Orbits 44...."It's more important than that"

The late great Bill Shankley who used to be manager of English football team Liverpool F.C once said something along the lines of "some people think Football is a matter of life and death...they're wrong,It's more important than that!"...I think the same thing about art (literature too, but i'll stick with the visual arts if you'll pardon me). In these days of 'The Credit Crunch' global downturns in the markets...bailouts and bank crashes...you'll be forgiven for considering art as a frivolity..a luxuriant extra.perhaps the acquisition of art commercially has slowed.but the relevance for art has never been more vital. Art is the heart and soul of a communities identity, it is the culture and foundation...but also the aspiration, the inspiration...it is worth so much more than just money..it is something beyond the life of it's creators bearing the riches of it's nature into the future far beyond our life expectation...it can help us make sense of ourselves and our world..it causes us to question..to rejoice..the regret..to revolt..to find perspective and at the same time wonderment and other worldliness.

My art to me has become my life..I sit at home in my little bedroom...I work...I try to take time off..but those days are not what I live for.I take pride in my work, but I feel dissatisfied with it which is good, because it propels me towards making the next piece 'The one'. but sometimes art passes beyond the visual and even beyond the object that it is...it's when it touches or brings us into contact with others who we wouldn't normally have met...sometimes it becomes more important than we could imagine.


I hope you'll forgive me Claudine, but I wanted just to mention that it is through my art that I became aware of you and your battle against breast cancer. you have commented with great generosity of heart about my work and that in itself is wonderful..but you mentioned that you aim to fight your decease and aim to come to see my work...and that is something I find to be an incredible privilege...and a deeply moving prospect. Art is a matter of life and death..it is also more important than that..it bridges cultures, it bridges nationalities and oceans..it transcends our awareness and invades our lives taking our minds and bodies to greater places.

I am thankful that my art has brought me such meaningful and wonderful friendships with people i have never met. I'm sure all my readers would like to join in me and wish Claudine a speedy and prompt recovery..that her battle against this enemy is successful. Please take some time to drop by her blog which you'll find here.It's not in English..but your comments will be read and understood.

Today I've been working on introducing the clouds that i spoke of yesterday..a lot of the composition is vertical..I wanted to add balance by creating a wider effect..a vista..next you'll see how I plan to enhance this effect.

Having completed Honey's stockings..I begin to make waves!I firstly pencil in some guide lines..then dot along these to denote the waves

Gradually making the line closer and less distinct towards the horizon..also making sure not to make them too uniform..

Finally having darkened the horizon and broken some of the lines to give the effect of the waves, I start to add texture to the foreground. The panel I'm working on here between honey's legs and her staff is nearly finished..the area to the right has yet to be given the detailing...I then go over to the left of the staff and then the end of my work is really in sight.