< 2025 Studio
19.02.25
Yesterday found me at Milton Keynes University Hospital. I am fully of the opinion that a day of full sun is a true gift. I met my volunteers at 10.30am we spent the morning in the Snail Garden going over the beds that we have removed Bamboo from previously. We then hit the restaurant around 12. in the afternoon we moved to the Meadow Garden and took a swaithe of Bamboo out, finishing up around 3pm.
17.02.25
Spent a couple of hours in the evening yesterday messing about with the old man face and cardigan. Trying to make him fee less like that Ecce Homo Jesus fresco that got painted over in 2012.
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16.02.25
Last night I was in a really cold studio with not enough layers on. I decided to revisit a painting I have ignored for quite a while.
During the day I was in Great Linford helping out at MKAC. They had Penny Maltby, Designer, Maker and Straw Worker giving a workshop: Wheatcraft for Beginners. We learnt how to make a Harvest Knot. Penny was very skilled and the examples pieces she had with her were so beautiful!
On Thursday evening we had the last session of AR and Animation for 11 to 13 year olds at MKAC. we finished of the Zoetropes started last week and unveiled the AR poster. It was actually as super fun thing to do to collaborate with Sam and the young people on producing this. Sam did an amazing job bringing the frames to life!
12.02.25
Last night I spent a lovely few hours in my cold studio. I havent started a new painting for a while; I had an itch and I scratched it.
Before this, during the afternoon I was in Milton Keynes University Hopsital working in the Meadow courtyard with my Volunteers. We were tackling more Bamboo. Before this we met to have lunch together in the ‘restuarant’.
10.02.25
Once I had finished my pancakes and coffee from the Mcdonald’s I worked in for a bit in 2018 I drove to Conniburrow for the last session of ‘Creative Space’ art club that I will be running for six weeks. Was a really great session we had a new member as well as the usual participants and someone I hadnt seen since Halloween. I had bought some cardboard canvases from the Scrapstore in Kiln Farm so I gave them the oppurtunity to paint on these. I also produced some colour mixing charts. I have realised that not everyone knows how to mix colours (which I should have realised as I managed to get through a BA in painting without knowing).
On Thursday I took a deep breath and made my way to Milton Keynes Arts Centre for the penultimate session on AR and Animation for 11 to 13 year olds. We had Sam from playbound with us putting the frames, we had made in the last two sessions, together. Whilst he was doing this I talked the young people through making their own Zoetropes. I was actually amazed how into this they were, as well as how able they were to follow instructions to produce them.
05.02.25
This morning I was at Milton Keynes Arts Centre for the penultimate session of Art Journalling for Wellbeing. Given how well paper mosaicking went on Saturday I decided to run it again for this session. I brought a paper shredder which really sped things up. It was a lovely sunny day and being sat around a big table of people in the old barn full of light and making art was pretty nice. Below is a selections of the works that were produced:
I made the below which was fun as fuck:
Yesterday I was back at Milton Keynes University Hospital with my legendary volunteers. We once again tackled Bamboo in the Snail Garden, the fact it was not raining and sticky as shit like last week was an absolute blessing. We took our lunch in the Hospital ‘restaurant’. I spoke to a couple of very nice members of security about the alcohol being drunk in the gardens, I was impressed with there sincerity. I have also been jealous of the volunteers boot bag so I purchased my own. Wish I had known you had to select the number for the back of the shirt, I’d have choosen either 69 or 44.
These beautiful Early Crocus have popped their heads up in the Meadow garden:
On Monday evening I was in the studio finishing off a couple of works on paper both of which I had started in art sessions in the previous week or so.
03.02.2025
On Saturday I was in Conniburrow for another “creative space” art club. It was a fun session, we made paper Mosaics based on, ‘Paper mosaic of two women and a child’ a mosaic produced in 1912 whilst Vanessa Bell was ill. but still wanted to make work. I produced the crab below:
I then shot over to MKAC, MIlton Keynes Arts Centre, to help with a couple of hours of making Folk Art inspired hearts for one of their Family first Saturdays.
Thursday evening was spent at MKAC for session 3 of a five week workshop for 11 to 13 year olds on animating and AR. It was pretty fun. We finished off the 24 frames ready for Sam from Playbound can come to the next session and animate them.
30.01.25
I have just completed my self assessment for the tax period 6th April 2023 to 5th April 2024. It is honestly laughable the amount of money I made during that period. I would put it up here but I dont think people would believe me, as it is so low. I am very lucky to be in a position where I can make so little money but still exist. This also includes a three month period where I was working in a call centre for Charles Tyrwhitt (an extremely low period of my life that no amount of money could get me to relive). I am very grateful to my wonderful parents for allowing me to live at home with them still. My good friend Chris Conway for the use of a 2013 Macbook. James and Lizzy for the cheap studio space and for those people who continue to employ me on fun projects. I really enjoy what I do and love making things in any form.
Below is something I have been working on using just crepe paper. I started it in one of the art sessions I run in Conniburrow on a Saturday morning. I just havent been able to leave it alone. Its been a nice change of pace for me. No refrences or plan just looking at the page and seeing what I can make in the ersatz tableaux.
29.01.25
Around the time two inches of mud had transformed my boots into platforms yesterday I decided it had in fact been a bad idea to dig out more bamboo with my volunteers at MKUHospital. An hour and a half in and during a downpour I called time and we went to the warm resturant to have lunch. I also shot off some emails as I am finding alot of empty Gin and Vodka bottles in the gardens. There are quite a few security guards at the hospital but I am a bit unsure of what they actually do so just wanted some clarity on that. One of the CLemantis my volunteers and I planted before Christmas is also starting to show its flowers which is lovely!
25.01.25
This morning found me in Conniburrow for the “Creative Space” arts club. I put together a session based around the work of Vanessa Bell again. This time I thought it would be fun for people to add there own style and designs to one of the rooms from Charleston House. I produced a general sketch of the room which I then copied a few times using a OHP and the sun and a window.
24.01.25
Yesterday I was at Milton Keynes Arts Centre leading the second session of of a five week workshop for 11 to 13 year olds on animating and AR. I spent the day getting appropriate footage of a bird flying and splitting it up into 24 frames that should result in a loop. Then in the session the young people transferred the frames on to quality thick paper and using any artistic medium they could think of (within reason) they produced the final frames.
Below is an example of one of the flipbooks made in the last session and finished off in this one. I was blown away by how good it was!
22.01.25
Yesterday I spent the day at MK hospital with my volunteers removing more bamboo from the Snail Garden. We had lunch together once again in the hospital restaurant. A prospective new volunteer also joined us in the afternoon for a taster session.
In the evening I spent some time in my cold studio. I started picking out figures on the boat of the larger panel painting I am working on at the moment. As well as doing another layer of yellow on one of my Kent Brockman paintings.
20.01.2025
On Saturday I was up early for another art session at Conniburrow Community Hub. I had a little time after setting up and before people came so I made a little poster to put in the window. There is a car I park next to that definitely has someone sleeping in it which is really sad especially as its so cold atm.
In this session, continuing the Vanessa Bell theme I have been rolling with, we worked on producing our own fabric designs based on Bell’s. All sorts of materials were avaliable including crepe paper and stickers for collaging. Was a chill session I am really enjoying them!
On Thursday I was at Milton Keynes Arts Centre for the first session of a five week workshop for 11 to 13 year olds on animating and AR. Sam from Playbound.studio was there to give us a talk on animation and AR after which we made some flip books the analogue way. Some of the books the kids made actually blew my mind. As this was the first time doing this workshop it was interesting to see what worked and what didnt. From this I will be able to fine tune the session for future groups.
16.01.25
Yesterday evening whilst working a few hours at Milton Keynes Arts Centre, opening and closing for a workshop. I made a flip book version of the animation Sam, from playbound.studio, and I made for an upcoming workshop later today. I used the thermal printer my parents got me for Christmas to print out each frame.
15.01.25
I was back at the Hospital on Tuesday working in the Creative Courtyards. My volunteers are still keen on coming in a couple of hours early so we can get the bamboo out of the Snail Garden.
We took our lunch in the busy hospital restaurant together:
13.01.25
On Saturday I was in Conniburrow on a freezing cold morning for the next ‘Creative Space’. It was a truely beautiful morning. I had selected some items from my parent’s cottage, which is filled with knick knacks, to put together a still life. Based on Vanessa Bell’s still life paintings which can currently be seen at MK Gallery.
I had four participants and we had a pretty good time drawing the Still Life and chatting about all sorts of things from Patois to the how Cadbury’s looked after its workers back in the day. One of them was doing creative writing and when I ask what in particular they were doing they replied ‘producing a still life like you guys but with words’, I thought this was cool as fuck.
Spent a little time in the studio on Saturday and Sunday working on the large panel painting below.
09.01.25
This morning I was in the studio finishing off the last frame for an animation test for an upcoming workshop.
I had a couple of sessions in my studio as well. Each lasting a couple of hours at a time. It was just too cold in there to stay much longer!
08.01.25
Yesterday I was back with the “boys” at the Hospital. They were very keen to have a longer session so we met at 10.30am and finished up at 3 pm. I showed them all the new stuff we had got over the Christmas break and then made our way to the Snail Garden where we dug up as much Bamboo as possible. Anyone who has ever done this knows its a pig of a job. We chatted, joked about and had lunch together so it was all actually quite fun!
05.01.25
I have spent a few very cold evenings in the studio since New Years. I found another painting I started 8 years ago only finishing the underpainting. I had completely forgotten that I had done it, so it was a lovely suprise to see it again and start working on it.
I have also been producing some frames for an animation for an upcoming workshop at Milton Keynes Arts Centre. This is something I have never dabbled in and am excited to see how it turns out.
04.01.25
This morning I was back in Conniburrow for the first “Creative Space” of the year and my first since November. There were a couple of people I hadnt met before so it was fun to listen to what they had to say. The night before my beautiful girlfriend and I made a couple of examples for the session. My plan was to talk abit about Vanessa Bell and specifically her “Famous Women Dinner Service” then provide all the materials necessary for people to produce there own plates with portraits of noteable women to them.
I was at the hospital on Thursday (02.01.24) where I litter picked in all the gardens and swept the paths. I made room in our shed for the new trolley we have got and also changed the lock on the door. I planted about ten ground covering plants in the Camel garden which will hopefully complement the bulbs I put in last month.
One of the winter shrubs I put in the Snail Garden has started flowering and I was admiring it whilst picking up a load of dog ends.