Biggest Baddest Catch Up

I was going to ask Santa for a few things before the 25th but I must admit I have been rubbish with this blog for the last month in fact not really any good since my camera busted!

I have still been keeping up my visits to London, taking in as much modern art as possible and meeting interesting people, the next to the last trip below, Simon thinks mine would look better in the Saatchi than this!

But here he is with a Turkey oh and me

The Christmas Open Studios went down a treat! We had Mary by the tree, Paul Hartley played a super tune and the artists all came out in Super Xmas stylee

SEE!

But then Santa did pop to mine and obviously he thinks I've been very good this year (don't say a word) and brought me lots and lots but the main thing is he got me a new studio technician. He's called Steven and he's my new studio photographer but when he feels fit, also small movie maker!

A cat that likes do take his own shots! Designed by Lisa Larson world famous ceramist and Steven/Necono is made from one of her original designs. The FUN we're gonna have!

Xmas day pic of when he met Nevill the window frog, It's his first wonky money shot!
Talking of Xmas money shots

                                           CHRISTMAS CRACKER!

SEE YOU NEXT YEAR, over and out!

New Longton

The Weekend was real busy at the Fine Art Fair in New Longton, it was great to catch up with the arty gang and of course my partner in crime Barbara Dalziel.

As you can see I can only get a few paintings in, my main work being to large but I didn't do so bad on the sales of drawings that I put together for the show. To be honest I go for the chatting, to be surrounded by painters for the weekend is soo great!

Oneself below setting up

Smudging

I was at Sandra Higgins house on the 2nd, we had lots to chat about and then get ready for "Dead Hat" at the club but before we went anywhere a bit of smudging was in order to get rid of any bad lingering vibes in her new pad, as she's just moved in.

 doing a spot of a  smudging spell

We then went onto the club in our dark outfits, and were greatly surprised at a impressive Halloween turn out. The night went a bit wild to the point that Sandra and Simon had to get me home quick as my cat suit split down the back having my underwear on show, yes we all know it was green!

Enough about that onto Friday's "Open at the Haworth" I took Sharon Connery along as my guest, as my piece was about her, it was a great evening although one could say rather packed.

Title "A Box of Seeds"

WARNING!

This is the final painting for the Arts council work, as you can see I've only just started it, it's title being: "Drunk"

Now for the Warning!

There will be danger in the streets this weekend, watch your back from the rooftops check over your shoulder down the ally, this Cat means business and Witching is big business in her book!

You might also want to look out for her friend too, that horrid clown is a menace!!!

New friend Fred

This is my new friend and he will be with me all week, as this weeks build up is very exciting to me! Lots of people are planning outfits for our annual outing of Trick or Treating, we might be coming your way and SPOOK you 2.

I forgot to say about the Open at the Ace and how I was surprised about the quality of the work, please go and see if you are local, it's a very good show, not forgetting that lady and her knits (as in wool not bugs)

Think I'll wear Fred all week

New woolly Do with a Hat too!

I was judging the open art comp yesterday when I came across a lady on a craft stall selling this wonderful poncho number, alas, I had no money on me, but clever the lady was! Said shed hold it for one.

I went over again today and she only produced a spectacular matching hat, well what could one do , well look, I mean just bloody look at it, HAD MY NAME ALL OVER IT!

Pics taken from start of painting and just before finnishing tweaks, Fourth Arts council painting, title "Judge"

apologies

Apologies for not blogging, as you know I do like pics with my blurbs but my trusty camera has died.
I am now onto my forth painting for the Atrs council work (total of 5) and also getting ready for the New Longton arts fair, which I do every year. This year it will be held over the weekend of12th-13th November, please pop along, come view the work, oh and maybe have a cup of tea with me!

Rock Lobster!

My hat went down a storm at CAC's Hat party, it eventually came together with help from Julie Miles, handing over a red satsuma net that was just the ticket!

Twas great to see everyone again and
Hi to Rod! I know you're tuning in!

Simon W. Desmond drove me all the way back home and then stayed  up North for a week, him below, having a pig fight with the studio technician Montgomery.

And to the final post of last week "The finishing party" again on Pendle Hill, thanks to our fantastic host Matt, this was a party for (in my eyes) brining back those witches from Lancaster to where they belong! We had a few spells, some wonderful wishes and lets be honest lots of Rum.

Enjoy!

A quick "catch" up

To start with I had a very exciting box turn up last week, a full new colection of paint I ordered with the Art's council money, it turned up the day after I ordered it from Jackson's art suppies, so they were super quick!

Now onto the hat for the party this Wednesday...

I thought it would be quite fabulous for my theme this time to be the sea or even a quick catch from my holiday in Brighton, so what can one put together?

While I strive for utmost precision in every detail I cannot be held responsible for any injury or damage undertaken with use of plastic lobster, a bit of string and a fishnet stocking!

Last week

The work went well last week, I was straight back in after my holiday like a duck to water, as sometimes it can take days to get the connection back. I think it was all down to my new paint suit that I collected in Brighton (been after one for some time now, Santa didn't bring last December) so here I am in my new Death Roe.

Friday I went to a performance by Laura Mugridge called "Running on Air" a fantastic comedy show in her camper van in a car park in Newton (Lancs) called for a swift pint first at the Parkers arms and then for a full hour and a half of Laura's camper stories with biscuit barrel drums and driving with paper plates, I cannot go into how good it was, but look out for her show at a festival near you, below the yellow camper, I am soo jealous of.

Next, making a lobster hat for HAT

OOps forgot the last pic!

Brighton Break

The studio technician and I went away for a week, I love Brighton, people dress like me down there, well so I thought, I haven't been there for quite a few years, and I did get a few points and stares  of my vintage colour chaos outfits, but you know that just made it more fun for me! Below when Montee and I arrived at the beach

Funny who we bumped into on the beach, Paul Hartley can you believe?

I'm guessing now that you can tell the weather was windy? Well it was a backlash from the tornado in America, the gusts were so strong a man had to help me into my hotel (after my third attempt) my clothes  blew up like balloons which made it hard to walk, so I looked up he just grabbed me opened the door and pushed me in, WELL FUNNY, tad embarrassing?

Me in the wind, pointing at the pier were my favourite Ghost Train is, can you believe they wouldn't let dogs on and thew the Montee and me off! Charming!

Saw some public art, looks like a giant doughnut to me, or maybe we could smell some?

All in all we had a good week, lots of nice veggi places, were the ladies made a big fuss of the bearded one and gave him treats and water, stayed with Anita and Steve one night and met George for the 1st time and even had lunch with Simon, who's a train stop away. Also I picked up a lovely lobster, but will show you that when I put together something special next week for the Hat party 28th, but first back to the painting!

Monts, happy chasing pebbles!

Me with what's left of the old pier, though I like the spooky-ness of it now, you should see it at night.

London

I was hanging around with Mr Simon this week at the Chelsea Arts club, and I have no picks of his two friends that are now my new one's, but it was great to meet Megan and Sandra!

Also met up with my friend John and viewed a few galleries (checking out pots)

John and I having a snoop!

Oh mummy!

Trouble at Mill

It was Barrowford show yesterday and the artist team "trouble at Mill" were entered for the tug of war, as you can see they were well into it although tuther Mick was missing as they all warmed up moustache  twitching, muscle stretching.

Here he comes, I think he got time wrong or maybe hadn't finished his Black pudding breakee!

Heave Heave.....PULL!

They did un believable at first and won both games! But me thinks to much to soon as the other guys had them after that although my god take a look at the Anchor and his mate on the big bruiser team they were against

They ended up with third, so at least they got Bronze. Eyes on the Trophy next year guys!

Hey isn't that D.D.Lewis from "Gangs of New York?

Great Pic

What an ace picture of all the Artists at stuie's do a few weeks ago, and it was also a grand night!

1st drawings for Pendle Investigation

I've done 6 to start with of the large drawings for my grant, I'll see what I think when they are mounted etc, I was dreading doing them as I'm more about the paint, but you know I've enjoyed it!

Although the above images aren't the image in full

And today I've stretched my first big one in quite some time so tomorrow (at last) I'm back to large scale

Canvas on it's side for the primer!

Art Car Parade

Surreal is all's we can say to Saturday's Art Car Parade, Roger had done a brilliant job on his Monopoly board tricycle and all artists had made a good effort being the board pieces

It really was like walking round in a dream when we set off with all the other cars, in fact people started to get cheeky and run each other off the road, just like "wacky races" 

Paul Connery

I regret to say that my wonderful friend Paul Connery died on Friday. Paul was a great friend to me, always interested in my work, and looked forward to all the updates on my progress. Even when Paul was in a lot of pain he'd still make it to the pub for a pint to hear how my trip to London had gone. Camping trips with him and Sharon have been the best of times, this is a man who loved life and everyone in it!

Above: Paul, our camping trip this year to Robbin Hoods Bay.
Camping, our get together s, whatever we do

Paul, it won't be the same without you

Witching

I started off at the Pendle boarder on Sunday 7th Aug this is me coming up from the river at the beginning of my journey

I was thinking about the Witches a lot and it's hard to get your head round this is the actual old track they would use most days

The trip has been good, at times hard, even though I've joked at the trip being part grim, and for me to feel some grief, well the weather finished me off in the last leg yesterday, the wind was so fierce and took hold of me at the Lancaster boarder, like something didn't want me to go in.

It hasn't been all rough though, I've camped along the way, some friends camped too

 Leah kept it real with a stick for a spoon

As you can see, Phil's cream tea wasn't so grim!

My enchanted Hazel has led the way, lucky for me, but as I looked around and saw the twisted trees and the bubbling bank of the river I could imagine what it was kind of like.

At this point as you can see I've had enough, and poor Montee had too!

Golgatha! Made It!