Dead Men

Sam Astley is a musician, guitarist, producer and frontman to Penny Orchids. He also produces music for film,  and his recent project  'Back Issue' won first prize at Danny Boyles' Shuffle Short Film Festival.
He asked me to create a film as a backdrop to DEAD MEN: Short Stories in Music at Lime Wharf, London. The film was used to inspire improvised instrumental music played live to an audience. I enjoy experimenting with moving images, the awe and wonder of nature captured in a moment, the simple beauty of the natural world and our relationship with it. Sometimes I think life or time is like a movie that can be broken down into frames...and along the way we do our own edit.
Here are a few pictures from the eve... mostly photos whilst setting up... more to come...

 

Angel

I really enjoy working on different creative projects.  Tom and I made these wings for a music video -  Feather Clever - The Telescreens watch here...! 

PoPs

A recent discovery! This is my Dad, the photographs were taken in the late 70's...I think he must have been about 20 years old.
He's currently making his last ever batch of hand made tattoo machines, if you want one... quick click batwing ...

Fringe Arts Bath

 Here are a few pictures from the show I exhibited at in Bath... also some of the Art that caught my eye... well worth a visit if you've not been yet.

'summer'  Erin MacAirt ( etching, wood, mirror work )

'Act II' Erin MacAirt  (etching, wood, mirror work)

Out of the Box

Alex Blakey

performance art...yes he is gaffa taped to the floor...!

details from an exhib celebrating the Book

Helen Lord, wall painting

 Holy Souls, an installation by alldaybreakfast, the waiting room

Holy Souls, an installation by alldaybreakfast.  Eerie, atmospheric Lynch-esque!

The Day is the Dream of the Night

Out of the Box

What a line-up! I think this is going to be a really interesting show..I'm really looking forward to exhibiting my work meeting and seeing again the other Artists. Friday the 23rd is going to be a party night...so come along, have a drink and celebrate some good Art.

Shiva Moon

Ganga Dream

View from the Ghat

Beas River

Fringe Arts Bath

I will be showing my diorama boxes in Bath for the Fringe Arts Festival.

(more details coming soon)

Please see below for a description on how I create my diorama boxes.

My diorama boxes involve a series of processes. First I prepare the metal plates, usually zinc or steel at the print studio this involves priming the plate with an acid resist bees wax which is then by naked flame melted onto the plate to form a dark 'canvas'. Next I take the primed plates to my workspace where I draw onto them often by candle light, the plate can take many nights work. I return to the print studio where the lines are biten and the etching process takes place. I enjoy the magic of this age old technique dating around the 15^th Century, first used to decorate armour, then later as a medium for Artists particularly landscapes. When the plate is completed, often several bites, aquatints and various techniques later I then do test prints and if I need to I’ll rework onto the plate before reaching the final image. I then ink up the plate and print on a Rochat Printing Press by hand onto Fabriano paper, an Italian company producing paper since 1264 supplying Michelangelo himself! The quality of the paper is of great importance to me. Depending on the size one print can take one hour from inking up to rolling through the printing press. The diorama boxes often involve more than one printed plate as I layer up these prints to create a three dimensional miniature world within the box.

I like to print using natural colours found in the landscape often greens, burnt umber, sepias and midnight blue. Gold is often found in my work to add illumination, warmth and richness.

The box frames I distress and paint or wood stain by hand. This incorporates the frame into the piece of Art making the box frame an important aspect of the finished piece. This process can take days waiting for the layers to dry, sanding and distressing the wood.

Next I work on the glass which is mirrored using an antique Venetian mirror technique.

I then delicately cut  out the etchings which are reinforced, and in layers form the landscape inside the box.

All the boxes I create are unique in colours and layout. Some of the themes that inspire my work are nature, myth, folk lore, constellations...

the stars foretell

...they love you well

India Surf Festival

I found myself volunteering at the India Surf Festival held near Puri in Orissa on the most beautiful untouched, uncrowded beach in India. With just two weeks before the festival started we offered our help and became members of this creative international family for two weeks.
I met some great Indian Artists one of which I collaborated with on a pigment line drawing with Mumbai based Artist, Arnaz Mistry. She studied lithography at Visva-Bharati University, Santiniketan, West Bengal. As well as printmaking she also uses pigment liners to create bold black and white images. Really nice to connect with an Art sister/didi so far away, we are hoping in the future to work on a project together.


this pic is from an Indian online newspaper... I'm there doing yoga with Becks, another sister I met there, she is a Wedding & Media Hair Stylist at Thairapy based in the U.K

Arnaz Mistry

Thank you Sanjay, Surfing Yogis and all at Rangers for the great experience - Boom!

 Big up to Yellow Butterfly Yoga, Mumbai. Would 100% recommend their unique, gentle, personal approach to teaching. yellowbutterflyyoga@gmail.com

Chai Goddess

Kudli Beach

Yoniverse

Himalaya sketch

Surya

Pushkar sketch

Varanassi Woman

Manali

Om Beach

Kolam

Didi

Mysterious Wisdom

" These little framed boxes, like theatrical sets, their cardboard cut-out horizons thrown high by the footlights, their moons hanging like lanterns amid foliage unruffled by winds, present a hermetic realm that feels at once far removed from reality, and yet, at the same time, full of fresh relevance"

Mysterious Wisdom, Rachel Campbell-Johnston

I just finished reading a bio on the English Artist Samuel Palmer (27 January 1805 – 24 May 1881) . It's a great account of his life and struggles, his connection to nature and the ethereal,  of England as it entered into the industrial age, and his friendship with William Blake..
I came across his work when a neighbour back at home saw my pen and ink drawings and said they reminded her of Palmer, she also recommended I try etching...so thank you Judith.

I recently visited the Ashmolean Museum in Oxford with my good friend Natalie to view their Samuel Palmer collection. I held in my hands with white gloves on these two paintings amongst others, and I can't tell you enough how moving it was, I almost cried! They are full of life and emotion. I also want to say thank you to the lady who works in the Print Room for her assistance.

etching in India

i'm working on a small series of etching plates whilst i'm in India... 

the picture at the top i took in the Shiva Cave Temple