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.
