It seems so long ago

...."It seems so long ago..."

Interest in images goes back a long way. From age 3/4yrs I recollect being entranced by the illustrations in my childhood picture books. Identification with them was immediate. Addressing my piscean nature, they enabled immersion in alternate worlds - from which I've never returned ........... (that was some 53 years ago...........)

Earliest memory is of a "publicly" exhibited piece of work executed in wax crayons upon the newly decorated living room wall of my parents home - received with less than favourable critical acclaim ..............

Primary and secondary education saw continued interest in drawing/painting. By age 15yrs I was set for a "career" in "art", garnering a portfolio of work for submission to the local art school.

Life had other plans .... Persuaded by the youth employment officer that "you'll never make a living from that" I enrolled on a commercial course at the technical college. (Ironically that person left his sinecure to set up a market stall selling, - art works..............!)
My early twenties saw a resurgence of the "quiet urge".
Enrolement at a weekly life drawing class for a couple of years produced studies in a variety of graphic media. Enthusiasm was tempered by the daily grind and competing interests.

Membership of a local art society saw the exhibiting of pictures depicting topographical landscape and architectural views. Subject matter was influenced by an enthusiasm for classical watercolour landscape works by Girtin, Turner & (especially) - Cotman.
Integrating walking, cycling & motorbiking with sketch book studies and photography, their subject matter and locales were avidly sought out in pursuit of the dream.............

Time elapsed........ chase of the dream stalled - badly - the depths turned to a sluggish meander.
The new millennium came. With it, an epiphany. Inaugeration of an artistic renaissance by the dicovery of Corel's "Painter" program ensued. Ushered into the digital age, the circle closed..."real" and "virtual" worlds coalesced - the fish questioned no more the "wetness" of water...reality became the dream via the electronic ether.............

Further manifestations of the dream can be seen at: http://picasaweb.googl.co.uk/AskhamArt

Black Spring

The title is from a Henry Miller book. I like the idea of combining literary elements in a painting. Death/rebirth - the cycle never ends....

The subject is a common one in the countryside -this was found during my numerous wanderings on the Yorkshire wolds (probably shot by the farmer). I took a couple of photos while it slowly rotated and combined them into a single image. Watercolour washes over a pencil drawing with detailing finished using colour pencils completed the painting.

You can see this and other examples of my work at: http://picasaweb.google.co.uk/AskhamArt