SOMEWHERE OVER THE RAINBOW...

FULL OF REMORSE, I AM A NEGLECTFUL BLOG OWNER.

THINGS HAVE BEEN WILD IN CRUNCHVILLE  
RECENTLY JUGGLING JOBS AND LIFESTYLES 

(MOSTLY JUST PLAYING XBOX  

AND READING COMICS.)

HERE IS A MOLESKINE PORTRAIT I FELT INSPIRED  
TO PEN WHILST LOOKING THROUGH A BOX OF OLD  
PHOTOS IN MY GRANDADS EMPTY HOUSE. 

AT THIS POINT IN MY LIFE IT HAS BECOME APPARENT  
TO ME JUST HOW MUCH PHOTOGRAPHS  
FREAK ME OUT. 

ESPECIALLY OLD PHOTOGRAPHS OF MYSELF,

(THIS BEING ONE OF THEM.)

FOR ME IT IS LIKE LOOKING AT ANOTHER LIFE, 

ONE TAINTED WITH REJECTION AND  
DISAPPOINTMENT IN MYSELF
(OH HOW WE ONLY REMEMBER THE BAD!)
I WASN'T PRETTY ENOUGH OR  
MASSIVELY OUTSPOKEN OR CONFIDENT.

I WANTED TO BE  

JUDY GARLAND.

BALLET WAS MY THING.

MOST NIGHTS I WOULD TRAIN TO COMPETE,  
TO BE THE BEST I COULD BE. 

I DON'T THINK I WILL EVER LOVE SOMETHING  
AS MUCH AS I LOVED TO DANCE.

ANYWAY TO CUT A LONG STORY SHORT,  
WE ALL KNOW WHAT THESE THINGS RESULT IN: 

FOR THE LUCKY FEW A ROMANTIC CAREER,  

FOR ME A HANGOVER  

AND A TAKEAWAY.

I'M NOT BITTER, I LOVE MY LIFE.

IT JUST MAKES ME SAD ON  

OCCASSION WHEN I STUMBLE  

ACROSS THAT LITTLE GIRL  

IN THE RED SHOES  

WITH SO MUCH PROMISE.

HOW MUCH I'D LOVE TO TELL A 2-18 YEAR OLD ME  

"DON'T LET ANYBODY TELL YOU  

THAT YOU AREN'T GOOD ENOUGH" (CLICHE) 

      

I WANT THIS ON A T-SHIRT, I AM GOING TO GET THIS ON A T-SHIRT!

THIS GIRL IS DEFINATELY ONE TO WATCH OUT FOR.

HER CRAFTY PEN AND INK WORK TRULY BLOWS MY MIND.

CHECK OUT CHARLIE'S FANTASTIC WORK AT:

http://monochromebib.blogspot.com

HERE ARE SOME PORTRAITS

FROM MY DEGREE SHOW.

ALL DRAWN WITH THE USUAL WEAPON OF CHOICE  

MY SLICCI PEN BUT FOR THE  

SOLID BLACK SECTIONS THIS TIME  

I USED BLACK PAPER.

I MADE PHOTOCOPIES OF A RETRO  

PATTERNED PILLOWCASE  

AND USED THIS AS A BACKGROUND

FOR THE FINAL PIECES.

I ALSO USED PHOTOCOPIES OF FRAMES  

TO FRAME MY PIECES. 

SOME MORE PORTRAITS IN THIS SERIES 

CAN BE SEEN UP THERE^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^  

AS MY BLOG HEADER.    

GAGA #3

GAGA #2

GAGA #1

THANK YOU FOR THIS PHOTO....

 FROM THE RECENT COLLATE PRESENTS  

   "MULL IT OVER" EXHIBITION,BRIGHTON.

CREDIT TO JAMIE O'MARA.

CHEERS M'DEARS!

I DON'T LIKE MOLESKINES. TELL ME WHY !

I KNOW I SHOULD / FEEL LIKE I MUST.

SO MUCH PRESSURE LOOMS OVER ME TO FILL  

THEM TO THE BRIM WITH GLORIOUS THINGS.

I DON'T REALLY "DO" SKETCHBOOKS BUT WHEN I DO  

I NEED TO SCRAWL ALL OVER THEM,  

LITTER THEM WITH MIND GUNK AND NOT  

HYPERVENTILATE IF THE WORK CARESSING THOSE  

PAGES ISN'T MY VERY BEST.

WHY DO I PUT THE MOLESKINE ON SUCH A PEDESTAL?

I DON'T REALLY KNOW, I THINK IT HAS GOT  

SOMETHING TO DO WITH THE QUALITY OF THE PAPER  

(SO HEAVENLY.)

NOTHING BEATS THE SMELL OF A FRESHLY  

UNWRAPPED MOLESKINE.  

I THINK PERHAPS I SEE THE MOLESKINE AS A 

SERIOUS SKETCHBOOK, ONE THAT WOULDN'T  

CARE TO STAND FOR MY CREATIVE NONSENSE.  

OR MAYBE I PERCIEVE IT TO BE SOMETHING MORE  

ALONG THE LINES OF A FINISHED ARTICLE RATHER  

THAN A BOOK I CAN TOTALLY AND UTTERLY ABUSE.      

I'D FEEL GUILTY ABUSING A MOLESKINE.

I THINK THAT IN MY MIND I HAVE A BIT OF AN  

OBSESSION WITH THE NOTION OF THEMES AND  

EVERYTHING HAVING CONTINUITY.

THIS IS PROBABLY ONE OF THE REASONS  

WHY I RARELY WORK IN SKETCH BOOKS.  

ANYTHING THAT DOESN'T LOOK LIKE IT BELONGS  

(EVEN IF I QUITE LIKE THE IMAGE)  

MAKES ME DISCONTENT 

(WHICH I SUPPOSE IS A BIT THICK REALLY.....

GET A GRIP IT IS JUST A SKETCH BOOK!!!!!) 

WITH THROW-AWAY SHEETS I GUESS  

THE PRESSURE  IS OFF.  

NOTHING NEEDS TO FIT,  

EVERYTHING I PRODUCE CAN FIND IT'S WAY TO  

THE BIN IF I SO WISH.

I THINK THE BOTTOM LINE IS PROBABLY THAT  

I DON'T FEEL GOOD ENOUGH FOR THE  

HOLY GRAIL OF SKETCHBOOKS  

WHICH IS A SHAME CONSIDERING THE  

GINORMOUS  

PILE I HAVE BY MY BED  

(ALL WITH LESS THAN A DOUBLE PAGE  

OF WORK IN THEM)

ANYWAY, HERE WE ARE.....SOME WORK FROM  

SAID PEDESTALLED PAGES. 

MAYBE ONE DAY I'LL FEEL GOOD ENOUGH FOR THEE!

 

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