Representation

Today my painting, "Number 6" , was received at the Creation Fine Arts Gallery, Yorkshire, and am informed that they really like it. There is nothing unusual in an artist being riddled with self doubt and I am just the same, so it was nice to know that they gave it the thumbs up. It will be part of their december exhibition and will only be available exclusively through the gallery during its time with them.

The painting is acrylic and spray paint on canvass and is a self portrait.......................although it doesnt resemble me much. But I dont think this is the point with self portraits anymore. Anything I do is basically a self portrait since it contains so much of me within it, even when I dont set out to make a self portrait it ends up being just that simply because of the reasons I had in mind when I was creating it.  There is a facebook page called "every  artist paints himself " and I very much agree.........but then I would, wouldnt I? haha

So the taster for my solo show at the gallery has gone and hopefully sells and creates interest and maybe I will start to send the odd painting to the gallery so that they can properly say they represent me..............doesnt that sound good? I should put that on my c.v., do  you think?

Represented by the Creation Fine Arts Gallery.......................

yes, that sounds good. I will do that tomorrow on my website.

In the meantime, remember my first and last commandment;

Love all , hurt none and walk in soft shoes.

Two lessons.

Its been a little while since I blogged. Apologies for that. Its been dificult. Anyhow, the other day I repainted a painting, destroying the original which was mostly chalk and pastel on canvas and quite unsatisfying. It is now completely oil painted and looking much more as it deserves to look.................like a painting !  The purchase of oils has taken me back to the days when I really enjoyed painting so...........Im now tempted to revisit older works in my studio and repaint them in oils. Im convinced it would improve each and every one of them.

The lesson here is two-fold.

1/  always use the medium that you can express yourself best in and not just the medium you can currently afford

2/ always be true to yourself when painting, or sculpting, or whatever your chosen discipline is.  There is no point in making art that is second rate in your own eyes.

At this point I was going to insert an image of the altered painting but of course technology isnt playing fairly with me at the moment so it will have to wait. Of course anyone who is a friend on facebook (Steve's 'artbeat) will already have seen the image. Others will simply have to wait until all the stars converge and the ability to magic up a picture happens.

Until then, Love All, Hurt None, and Walk in Soft Shoes.

and the winner is.............

....................yes, the winner is...............M E !

the piece I entered for the WindowsOn project not only got a centre spread in the exhibition brochure but also WON the PRIZE !!!!

This is a feeling rather alien to me, as you will know, and its more the sweeter as in the same exhibition was Scott Bridgwood................cant believe my work was voted better than his. Maybe it was because my work responded better to the theme of a cup half full. 

I titled my work in a manner I employed in 2007/8 in that it is just a catalogue number; Y2K13/12.

I now just use numbers on all my recent works but never with the year included. I decided to do that with this piece so that it can be identified with a specific WindowsOn project. I didnt do it last year, but in future years I will.

It is mixed media, employing collage, acrylic, oil, pva, on board. It will live outside with all the other works for a whole year and then will participate in a silent auction...............if it survives the winter weather. I have to say last years works did all manage to survive, but the collage aspect is a bit of an experiment. so watch this space next September !

On another note, I visited KLA for one of their open studio events and was persuaded to be an associate member again and to participate in their latest New Walk Museum exhibition and later they have one elsewhere.  It will keep me active .

I have today also, having knocked down a garden wall with my son Samuel, tidied up my little studio space, thus creating a little more space to move around in. I know how I want to make it, but thats another story and may never happen as I think I will need help.

Go to my website to see how my work is progressing.  

In the meantime, Love All, Hurt None and Walk in Soft Shoes.

Its been a long time since I said that !!!

just discovered..........

........... the website of a Spanish sculptor, Ramiro Megias Lopez, who I had the honour to meet not once but thrice. Once in the UK and twice in Granada. I saw his exhibition at that time (dont ask me what year it was as it all blurrs into one for me) of his figurative works, mostly, if not all, in terra cotta. Wonderful artwork. I also met him in the canteen of Granada University where he is a professor, when my friend Rafael Peralbo Cano, then a student of sculpture in that university, was showing me around (was Manoly with us? I cant actually recall, but I have a photo somewhere. I will have to find it to see). Rafa is now also a professor at that institution and I havent heard from him for several years, which is a shame. However, I have now sent a message to Ramiro hoping that he understands written English or can have it translated.

Its all happening at the moment. Have to make work for my solo show at Creation Fine Arts Gallery in Beverley next year (2014) so please keep the end of May free to come see the work and maybe even purchase some.

I have the charity event ON-WINDOW quite soon, where I give an artwork for display on the outside of the SUMO bar in Leicester. Catalogues are for sale on the opening date plus there is a craft market, and a band and bbq with funds going to a charity. Work stays there for a year.

What else?.................humm..................my work has taken a turn in my head. I now look at some of the work Ive been doing in the studio and realise that Marie-Louise Taylor was right when she said that I was playing safe. I think I will have to give some of this work away. For instance Number 1, I may just send to Maz so she can do what she wants with it...............hang it, hide it. paint over it. whatever !

I need to cut myself off from this safety . Its boring. The work is just what it is, nothing more. So disappointed with myself, but at least I now recognise this failing. The work from now on will be more................erm, more...........you know..............just more..............I dont know how to call it.

I have become a regular facebook chatter with, especially, a lady called Svetlana who lives, I think, in Prague. She and her partner have a gallery to show just their own work, which is very good. She thinks my works are good and has shared images with her friends in that part of the world. I say that part of the world, but actually she is all over the place it seems, currently participating in a group exhibition in Rome! She and her friends communicat on facebook with that language that doesnt look anything like we are used to, so sometimes she tells her friends to speak english just so that I can understand. Isnt that fantastic?

Anyway, time to go. So just have to say, Love all, hurt none and walk in soft shoes

Britain's got Artists 2013

I got one artwork accepted into this competition. Didnt win it, but still..... exposure......  The day out included visiting the Creation Gallery in Beverley which is hosting my solo show in 2014. Good gallery. Has a couple of large adverts and an article in this months Art of England magazine. Im inspired to be more professional with my output and presentation. The rest of the day was taken up in Halifax and the exhibition at UK-Arts gallery, where the Britains Got Art competition was held.  Long day, many hours spent in the car, which did my leg no good at all. Even though I was wearing my support tights , my right leg still swelled up to double the size of my left leg. Imagine what would have happened without the leggings !! Clearly my days in the taxi are numbered and so I MUST make it as an artist.  Now thats what I call MOTIVATION !!!

Anyhow, time to close with the usual, Love All, Hurt None, and Walk In Soft Shoes !!!

EXHIBITION PENCILLED IN

Had confirmation today that I have an exhibition with Creative Fine Arts Gallery, Beverly, Yorkshire in 2014 !  Have to confirm dates but its good to finally be appreciated.  Now, what do I show ?

Love all, hurt none and walk in soft shoes.

Yoo hoo, where are you?

Well, I googled the name Manuela Arias and lo and behold up popped my old friend in Spain and her blogspot page. Great, I thought, so I will come back to this later and make contact with her through blogspot.com.  Sadly, it didn't work the next time I tried. This time I got her twitter account ! So clicked on FOLLOW so I will know the next time she is on twitter..........will I ? Im not sure how twitter actually works. It seems very confusing. For instance, Stephen Fry has apparently left a twit on my page, but I dont know he would know me !

Anyway, back to Manuela Arias.  I can no longer find her blog page and its not like blogger has a search button..........which I think is a bit of a shame really, so if anybody does know Manuela, married to Juan Garcia (professor at Granada University) and friend of Rafa Peralbo (professor at Granada University) then please pass this on to her. I actually found something she emailed to somebody else about an illness she has, completely by accident, so I emailed her only to have her husband email me back telling me to contact him not her as she is now allergic to technology ! I have done that, but he doesnt reply. Nor does Rafa. Am I right in thinking that they dont want me to contact them anymore? Im not good with these sort of things. I dont know why people just cant say what they mean.

Anyway, not much in the way of art today, except that Manuela and Rafa are both artists.

OK, Im gonna keep searching so you folks should remember to Love all, hurt none and walk in soft shoes.

Adios amigos !! ;-)

since writing this post I have discovered that the Manuela Arias on twitter is NOT the one I used to know, and now I can get straight into her blogspot.com site, and that IS her , but nothing ever changes there. She doesnt seem to update it. Never mind, keep trying. oh, and Im now looking for somewhere to showcase my art in Spain as I just love the place.

ISSUU----- My Folio

Hope you all enjoy !

Love all, hurt none and walk in soft shoes.

NEWS

I have just updated my website;            www.steve-b-robinson.co.uk               . Also, I have entered the SKY TV portrait painter contest. If I make it to the regionals then there will be an appearance on tv sometime June, I think and then, if I make it to the nationals then defo tv appearance, painting live. Wow. Of course, the first hurdle is the hardest, but Im trying to be positive and telling the Universe what I want. Watch this space.

Love all, hurt none and walk in soft shoes.

Me interviews Me

thats another vlog done ! Hope you all liked it. Hope you all had a good Easter, not too many chocolate eggs or whatever. I am now looking forward to my first holiday with the other half of the sky for at least ten years this coming June. Hopefully it wont clash with the tv interview at Sky as Ive entered their portrait painter of the year competition. Im assuming I will be shortlisted for the regionals at least....... one has to remain confident and hopeful, doesnt one?

Anyway, thats all for now, so remember to Love all, hurt none, and walk in soft shoes.

Missing from Studio32

Been having trouble with youtube, but hopefully now its fixed. Not that I did anything. This is a very short vid, but it says all I need to say. This is always my aspiration in this medium, to say something in as few words as possible, but normally I get carried away !

Anyway, so far so good, had a great catchup with Maz, really want to go to the big smoke and see the Bowie exhibition, and considering Brixton this year but, since the holiday (first in how many years?!) is now looming it may be that I need to keep my money for spending on vacation.

Am considering my options regarding art. Have given myself a year to make my mind up/sell anything. Have set up an ETSY shop (SevenGatesFineArt).    Sevengates is an anagram of my and hers names, but dont tell everyone that. I can still change it to my actual name but you only get so many digits and Steve B. Robinson Fine Art isnt allowed. Any ideas/thoughts on this would be appreciated.

Well, thats all for now folks, so Love all, hurt none and walk in soft shoes.

The New Number 8

hope this video has uploaded to the blogsite, if not try to find it on youtube.

Love all, hurt none and walk in soft shoes.

Reunion Reunion

Met Maz at the railway station, had lunch (she paid, many thanks Maz !), a bit of girly shopping and took in the Leicester Open where the art was ok at best. I cant believe that one piece I entered was rejected whilst other real crap was accepted. Would love to know the criteria for success. Still they keep my money so for them, its a win win situation isnt it. Hmm.

Anyway, brought her to my studio at Sparkenhoe where she gave me very good advice, both about housekeeping in my studio (which I often think about but cant muster the energy) and about my art. She tells me Im playing safe and, you know what? She is absolutely right. Its why painting Number 8 is paining me so much. It has to go.

For a little while Im going down the abstract route. I have a sketchbook full of possibilities. I seem to be making art which is quite selfish really, and then wondering why nobody buys it so............abstracts are not so much about me, personally, and will therefore cause me less angst and may be liked by more people. As Ive said before, if I dont sell some work to fund future work then there will be no future work ! Are you listening Universe? lol.

Anyway, had a great two days with Maz, finished off by a wonderful day in Bradgate Park with the other half of my sky and the Molly-dog.  Cant ask for much more in life.

Love all, hurt none, and walk in soft shoes !!

Number 8 at 32. Ready for Maz

Hope this video can be seen. Having a little trouble with youtube at the moment.

Keep smiling though, and remember to love all, hurt none, and walk in soft shoes !

"Number 7"

So now this is the latest to come out of my Sparkenhoe Studio. It is titled " Number 7 " (all the work produced solely from this studio only bears a number as the titles were beginning........always have actually.......to threaten being better than the actual work ! he he he). It is mixed media on canvas, 50 x 50 cm.  My old Uni chumly, Maz, posts some really interesting photographs of herself on facebook, so , not being one to waste anything, Im using some of them as inspiration for my artwork. It isnt a portrait, as facially it looks nothing like her, but she was holding TWO glasses (why?) and wearing that interesting dress/top. I like round things so the dots immediately captured my attention. I dont know why I like round things, but I do. Anyway, it shows how Im loosening up, not worrying about draughtsmanship but embracing quirkyness. Allowing the inner me to express something about self  and, indeed, subject. I may transfer this style to capturing buildings in my local at some point too. I feel I am making headway, progress, and am not too far from realising my signature style.

However, that may take some time so, while we are waiting remember to Love All, Hurt None, and Walk in Soft Shoes.

Open 24; News, plus new work.

Well, I have now discovered, having visited the Museum in Leicester due to lack of ANY email from the organisers, that my one piece of work was not accepted into the Open24.  They did keep my money though so its win for them and if your work sells its win for them again ! Im in the wrong end of the business.............I should be organising my own open exhibitions ! lol ! OK, moving on...............

"Number 6 "

The latest work to come out of Studio 32. A self portrait wearing a laurel leaf crown as my name, Steven, means Crown. Its very loose, it has spray painted accents using stencils and it has ghostly figures in the background representing some of my alter-egos/personality facets (Im a Gemini; the twins ). I have even made two diferent styled stencils for my "tag"/signature. I used them both on this. It is acrylic on canvas, sized 50 x 50 cm.  This was my eureka moment. The moment I realised that this might be my way forward. Of course, Im not holding my breath as Ive said this before, lol !

Anyway, thats all for now folks so remember to Love All, Hurt None and Walk in Soft Shoes. Its the only religion you really need.

THENAKEDARTIST.COM

Hi everyone, first blog of 2013. Its hard to find anything to blog about these days but today I have two items.   The first is that I have entered one artwork into the Leicester Open 24, am still waiting to hear from them. However, Tim Fowler (of KLA ) heard a few days ago that all three of his works have been accepted ! I wonder why I havent heard yet. Are they still pondering? Does that mean Im on the edge? Cant they make their mind up? or do they leave the failures until the very last date to let us know? Hmm, well, they have to let me know by Friday so I suppose patience is the .......... er...........thingy..........oh dear, this keeps happening to me. Keep forgetting words, or even phrases, that should come easily to mind. They used to. Should I be concerned?

Should we be concerned that horse meat has been found in Beefburgers? Why the fuss, there has NEVER been any Ham in HAMBURGERS ! and Cheeseburgers seem to be prominantly made up of BEEFBURGER! Im a veggy these days, so I find myself chuckling at the dishonesty of most carnivours.

Oh, I almost forgot..............there I go again...........the second thing; I have just become an artist member of THENAKEDARTIST.COM and have uploaded two images to their website. No, it isnt what it looks like, there are no naked artists on it...............yet !! hehehehehe. You know what Im like !! lol.

Oh, and a third thing, not strictly about art, but I have booked a holiday in Benidorm for June this year. I know its probably like Blackpool with sun, all kissmequick hats etc., but its a holiday and its what we both need, me and the other half of my sky.

Anyway, no images, no videos, today, just words.  So, thats broken the ice of a new year but I will end with the old and comfortable; Love all, hurt none, and walk in soft shoes.