Inktober 2025

 I wasn't feeling it so much this year but I stuck with it to the end. Glad I did. It's always worth drawing even if you don't want to.

Paradise Lost

 This print is another that started from some of the life drawings I did in August. I decided to combine two separate drawings - together they seemed to give a vibe of alertness, if not alarm. And a naked man and a naked woman imply Adam and Eve, so I needed to include fruit. I did consider the serpent but you can just presume he's scarpered. And something blowing in at the window that has captured their attention.

The still life dates from the time of Lockdown - a course I'd signed up for ended up on Zoom, so we ended up doing still lifes off a screen.  Far from ideal but at least I have suitable drawings in my collection. And the window I pinched from Matisse. Cuz he's a great painter of open windows. 

Four colours meant a lot of cutting, especially as the print area is around A3. I think it was worth it, but having just finished, all the flaws are waving at me right now. 

Luke 23:34

 I had the idea of doing a crucifixion earlier this year, but the drawings weren't working so I put it aside.

But now, but now. 

As I mentioned in the last post, I worked through the initial shock and grief of Charlie's assassination. Worked through it not only in the hours spent cutting some recalcitrant blocks, but also absorbing myself in all the chores that I could find. Having done that, I felt I was in a place to try this again. And it has come out okay. Some bits are better than others, but there's plenty in it to make the effort worthwhile.

I think its worth tackling a biblical subject. It's a kind of test. It asks the question, "Is the Age of Postmodern Irony over?" I certainly think it's weakened. We might see some major art coming up, sneaking in at the edges, that actually means it. 

Girl with Cat (I think)

 Haven't finally decided title yest, but simple seems best. 

This one started out as one of last month's life drawings, but I felt she needed something extra. Hence the cat. A focus for her attention. The two colour blocks are wood. As usual rubbish from the shed. It was hard and splintery, so my hands are suffering for it now. But I've needed the pain over the past few days. And the single-minded focus to help me process the tragic deatth of Charlie Kirk. The print may seem a bit anodyne, but all my grief for Charlie is in it.

Busman's holiday

 Just did five solid days of life drawing at the Oxford Arts and Crafts Summer Scool. Run by Laura Degenhardt with Anthony, Peter and Naomi as models. I've come away groaning under tthe weight of who knows how many drawings. I feel there are plenty of things in there that will emerge in future work, and also got to try out a number of things, many of which I already have in my posession. I feel energised and ready to attack some of the ideas I've felt too jaded to even look at recently. Anyway here are a few of the drawings...

 

Lette Matrimoniale

 This one came together over the second half of Warwickshire Open Studios. I've been thinking about doing bed pictures since the exhibition in Mala Beds. I remembered that Lette Matrimoniale is what they say for double bed in Italy. Or at least they used to. The bed is very vaguely based on one we bought at an auction when we were newly together. 

I like the idea of her hiding behind the blanket. It could be she's being cheekily seductive, or maybe she's just woken from a scary dream. Make up your own story.

Fallen from Olympus VIII

 I think this really is the last one, now. It's been good to have some obsessions to follow though. I'm pleased with how the pinstripe trousers have worked out. I spent some time yesterday staring at the back of some guy's trousers yesterday to try and work out how the shadows go. Making them pinstripe worke out well too. This is another drawing (the guy's head anyway) thatt dates back some years - around 2021, I think. Then I constructed the body out of other random passers by over the last day or two. A bit like Dr Frankenstein, really.