Apothecary's Chest

Acrylic on box canvas, 50cm x 50cm x 4 piecesPLEASE NOTE: A better photograph will be provided of this painting shortly.

Apothecary's Chest was inspired by its title, which came along in a book around the time I took delivery of Stan the stage prop. I researched what an Apothecary was and found it was an old name for a healer.
An Apothecary's Chest was the chest of drawers he/she had someone else carry which contained a whole manner of items in order to heal the people. This inspired the idea of the 7 Sins, ancient yet modern ailments that cannot be healed, even by an Apothecary. Here is my interpretation, visually, of the 7 sins:
Cigar - GreedChocolates - GluttonyPoison Ivy - EnvyLipstick - LustPeacock feather - VanityBroken bottle - AngerBubbles - Sloth

Gnothi Seauton

Assemblage

24in x 12in x 43in

Polystyrene, acrylic paint, feathers, duck egg, stone.

Picture to be revealed 31 July 2009, after Private View of my first solo exhibition, Journey.

Exhibition from 31st July to 16th Aug 2009 at the Hive Gallery.

There will be a 360 degree video of the assemblage on my site, on this date.

Gnothi Seauton, latin for Know Thyself. This assemblage features part of the poem by Alexandra Pope 1688-1744

...Alike in ignorance, his reason such

Whether he thinks too little or too much:

Chaos of thought and passion, all confused;... on the front of the assemblage made from a polystyrene stage prop, affectionately known as Stan the Man. The concept behind this artwork is a further exploration of the inner fragility we all posses. The hollow inner of the prop is lined with luxuriously soft pure white feathers, representing how delicate and beautiful we all are on the inside. On a feather covered pedestal in this cavern is a duck egg which has carved into it the simple Mickey Mouse logo, to show how we don't always take ourselves seriously. Contained within the egg is a peacock feather, a symbol of the soul, held captive within such a fragile object. The clouds and blue sky painted onto the front exterior of the assemblage reminds us that the sky really is the limit, boundless dreams can come true if only we take ourselves seriously and listen to those inner feelings and thoughts, our driving innate spirit....

Diva - Dramatis Personae

Assemblage

8in x 8in x 13 in

Breeze block, glass, plastic, enamel, human hair.

Picture to be revealed 31 July 2009, after Private View of my first solo exhibition, Journey.

Exhibition from 31st July to 16th Aug 2009 at the Hive Gallery.

There will be a 360 degree video of the assemblage on my site, on this date.

Diva - Dramatis Peronae, affectionately known as Maud, is the first assemblage I have embarked upon. The concept behind this assemblage is the inner self always remaining young and true to the innate spirit we have within all of us. Whilst the outer shell plays the many different roles we perform throughout our lives, often a bigger over dramatised version of the inner self, stimulated by our surroundings and societies expectations fuelled by the media in its massively influential forms.

Diva also expresses the inner child, the feeling inside where we never grow old, even though we make our way through the various stages of life, that inner child remains young, free, but often trapped by others expectations of us.

The Control Theory Formula (Lyapunov) that is scribed onto the rear of the inner head, represents that the inner self, even if we are unaware, is often in control anyway, and to live authentically and be happy, giving full control to the childlike spirit within, brings the most fulfilment.

Invisble Dreamer

Acrylic on canvas paper 9 x 18.5in

Invisible Dreamer was unfortunately left out of my blog, but was completed some time ago, around February 2009. The image was one of the first surreal paintings I embarked on, but was fuelled by Modern Man and paintings in that similar series.
The puppeteers hand is still ultimately controlled by another source higher up the 'food' chain. Once the hooks are in its almost impossible to escape. The puppet is motionless, defeated, in the check mate that is life in the Western world. Caught in the trappings of work, finance and climbing invisible ladders, not really knowing if that ladder is indeed lent against the right wall.
The plum blossom represents a glimmer of hope, that all is never what it seems and from small buds of hope, you can blossom in to a world that you can make your very own.

Rollercoaster

Well here I am at 13.48pm on 4th July 2009 hurtling at breakneck speed towards my show, here at the Hive Gallery. I am sat here in the gallery looking after it while Tracey is away, its voluntary and I love it, even after two weeks of 4 hours with the same dvd going around and around, and the projector giving up the ghost at any opportunity it likes!

The private view of my first solo exhibition takes place here at 7pm on the 30th July 2009, it seemed an eon away when I first booked it. I booked it originally to force myself into a routine of work, as my son had just started full time school giving me more time to paint. The time is easy to whittle away though, with out a goal. I can honestly say, hand on heart, that I really didn't think it through at that point. I booked it with that sole purpose in mind and that was as far as it went.

Now I am 24 days 5 hours and 9 minutes from the private view. GULP! Actually I am pretty chuffed with my little self, as I gave myself 6 months to get some work done, after most of my previous work was sold and I hadn't really painted since Hayden was born due to Post Natal Depression and a series of operations. That was the beginning of my Journey, and my aim to get some work completed that I was proud of, which I have managed. Another sub aim was not to go rearranging the gallery date, ie postponing it. Ok I admit I thought about it, more to do with nerves than lack of work, but no, I am here and my work will be hung on the 28th July 2009 ready.

Its been a long journey to date, this past 6 months, learning to take myself and my work seriously enough to feel 'worthy' of putting on my own exhibition. I still have doubts from time to time, my inner Diva screams the place down in a massive stressed strop, but once shes safely tucked up back in her box I actually believe I can pull this off!

Its a pretty scary ride, as some of my artwork prior to Hayden being born had little direction, did not fulfil me creatively as it could, and sole aim was for sale. From January I gave myself 'permission' to create whatever I wanted without the usual constraints of commercial appeal etc. I have given myself 2 years till January 2011 to see where this path in my life takes me. I now paint with heart and soul, its my head out there on the canvases and assemblages, a chance for people to see what makes me tick, what gives me fire in my belly, how I think....and sadly of course to judge me. Its that bit which scares me.

I have invited people from many different periods in my life, some people I haven't seen for years, and some I have never even met. The thought of them all in one room makes me want to run for the hills! Equally though it excites me, to show people that have helped me consciously or inadvertently just by crossing my path in big ways or small, what I have achieved. I try not to think about it too much for the sake of my own sanity, what they think matters to me, even though ultimately its me, myself and I.

I have no one to blame if this goes belly up. I have no excuses if I am criticised. I have no where to run and hide if I am laughed at.....its all my own doing! But through those thoughts I have reached the point where it feels authentic, true to who I am and what I am trying to achieve but most of all the ultimate in living my life the way I want to....I am living my dream, this is it and it really doesn't get any better!

For all the long nights, the staying in when I want to be playing out, the frustrations, the knee knocking wobblies, living each day doing what I truly love to my very core is the way to go. I count myself as very lucky to be experiencing this in my life, no matter what happens. Even if the show leads nowhere, is a disaster, no one turns up....I did it, I did what I set out to do and carried it through, and I am proud of that.

I am currently painting my final piece for the show, 'Apothecary's Chest' a painting over four canvases, and simultaneously working on another assemblage. I probably would not have ventured into the 3D world again had I not been doing this show, and am thoroughly enjoying exploring my artwork in a three dimensional way...I have come full circle as I started out in my career doing three dimensional design (Industrial).....its a funny old world!

Anyway I have a show to plan, sketch walls on to bits of graph paper and figure out exactly what will be including.....on with the show!

Perfringo!

Acrylic on box canvas 24in x24in

Perfringo! is the Latin word for shatter, breakthrough. This painting is a celebration of the discovery of a new way of thinking, the inner duality caused by social conditioning, can be fought and defeated....leaving you free to be authentically you to fly!

The butterfly represents freedom and blossoming of the individual and the ivy tells the tale of entrenched thinking and societal expectations holding us back...it needn't when trusting and thinking for yourself.