Okay, more blogging.

So last week, in a joyfully busy evening the kind of which I could never get away with if I had to teach in the near to middling future (this may be the rest of my life. don't laugh. till you see me at a mid week gallery opening drinking water - then congratulate me) I spent a joyful hour drawing and (not as begrudgingly as I'd have you believe) participating in an instance of the One Hour Plays as presented by the amoresome Matey Institute.

that was a very long sentence sorry. I have a job interview on friday to be an english teacher. Yeah that's right laugh.

Anyway. The show is basically sort of reduced shakespeare crossed with who's line is it anyway. There's lots of speedy improv which obviously is a bit risky if there isn't a lot of good quick witted and talented heads on hand - which there pretty much was. So I really enjoyed it.

The fantabulous Lorna Watts hanging bunting pre-show

The idea of the show is that starting from nothing the director Brendan Murphy and writer Bec Boey take a selection of actors and audience suggestions and create a ten minute play in an hour and perform it at the end. Costumes are made by Lorna Watts during the hour on stage using a singer sewing machine in an antique pram, and props are made by the audience using a limited selection of crafty bits and pieces. I can tell you a little what happened that night - but not what will happen if you get to see them do it again - the show is at the Edinburgh fringe for a week at Underbelly and at a variety of festivals over the summer - check out the listings here

putting together audience suggestions into 'The Balls in Your Court' a Greek Romantic Comedy set at a 1920s French Tennis club starring a wine seller, an alien and a 'naughty man'

character development

the great Bec Boey does a spot of performance poetry as an additional filler while the cast put on their new costumes. I'm sure there was a reason why I drew the cat in pyjamas. Pretty sure it wasn't actually there.

The final rendition of the play - an epic romance that will last forever in the hearts of those lucky enough to be there for its single rendition.

illustration of Vessels, for Amelia's - don't think it's posted yet, it has shiny collage and ink. yum.

I want to talk a bit about some cool stuff.

one of the good things about the PGCE (the bad things include it being super exhausting and confusing - but there's more good than bad) is that it's making me expose myself to a load more art than usual. This should continue when I'm teaching which is super cool.

Most of the big galleries have special private views for teachers where you can see paying exhibitions for free, yes please.

Also, I'm like, burrowing into the internets looking for hot examples of tonal graduation or reductive lino or aztec patterns or whatever that I can show to the kids and be like, check out this awesome use of tonal graduation. do that. I am happy that I know about awesome art blogs like brown paper bag, Ballad Of featured, Illustration Rally, to name but a few.

I've seen awesome new inspirationstuff like Liesl Pfeffer's awesome photo collages
Lulu Allison's slightly creepy but beautiful papercuts
Anna See's lovely bird lino prints (i loves the birds you know)

I also went to the National Gallery yesterday on an inset thing, and fell in love with Van Gogh's Two Crabs. Little bit more famous. Check out those colours and tonal definitions tho. hot.


While I was there I saw the temporary free instalation of Clive Head's London paintings - if you like London I thoroughly recomend it. super awesome. Makes the point properly that painting wins over photography really, and that London is awesome also.

Heylow.

I want to talk a bit about some awesome stuff that i have seen and done recently.

I went to the Cicus Bookazine blog slam with Amelia ('s magazine) which was a somewhat unique experience. Can something be somewhat unique? yes. I wrote all about it and posted my sketchings here.

this is Bangs and a Bun - one of the contributing readers.

Then on the PeeGeeCeeEee I've been doing some arty project work with kids like this awesome London cityscape they made.
I am not very good at being a teacher yet, but it's early days.

Then on Thursday I attended the Make Space Studios open studios to help launch a design company I'm, i think the best word is affiliated, with Splash Graphic Design.

I love open studio events, (tho I have no desire to go to all of them - you can have too much of a good thing) you get all the different types of creatives hanging out together and you get exposed to things you wouldn't have seen otherwise. They're better than degree shows I think, although the standard of work is just as variable, because everyone that's there is really determined, or at least successful.

Some fun illustrators like Katie Leamon who does, you know, like birds and swirls and pretty stuff. I don't know whether Tom Leamon is her lover or her brother, I could find out but I prefer not to, but I super love his big eye prints check this out


hot eh?

I also got talking to some nice film makers at Unthank who are super aces. here is one of their videos.

Toy Cars & Grave Yards - an unthank ident from unthank on Vimeo.

I get a bit confused when i start putting other people's who are not me work up here, so here is something wot i made to finish off.

it is of celebrities.