my mind drifted briefly in church today, for some reason I started to think about anthropomorphic stories, if that is the right word for animal tales which really seem to tell human stories, eg Wind in the willows which I much prefer before toad makes an appearence but if I am right in thiinking although it is about a waterrat, a mole and a badger, it is really about human behaviour and characters, then toad tells us that as well as being capable of being saints and devils, people are capable of being clowns too.

Anyway to get to the point I thought no one seems to write stroies from the viewpoint of slugs, do they... moles,(Duncton wood) rabbits (Watership Down) Whales (Whale) etc, but not about slugs, perhaps there is a fundamental sympathy problem.

In a hole lived a slug, not a nasty dry clean dry hole, but a lovely damp, dark smelly hole. It wasn't much but it was home to sluggy. Sluggy was black and of course , slimy. His mname was sluggy as already mentioned. Now one day sluggy had an adventure; he got eaten.

the end.

mmm. not bad but I think the end needs work, also the beginning ... and perhaps the middle...

here is a phot of a nice rainbow from this morning there was actually a double one but I was in a hurry (going to church) and just managed to snap this just before it faded away, coming right down to the beach. Also one of the drawings from Angel, I am afraid he looks like a flasher from this angle.

I went to Souter lighthouse yesterday on my bike and deliberately left my camera at home and took my sketchpad, did 4 drawings so felt quite pleased with myself. Sold a painting throught the week (have I mentioned this?) which always cheers one up briefly.

talking about cheerfulness:

man to another man: 'what are you smiling about?'

other man: 'I've just got a happy feeling'

man: ' don't worry; it will soon wear off.'

other man'?????????'

FELT LIKE A PROPER ARTIST YESTERDAY, went out with my sketchbook and folding chair and drew the Angel of the North in situ. It's quite challenging in terms of proportion and perspective. Also took a few photos here is one I fiddled with. Having some trouble uploading pictures, but not this one for some reason!

It is easy to become rutted in working from photos and letting drawing from life become a distant memory.

its funny how being up before the sun makes me feel almost virtuous, whereas of course it isn't not unless I'm doing something virtuous like saying my prayers or washing last night's dishes or cleaning the cat's box.

Nevertheless It felt good to be out and about on my bike this morning, Just south of my house; a beautiful arrangement of planet and two stars, then along the riverside and then to Whitley Bay in time to see the sun break through the clouds over the sea.



I think I've been putting too many photo's on the blog, so here are some drawings and paintings,





One of a series of Holy Islands I'm busy on; a watercolour of a butterfly cutout, ( painted to look cut out rather than actually cut out you understand (trompe l'eoile or something- can never spell or pronounce it; it means a picture to fool the eye(I think))

a drawing of some boxes with perspective errors, and a still life of bottles done this tuesday evening.


Not necessarily in that order and the still life a little wonky.

I leaned a new phrase yesterday: anticrepuscular rays. These will be our only defense if Mars Attacks!

well I found my zoom! turns out I'd switched it inadvertently off. HERE are a couple of photos to keep things ticking over, a fine sky from a while back lovely clouds, and some light reflected on the river tyne, canny dramatic.
On a more personal note I must stop cycling with my mouth open, 2 flies in one ride! wouldn't so bad if they tasted nice.





Now for some reason in one of my classes the conversation seemed to briefly turn to the question what is the point of art, and this is a question I occasionally reflect upon myself. Of course one could be very serious and consider whether anything has a point because if there is no point or purpose in the whole show so to speak then there can be no point or purpose in a small element of the whole show such as a few people making art.

mmmmmm. To take another line of thought I read a quote by Oscar Wilde to the effect of; 'art is useless: like a rose' Did he mean that just as we accept the beauty and smell of a rose as making it unquestionably worth existing, or did he mean that the point of art is to be something other than practical and what's the word???? utilitarian, ie art exists in the space beyond or above usefulness?

Anyway to take it off at a tangent we know of course that roses are far from 'useless' since their purpose is to attract insects which when they have visited leave with pollen which pollinate other roses and hence lead to propagation. Does art then attract people and does good art ensure that when people come away they leave carrying something about their persons akin to pollen?? I know that soemetimes I come away from a gallery or exhibitlion feeling very disappointed that I didn't 'get anything' from it, some(not all) contemporary art can seem to me quite empty, but so can some traditional art. Perhaps mine seems empty to some others. mmmmmmmmm well that's enough pondering for now, I'm listening to Jethro Tull again.

here's a few more pictures, my camera seems to have lost zoom but still got a few nice pictures at the weekend. Lovely sun. and water too!
the drawing is a bit blurry due to photographing by dim light.

I don't know if it's just 'cause I'm
noticing them but there seem to be a lot more crows around, come the evening and the chimneys and rooftops around where I live are practically colonised by them. I remember being told that unlike rooks, crows are solitary creatures: not the ones around here. Anyway; here is a crow on the rocks at the river across from the Groyne in South Shields which I think is an interesting building especially with sun on or mist about it. The phot with sun on the water is for Tania because she likes the sun sparkling on water(don't we all?)


the top photo cost me a tumble in a tangle of weeds as I tried to find a new view of the familiar tyne landscape. I think it was worth it.

yet another photo of st Mary's Island taken this week , a little slanty I think Also some alto cumulus (I think) in the evening by the Norham road overpass bridge thingy.

here also is the painting I painted on tuesday, it needs something in the bottom I think.

this photo was taken in the Quarry, Whitley bay I think its nice.

If anyone wants to paint it be my guesssst.

no wonder I couldn't see any difference, it was the same photo.

Here are the two stages but unfortunately the light is different so the difference in painting isn't so clear, the one on the right is the most recent image; the softened shading is most obvious on the right but I've added a little more subtle blue to the underside of both flowers., I'm not sure that the cooler green is better.

mmmmmmmmmmmmmm??????????? back to the easel??????

I went out taking pics of horses to draw in my wednesday class, Im not sure if this one will be suitable. was it pleased to see me? or just an excitable animal?

here's a slightly adjusted painting I don't know if it looks any different but changed the green on stem and softened some of the shading on leaves, didn't want it too smooth.

listening to Split by the Groundhogs, classic!

just checked: no, it doesn't really look any different.