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. 

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... 😂 

 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 ?

  

A little ballerina time lapse. I’ll have the finished photo up tomorrow

 

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. 

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 

This is "Zaza in Pink" taken from the posespace website. 

It is an oil painting measuring approx. 28x16" 

Ballet Feet

So staying on the Ballerina theme. Here's an oil painting of ballet feet.

It measures 15x13" approx. in the frame.

Ballerina Irinav

This is taken from the Posepsace website and is the model "IrinaV".

Its an oil painting measuring approx. 10x8 unframed.

Price £295. Framed

Dance Little Sister

This is a pencil sketch of , yes my younger sister dancing at a wedding.

Bob Marley and Donald Kinsey

I've been neglecting my blog a bit lately so I'll try harder again this year. 

The Bob Marley oil painting has been up on here before but not Donald.

Donald Kinsey goes way back in the history of The Wailers so I had to re-unite them here on my blog.

Donald asked for his painting so it now proudly resides with him in the USA. 

Bob is still available for sale at The Bare Wall Gallery in Thorganby nr York, U.K.  

Thanks for looking. 

One Boy and his Dog

I found the reference photo for this in a 1961 Photography yearbook and the photographer was renowned Herefordshire man , Derek Evans who passed away in 2009. 

He donated his archive to the local council and they are currently sorting them all out for an exhibition.

I contacted them about this and they are happy that I use and sell it if , if I can. 

They do however insist that the image is not used further , for cards etc. 

I changed it about a bit. 

--
Posted By Karl S to  Monk Fryston Art Club on 11/02/2017 01:35:00 pm

Boston Spa 2017

I'm showing some work at the Boston Spa Arts festival this weekend Oct 134th-14th.

I'll have some better photos later but for now this is a shot my my set up. 

So in order from top left I have a mixture of some miniature still lifes then , "Spiky Dreams", "Flat Capper" , "There Will be an answer" (tribute to Paul McCartney) , Charlie Chaplin 1 and 2 then a Charlie Chaplin triptych and finally "Enraptured" which is a painting of a young woman looking up at The church in Montepulciano, Italy.

Scribblings and sketches

Just a few things I've done and or working on thes last few weeks. 

Just had my Art Models 10 book delivered from posespace.com 

So should get a few more figurative drawings done. 

Charlie Chaplin Triptych homage

This graphite pencil work measures 30"x 9.5" unframed.

I'll have it for sale at all three upcoming exhibitions.

Monk Fryston Sunday 1st October 

Boston Spa 13th-14th October

Carlton and Snaith Art show 15th Oct

Unless of course it is sold at either one of those.

I intend to frame it before sale so as yet price is unknown but around the £150 mark.

Offers accepted beforehand. 

Email me karlsimpson1285@btinternet.com For further info or questions. 

Boston Spa Arts Festival 2017

This will be my second year at this festival. Really enjoyed last years which led to a follow up enquiry where I sold " Lady Grey" 

You're not allowed to show any work that you've exhibited there before so I'll hopefully have enough new work to show.

Which brings me to my current work in progress.  

Sir Paul as a young man. 

Here's the link to the festival.

October 13th -14th 

http://www.bostonspaartsfestival.co.uk/

Posespace model charcoal

I did this whilst at my local Art club.  Nice little warm up sketch. 

Realism drawing

I cant believe its been so long since I posted on here. Time flies but I haven't been having fun !

Well maybe some of the time I have.

Anyway enough of the lame excuses , here's a drawing I did from a 1930's Photography Yearbook and the photographer was A Kuncius from Lithuania, I don't know too much about him but i'm learning a little more whenever I surf the net.
This took me about 16-20hrs but I've seen some Youtube videos that claim their drawings took 600hrs or 200hrs. That's insane.

Enjoy, thanks for looking

Art Workshop with Steven Lingham and Julie Asher Lee

I often hear people say to me " I wish I could paint" , well here's a chance to learn from two professional artists.

Steven Lingham.

Steven Lingham is a British wildlife artist based in Yorkshire. Working mainly in oils his work covers a multitude of subjects including birds, mammals, insects and landscapes, and now adds still life and people portrait paintings to his repertoire. Steven's award winning distinctive style shows incredible attention to detail, and stunning lighting effects. His work has sold to collectors worldwide either as originals or fine art limited edition prints. Steven is regularly invited to paint commissions and welcomes any enquiries should his work schedule permit.

www.stevenlingham.com

Julie Asher Lee 

Julie was born in the heartland of America. Her playground was the scenic woods and rolling hills of central Missouri. She was raised in a large family of artists and craftsmen who had a love for the outdoors and were actively involved in local wildlife conservation efforts. Her family participated in the rehabilitation of a variety of animals and birds. It was these early hands-on experiences that afforded her a greater understanding and appreciation for wildlife, something that would follow her into adulthood and her career as an artist. Additionally, her older brothers had a love of history, especially the mountain man culture of the early fur trade. Working along side them, Julie learned how to tan hides and make buckskin clothing. She observed the art of making traditional bows from bodark, in addition to beading deerskin bags and moccasins. In the early 1990's, Julie relocated to the plains of North Texas, a rich and diverse land of big skies and vast prairies. Living on a working cattle ranch has afforded her the opportunity to immerse herself in Texas culture. It is this rich mixture of backgrounds that gives Julie the love for her subject matter and inspiration for her paintings.

Self taught, Julie began her career in 2007 as a scenic artist for local theatre groups, along with painting murals for local businesses. She began teaching at a fine arts school in Fort Worth in 2010. In 2012, Julie decided to take a leap of faith and step out as a full time fine artist. Her career has flourished ever since. In 2014, Julie was commissioned by the Chisholm Trail Outdoor Museum to paint murals and historical depictions for their new attraction, the Big Bear Native American Museum. This led to her obtaining a studio at the same museum, the perfect setting in which to view her artwork from sketch to completion.

Julie specializes in representational western scenes, landscapes and wildlife. She is represented by The Warhorse Gallery in Dublin, TX and The Bare Wall Gallery in the UK. For more information, or to purchase work or contact her for a commission, please email at julie@julieasherlee.com or call 817-487- 2478. You can follow Julie on Twitter @julieleeart, Facebook or Instagram.

http://julieasherlee.com

Art workshop, Friday April 14th, 9am until 5pm (Good Friday).

This is a rare opportunity to learn from two professional artists, Julie Asher Lee and Steven Lingham.

Following their joint exhibition at The Bare Wall Gallery, the weekend before, they are hosting a one-off workshop at the gallery.

Julie will be teaching an in-depth lesson on colour theory, which will include mixing colour, tonal values to render form. 

Steven will be teaching the various stages of his signature bird oil paintings from start to finish.

The fee for the day is £100 per person, which is paid in advance.

Space is limited.

Deadline for booking date: April 1st.

For further details and payment methods, please contact Steven via email: info@stevenlingham.com