Stage three : the reds and yellows

Ok so I wasn’t feeling the love when I got in but some Pet Shop Boys on iTunes, a mail from a good friend and a hearty meal woke me up.

I’ve decided to paint out the blacks and take some artistic license with the base of the painting.

I got quite a rhythm going with the reds and yellows (covering my arm in paints in the process)

I’m going to stop here and let it dry throughly for a few days before staring again. I’m in danger of making the sun bigger with every new coat!

I like the proportions now, the colours feel vibrant enough. I need to come back and layer the mist at the bottom before labelling out the sky (which I kind of hate at this point)

It’s not a million miles from where I want it to be but it wouldn’t be me if I didn’t repaint it at least once an annoy myself for painting over something good!

I’m relying on you to tell me when to stop!

Anyway, let me know what you think of progress so far…

My current mood resembles “Electric Blue”

“My current mood resembles electric blue” – PM Dawn

And it’s true – I spent the day on London and had a nice time walking around, taking in exhibitions and people watching but unknown to me I came away at the end of the day feeling empty and down.

I should have been visiting Varnishing Day at the Royal Academy but like lots of other people I was not successful in entering this years Summer Exhibition and went into town to collect my painting.

I shouldn’t feel down as there was an extremely high number of entries this year (over 11,000 apparently). Some of the paintings that were leaving the gallery looked fantastic – one can only hope the calibre of the works that got through really were exceptional.

I was a little narked that the RA did not wrap my painting – I was expected to turn up with something to protect it but no one told me this. When I asked for some bubble wrap etc they looked at me as if I had a disease! I am sure the amount of money the RA rake in with entries, attendance and sales at the exhibition they could stretch to a bit of bubble wrap!

I did however have an interesting day away from the RA.

I stopped by the new Saatchi Gallery in Duke of Yorks Square just off Sloane Square. It’s an eclectic mix of work but very interesting.

Cher-cavara!

I did wonder why the gallery smelt of oil and when I visited the lower ground gallery I found out – the whole exhibit is a floor of crude oil – it made for a very interesting piece which perfectly reflected the minimal interior of the gallery.

Crude (oil) art

Another noticeable exhibit was a room full of speakers which emitted various noises – this at points could be heard throughout the gallery.

Speakers

I really didn’t know what to expect but ended up really enjoying the visit. The Joan Crawford alphabet was a particular favourite!

Joan Crawford Alphabet

I had a wander around Sloane Square (snapping lots of Elephants on display in the area), before heading over to Hyde Park. The rose garden was looking (and smelling lovely) and I noticed the abundance of colour and life in the park and along the Serpentine – I love summer. Even London is in full bloom.

I walked the mile to the Serpentine Gallery with the intention of seeing the latest exhibit and having lunch in this years pavilion cafe. Sadly the pavilion is still being built and the exhibition (Nairy Baghramian
and Phyllida Barlow) was terrible. In fact I think I spent all of ten minutes in there – I am glad I didn’t pay to get in!

Following a long walk back through Hyde Park I made my way over to Piccadilly where I stopped for lunch (by now ravenous) and then to the RA to collect my painting.

Today has given me lots of opportunity to try out my PEN and I have to say I am even more impressed. It coped well in all lighting conditions, the battery life is still going (three days and about 600 photos + videos) after charging and I just love the ease of use and ultimately the clarity of the shots.

So not a bad day – tainted by the RA, but I will try again next year. I just need to buy some canvas and get painting.

I wanted to leave you with the really interesting video – it’s of an installation in the Saatchi gallery. Sadly WordPress does not allow me to embed my Vimeo video so you have to make do with crappy You Tube I am afraid.

Anyway, this is a set of clocks which all work in unison to show the time – I have titled the video “A minute at the Saatchi gallery” – bare with it as the time change is mesmerising:

What a farce!

It’s been a varied week this week, thankfully capped with a bank holiday.

My direct boss left on Friday so there were the usual hand overs, team lunches and goodbyes to contend with.

I attended the team lunch under some protest as we went to an Indian Curry House. I don’t eat spicy food and am allergic to tomatoes so for me this was torture. I should willing and went, ordering a Chicken Tikka and sharing my Directors spinach cheese dish only to be ill when I returned home that evening.

This pissed me off even more as I was already hacked off that my allergy was brushed aside so that we could instead go to a restaurant which pandered to my colleagues moral and religious beliefs.

Anyway my boss has left so I am staring into a new world (with no current replacement boss) on Tuesday.

Friday evening I attended another leaving party at the rather pretentious Corney and Barrow at St Pauls. I feel my Qype review just about summed the place up!

Typically the bank holiday weather is poor but it hasn’t stopped us getting out.

On a rain-soaked Saturday we travelled into the West End where we attended a production of Bedroom Farce. It’s a play based in the 70′s which features the lives of 4 couples. It’s quite mild and not much of a farce but we did enjoy it and appeared to laugh quite a lot.

Afterwards we caught up with some friends in the Ku Bar. I got plenty of ribbing for my meeting with Dillon but no where near as much as Richard as he bought an iPad the day before.

Our choice of restaurant was full so we took a chance and popped into Nando’s in Covent Garden. What a mistake that was! The service was dreadful. The waiters didn’t know where any of the tables were. Our food took 30 minutes to arrive and all arrived at different times. Two of our dishes went to a different table and when we’d finished we were asked if we had other food on the way. It was an absolute joke. I never did like Nando’s and this just reinforced my opinion.

It was fun in there but I am starting to feel like a middle-aged gay may (at 36!) as most of the guys look pre-pubescent! I don’t ever remember being that aware or fortunate at that age but I am pleased younger guys can do much these days. Although I am reminded by the documentaries Gareth Thomas has worked on that homophobia is still very prevalent in the UK today.

So yes Richard bought an iPad and even though I was reluctant it does have its uses. For one it’s great to own a computer which boots up instantly. The OS is nice too which gives me high hopes for the new iPhone. It’s also very fast. I cannot get use to the accelerometer in it though as it feels alien in such a big device.

I’ve been playing around with Robo.to and find it quite quirky. Basically it’s a micro site you set up so people can view all your online content in one place. I love the instant repeat videos (which work on iPhone) and the home screen icons which automatically create a photo icon of the user when saved (nice touch). Why not give it a go?

Trunkguy Candy has had a lot of interest and reblogs. Thanks for that! I decided to update Trunk Guy to reflect that new developments.

As featured on Trunk Guy Candy

I have not heard anything yet re my application of work to the Royal Academy’s’ Summer Exhibition. Hopefully I’ll find out sooner rather than later. Please keep everything crossed for me.

I write this on Sunday morning in the car as we head up to Charlecote Park. The weathers not great but it’s dry and our picnic is packed. I am sure there will be plenty of photos for you to view on our return.

Whatever you’re doing this weekend, have fun.