Heyhey

My next care home job starts next Friday, so lots of dreaded prep work to be getting on with!! Yesterday I was in Birmingham for a photoshoot in a studio... Not really my style but its another thing I've had the experience and opportunity of, and it was such a laugh with my mate. If you're interested here is a few photos from the day... not sure I'm heading for a modelling career haha think I'll stick with being the artist!!

Life

Since last updated I have completed the 5 week programme I talked about and consequently am starting another at the end of the month due to its success!! I've finished work at the hospital for a year now which is the change I was needing so much to feel more free, having had a job or education all my life, it was overdue. I'm now living with a guy and am having the time of my life so thanks :)

Music board made after discussions and sing a longs (Elvis - Double Trouble!)

First trip was to Iceland to see the Northern Lights - the most amazing country I've ever seen, absolutely beautiful and will certainly be returning one day. Then this week we had a free party on a farm in Essex with some now-close friends, after only about 20 hours to recover we were off to Amsterdam on the ferry which was (no surprise) another great trip. We saw Mogwai whilst there and a street performer called MC Xander who should be checked out - pure vocalist beats and melodies and he knows what he's talking about.

Next on the list is the Lake District, London to see the Lion King and Nepal and India later in the year.

So apart from pissing about having fun I've been working hard at the care homes, a day workshop with little kids to make MONSTERS out of plastic tubs etc which was great fun and drawing commissions as always. I'm also illustrating a friends poem for 'Weed World' magazine and doing a lot of own work. I find I'm more inspired living with this guy than I've ever felt :)

Holiday board made with the women of Buckingham House..

Some examples of things I've been working on...

Jackson Pollock style with canvas found in skip...

Christmas over

So after 8 dogs, 3 babies, 1 man and 1 woman, 4 calendars, 1 painting, 1 tshirt, 35 christmas cards and Christmas... I got really really sick. I ran myself completely into the ground and had nearly a weeks bed rest. New years was amazing as Christmas was, and now never been more ready to start another year.

Tomorrow I start a 5 week programme working with the elderly to make 'memory books' compiling photos and images and memories in a way that they can learn to continue to do it themselves. We will discuss each decade from the 1950's onwards and hopefully get the residents at Buckingham House talking and interested in each other and in art and being creative. I've made them each a book to work in and hope to get them to make it their own.

A little nervous but really excited too, plus I get a free lunch each week before the session starts.

I've got my rockabilly Cd boxsets at the ready!! I'm gonna love it :D Jackie Wilson, Chuck Berry, Bobby Vee, Gene Vincent and Eddie Cochran...

Will update with photos from the first session soon...

Bell X1

My merchandise stand!!



The last venue - soundcheck.










Me and the band last night hotel bar - Dom, Me, Dave, Paul.


















Me and the band including management and sound - Indian restaurant.






So I went to Ireland to see Bell X1. After the first gig I was just going to go home to my hostel but instead I walked around the back and spotted them in the green room. I knocked and they gave me a "oh noa nother crazy fan" smile. I sweet talked to guy stood near the door who didn't put up much of a fight and I went in to meet them. My work was on tshirts and posters and in magazines and THEY were honoured to meet ME? This was amazing!! Amazing UNTIL we had a few drinks and got chatting. Turned out they had an extra seat int he tour bus for the next few days... would I like to join them?
What a question. Fuck yes I would like to join them!!
So I travelled on the tour bus down to Limerick were they played in an old church with candles and people sat on the floor. Really intimate gig that I will NEVER forget!! Got to stay in a very swish hotel too which was certainly a step up from the hostel (not that I was complaining anyway). So after that gig we got smashed again and I set off at 4am to get a taxi, a bus, a plane and a train home a day early, in time for a party which was totally worth it :D

Also have my new boyfriend joining me on my trip to Iceland which is pretty amazing.

Everything else going really well.
Very busy doing commissions for christmas as well as my own work for presents etc.
Take care

Busy

Now then I've been really busy which is why I've been quiet. Designed the tshirts for Bell X1 and booked my trip to Ireland to follow the tour for a week. Here are the final tshirt designs - the colour varies depending on wether you see them in UK and Eire or in Europe. This is the girls tee I'll be wearing in Galway...

I've also been working on wedding invitations - 60 hand painted invites and 60 hand painted name places...

20 hand cut wedding anniversary invitations...

I'm still working on http://www.arthousecoop.com/projects/sketchbookproject

The tours have started up again so been to a lot of gigs recently and ventured to London which doesn't happen very often... Next trip is Ireland and then February I have booked a trip to see the northen lights in Iceland.

I'm working really hard on my list of things to do before I die.

They say you know when you know, but I've found you never really know anything. When I was in college it was the most important thing. Then you realise it's nothing. I don't regret anything, it was the right decision for me at the time - thank you to the person who taught me to see it that way, he probably doesn't even remember saying it but it stuck with me. Just like another friend who said something so simple but so profound, that simply it's noone elses business.

Off subject.

I move out in the next few weeks and I'm writing a new book.

I doubt I will give you any sort of preview of the book cos it is meant for it's entirety... who knows wether I'll ever even make it available before I die. It's shockingly honest and I'm not sure people can handle it including myself, so I may pass the buck (bad pun but my first reasonably clever one) and let it be free when I am gone.

Until then I must work my way through my 'bucket list'.

Noel Gallagher

Painting commission of Noel Gallagher on canvas. Took me longer than it should have but with the blue light it gave the whole painting a blue tinge and therefore slightly more difficult to do.

Somehow.

Bell X1 tshirt design...

Bell X1 contacted me again recently and asked if I was able to come up with a Tshirt design to go with the posters. I won't show it just yet as I am still waiting to have confirmation of which design they liked. They have also put me on the guest list for a couple of the gigs in Ireland so I've booked my flights and have a long weekend in Galway and Limerick. Can't wait :)