Rugby Open Exhibition 2022

 Heard today that I'd got two works accepted for the Rugby Open 2022. They are my two "fruit" pictures I made around the food festival earlier in the year: Apples and Pears and Figs

I submitted the Pink Chrysanthemum as well, but that didn't make tthe cut.There were over 500 entries this year, but I don't yet know how many that was whitled down to. The preview event is on Friday evening, then the exhibition runs from 3 December until 4 February 2023.

Self Portrait in Blue

 I noticed that the Ruth Borchard self portrait prize is coming up at the beginning of next year. That meant it was getting on for two years since I did the last one. An interesting two years ago. Interesting times as they say. My beard is certainly whiter now.

My life is unexpectedly busy now, being deeply involved in setting up Art at the Alex, so I have to take every little opportunity to do some work. I did a couple of drawings last week and then did the whole cutting and printing this weekend as my "public performance" at the two artist days here.

Some people commented that I don't look happy, but that's my natural drawing face. I do look Kind of Blue, hence the heavy use of blue ink and the title.

As an aside, I have tried pulling faces to draw, a la Rembrandt, and it's quite hard to keep it up. Your face hurts afterwards. So to get something that recognisably me, you tend to get my "looking" and drawing face. There's only so many things I can do at the same time.

The picture is a photo of a print hanging up to dry, hence slightly distorted, but the colours are pretty true. I might replace it later with a scan, or maybe not.

PS. Decided to just add the scan at the bottom - this one's maybe a bit bright, but there you go. You'll have to see it in real life to decide.