Indulgence

I got down to London for a couple of important exhibitions, well important to me that is. I had a crazy schedule at Central Saint Martins, but managed to crowbar the Lucian Freud in at the Portrait Gallery.

His work is truly mesmerising. As an artist, it is just as interesting seeing his sketches and prep work. Wish I could have seen him at work. I could and should go on but my old mate time is nagging once more.

However we all must find time to indulge and my indulgence is looking at Antony Micallef's Head Studies so it was perfect timing that the private viewing for his new show "a little piece of me" ended a brilliant day.

Antony has an amazing vision and voice but his Head Studies to me are truly genius. Something resonates with me about the markings, texture and abstract realism. Some of the emotions he portrays ping out and hit me face on whilest others creep up from behind and terrorise me. Guy Denning told me that the black and white heads are the ones that jump out for him and I fully agree. Maybe it's the work we need to do as a viewer that makes his monochrome pieces reach out, but the best art is the hardest to explain.

Wounded

Wounded

I have tried to stay between the lines on this one. I have been guilty of trying to be too different, too much. I believe the quality of my work suffers whilst searching for new waters. Plus it also seems less organic. And in some ways, it is harder to be disciplined.

So I am entering a period of organic, structured painting. The subject matter will be strategic and the method of painting will be more structured, orthodox. I have also changed my pallet to be more subtle. I am using just 6 colours.

I like how these paintings are going. They feel more comfortable and there is less of a fight with the medium.

Let me know what you think.