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've worked on the increasingly tedious stones today...should finish this very soon.

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 I'm now at the stage where I will bring the sky down towards the horizon...this should speed up production time as it beomes lighter!

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I think I've just about finished the upper portion of the sky now...I just need to refine the features on the Moon..then I can start to work down towards the horizon.

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Blurred photo...sorry...

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Further work on the clouds...I'm not happy with the leaning dark cloud, so I'll balance it up at a later date. Recently I've been listening to a lot of music...I have a huge collection of album and CD's dating back to my childhood. ..and it never ceases to amaze me that there is always something new to discover that fits perfectly with one's tastes. It happened this week. I'm a big fan of what they call Progressive Rock as typified by bands such as Genesis, Yes, Pink Floyd etc...so I was very surprised to discover a swedish band called The Flower Kings who made their first recording in 1995 and incorporate all the things that make for good 'Prog'..wonderful stuff...I can just set it playing and work away to it. what do you think? this is part one of a longer piece...

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Worked well today...managed around six hours of dotting. the main process here is to lay down a fairly even layer of dots, then fill in areas to denote the clouds edges. I'm feeling my way slowly as I'm not sure of the final cloud formations.But it's fun in a sort of way letting areas suggest themselves as I go along!

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The worst thing about being demotivated is that one is inclined to spend fewer hours working ...this in turn means the piece takes longer to finish and become even more tedious.Not that I'm finding this piece tedious, but it has altered radically from my original intent. I found myself going through my original sketches for this composition and reconfiguring my concept which might mean I can executee 'Tables 2' at a later date. I also have a good series of sketches developing for a colour self portrait. (Doesn't sound like demotivating does it?)

Yesterday I had to make good use of the warm weather and get out to do some gardening. Which really only meant cut the grass and get rid of some overgrown Buddleias which were obscuring my Japanese Maple tree. Heavy physical gardening, hefting lawnmower about and sawing  and pruning  always causes my hands to hurt and tremble...which impairs my ability to do delicate and intricate dotting.This usually eases in around 48 hours and I can work properly again.So that was another reason for reduced time today. The good news is, that tomorrow I Should be back to full capacity..!

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View from the battlements.

I'm finding it a real challenge at the moment to concentrate on my vision. I tend to plow a very lonely furrow often not speaking to any adults for days. I read recently that William Blake quote which says something along the lines of "I must create a system, or be enslaved by another man's." However. the system I create is fallible and imperfect ....and alone I continue...and in many ways i've learned that I shall be alone.

 I apologise for the lack of progress on 'Tables' today. But here is a photograph I posted on Face Book at the weekend of a rainbow seen from my bedroom window. It's got me thinking  (and sketching!!) about how few artists have managed to render correctly and effectively it's luminescence.

I think I can....watch this space!

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Started work on the sky today and completed the body of the locomotive. Not much else to say.

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Sorry for the no show yesterday. Had stomach cramps and felt quite under the weather.So lay around watching daytime TV. I've also had battle s with self doubt over my work..this has been going on for some time and is (when looked at objectively) a symptom of working for day after day alone in my room concentrating on small areas. Pictures completed go into a large plastic bag and live down by the side of my wardrobe. Nobody gets to see them until I get them framed and out to exhibition. the result of this down patch has been I have no major exhibition this year.  I'm off to the Willington Arts Festival in a few weeks for a three day show...then nothing until possibly September.

I think many people find my work awkward and difficult to deal with. I certainly find it difficult to open my heart and discuss what at times are very sensitive issues to me resulting from a difficult childhood.The are times I don't want to be open, but I have a responsibility to the true nature behind my work and to sit and see people just drift by them in a exhibition is almost impossible for me to bear at times.... So if you'll forgive the illogicality of the thought..it's better not to have an exhibition than to continually tell strangers about my mother's alcoholism (which is key to my expression) and why there's yet another frilly knickered Cello girl staring out at the viewer.This is easy when I'm on top of things, but hell when I'm not.

Which brings me to today's post. Yes there were supposed to be two cello girls...yes there was going to be a Cancan dancer and an airman. but after much thought, I've decided to stick with an earlier concept to reduce the area of the picture leaving the central character as the Mad vicar. So this I have done which will mean the piece will be completed sooner. I think (if my nerve permits it) dedicate a picture at a later time to my beloved Cello girls yet again.

Anyway... having said all that, I still have some distance to go with the current drawing. there's a moon up in a darkened sky..and what's going on the floor?....see you tomorrow.

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I started the day with a distinct lack of omph! You know the feeling!? It's that point when as a kid we say "I'm bored!"..but there is never ever any excuse for being bored. there is always something you can do ! With me, I need to either get out and do some physical activity or surround and bombard my senses with things that I've found to inspire me. so; comfy chair...ear phones...loud music and sketchbook. OK, so sometimes a bottle of wine or some other wonderful whisky or rum or brandy will be involved. But that is all...I once had a conversation with a friend's son who just couldn't believe that i didn't use drugs (Ok so alcohol and caffeine are active drugs, but they aren't illegal!)...I've never used illicit drugs or been offered them. In fact I consider it lame, weak and utterly foolish to use them. My imagination is a place of infinite images and dreams as it is..

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Just passed the 70 hour mark working on this piece. My work today was confined to the afternoon period and found me listening to the final of the world Cup Cricket Tournament between Sri Lanka and India..was very exciting and I was pleased that India won. this evening is another evening at home, but a nice bottle of red wine awaits!

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Worked a few less hours today...but was able to add more to the locomotive. If you're interested, it's a British Rail class 55 'Deltic'.So called because the engine's pistons were arranged in a triangular system which looked like a delta shape. the engine was made by the Napier Deltic company who are most well known for marine engines. At the time of it's manufacture between 1961 ( the year of my birth!) and 1962, the loco was the most powerful in the world. Built to pull trains up the British east coast between Kings cross in London and Edinburgh Waverly in Scotland. with a top speed of 100 MPH, there were only 22 units made which continued in service until the end of 1981. six examples are preserved in private ownership. They were named after Derby winners, a prestigious horse race and famous military regemints.The names reflected the pedigree nature of these machines.

For a boy trainspotter such as myself living in the Midlands..it was nigh impossible to see these beasts unless one traveled to the East Coast Mainline.Thus they achieved almost mythical status. Then to actually stand in the presence of one of these machines especially under the enclosed roofing of York railway station, you could feel the air vibrate and throb with the deep growling of the twin Napier Deltic engines.

By the time I was independent enough to travel alone, I had no money to afford tickets...then by the time I could afford tickets..they had been scrapped! Luckily today, six still survive and run on preserved lines around the country. I have yet to travel behind one....one day! Below is a video curtesy of you tube which shows the sight and sound of  preserved Deltc 55 022 'Royal Scots Grey' leaving York station on 8th August 2008! turn up the volume!