Helnwein and Hopper

Back to the painting... This one is entitled Gestalt. I spent longer than I normally would on this painting. It was an idea that required a laboured look... so I laboured. Technically there were some diffficulties (which was good)... Stone can be problematic. The duck is there for the protein content. This one is slightly inspired by the work of Edward Hopper and Gottfried Helnwein - Helnwein has also visited Hopper paintings in his own work, most notably, 'Nighthawks'. I have used Helnwein cues in my work in the past: Rocket Lollies and ducks. I've always liked the absurd or unusual, especially when used in a fine art context as a departure from the classical. I feel Helnwein and Hopper have this quality, both in their own way.

Advice from Gordon...

While in Japan for the G8 summit, Gordon Brown has urged the UK to stop throwing food away, in order to lessen the blow of inflated food prices. In the UK we throw away around 30% of the food we buy. So we can assume that John Prescott threw away £1500 of food on expenses in 2006... thus lessening the blow of spending his own money and burdening the taxpayer. The fat bastard... In fact, isn't Prescott Bulimic :)... so he'd have hueyed some deliberately too... After delivering his piece Gordon sat down to a six course working lunch and dinner (the meal after Countdown but before Newsnight) was reported to be eight courses. I bet he's been saving up for that all year. Anyway, on a lighter note I have asked the North Korean Embassy if they could ask Kim Jong Il if he wants the portrait I painted for him. See below.

Rogue Gene Weekend

Spent the weekend (28-29 June) with Rogue Gene in Addingham. The event was hosted and sponsored by member Tony Broadbent, who also laid on rucks of free Artois. It was a great weekend which saw John Boyle, Kosana Marton, Aitch, Mike Finley, TB, Amanda Hunt and myself all under one roof. Andrea farmer was sadly not able to attend. John Boyle uses and endorses Buckfast sherry (ignore what it says on the label). It's the first time I've allowed my carry out to be drunk by the Scottish. Made by Benedictine Monks my arse... that's a translation error that should read: Made from benzine by monkeys....For an eclectic mix of contemporary work, visit Rogue Gene at:

http://www.roguegenecollective.com/

One party politics...

How long has Mugabe got to live? He's 85. A good crack in the chops might do it. In the UK you can only stand for election if you are not insane. They do it differently in Zimbabwe. It's like North Korea but without food.

Derek... the sheepdog's bollocks.

Derek the Sheep - After Gary Northfield.

Derek

I am proud to announce that I have been given permission to paint a portrait of Derek the Sheep (from The Beano). Nice one. Nicholas Parsons will have to wait... Derek is drawn by comic illustrator and artist Gary Northfield...

http://www.garynorthfield.co.uk/

Shit Idea...

It dawned on me that the people of the UK didn't elect Gordon Brown to represent them... that's probably why he isn't representing us. He's ignoring us. He says he has the best interests of the British people in mind. So he allows scientists to clone us with pigs... expands Heathrow Airport again... refuses to ban cluster munitions... poured taxpayers money into failing banks... scrapping lowest taxation rate... Ratifying the Lisbon Treaty without a referendum... refusing to build more prisons and letting prisoners free early... Shit Ideas. The only way he'll win the next election is if he employs Robert Mugabe as his campaign manager. How far out of touch can you be with the will of the average man and woman?

Also, this government have announced that Margaret Thatcher will receive a State Funeral when she comes to the end of her days. Shit idea. We're still sucking the poison out of the Thatcher years...