‘Affordable’ Art Fairs

Yes, ‘affordable’ art fairs have arrived in my home town of Plymouth. Although in my experience most of the public who attend these events interpret ‘affordable’ as cheap – to quote one visitor, “if it’s over £20 forget it”. Not so promising for us artists’. So why have I attended yet another art fair, with all its hard logistical toil and financial expense? Firstly, quoting Seth Godin “to develop my tribe”, which is a new marketing concept to me; and secondly, to use the event as an opportunity to network with fellow practitioners.

The opportunity to build a ‘tribe’ of individuals’ who understand and enjoy my work; no, it’s deeper then that: its people who believe in what I am trying to achieve or better still a future collector or purchaser of my work – finding such individuals’ to my mind just has to be worth it! Fortunately, this fair introduced me to two new couples, who have recently purchased my work. A rare pleasure, as galleries are naturally secretive and don’t usually provide purchasers details to the artist. This traditional out dated ‘them and us’ attitude seems quite redundant in this digital age, after all like most artists’ I am traceable, and for those more sad individuals with time on their hands my full contact details are available! It is my prediction the traditional gallery – artist relationship will be redefined for the good: galleries will have to be more transparent with their client databases; in doing so, the next few years will present exciting challenges for the artist to commence building their own tribes.

My second reason for attending these art fair events provides me with an opportunity to network, mingle and of course meet old acquaintances and forge new friendships with other artists’. An example of this, a fellow exhibitor took this photo of me. I think it’s a good likeness and illustrates my need to do more exercise – although I partake in Ballroom and Latin dancing three times a week I still seem to be putting on the pounds and this before Christmas! I shall write more about this next year.

Auction

Yesterday one of my collectors informed me that he had put his collection up for sale at Plymouth Auction Rooms on November 18th. Yes I am excited about the prospect, but I am also concerned. With the former, it’s always a nice feeling seeing my old work; but with regard to the latter, my old work does make me occasionally cringe! I am of course not the only painter to feel like this, Turner was constantly purchasing his old works and repainting them.

Retouching my old sold work is not something I have considered before, upon reflection I believe I should that the same opinion as Goya – let each work have its own life; by which he meant, when the painting leaves the studio the painter has no more involvement with that work.

I await the outcome of the auction with interest and intrepidation.

The six images can be viewed on: www.folley.eu or www.plymouthauctions.co.uk

Collaborations with a fellow practitioner

Life can be so unpredictable, but as thee seek, so thee find; usually the outcome I find is not rewarding! However, just occasionally something challenging and rewarding comes along. I have for some time now actively searched for a fellow practitioner to collaborate and bounce ideas with; an individual whose mind-set possesses a love of intellectual enquiry similar to me. A craftsman whose practical skills complements my own, and an artist whose visionary artistic quest explores new approaches to art.

I first met Jamie House at a workshop on Marketing in the Arts, held at Plymouth College of Art in February 09. Jamie introduced himself as a photographer whose research interests explored ‘pin-hole’ photography. His introduction and enthusiasm for his work encouraged me to view his website: http://www.jamiehousephotography.co.uk; since this first contact Jamie has also created a blog: http://www.pinholeparcelproject.com.

My first impression of Jamie was his presence, for me he epitomized my idea of how an old master would look today; tall, thin face with drooping moustache and Van Dyke goatee. A medium built man who well dressed attire of medium brown blazer and buff cord trousers reminded me of a solicitor! An image probably impressed upon me by his highly polished brown shoes - and in my experience a traditional and firm favourite with representatives of the legal professions.

Our collaboration for this project is at an early stage, but we have identified three avenues to explore: firstly, Jamie has kindly agreed to model for me. To add additional interest, I propose to render him upside down – partly as a challenge to myself and also as a reference to Jamie’s profession. Secondly, Jamie has suggested we record the spatio-temporal aspects of the painting – an aspect which complements my last project Jojo Two. Jamie proposes to record the different stages of the painting by placing a number of pin-hole cameras in static locations around my studio. He also plans to place two cameras at each location; camera a) will record the painting session, while camera b) will be exposed during the whole of the entire painting process. Finally, we intend to combine our talents on a series of artworks inspire by the experience.

Julian’s birthday portrait

For the last week or two, I have been preparing a work for Julian's birthday party bash on the 28th of March this year. Being Julian's 60th, we both felt that it need something special - and as the 'Fool' with Plymouth Morris Men and The Wreckers (a mixed Morris side) he is larger than life!

The work aptly illustrates the positions and commitments I expect from my models. It's a good job health and safety officers aren’t around!

It might interest readers, that Morris Fools are regulated similar to clowns; each fool has their own design and theme for their outfits, which they protect by photography. Any amendments have to be updated and photographed again. For Plymouth Morris, his outfit theme is Thomas the Tank Engine.

“I want … !”

Now why I should think of this title, I just do not know. It could be because I felt cold in bed last night. Or perhaps it was my subconscious working over-time; and the cold environment induced the idea of poor Ophelia freezing. Now this sentence has stimulated my mind enough to ponder this question: What do other painters’ discuss when working with their models?

Of course I know with my own models how a discussion progresses. Normally we chat about their life, interests and aspirations. I am one of those fortunate people who can discuss most subjects about life, the universe and everything. Although, I would be the first to admit these discourses are not always on a deep level; but, I am informed enough to ask searching insightful questions about various aspects which affect their life. Such is the special relationship between creator and model I seek to create to put the model at their ease.

So before providing an answer to my question: What do other painters’ discuss when working with their models? I would like to provide a little background information to the great Pre-Raphaelite painting of Ophelia (1851-2) by Sir John Everett Millais, exhibited at Tate Britain, London.

Millais’s inspirational for Ophelia and source is William Shakespeare’s tragedy play Hamlet (cira 1599-1601). Ophelia is the lover of Hamlet who is driven mad when her father, Polonius is murdered by her lover, Hamlet. Millais depiction of Ophelia’s death is based upon the conversation between Queen Gertrude and Ophelia's brother Laertes. Gertrude romantically describes how Ophelia falls into the river whilst picking flowers and slowly drowns as the water gradually and completely envelops her (See Hamlet, Act 1V, Scene V11).

It is rumored that the model was so cold from lying in a bath of cold water for so many hours that is contracted pneumonia and died. She did contract a cold, but later married Rossetti.

How would Millais and Elizabeth Siddell conversation develop?

Liz: I’ve been in here for hours and hours now Jonny, I’m stiff, the water’s cold and the candles have gone out.

She moves to try and achieve a little more comfort in the tight tin bath tub

Millais: Can’t you keep still! You’re the worst model I’ve employed ever, Can’t you keep still for one single minute?

Frustrated he attacks the canvas with a loaded brush

Now look what you have made me done, Great Ruskin, it’s just not working… I can’t connect with you, if you keep moving how can I paint my Ophelia?

Liz: Sorry, but I’m so wet and cold.

Moving again

Millais: That’s it; I can’t take any more of your constant whining. How Ross puts up with your constant moaning I don’t know. After all I’ve provided you with candles to heat the bath water what more do you want?

Liz: I want the candles lit, that would be a start!

Painting Jane: An exploration of ‘Shudder’

Recently I have revisited one of my MA papers, Does art still require ‘the shudder of the new’ (Adorno)?

While reflecting upon this paper, it has dawned on me, that every serious painter’s duty is to create art works beyond the safety of their creator’s comfort zone; creating such art works would inevitably push ‘Art’s’ boundaries to a new levels of Shudder. One only has to think of the ‘Great’ Modern masters’ who achieved this higher state of awareness within their work: Bacon, Picasso, and Newman, et.al. My new challenge is to search for the shudder within Jane.

So what in essence is Shudder?

Shudder as a claim to truth, enables artworks to transcendences beyond the epistemological to metaphysical; or as a depiction or appearance of the unreal which Reijen (1992:130) asserts; assumes ‘the official separation of pure philosophy and scientific facts’.

For the purpose of my forays into shudder, I am exploring Adorno’s interpretation, as a separation between ‘truth of art’ from ‘truth of content’. In this respect, Adorno’s concept of shudder ‘negates the literal reality of [art’s] thematic content’, thereby, enabling the nexus of an artwork’s appearance to become transcendental – going ‘beyond the appearance that they are’. Adorno’s (1992:104) transcendence provides the ‘spiritual’ within art, which is an ‘essential criterion of new art’. Although, this thought is subjective; he does concede new art betrays this concept if contrived, merely reproducing an effect, such as: back-ground music within shops or paintings with meaningless geometrical patterns.

With this implied ‘new’, Adorno’s shudder is not the ‘shock of the new’, but a Benjaminist ‘aura’ – a term for artworks which possess uniqueness and accessibility as produced prior to the age of photography and mass reproduction, producing an overwhelming sense of awe that establishes arts’ shudder.

For Adorno (AT:106), important artworks possess these key ‘moments’, evoking contemplation, thus enabling a measurable standard to depict or encapsulate the meaning of shudder. Adorno (AT:106) believes important artworks achieve this status through means of ‘an afterimage of the primordial’ when artworks move the spectator.

With this thought I embark upon the painting of Jane. To go where no painter has gone before; quite a Startreckian concept! As always, the difficulty is, how does the painter achieve this? I believe Shakespeare’s Hamlet III.iv., provides a good example:

Hamlet: Do you see nothing there?
The Queen: Nothing at all: yet all that is I see.

Shakespeare has eloquently expressed classical art college training – to ‘look’, and ‘look’ again. It is with this thought I commence working beyond my comfort zone in search of Jane’s Shudder.




In ‘looking’ I seek Jane’s Shudder I have reworked her skin colouration, and incorporated her veins. This is the first painting where I have attempted to render these elements of the individual.

References

Adorno, T., [Trans. Hullot-Kentor, R.] (AT) (2004) Aesthetic Theory, Continuum: London and New York.

Reijen, W.V., [Trans. Engelbrecht, D.,] (1992:33) Adorno: An Introduction, Pennbridge Books, Philadelphia.

Progress

I am presently preoccupied with two new projects and of course Morris Two is still ongoing: the first is a proposal which if it comes off it will be quite a challenge. The second is to explain the difficulty I am having with Jane’s portrait. I have decided to create a work beyond my comfort zone. I recent re-examined a paper one of my M.A., papers on the theme of ‘Shudder’. It got me thinking perhaps it’s time to try and incorporate some ‘Shudder’ into my work!

Here’s to the lass’

The Plymouth Morris men (PMM) traditionally hold their annual ceilidh on the last Saturday of January. This year it’s their 39th anniversary, so to make this year’s event special they have introduced a new song and dance; Bonny Green Garters. Normally the team finish a display with the Rose, kidnapping or rather press-ganging a female from the audience to dance around. Tonight they decided to have all men affair, so Bonny Green Garter's was chosen.

The dance commences with a song, each Morris man singing to the fullest extent of his vocal capacity (loud and out of tune to you and me!); “Here’s to the lass’ we love them so well, though some are regular tarters. Off with their knickers and off with their bras and off with their bonny green garters”.

With obligatory waving of handkerchiefs and much stumbling they commence their dance with such gusto of enthusiasm within a few minutes numerous uninvited audience members have joined in. I only wished I could have danced with them.

This has been my first ceilidh with the PMM., the evening has provided me with further research images which I have uploaded to http://www.folley.eu/index.php?project=Morris My research photographs have also provided me with reference material for future picture compositions. It didn’t help with audience references which I was keen to study. Two reasons for this: firstly, the venue’s lighting was not sufficient lit and secondly, I did not wish to use my flash, thinking it might spoil the enjoyment of the other revelers. However, at the next event, (which might be Ladies Night or Pallet’s Birthday) I will arrange for the team to introduce me (now that it has been made official I am their painter-in-residence; I have been awarded the team’s smock and jangle brush to prove it!) and explain how I wish to use the audience reference material. After all with all the new rulings regarding political correctness or infringements of civil liberalities and possible litigation, the modern painter has to be so aware of the inherent dangers he treads.

Help

I have been asked to write a painter's forward for a new catalogue of my project Jojo: Two. I find it’s always difficult to write about your artwork and working method objectively. So I have hit upon the bright idea of asking if other painter's feel the same way. Any comments or criticism would be welcomed.

Painter’s Forward

In March 2008, Jojo appointed me as Artist-in-Residence (although I prefer the term Painter, which will become apparent later) on his new play The Man in the Red Scarf. As a perfectionist, Jojo believed my inclusion in his production team would enhance the actors’ experience and understanding of the symbiosis relationship between the painter and his model. It was also an opportunity to paint passport-style images of the cast to illustrate the souvenir programme.

My foremost interest in Jojo’s play however, was to explore the spatio-temporal effects of the actors’ movements upon the stage; and the subsequent effects these influences have upon localized colour-patches.
My preferred working mode on this project was to sketch and photograph key moments within the play that caught ‘my’ mind’s-eye. Naturally the quantity of visual material collected was overwhelming, a possible hindrance to the painter which necessitates being synthesised. Synthesizing collected visual material eliminates the tactile sensations of ‘common’ (every day) optical perceptions; allowing the visual familiarity of inherited (taught) or ‘lived’ (personal experiences) perceptions to be discarded.

An active painter’s mind synthesise visual material and removes all notions and fears of a blank canvas. The painter’s mind and third eye, helps achieve this state of awareness by providing a diagram.

The diagram is the unknown; the hidden process and untold mystery that creates the sub-structure or aperture of an artwork and is usually hidden from the spectator and final work. The diagram is the imaginary lines, marks and colour-patches, happy accidents which are ‘opportunities of facts’ the figurative painter aspires to exploit. This painter’s search is not for pictorial facts or truths; this after all is the realm of the artist – whose artistic representations attempt to mimic the world.

My Compositional Colour Beginning worksheets are in a way my diagram, allowing me to process my thoughts in an analytical figurative form. I find worksheets accessible, provide opens for my mind; in contrast, sketch books always appear to me restrictive.

The catalogue is designed to provide the spectator with a facsimile of my worksheets with all their hidden notations made for my private reference. There are ten coloured worksheets and the eleventh drawing is composed using elements from each of the coloured worksheets. The drawing clearly illustrates how various elements have been included or discarded. The information within this drawing means the painting will not commence as a blank canvas.

January 2009.

It’s back to the brushes

I haven’t had the chance to resume painting from the Christmas holiday; and with Ma’s stroke and constant demands my brushes haven’t touched the canvas. But today Jane has returned for her first sitting of the New Year. So, I’m feeling upbeat and ready to take on the new challenges presented by Jane!

So far to date, I have spent nearly three months on this painting; and I would say I am at stage four out of eleven stages of a painting. Today’s session we concentrated on the arm and hand covering her breast. I was unhappy with the arm, feeling it didn’t wrap itself around the body convincingly. The change I made was to lower the arm; you can just see the old elbow still not painted out. I left it slightly visible just in case I was required to replace it at a later date.

It’s a joy working on such a large canvas (H:1.2m x W:1.7). Next week I want to rework the other hand and the feet. One of the advantages of working this size, you can work on different areas of the canvas.

It’s green!

I have been in a funny mood over the last few days, but I was delighted to see my friend and colleague ‘Young’ Jojo for lunch on the 12th. It was his treat, so we arranged to meet at Cuisine Spontanaty, a moderately priced restaurant owned by one of my ex-tutors. Unfortunately, it was closed for redecoration, so we went to Platters. A fish restaurant where the food is not as good as the seats! Although as I wasn’t paying for the treat the food was delicious; have you ever noticed how food and alcohol tastes better if you don’t purchase it yourself, Why is that?

Our lunch meeting went well, and although there is no imediat plans for a major new collaboration Jojo was over the moon with Jojo Two. He received the ‘Love’ scene with enthusiasm so my fears regarding the CCB’s (compositional colour beginning’s) were unfounded. As a result I have sent them to the printer for scanning. I decided on scanning rather than just taking a digital photograph with my trusty Cannon for the following reason: Jojo has agreed to write his thoughts down with regard to the eleven scenes I have depicted. If this becomes reality it will give me great pleasure, even confidence; and that after all is a catalyst for greater things (just an update 18th Jan., I have sent Jojo's draft to the printers).

Our minds are wonderful, and confidence can be a substantial boost to self improvement and esteem. So as it’s green, here’s one of the images I have been dying to show you… Image catalogue number 7d8031, more images will be uploaded onto my website www.folley.eu next week.

The main purpose of this study is to ascertain where and how the shapes and colours interrelate with each other.

Another development I am working on is my first application to a public body for financing a project. If anyone has experiences of applying for an individual visual Arts Council grant I would like to hear their story.

Seeking peace of mind

I don’t know if other professional painters are so affected by their environment and state of mind as I am. To create and possibly develop not just as a painter but also as a male of the species, I need the right conditions; and for me these are: warmth, security, quietness and having the peace of mind to think. Needless to say, this Christmas and New Year have been the most stressful period in my life for years. I have to think way back to remember such a bad time. Of course this is not solely the Folley household; it’s generally accepted by a number of independent sociologists as a time when divorces, family break-ups and disharmony increase. Now I don’t know exactly who said this, nor do I know what empirical evidence they have to support my statement.

However, I do have practical experience within my own extended family which supports the statement. Now, how does this animosity affect my creativity? I’m becoming frustrated with the lack of work I am producing. I have already postponed Morris Two, to concentrate on Jojo Two.

I had hoped to show you some CCB’s (Compositional Colour Beginnings) which I have been working on for my next meeting with Jojo on the 12th January. But they are not at a stage where I feel confident to share them with a wider audience. In fact, I’m very unsure about them and wondering if I am biting off more than I can chew! While writing this, I am also looking at the ten worksheets I have produced so far. Before I go further I need to think about this a little longer.

Yes, The First is already here!

The firework display at the London Eye was stunning; Ma had risen from her bed especially to watch this spectacle, brother Mark and young Jakk my son were gradually emptying their store of can lagers. The Brits are funny when it comes to alcohol; well to be truthful the Brits are just plain funny, with lots of idiosyncratic ways which makes them eccentric! Of which Morris probably counts as one… but more of that later.

For the moment I am watching the New Year festivities on aunt Beeb, their coverage of this event is good enough to make non-licence payers want to make a donation to them! But, I doubt this feeling will last. But, credit where credit is due, for now we have all been entertained for the 10 minutes with burst of glorious colour exploding upon our screen. The ironic issue of this display was the pyrotechnics’ had to be designed and created by a French man; not that I have problems with French men. “Non, je suis la francophile qui aimerait une petite amie française!” (Please forgive my school boy French or something like it). So after the display was over, I helped Ma go to bed and prepared my camera for the photo shoot at noon; by checking my batteries, all in order, I went to bed myself.

It’s a bitter wind that blows, the Barbican was dead. The only businesses doing brisk trade seemed to be the fish ‘n’ chip shops. The Dolphin was not too crowded, and the owner had kindly provided some free coffee – which was welcomed and sitting by the hot fire enable me to thaw my fingers! I managed to photograph a few interesting research photos of the audience, some of which have given me a number of ideas. Its funny people watching, there are so many unexpected mannerism people employ in their everyday lives. I hope my work will develop to incorporate some of them. Just to give you some idea of the British pastime of Morris dancing I have provided an image of the Plymouth Morris Men team and an image of the day!

You always get one, and this one is called Greg and he's a jolly fellow!

Also wished Jojo a Happy New Year, and agreed to meet him for a project update in the next week. Returned home and completed my sixth compositional study for Jojo Two (more details on this later).