STUDIO INTERNATIONAL

yo!.. painting is dead.. innit!

I read in 1969..

in a magazine called..

studio international..

that painting was dead..

it was a set back..

for sure..

I was 17..

and painting was what I was doing..

at the latest John Moores painting prize..

there had been a lot of blank canvases..

it was disappointing..

because I love to see paintings..

I like to look close up..

to see the marks..

the surface of the canvas..

I love the colours..

I really do enjoy looking at paintings..

In our local gallery of contemporary art..

there are very rarely any paintings shown..

the folks there prefer to show 'art'

international contemporary art..

it's a thing..

somewhere along the way..

all these clever folks..

have hijacked art for themselves..

and their friends..

and now they call all the shots..

so to go see paintings..

it's not so easy these days..

it's a good thing that  painting is dead..

because damian hirst said that..

death is the greatest idea in art..

death is the big idea..

and Damien thinks big..

the bigger the better..

me..

I'll just keep on painting..

It's what I do..

A lot of my favourite painters..

are dead also..

I still speak with them..

it's what we do when we paint..

painting is a dialogue..

If you see me talking with mark here..

you are here with us..

 in the souk..

www.figuresinasouk.com

AND THEN THE SETTING SUN

yo!.. surf's up...innit!

 

 

so carrying on from yesterday..

I was swimmin inna sea of oil paint..

big brush in hand..

an what did I sea..

a sundown moment in the history of art..

thought I would share this with you..

 

OIL AND WATER

yo!.. ocean view ...innit! 

 

 

sometimes when you are painting..

there has to be a change of plan..

and what you thought you were painting..

is not going to happen any more..

because something else has occurred to you..

 

 

A LITTLE MORE PACIFIC IF YOU PLEASE 

the ocean has made it's appearance..

complete with swimmer and sail boat/windsurfer..

the carpet from the souk..

has become the sun..

you have to pause..

and look carefully..

and before you know it..

you are unemployed..

there is nothing more you can do..

the ocean has trumped the souk..

all you can do is look and learn..

 

 

ON THE BEACH WITH EUGENE BOUDIN

 

mr turner and mister rothko..

are on the beach..

abstract impressionists..

take a bow..