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“Great spatial qualities“

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There were four of us students in the room and one large detective. We were there to tell him our side of the story. We were just into our twenties and in the second year of our studies at Manchester School of Art, and all four of us lived in a modest ‘flat’ on the first floor of a house in Chorlton Cum Hardy. Good friends, we shared two bedrooms, two in each room. Me and Dave, Bryan and Manfred ( real name Paul ). We’d acquired the flat through a letting agent and paid for the privilege, and once … Continue reading “Great spatial qualities“

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Warmest wishes?

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Its meant to be as friendly as possible, but is it competitive. The grading of a sign off on an email or letter is tricky. Warm wishes is very friendly, but warmest is even friendlier. So warmest is high on the list, warm, not so.Good wishes by comparison is a little strange as it seems to mean good wishes for you and me, or have i misunderstood. Yours sincerely, well, that’s ok across the board in my view. Yours truly? Nah! Truly madly silly. There’s also the matter of the intro. Dear Sir/Madam: cold and impersonal like a circular. Dear … Continue reading Warmest wishes?

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Buses and fresh trout

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It started at a bus stop just yesterday. “Have you seen the Cirencester bus?” No, I replied, but I was not looking for it. Cirencester is some miles from where we were both sitting on a handy bench opposite the Ivy: the posh restaurant at the top of Cheltenham. I would not have expected a bus to Cirencester to come this direction, as it would be going in the opposite direction, but my newfound bench-sharer assured me it did. It seems that it does a round tour of Cheltenham before setting of in the right direction. To say he was … Continue reading Buses and fresh trout

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Concrete Boats, good idea? Yes, Purton again.

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All the last posts were Purton and all taken on the same bright sunny day. I’d intended to take a sketchbook and only when I got there realised that I’d left it behind. No matter, I had the camera for a perfect photography day. Not that long ago, I used to do work for a company in Sharpness, at the docks at the very end of the Gloucester Canal. The company imports cement from Spain; apparently we don’t make cement over here much any more. It occurred to me at the time that if the boats sprang a leak they … Continue reading Concrete Boats, good idea? Yes, Purton again.

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Early Purton

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I’m planning more Purton paintings after a recent visit. This is from some time ago, and I thought it was finished; now I’m not so sure. Perhaps I should call these paintings ‘Purtons’ meaning the generic term of a painting of an old, wrecked ship or boat. To lapse into ‘Art Bollox’ this is a celebration of the true meaning of life with the juxtaposition of the elements within, giving an aura of vulnerability. Yes, that will do nicely. Continue reading Early Purton

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Impress your friends with ‘Art Bollox’

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It’s not like Botox but has the same sort of effect in bringing on an impressionless face. It is , of course, the way some people talk about art, and that art can be anything. Here are some useful tips and words that should be used. Drop them into the conversation, and people will soon give you that look that suggests they don’t know what you’re talking about, but- and this is key- they will counter with their own bollox. I recently saw what is always described as a ‘piece’, and this is a key word. Art is never described … Continue reading Impress your friends with ‘Art Bollox’