Afternoon peeps,

Brrrrrrr it's chilly round the doodahs this dull noontime day.

I have been working tirelessly and, without the aid of a safety net, to finish another painting in the "Faded Seaside Glamour" series. The "Marionette" is now complete and can sit alongside its counterparts. I'm getting fair excited about this batch as they seem to be gelling rather well and the narative appears to be unfolding in a most satisfactory manner...blimey, hark at me sounding all discriptive and literary.

I have to admit that these images are a tad "darker" than the last series but as they're about "acceptance and solitude" I suppose they should be. I'm trying to create a mood and atmosphere rather than a difinitive story. They're all set in a sort of twilight when all the characters come out to play so the mood is rather important...here's hoping that they work as a proper series when they're complete.

I've now started the "Escapologist"...he's progressing slowly as I'm trying not to make him look like some kind of S&M fetishist...mmmmm...is that a word?.............reckon it's working so far but, hey hoooo...it may turn out to be one chain too many...oooooer.

Alongside the "Faded Seaside Glamour" paintings I'm doing a piece for the Phoenix Studios art exhibition. It's completely different from the current batch as it's been inspired by my trip to southern France. It's very "Christlike" and I'm trying to capture the atmosphere of what I experienced there. Coooo lummey...I sound like I've gone all spritual and ethereal. I haven't at all...it's all to do with the light and colours that I saw. Plus...there's a bit of pagan thrown in...shed loads of symbolism...a suggestion of shananagans and lorry loads of over the top framing. Mmmmm...fingers crossed that I pull this off as I'm treading a very fine line between "high class gorgeousness" and "Blackpool tack"...ho hum.

Thank you for taking the time...

Ivor x