The Razzle Dazzle Ball, Chelsea Arts Club

WELL

WHAT CAN

ONE SAY?

Sister and I

Clive...Smashing

Rival?

Sarah kept the drinks topped up

 Caught me a Sailer

 Nicoletta (above) and I set out to have an extraordinary evening.....yes you could say we did, we both don't remember getting home and I found my hat on top of the wardrobe!

Anthony Lycett

I was thrilled to find out that the photographer Anthony Lycett wanted me to be part of his "The Studio: the home of Art" project and he agreed to come up North and take my picture. Now I've seen some of his fabulous photos which threw me into a state of confusion as all of you that know me will know, that I like nothing better than to dress up but this project of Anthony's is all about artists and their space
INFO:
"What do we define as a studio? It is a space full of ideas, creations and dreams. What we see is the personalities of the artist, the nuances, which doesn't just emanate from their work but is greatly influenced by their unique surroundings" Anthony Lycett



So I was thinking boring old ambulance suit as always, but all was suddenly sorted when I received the email saying....now Joe you will dress up, and all I could think of was Yay!

Photo from my shoot in Pendle, click on image to view better.

He was a lovely chap and his girlfriend Sophie was a delight, she even helped with ones hat! They then went off on a Pendle Hill jaunt but also making the most of our wonderful witchy whereabouts for more super shots.




Next up, the C.A.C Ball on the 21st June, the theme is Dazzle so watch this space to see what you can do with a prison suit, some painted shoes and a few cans of coke.

It's an outrage!

Vout-O-Reenees

Miserable faces on the Tube, negative tweets really getting to you? Well get yourself down to                  Vout-O-Reenees

 Theres's only fun to be had! And that's just what we did on Thursday eve to celebrate the openning of the most fabulous new club in London!

Above and below, founder members Molly and I following the yellow brick road

 Checking out the loo's and and getting things sorted before the rest of the guests arrive

Below with John and Molly in the garden room as we await the rest of the new members.

Molly cut the red ribbon and the evening was off to a bang (below with her daughter Sophie Parkin, club proprietor)

 Us girls fashionably in a cupboard, just take some banging bright fruit-bowl effects in a cloakroom and come out with a  personality.....what goes on in the copboard stays in the cupboard

So Hurrah for the new club and the super work Sophie and Jan have done with it, and now I'm very excited about my show with them at the end of September early October. We had an amazing night and lots more of them to look forward to!



Next I was off to Appletreewick for a weekend away with the fairies for my birthday camp, well I hate posing on my own so I grabbed my bearded clan....... say CHEESE!

Sunny Delight

 Spoil yourself, go on

Canary yellow is the shade of the summer that suits all skin tones, chirpy reds and shades that range from rainbow goddess to fabulouse mad old bat, but why not have some sun fun with fuss free frocks and over the top hats that make this spring,..........SPRING, thats what we did over the weekend by saying goodbye to Black and the Mill artist were all over it. Below, the ladies had yet another day out for Wendy Woo's 60th doo, who's real who's not and who will ever know?
            

Wendo in the chirpy red (middle) yes and it was a hat off!

So it's probably time for an update, for the rest of the month, so this is the countdown (as I've been a tad slack)  deep breath.....

Simon W Desmond came up North






CHEERS!









We went to visit John




            


Silverdale












I got Simon stuck in a cave






Tide wasn't really coiming in (check out his face)








 
Simon took my work down South for my new shows and then I went down the week after for Easter Hat at the C.A.C (far to many boring bonnets for my likeing!)

My Hat: Red Bunny
















Iv'e had a write up in O magazine
















And I'm now getting ready for my biggest painting to date and clearing the studio a little to build the two frames that will lock together,,,,,practicality is key, thank god Lesley from Artology came for a visit the other week, I was forgetting about the door size, but these babies will split and go back together...job done!

                                                                                              

Spring has Sprung?

Even though the weather is coming up roses this doesn't mean it's any warmer in the mill, us girls are really proud of these super warm looks, great on every skin colour, vintage wool hats, practicality is key as it still feels like winter here, so if you're coming for a visit, dig out yours pronto!

Below: a hat collaboration, the new buz words are, easy comfy and everyday warmth.

Take a message: Benny from Crossroads (who) just called and he wants his beanie back!

Studio tec Montee not taking any chances!

Also this week I've taken to displaying my work on Saatchi on line, please do have a look although I haven't got to the point of putting them up for sale yet (complications) but if you tick "not for sale" art you can view my page.

This is my new finished piece title: Man Size

and new drawings, hopefully I will like two of them enough to put in the spring show at the Cross Gaites next week

But don't just buy for spring, these puppies will keep on working your walls season after season, without losing any of their wow factor, so if you should find yourself thinking "I wish I'd got that drawing off Joe Joe's ages ago" you can just buy now....or shall we say next week when they go up, te he, Toodle Pip!

Fashion Galore!

My first stop when I went to London last Friday was Anji and Brian's house for Anji (Richards) to do my portrait, it was very exciting and the time flew by as I posed up on a wooden box as I was quite comfy with my lovely big pipe in my right hand.

Next, Anji and I had to get ourselves together and fly down to Somerset House to meet the girls for a major fashion extravaganza a fashion exhibition to celebrate the extraordinary life and wardrobe of the late British patron of fashion and art Isabella Blow.

A most amazing collection of fashion items including Alexander McQueen, Philip Treacy, Hussein Chaleyan and Julien Macdonald and others all on display plus video's of Isabella talking about collections. We had Isabella's sister Lavinia Blow with us, the show must of seemed surreal to her, but she seemed to have a good time with the rest of us.

Some of her amazing outfits

We couldn't take it all in, there was so much to see, and it has definitely made an impression on us for the next Hatting at the club, in fact, we are going to have a "Issy Blow" Hat night in the Summer to celebrate the legendary figure within the Fashion and Art world,

Below sister Ella and I in front of the big opening

All the girls

Fun with pipes on the way to the club

Dinner was amazing and so was the C.A. Club (as usual) then we all went back to Gabby's for more drinks (not the best plan) as I was going to see my super new pal Molly in the morning before my train at 12!

Blondes have more fun!!!  Ella and oneself above

Molly Parkin above in her super bright house,we spoke about our painting, she showed me around her place and her bluebell wood, she's my new crush!

And all that in 24 hours!

Hitched

Our arts officer tied the knott just under a week ago, the venue looked beautiful as did the bride! I felt like I was in the middle of outside candle lit dinner party with a old fashioned war time feel, what a super doo!

below Kirsty and John on their magical night

congratulations and a special happy Valentines day to you both, oh and that's a child running past the picture, don't worry John hasn't lost control of his trousers!


Now how could I forget to blog my viewing of the Chapman brothers show?

"Come And See" at the Serpentine the other week was full of familiar horrors, gooey and funny things on diplay!
On the way in you were hit with ku klux klan pointy hatted smocked people with rainbow socks and hippy sandles then zombies, nazis, tiny Mcdonald crucified hundreds of times with attention to detail, table top brain experiments, mock torture, maggots and hellish (funny) things.

Those mischievous brothers are always sniggering at someone with their sculpture, paintings and works on paper assault on western capitalist society.
Oh yeah it's sick and I think very funny, my kind of humour though.

Below: Come and see

above my fave "cardboard worm skull"

Oof to see the Bruce Nauman show now so Happy Love day! Toodles