Floating

The latest addition to my series of drawings of camellia, the national flower of Yunnan. This charcoal drawing is 29x42cm

Flux Open Studios this weekend

You are invited to join us for our Open Studios at Vanguard Court SE5 8QT to meet both new and world-established makers. Incredible range of hand-crafted art and design - and a glass of mulled wine too!

Preparation for new silver bowl

Adding the finishing touches to some of my new paintings. Then I'll be ready to start a new silver butterfly bowl this week, with paintings as my starting point

Pontobosio Mist

I've enjoyed playing with ink in the last few days, remembering atmospheric walks in Italy at new year. Now I'm back in London, it's fun to recreate my own abstract version of the morning mist-covered mountains that were all around us, near a village called Pontobosio.  Here's a small selection: 

Sketch 1, 2014

I've enjoyed doing a more precise drawing, alongside the looser palette knife paintings, since coming back to London after New Year. This is a small teacup on my Puer teatray. I like the patterns of word carvings in the wood.

It's been added to 'sketch'   . 

New Blossom Bowls

Blossom bowl still-life paintings are well underway.....

Teacup with blue fish and blossom

Teacup on black table

Philip Rhys Matthews solo exhibition at GX Gallery

Locomotive

It was fantastic to be at the Private View of Photographer Philip Rhys Matthews, at GX Gallery in Camberwell last night. I was impressed to hear about the amount of painstaking work and research that goes in to each photoshoot, from the detailed embroidery he did himself for the Chinese costume, to the printing of images on to silk for the backdrops. I liked the size of the prints and the fact that each photograph is printed on rag pearl giving a warmth of tone.

Fiscal Cure

Fiscal Cure, Fiscal Cancer is an incredible first solo exhibition for this recently graduated young photographer, with his well researched reference to fine art while exploring current issues about East/West relations, in the context of stunning fashion photography. I wish him every success in his career and will be fascinated to see how his work progresses in the future.

Seeing the elaborate costume and accessories in the show reminded me of traditional Chinese Empress costumes. In December I will hear Jung Chang speaking at the V&A about her new book,  'Empress Dowager Cixi: The concubine who launched Modern China'. Having heard Jung Chang speak before, I'm really looking forward to this one.

Royal Ulster Academy Annual Exhibition

I'm flying back for the Private View tomorrow evening at the Ulster Museum and can't wait to see the wide range of art, especially all the paintings, and to meet the artists. Some names are familiar to me from exhibitions years ago and from the BP Portrait Awards in London, and now I'll see these incredible artists all in one venue, back in Belfast. Fantastic!

.....and of course I'm really looking forward to seeing my very own Blossom Bowl on show at the RUA Exhibition!

The exhibition opens to the public on the 18th October.

Blossom Bowl 

London Irish Centre

I had a great evening in Camden Square recently at The London Irish Centre. I was there for an Art Exhibition Ireland in Our Eyes. There was a great atmosphere with upbeat Irish music (I don't hear it that often in London!) by Jim McKee and chatting to the artists. I knew two of the artists - one, a friend Jamie, and the other, Corin, is a sculptor whose studio is next to us at Flux in Camberwell. He had a very successful show.

I also liked this quote from Seamus Heaney which I read there:

'I can't think of a case where poems changed the world, 

but what they do is change people's understanding 

of what's going on in the world.'

Masterpiece 2. Bill Viola

Lifespans

I was so pleased to see the new Bill Viola video 'Lifespans' premièred at Masterpiece through his London Gallery Blain Southern. I chatted to a helpful person from the gallery about Viola, who is one of the most influential artists of our time and one of my all-time favourites. I was delighted to hear about a new installation by Viola which will be coming to St Paul's sometime soon. The first of its kind, it will be a permanent installation in the cathedral. I'm looking forward to seeing that.

I've loved his work ever since I was mesmerised by it at the Tate Modern years ago - slow-motion videos in reverse, of people diving into water. Mesmerising and meditative, the room was packed full of silent crowds, immersed in the darkened room with four large screen videos. Very special to experience art like for the first time: ground-breaking art that which slows you down to reflect on life.

This interview with Viola, in which he explains the underlying reason for his fascination with water, is worth watching.