that dates from earlier in 2012 to compare with.
Abstract leaves, fine line pen and gouace, A3 2015

Flowers, charcoal drawing, A3 2012

Monday 19 October 2015

Behind the Chain Link Fence

At the end of 2014 I drew a picture that I called In Front of the Chain Link Fence.  It represents some of the feelings that I have about bullies and bullying, having experienced them throughout my life.  Behind the Chain Link Fence continues the theme that explores the issues that being 'different' attracts bullies.  I experience less bullying these days simply because I don't have much to do with people in general.  I had an issue professionally this year due to the communication difficulties that arise from autism.  Autism is a spectrum.  Some people don't speak, some speak a bit and some seem to be more 'normal',  The people that fall into the 'more normal' category have a difficult time because they seem at first to be 'normal' therefore the expectation off other people is that they can perform socially as well as anyone else.  It doesn't take long for most people to intuitively know that you are odd, different etc even if they aren't sure what it is about you that is unusual.  Quite often people interpret  someone with 'high functioning' autism as rude, not making an effort, aloof, disinterested and generally a nasty person.  To the autistic person this interpretation of their character is upsetting (we don't go out of our way to offend people) and worse, some of the unspoken social rules are a mystery to us so trying to fix whatever offence has been caused is out of reach.  All of this is frustrating. 
Behind the Chain Link Fence, pen drawing and gouache, A3
This  piece continues with the abstract style that is seen in my earlier drawing.  The fence is bent after years of plants and trees growing through and around it.  I think with this drawing, the fence is a representation of the mental barrier that I have put up throughout my life.  When I was a kid I spent most of my time in another place in my head which helped me get through the day.  It helped when the kids at primary school used to bounce me off the chain link fence in the school playground, punching me, taking turns to spit on me, kick me and call me names.  The kids in my class who were onlookers would tell me to cry and then the bullies would leave me alone.  Instead, I did not cry for them.  I looked at them with a stony face even when they punched me as hard as they could in my stomach.  They would do this on a regular basis when I was an infant (about 6 or 7 years old).  They were about 2-3 years older than me.   I would go back to my child minder's house after school.  Her older son who was about 12 at the time would pin me down in an armchair and lean over me with his knees either side of me and shove me in the chest.  Gradually he would move his face nearer to mine until it was touching.  I was scared that he would head butt me or spit on me (the spitting did happen).  I could go on.  Such is the life of many autistic people unfortunately.

Another aspect of autism I always thought hadn't affected me is facial recognition.  I've done the online tests which ask whether a person is happy or sad based on how their face looks.  I find that easy and pass these tests with no trouble.  These tests are not true to life.  Basically my problem is that I keep finding situations where people see me and start smiling and waving at me as though I should know them.  This happened last week at a hair dressing salon.  A lady sees me in there, smiles, starts waving and waits for me to react with the same sort of smiling and waving (I suppose).  Instead, I look at her completely confused.  'Why does this person seem to know me when I haven't got a clue who she is?' are the thoughts going through my head.  She sees that I don't know who she is so she tries to help me.  She says 'My son is in your daughter's class at school'.  This doesn't help because I have two daughters.  I ask her which daughter?  She says 'Isabelle'.  I'm really confused because not only do I not know who she is, she seems to know me and knows my kid's name.  Obviously she's seen me at school waiting to collect my girls and knows who is in her son's class.  It shows how much attention I pay to other parents at school!  I've been taking my girls to that school for more than 6 years.  This situation has happened a few times over the years.  I don't think I look at people's faces properly is my conclusion (although I'm not aware that I am doing this).  I suppose this is interpreted as disinterested and rude behaviour by other people.  That sort of interpretation is the excuse to progress to bullying in some cases.
In Front of the Chain Link Fence, pen drawing and gouache, A3

Thursday 8 October 2015

Hurry On Sundown

I've named this piece Hurry On Sundown because of the obvious, it is a picture of a sunset.  My other reason is that it is the title of one of my favourite Hawkwind tunes.  I first heard this song when I was 2 or 3 years old after my mum had brought a Hawkwind compilation tape (Road Hawks).  The first tune was Hurry On Sundown followed by Urban Guerrilla.  The contrast between the hippy folk style of Hurry On Sundown and the heavy rock Urban Guerrilla was pretty effective.  The album that Hurry On Sundown first appeared on was Hawkwind's first album (Hawkwind).  There are two versions of this song, the hippy folk one and the psychedelic version later on in the album.  I can't decide which version I like best.

This painting continues a theme of tree sunsets that I have been working on throughout this year.  The earlier piece most closely linked to this painting is my drawing 'The Other Tree Sunset'. 

Hurry On Sundown, 120x106cm oil painting on board
The Other Tree Sunset, carbon pencil and coloured pencil drawing, A3

Tuesday 6 October 2015

Solo Exhibition

I have a solo exhibition starting on Saturday 10th October.  My work will be on display throughout the rest of the month.  Below is a preliminary poster (preliminary because there is a mistake with my name).  Further updates to follow.

Girl  and Girl 1
My mum, me and Emily

Artism Gallery
 


Thursday 1 October 2015

Water Reflections at Mourtzakis

Mourtzakis is a family run hotel that is situated about a mile outside the small Mykonos village of Ornos.  It was the first hotel that we stayed at during our 2015 month long expedition around the Cyclades islands.  I was warned that Mykonos was a touristy island and not what I was used to (I'm more familiar with mainland Greece and less well known areas).  I did not let this put me off.  Instead I booked a hotel in a quieter village away from the capital of the island and better still, it was not in the town of Ornos but instead a good 20 minute walk outside the village.  This meant that we had the place to ourselves.  The hospitality from the landlady of the hotel was wonderful and an excellent start to our holiday.  The hotel pool was also interesting.  It was a salt water pool and was completely deserted for most of our stay.  There is nothing like having a nice pool to yourself.  The first time I had this experience was in Tolo in 1999.  I floated in the middle of it looking up at the stars in the night sky.  Mykonos doesn't have the night sky that Tolo in 1999 had (Achivadolimni in Milos is the place to go for an amazing night sky).  It did not matter, having a pool all to yourself that had an incredible view over Korfos Bay was enough.

This painting focuses on the contrast between the water reflections and the middle figure, therefore a mixture of figurative and water reflection.  I chose this composition because I liked the contrast and the patterns that water reflections make. 

Water Reflections at Mourtzakis
 
Here is the earlier preliminary sketch.
Water Reflections at Mourtzakis (sketch)