Author: Seb Palmer

I’m enjoying doing these Golgotha sketches. I’ve no idea how good or successful they may be. But I feel I’ve worked the idea up n’ away from my Picassian sources.

Here I’m trying – as I do a fair bit these days, I s’pose? – to utilise white as the linear definition, in places. Black is obviously clearer and stronger. But it’s nice to try and use both, I think.

I also want to explore more avenues with this series. The green-ish trouser/body/bridge/building object, is intended in part as a cadaver, of some sort.

There shall be blood!

It’s interesting what different lighting conditions do…

I saw a YT bassist wearing this T. Found it on sale here. Another item for the ‘want not need’ wish list!

Having discovered the existence of this place only yesterday, I went back today, for the full Shed experience (it was closed Tuesday!).

I spent about three hours there, chatting with folk, after getting the tour from a nice guy called Dave (or ‘Lord Dave’, as he introduced himself!)

I wound up in the above female dominated Crafting Area. And had a lovely time. I had taken the wherewithal to frame my two prints of the art pieces I recently did for Dan.

Using my new angled cutter was interesting. I botched both attempts a bit, but was able to remedy them well enough to be satisfied for a first go.

I’ve been listening to a lot of Herbie Mann, in the car. And loving it. So the above is a ‘first state’ exploration of an Herbie inspired piece.

I think this initial idea is a bit too literal. I want to abstractify it more. So I will…

LATER…

So, some time later… much later. So much so, it’s another day. Another newer version. Which I like better.

From before the dumbass Americans re-elected the orange clown: Top 10

More recently: SNL

I’ve often driven past this old abandoned church. And wanted to stop and look. Now it has a for sale/sold sign posted outside. So, I finally stopped, and took a wander around it. It was locked, alas. So I could’nae look inside.

I read online that it’s a Grade II listed building, thought to date to 1878 (so not that old!); the asking price was quoted as £75K! Not that much, really. In todays’ market.

A bit further down the same road, there’s a little pond. Never ever seen anyone making use of it! Sad, really. I stopped a d ate my lunch there. Wrote a pome, as well!

So, I keep working on a few ideas. I hope something good might come of these explorations.

Time to take a break and continue trying to book some paying work… as ever!

Can’t stop tweaking it!

LATER…

Found a fab new location for sitting, snacking/eating, etc. and drawing, reading, n’ all that.

This seems better than the previous one. Bolder, simpler, stronger. Just, um… better.

FOOTNOTE: Sunny Daze…

Sitting in my car, in the blazing sunshine, and looking through the sketchpad I brought along, I was struck by the light coming through the pages… I like these images, and I feel the process of layering by backlight could prove quite fruitful, perhaps? Who knows!

One of these pics also highlights the texture some of these pieces are acquiring. The combo of the grain of the paper, and the varied mediums, in this case pastels, creates some interesting textures.

I have a bit of music by Sun Ra, on CD and mp3. But not much. I’ve seen a couple of documentaries about him, as well. Rather like Frank Zappa, he’s someone I find captivatingly interesting, whilst not quite knowing or liking all (or even very much?) of his recorded musical legacy.

One of the many things I love about both Zappa and Sun Ra is their ornery charisma. They were who they were. End of… The World had better take note!

I’ve tended to feel I must hide away, to survive being ‘different’. I admire these artists for their, ‘fuck y’all… I’m taking my brand of madness to the world!’ That makes it sound aggressive and negative. And there are times when those notes dominate with both Zappa and Ra.

But I think their love of music, artistic freedom, and exploration, are all much more powerful and attractive aspects of their fecund creativity. And in these respects, what they do – not always easy or ‘beautiful’ (and certainly not commercial!) – reminds me of Picasso, in terms of untrammelled and volcanic artistic energy.

I must and will acquire both this fabulous looking book, and at the very least, listen to and explore a lot more of Sun Ra’s fascinating musical universe.

And to that end, I just ordered the above, on CD.

Hmmm… Well, you can’t win ‘em’ all. Not much in the way of making art today. And this – the above – is all there was.

The black and white pen drawing? Well… hmmm!? I s’pose it’s me trying to be boldly, bravely, foolishly unfiltered. It’s a bit cartoony, to be honest. I don’t like it, as is. Is it going anywhere? I’ve no idea!

I wanted to work a bit on contorted hands, in this wee interlude. That’s what these am. Again, none too chuffed. But is there any mileage in any of this? Again… no idea!

I s’pose at least this means I’m taking some risks? maybe there’s something sculptural I can get from some of the hand studies?

Hmmm!?

I think I’ve improved the black and white pen and ink version, somewhat. Maybe I can explore the ideas within it more? We shall see…

I gathered together most of my Picasso library just now. I know there are some titles that are missing. Not sure offhand where they are?

But it’s nice to see most of them together. And a reminder that as well as looking at the pictures – the main reason for having most of these books – I may also want to read some of them!