Seb Palmer

I almost forgot to post this, such was the overwhelming fun I was having with my own original art efforts!

But today, this new (and only recently published) book arrived. Companion to a recent British Museum exhibition, that I tragically missed. Well, at least I’ve got the book!

Above, one of the better known works in this publication. As ever, with Picasso, the rich diversity and rampant fecundity of his work are truly staggering.

It’s amazing how Picasso takes in whole traditions of art – rather like a Bacchic Epicurean, drinking in great draughts of wine – imbibing whole cultures in great lusty swigs. It’s truly astonishing.

Sometimes, as in the black and white pair of prints above, it’s only in the presence of the images, and I mean even just in their book form (doubtless much better still ‘in the flesh’), that their impact can really be felt.

I haven’t read any of the text yet, to speak of. But I already love the book. Based purely on my passion for Picasso.

What an artist he was! And what a source of inspiration he is, to me. Pablo Ruiz Picasso… I love you, forever!

Rather amazingly, at least to my mind, after soooo many years ‘in the wilderness’, it seems to me, I might have (inadvertently?) made the proverbial ‘trip to Hell in gasoline pants’, and come back with something…

Could it be that various of my loves are meeting – to use the name of my groop that never (yet?) was – in a sublime Convergence!?

It does seem that way to me. And, totally bizarrely, unlooked for, and unforeseen, I find that music (jazz, mostly), drums/drummers and art, are all starting to coalesce into something.

And what’s more, something I love, and have deep, deep feelings for. I’m kind of blown away by this. And it gives me hope…

I’m enjoying this stuff. Clearly it’s some form of colour exploration. Shapes/forms? Less interesting. Needs something more… for sure.

So where next, I wonder?

Well, turns out, where next was Morrisons/B&Q car park! Kind of waiting for another shift. But also working on these little art works.

Mention of artwork reminds me that I went to The Works, Wisbech, and purchased some more of these handy acrylic pens. Or as they call them ‘paint markers’.

I quite like the fact that there are ghostly chevrons underneath several layers of material. And at these shine forth, ever so slightly.

Suppose that’s very much in keeping with the palimpsestic nature of my artistic process?

LATER…

I’m going to try using Gadd’s hands, and mixing them in, with the colour grids of the Gaddiments. See where that goes…

LATER STILL…

Soooo… work continues on these Gadd related pieces. And how strange that I should start doing my Gaddiments and then find it’s his 80th birthday, within just one or two days of starting!?

I like the above, particularly. I think because it’s the least worked. The most immediate. I feel that my whole massive over-layering/over-working schtick is a bit too effort-full.

And what I ultimately want is, like Gadd’s drumming, or Picasso’s sketching/painting, is effortless mastery!

This is an attempt to further develop the Gaddiments idea. Not sure where it’s all headed, to be honest!

Time to start on the opposite page…

The first of this pair could be described, rhythmically, as an inverted paradiddle over a funky bass drum, with splashed quarters… to those in the know. The second, immediately above, is another inverted paradiddle, but over a samba foot pattern.

I was inspired to try these experiments after watching a bunch of YT videos of Ruben Van Roon(?), where he admires, watches, analyses and demos numerous Steve Gadd rudiment based grooves, licks, fills, and so on.

I forgot to snap Step Two (pastels, mostly white/cream).

The idea is that I will loosely incorporate some of these rhythmic ideas into some visual artworks, in an exploratory way. And see if I can thereby generate anything visually worthwhile.

It’s ’oily days’, at the minute… wonder where it’ll take me?

Fiddling about with more or less black and white variants… Maybe I can explore with pencil drawings? In inks, or black and white paint? Or as prints… I like processing images digitally as a means to explore more possibilities.

And ditto, with some colour fiddling…

And finally…

The art continues to ‘flow’…

This Sun Ra strangeness cropped up for me today, via mosaic.com. Makes me think I ought to read John Szwed’s biography…

And here’s a link to a talk he gave in 1971.

This is a very, very beautiful book.

I’m no expert on Brit Jazz. And even this terrific tome prob’ won’t change that, on its own. But I bought it for several reasons: it’s simple aesthetic appeal, first and fivemost; to learn more about the evolution of Jazz, on these Septic Isles of ours; and, perhaps – time and funds permitting – to allow me to build a little collection of some of this music?

I’m British, and I love and have even played quite a lot of jazz. So exploring the work of fellow jazz enthusiasts and musicians, this side of The Pond, seems quite natural. That said, as a consumer of mostly American jazz (and related forms), I have – like many ‘over here’, quite possibly? – pursued those interests in my own little bubble.

Turns out…