Exhibited, published, awarded.

After being included in an exhibition at Patchings Gallery, my painting “Along the A614” was published in Painters Online magazine as a result of winning the Clairefontaine Award. It was then also selected and shown in the Thoresby Gallery Open Exhibition.

 

 In search of new ideas this month I also painted two quick self-portraits, and three experimental paintings. The third of these was also a parody of a David Hockney's "Flight Into of Italy". I call my Flight out of Liverpool..

 

Thoresby Park stepped back into my life to a small degree when I was invited to  attended a VIP buffet and lecture about the war years on the estate, as well as contribute my memories of Lady Manvers to the Nottingham Uni History Dept. A most enjoyable afternoon, and I was able to contribute / clarify some information the speaker was unsure of.

 All text, pros, poetry & artwork, copyright Ian Gordon Craig.

Drawing August #drawingaugust

My entire journal for August comprised sketches of various locations in Nottingham. This was part of the Twitter collaboration, #drawingaugust, and raised my profile and Follower statistic considerably. The music I chose for this month's video was my cover of “Don't Get Around Much Any More”.

You can watch my journal for August on THIS LINK.

Below: The homeless guy is called Frank, the dog Sasha.

All text, pros, poetry & artwork, copyright Ian Gordon Craig.

The white heat has gone from the iron.

Sat on the Grass. (poem).

 

Like Winston and Julia Underneath the tree,

That wasn't her, And it wasn't me.

 

Currently reading Scott Fitzgerald's The Beautiful and the Damned: “The white heat has gone from the iron and the glow from the coal”. This month's sketchbook diary reflected that mood:

 

In spite of the art award, in spite of being exhibited, I'm actually bored with painting now. I need something new. Is it too late to change my career options?

Below: Went to Skegness on my own for my annual day trip. Didn't stay very long.

 

 

Below: Sketching on Robin Hood’s Hill:

Below: Clumber Park:

 

 

All text, pros, poetry & artwork, copyright Ian Gordon Craig.

On my selfie in june.

Summer failed to arrive on time. Inside, away from the rain, I painted a quick self-portrait instead of making the usual series of (almost) one-a-day sketches. Acrylics on stretched paper, not intended to be anything too permanent. However, I do like the result.

Whilst my painting “Along the A614” is hanging on a wall in Patchings Gallery I received news that I've been chosen for the Claire-Fontaine award. £100 of art materials.

Went to the cinema to see “Behind the Candelabra".

 All text, pros, poetry & artwork, copyright Ian Gordon Craig.

Forget me nots & Maybe nots.

 

This month saw the Forget-Me-Nots I first planted way back in 1985 return in full bloom. They never fail.

My thoughts have been turning once again to writing instead of painting. But I have spent time making pencil crayon sketches of various Nottingham places for the Twitter challenge and art theme #drawingugust.

Went to the cinema, to see DiCaprio’s “The Great Gatsby.” It was awful.

All text, pros, poetry & artwork, copyright Ian Gordon Craig.

Accepted in April.

I have received an acceptance letter for Patchings Open 2013. The painting they chose was “Along the A614”. (THIS LINK).

This month’s sketchbook diary is about  places visited. Hardly any.

All text, pros, & artwork, copyright Ian Gordon Craig.

March around Carrington.

This month’s sketchbook diary is about my morning regime, a brisk walk around my neighborhood to get the circulation going.

The snow is returning.

All text, pros, poetry & artwork, copyright Ian Gordon Craig.

An empty seat & Childhood in Thoresby.

This month’s sketchbook video diary is about empty seats:

Above: Dukeries Childhood, was to be part of a triptych, but it looks better as a stand alone item. The person is from an old black and white photograph of my brother. The house is Three Gables, Thoresby Park, in which we lived as children. Magpies will take small treasures away if you're not careful.

 All text, pros, poetry & artwork, copyright Ian Gordon Craig.

Selfies and snow.

Above: Sherwood Forest.

Instead of a written diary, I intend making a sketchbook journal for every month this year, a practice I started last December. This month’s theme is self-portrait.

Outside the studio the snow is thawing.

All text, pros, poetry & artwork, copyright Ian Gordon Craig.

Dull December days.

 

I don't keep a written diary beyond these posts. However, as an experiment, I’ve started to make a video journal using small artworks for each day of the month.

 These December pieces for this month's video journal, are perhaps particularly solitary in nature, repeating the view from my studio window at passing times of the day.

 All artwork & text copyright Ian G Craig.

Out of Season.

 

I made my annual trip to Skegness but, having now painted all I wanted to about the subject, and visiting the town so late out of season, it was maybe one visit too many. Sunny and quite warm, but more familiar than fun. Video of the day on Skegness Day Trip.

 

Above: One of my paintings, Colston Bassett Church (c.2009) SOLD from Christie’s Framers.

All artwork & text copyright Ian G Craig.

Summer success.

 Below: I’m having a good season! Three paintings in an exhibition at Thoresby Courtyard Gallery:

 Below: One selected for the prestigious Patchings Gallery exhibition.

 

Below: Selected as Editor’s Choice for inclusion in Painters Online magazine. It makes no sense to me whatsoever, that Patchings Art Centre rejected this piece, and yet it is published as Editor's Choice in what is effectively their magazine. More about this artwork on THIS LINK.

Below: My work on public display (at their invitation), at Christie Frames:

Below: The Malt Cross Inn asked me if I would submit some scans of the sketches I did inside their venue, to be a part of their lottery / heritage bid. Some of these are now more than a couple of years old, so I do like it when they get their day in the sun:

 All text, pros, photos & artwork, copyright Ian Gordon Craig.

Skegness revisited. "Skeggie Day"

 

 About six years ago I had an idea for a painting. It was about a girl on a deserted beach. I wrote about it on THIS LINK, but never made the painting I envisaged. Instead, I painted Tower Cinema, Skegness, and although I was very pleased with that result, I regretted not sticking to my original idea. So, this month I asked a friend to pose for my original concept.

We had to cheat. Rather than travelling to the coast I got her to stand on a fence in Clumber Park, it presenting the right perspective of the figure against the sky. For the pier and the breakers, I had enough resources already from previous trips. After completing the painting I also wrote a poem about the day trip which would be published in my book "46 Contemporary Poems".

All text, pros, photos & artwork, copyright Ian Gordon Craig.

Back into the Sherwood.

 Last month’s renewed motivation continues with a walk every morning around the block, regular breaks in the studio, and a frozen pack of peas on my shoulder at the end of the day’s session. I also gently exercise to stretch the tendons. The only thing I don’t like about making art is when I have to stop. The only cure for the post-painting blues is to start the next one. At present I have two on the go, both continuing with a Sherwood Forest theme.

In both works I am wanting to express something about Time; The mangle and the farm equipment rusting away whilst the forest is sleeping, awaiting Spring.
 
 All artwork & text copyright Ian G Craig.

 

 

Sketches, syringes, and a sunrise.

 High winds at the start of the year made it necessary to have my beautiful conifer cut down. I remember planting it in 1985 with a then girlfriend of mine. Sad to have had to lose it.

The tendons in my shoulder are still giving me trouble. The cortisone jabs did nothing to improve things, and I think I’m on my third physiotherapist. Nevertheless, if I’m careful with my posture I’m still able to make art.

 

 

I have actually finished my painting of  Sherwood Forest Sunrise. I abandoned it for months and painted over the entire tree section in black, thinking I might return to it one day and use a light-over-dark technique. The only thing that stopped me putting it in the bin was a small area of sky on the left which I always liked. 

 

Above: Whilst waiting for my date in The Lincolnshire Poacher, Nottingham, the above cat sat perched on a bar stool beside me. I'm not too fond of cats, but as I had my sketchbook with me, I ventured a quick sketch. I call it Pub Cat.

 All artwork & text copyright Ian G Craig.

Skeggie Day.

 Skeggie Day.

A railcard ticket
To Lincolnshire’s coastline,
“Which way are we facing?”
We’re going back in time,
For a day beside the seaside
The rain did not stop play,
On Skeggie day.

Snakes and ladder fingers
On the backseat of the train,
Slipping her the whiskey,
She slipped it back again.
In a place of cloudless fancy
Only kite strings blocked the way,
On Skeggie day.

Under the Boardwalk, Up on the Roof,
“Above the age for drinking?”
The landlord asked for proof.
Photographing footprints
All along the beach,
So close to the salty edge,
But always out of reach.
Walking away,
On Skeggie day.

The ice-cream van stood frozen,
 The bandstand had no band,
Just Betty Boop mementos
For a Jolly Fisherman.
He thinks he’s on a promise,
A saucy postcard date,
But Betty left too early,
And the Clock Tower’s always late.
Time ticks away,
On Skeggie day.

A penny for the arcade
Soon comes to push and shove,
As four and twenty seagulls
Refrained from making love,
Swoop down on deep fried chickens,
Their favourite fast-food prey.
Cheap Take-Away,
On Skeggie day.

The tin skinned street art lady,
Trapped in her pantomime,
Waves secret hand-sign signals,
That passion is no crime.
She pays for rusting tea breaks
With small change from her jar.
Her day job is a statue,
By night she works the bar.
She has no time to play
On my Skeggie day.

The cinema on the High Street
Is showing “G.I. Blues”,
They haven’t changed the programme there
Since nineteen sixty-two.
A balding breathless doorman
In braided uniform,
Has a look of recognition,
Thinks he’s seen me there before.
He checks the tickets at the kiosk,
Checks himself out in the glass,
Checks the sidewalk for a certain girl
Who’s way above his class.
Perhaps a lack of judgement?
It’s not for me to say.
I leave him to his fate
On Skeggie day.

Returning to the station,
The train is running late,
The driver’s in his swimwear,
Been on a heavy date.
I take my seat inside the carriage,
Take a moment to reflect,
Take a photo for a memory
Not finished with me yet.
In the pages of my sketchbook
The pencils from my trips
All draw upon the good times,
Plus all the empty bits.
I’ve said too much already,
There’s nothing left to say
About Skeggie day.

Now plastic Disney figures
In fairgrounds long shut down,
All chat about the summer
When I still came around.
There’s no-one left to heed now
Their wind metallic voice,
They stand there for no reason,
They do it out of choice.
Before a wintry snowman
Took them all away,
On Skeggie Day.


All text copyright ian g craig. See also THIS PAINTING.

Note: "Skeggie" is a common nickname for Skegness.

An updated version of this poem would be published in my book "46 Contemporary Poems".