Art, Rest and Play

Yes, I am still on the planet. (Please see evidence to the right - shiny headed man with large smile).

Thanks to those of you who have been asking after me over the past while. That's what happens when you are a fairly prolific painter and don't paint for a while. People think you have died. Well, it's nice to know that people care: or perhaps they are just wondering if the price of their original paintings have suddenly become more marketable.

Working towards the recent Art De Caf solo exhebition, whilst fun, exciting, and other such positive things, it definately depleted me of my wish to paint. Worried that it would never return again, I took advice of some good friends and have enjoyed a few nights on the tiles. The most recent of which was at the stunning Oran Mor in Glasgow's West End to see Emiliana Torinni. It really could not have been a more perfect environment to see this outstanding singer songwriter. The pleasant surprise was Emiliana's humour and willingness to chat to the audience. I loved every minute.

I have also been working on the website. If you visit Joehendry.com you will see that it has all changed again. More detail on that soon.

Landscape Art Happiness

It was back to the studio today after all the excitement of the solo exhibition launch at the weekend.

What better way than to ease back in with a BIG landscape painting!

THis piece is based on a road that I drive down on the way to visit a friend and is based on a photograph which I took earlier in the year. It was one of those moments when i just had to stop the car and get out.

I used to cycle down this road a lot as a kid so this painting does also have a special feeling to it for me.

Art Exhibition Anyone?

Well, the last canvas has dried (just) and the hanging has begun.

It's a really strange thing as I have mentioned before, being yourself in the studio, painting for months and then finally reaching the "goal".

There are 25 paintings in the exhibition and staring to hang them looked like it was going to be tricky. I asked myself why I don't just paint on the same size canvas every time. Then I wouldn't need to worry about balance and symetry and colour harmony and frames and....

All that remains now is to turn up on Snday and hope that other people decide to do the same.

At least if it's just me I will be in the company of some decent wine.

Full details of the ArtDeCaf exhibition are now at www.joehendry.com

Contemporary Painting, old fashioned pressure!

When I used to work in interior design, it was fairly fast paced and high pressure. Deadlines, big budgets, building control guidelines, customer deadlines and pressure. I loved it.

Just as some people didn't understand this and thought that interior design was like "Changing Rooms" (believe me, it wasn't), a career as an artist doesn't always mean listening to radio three whilst painting a watercolour of a vase of flowers before switching to "The Archers" at two!

Over the past three months I have worked on some twenty plus paintings, mainly to put together the solo art exhibition for ArtDeCaf in Glasgow. There are only four days to go now until the launch, and whilst I should now be thinking about stringing canvasses, I am still painting, finishes pieces off and, in true Joe style, starting new artwork.

I know, I am a sucker for punishment, but it's just the way I am. I feel that I have learned more in the past three months than in the last three years.

Here's hoping there is no meltdown on Monday.

Male Nude Art

I love painting as you may have noticed, but sometimes everything just clicks into place.

This was the case today when working on a new male figurative artwork. He's a big chap at 3 feet x 3 feet. When I came back from a short break and walked into the studio it was just one of those occassions that you see a painting with fresh eyes. I don't often work on a Saturday but there has been so mush happening that I have been of late and I am going to make the most of the creativity flowing and paint tomorrow.

Completed artwork soon.

Tennis Artwork

It's been a busy time in the studio really and whilst I am genuinely very happy with some of the new artwork which I have been painting, I thought that perhaps I was getting a shade too po-faced and away from who I really am.

Yes, I can be serious but people who know me know that I definately have a less serious side. It has been unleashed recently just for the hell of it and for the sake of a bit of fun.

This art in progress is my Andy Murray 70's tribute painting....

A day of all-sorts today and a day when I am switching between oil and acrylic.

You don't want to get them mixed up - believe me. I can get so absorbed in painting that I get completely carried away and it has not been unknown for me to dip my paintbrush in my cup of volvic or tea. I was speaking to some other artists today and apparently this is quite a common phenomenon amongst painters.

Also, you heard it here first, it looks like I will be having an exhibition of work at the SAS Raddisson Hotel in Edinburgh during the Edinburgh Fringe and Festival this year.

Edinburgh is a stunning City and you won't often hear someone who lives in Glasgow saying that. The rivalry can be quite fierce. I worked there for 11 years and have not been back nearly enough so it will be good to have my art on display in a city with whom I have a history.

This new female art is in progress but I quite like her the way she is. Tomorrow will tell...

Artists United

I don't watch all that much television so when I do I like it be something worthwhile or at least entertaining.

I have just watched the BBC produced Artworks Scotland and it was simply fantastic. Jack Vettriano and Ian Rankin, in dialogue whilst at Vettriano's home and then wandering through the streets and cafe's in Edinburgh. Ian Rankin came across as such a decent guy and as for Vettriano, well, I think he is a national treasure and he came across with no pretentions, even saying that if how he felt inside matched the level of his career he would probably be an "asshole".

Parts of the documentary were framed almost as if they were a Vettriano painting. When they discussed the fact that the National Gallery of Scotland refuses to show any of his work, Vettriano came up with the point that they have tax payers money to spend on new work each year and yet continually snub him despite the fact that his work would bring crowds of people to the gallery.

My own opinion is that art snobs feed their ego by putting others down, rather than creating something of worth and esteeming themselves in that way. Will Vettriano be dead before he gets treated better in his own country?

It was one of those programmes which, after watching made me want to rush to the studio and paint! That will have to wait until tomorrow, when I will continue to work on the many pieces which are currently in progress including "untitled", above.

Messy Male Art

Things are picking up a pace as time seems to be running away as the deadline to the ArtDeCaf solo exhibition gets closer. I am probably going on about it all th etime at the mo but I do get so involved in painting.

I am working on several artworks at once and I am also develloping ideas as I go. So we shall see where we go with it. This new piece in progress saw more paint on me than on the canvas but painting is more fun that way!

At the end of today we had an artist's meeting to discuss the forthcoming Parade Artist's exhibition which is next weekend. It could be a recipe for disaster getting a group of artists together but they are a good bunch and we don't seem to have too many battered egos at the end of it.

Well tomorrow is Saturday....in fact, today is Saturday and guess what? Back to the studio in the morning. It's the way it is at the moment and to be honest, I wouldn't have it any other way.

What are you up to this weekend?

Tree Paintings

Today was one of those days when it was good to get out for a run in the car and just wander about with the camera. I never quite know what you will find worth shooting but it is usually a worthwhile creative process.

Today the thing that struck me was just how into trees I am. I have painted trees quite a few times but today I noticed just how dramatic they are in the landscape. I drove around some areas that I used to cycle as a kid and it was quite shocking to see the amount of wind farms that seem to have grown out of nowhere so suddenly. It's the first time I have really understood why people get so upset about them ruining the landscape.

When I got home I happened to catch the tail end of a documentary on the rescue of Orangutangs in Borneo. "Why all the fuss?" I initially asked in ignorance. This seemed like quite a major operation and it turns out that these amazing animals could become extinct and in Borneo they are being systematically wiped out. The reason for this is that the trees they live in and that they eat are being destroyed and replaced by Oil Palms, which can't sustain them.

So more Tree Art soon and if you want to help the Orangutangs, you can do so here