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All artwork for sale contact me by email karlsimpson1285@btinternet.com

Monday 22 July 2024

 Hey, hello, its been a while hasn't it ?

I don't think anyone uses blogger anymore but looking back on some of my posts ii'm surprised they don't.


New work coming soon and my website will be up soon too.

I am on the stage this year at Boston Spa Arts festival in October along with Hilary Burnett Cooper and I've just undertaken my first ever demo at York Art society.

I'm also running a 5 week portrait class. It's all happening. 


Friday 5 November 2021

Torn.

 I'm sat on a train to Banbury to collect a car and drive it back up north to a customer.

They'll have it for a week or so and another employee will drive it back to Banbury. I know this because I do just that a few times a week. Today though there is no car to drive so its all the way on a train.

I would of course rather be painting. Why aren't I then.

Because I'm waiting to be "discovered"

That's the issue facing the young man in the book I'm reading, "The Kite Runner".

He's hoping to write stories. The fact I'm reading his book means he got, "discovered"

OK so to get discovered as a painter I need to paint more or paint better, or both.

Right now I can't do either. Yesterday I finally got a date for my shoulder operation to repair a torn tendon. Currently I can paint for about twenty mins on a flat surface, but that means small paintings.

I like to paint big. The operation is in January then I'll have six weeks in a sling. I may have to paint left handed. Does that mean I'll switch to the right side of my brain. 😂

I recall seeing the movie of this book many years ago, maybe not all of it. It didn't stick In my mind too much but there again it must have as I'm now reading it. Something must have hung around enough for be to reach for the book as I perused the second hand book shop. 

It's a story that reveals much of the life of a young Afghan boy in the 70s long before any wars. It seems a peaceful life until the Russian invasion. The countryside is described as beautiful. He paints a great picture of his home. 

My paintings are good (he says modestly) but clearly not good enough. Or shocking enough, or they don't have a story, or a message, or a fight attached to them. 

Am I playing safe?

I have ideas for paintings that will surprise my friends or maybe even society. 

They will reveal facets about me that i've kept to myself, closest friends and family. In fact in that sense then they won't surorise my nearest and dearest at all. 

So do I paint them?  I'll be sticking my head above the parapet, and opening myself to public scrutiny, to the murky scary world of online opinion. To keyboard social media warriors ready and waiting to attack from the safety of four brick walls and a catchy anonymous name. 

And for what? Fame, money, notoriety. 

I get annoyed when I see artists who have found fame and therefore potentially money that follows who I feel are inferior in skill to me. 

I do though have to accept they have been "discovered" and in doing so have opened themselves to the world at large. 

That takes guts. Artists create work that is part of their very being and allow it to be seen by many. 

Am I ready for that.... 

Am I ready to suffer the slings and arrows... 

Well I'm getting a sling.... The arrow may have to wait a bit longer... 😂 


Wednesday 7 April 2021


 So apologies for the delay but here is the finished and framed painting , "The Ballerina".


It is now sold. 

I had real fund creating this as it was my first real dabble into filming the whole process. I have uploaded them all onto YouTube too. Aren't I clever ?

  

Friday 13 November 2020

Shelby , small oil painting.


 This little beauty sold at my Yorkshire Ales show. I put a lovely wooden frame on it. 

Painting from Hong Ly reference


 I’ve gone loose on this one and surprisingly it went well and quickly done to this point. 


Wednesday 5 August 2020

Solo show at Yorkshire Ales, Snaith

I'm under no illusion that people reading this around the world will be encouraged to attend an art event in Snaith, UK but hey its something to talk about. The location is The Yorkshire Ales public house, Snaith E. Yorkshire. Aug 27th from 7pm.

I will have approx 12 paintings for sale ranging from £95 to £1800.

This will be the third attempt to host it after Floods then covid forced us to cancel earlier dates. Having said that, through word of mouth and social media three paintings have already sold as they've been on display since March albeit the pub wasn't  open.
This painting here is the biggest on show being approx 4ft tall. 
Email. Me for further details. 
karlsimpson1285@btinternet.com