Five-minute hand sketch, and a picture that looks almost, but not entirely, unlike Tilly. She's lying on the sofa. I say lying when what I really mean is a little-understood variant of the standard lie whereupon the reclining subject does not remain in the same position for more than eight seconds. For fuck's sake.
We had a bit of a row after that.
Then there's a proper portrait of Stan, who for the next few weeks will not be able to leave the house for fear of people asking him for his autograph in the street.
I've had some thoughts about this here blog. It was born under some particularly unpleasant circumstances, and I've kind of moved on a bit from where I was back then. It's got a bit melodramatic, quite frankly, and I fancy a bit of a change. More words maybe, since some of those lovely souls who take time to comment (and I'm looking mostly at you Selena), are encouraging me to post more, and maybe a few more of the pics that wouldn't normally make the cut. A slightly higher turd-to-triumph ratio.
Anyway, more details to follow. I hope you like the pics.
10 comments:
Hello Mr. Not Keith:
I hope not to offend you, but since you asked . . My further thoughts on the Tilly post are, um, well...more of a moral point of view when it comes to expressing oneself.
Let me first say, I heart art.
And let me first commend you for your desire and sheer bravery to explore your inner fears. And congradulations for putting them through a medium and putting it out there. And here, in cyberspace. Not many people explore thier inner selves and you should be commended for this.
That being said, I find your drawing a cheap shot. I must reference Frida Kahlo here. She displayed her guts and glory all over her paintings. She spoke all her dark spots out loud and in vivid imagery. Just like you are attempting to do here, with Tilly.
But the difference is that Frida used images native to her. She used the flowers, the skulls, the plants of Mexico. She used her native toungue.
And unless you have some fetish when it comes to Nazis or are obessesed with Zombies, who eat BRAINS NOT SMALL INTESTINES BY THE WAY . .. Then all this Nazi stuff, (to evoke/explain your inner fear) is just lame. And immature.
I say all this because your technique is very good. You definitely have a mastery of craft here. So get better at it. Use provactive images that are native to you. Any idiot can call up a nazi image and have it be shocking. Use what is personal to only you.
But again, I value the unique, the personal and the different.
And plese, take this for what you will. It seems you have enough bossy females in your life.
Take care,
Mrs. Hall
Hello again, Mrs Hall.
Firstly, no offence taken. Quite the contrary, in fact. Just one small correction, if you'll permit me: she's A NAZI FACE SITTING CANNIBAL NOT A NAZI FACE SITTING ZOMBIE, so small intestines are definitely on the menu.
As for the subject matter, I sort of half agree with you; though I think we're far enough away from World War II for the Nazi uniform to have lost some of its potency as an image of evil. After all, it featured quite prominently in 'Allo 'Allo, which was by far the least of its crimes. Also, it does turn up in fetish porn (Google the English Mansion- or don't if you're at work), and it's also quite topical with the Mosley privacy case against the News of the World.
But, but, but: I've felt recently that I have been going for cheap shock tactics to illustrate an inner life that I've to a large extent left behind. The Tilly pic was probably amped-up (the armband was definitely an afterthought) to try and outdo the festering cock pic. Which is why I've decided to make some changes, upon which subject I shall post more soon.
Thanks for the frank (and still rather complimentary) comment, and I hope some of my future work makes a better impression.
Well, I didn't really find the Nazi uniform so shocking. A drawing of a Nazi uniform doesn't get my blood boiling- an actual Nazi in the uniform would offend(scare)me, esp. if I met him in person on a dark street.
Plus, I'm not so sure that even the imagery of Tilly being a cannibal is enough to shock me, due to the fact that she's a face sitter. It brings an irreverence to the whole "evil" cannibal Nazi that makes it very humorous indeed. The fact that you may have a fetish for Nazis, well that's something between you, Tilly, and the Führer.
Umm, and movie Zombies, have always craved human flesh. i.e. Night Of The Living Dead, Land of the Dead, Dawn of the Dead, and numerous other zombie films. Sometimes zombies eat brains, & sometimes they don't. It's an Almond Joy vs. Mounds thing. But everyone knows the way to kill a zombie (besides, lighting it on fire or blowing it up) is to "kill" the brain. Maybe that is where the misconception of brain eating lies.
Also, I'd like to note that Frida did create several paintings with imagery, that was NOT native to her homeland. Jus'sayin. Not every painting she's ever done, has had only images of calla lilies, her ravaged body, and monkeys. She often used other images from other nations to serve as a stark contrast between her "Mexicanidad" and the world.
I am also pretty sure that's not what Mrs. Hall meant by her statement and that I am oversimplifying.
However, I can understand if you are going to move away from the "shocking" and phallic imagery in your recent art- to something a mite different, just don't go veering away altogether.
Your work tends view the world and then skew it, in a way that's akin to that of Robert Crumb.
In other words, I find most of your work American Splendor-esque. I love Robert Crumb (I don't know what that says about me, erm... I love Frida too that aught to help.)
I'm curious to see what you come up with Turds and All and what your progression will be.
P.S. It wasn't Bete that Fucked your apartment; it was polar bears.
They are getting back at you for using "carrier Bags"(is this just a plastic bag?) and poor Stan was just an innocent dupe in the greater struggle of the battle to stop global warming. Those darned cunning Polar Bears!
Why are hands so damned hard to draw...
I haven't read throught all of the response yet. I did enjoy reading your response selena. I heart Frida Kahlo and Shaun of the Dead is one of favorite movies. Thank you for correcting my eating of the brain misconception. I am glad I am not banned fromt the comment section.
Im just saying. I was not shocked by the nazi cannibal. I was dissapointed. Go ahead, use visceral imagery. But stick to your inner landscape. Cheap shock tactics are for kids. Let's be grown ups and really put it out there.
Also, I have no idea why I got so riled up about the zombie vs. cannibal thing. I don't actually care.
What I care about is that this blog features good art and good text. I don't want to see cheap kid crap on it, like big boobied nazi cannibals being serviced. But this is just me. I am sure there are all sorts of people in touch with that need. Hence the site you mentioned.
I feel protective here. I feel the need to ask you take a higher route when exploring the inner life. It is scarier and more shocking than any nazi image could be.
And if you do take this higher road, I will most definitely stay tuned.
Mrs. Hall
Ms. Selena and Mr. Not Keith-
I wholeheartedly agree that his work reminds me of Robert Crumb. Did you ever see the documentary on Crumb? It explained a whole heck of lot about the artist.
Creepy documentary but I endorse it.
:)
Mrs. Hall
Yes I have, yes it is...
If you liked it, you should watch American Splendor- it is an excellent little flick- not a documentary, but it has Paul Giamatti; pre-sideways fame (in other words, good Giamatti.)
K moving on to the next post...
Tilly looks like a cross between Michaela Strachan, and Lowri Turner.
selena: hands - right with you on that one. However, you mentioned me in the same breath as Robert Crumb and so we must be married at once.
Mrs Hall: more big-boobed nazi cannibals? You got it.
michael: I was thinking more Kate Thornton and the Joker.
But Kate Thornton doesn't have a vagina!
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