the art farm

This was done in the studio, from a model, one of many experiments. Its as most of my latest work, a mixture of pencils, gouache, tempera and watercolour. I seem to be working small and keep seeding the seedling patch, I keep thinking well I will take them to another level but I don't, maybe something else is happening. I kept thinking, well what does it all mean, why do I love working with the human body so much, where can I take this, I don't want to copy what I see, I am seduced by this mindboggling freedom of invention and rethinking of concepts and connections, so how do I rethink this? What do I say about the body, I love seeing the shapes interacting, I love just taking a loaded brush and creating levels of transparencies, chromatic poetry but...-and then in the night, I was thinking about Christ 's body and the bread, the body as metaphor, the body as language, I was thinking of the beautiful calligraphy of Ben Shann, and then I knew I wanted to make another series of small watercolours where every painting is a body and also a letter, in the alphabet of body-language. I don't know if I will keep repeating the pinks and oranges and cool reds I am addicted to, maybe , its a chance to explore ,my pink obcession. I am writing this here because that way its like I have signed a contract, I have to do twenty four of these and then we will see where that will lead. One artwork always leads to another.

This then is my first letter, made this morning in the studio, I am terribly excited about it, I don't want to think about it too much, I want to feel it more, dance to it. I have been working towards this for the longest time. I like the economy of the concept, the clarity of the shape, using the white of the paper- am I crazy to love white paper so much?

Page from another project, Project Vogue.

I had been using an old book as a sketchbook, you know, toying with the idea of altered book etc. At the same time, I was looking for a way to explore the idea of women idealised vs. reality- so putting the two concepts together I decided to use a Vogue magazine as a sketchbook in my life-drawing sessions. I use gesso, pencil,gouache-gesso with some watercolor, I might bring in some acrylics and some sewing into it. - fun...I have no idea exactly where this will take either, I am just tending to my art farm...

Another Vogue spread. I thought I would embroider the letters on the cover. Isn't that appropriate?

This is Lucy loving the camera. She wanted to wear a bandana today,and you can see that big bruise on her leg, this the girl-monkey, most of the day hanging upside down! Oh, my Lucy!