Good afternoon my lovely chums!

I trust you're all well and managing to enjoy this splendid weather...it is so hot in my studio that I am forced to paint in the buff. Not a pretty sight and full of hazzards and hidden dangers...mainly from knacker bashings on the table corners....ho hum.
I shall desist from ellaborating further as I realise it's close to some folks tea time and I don't want to be resposible for putting anyone off their crumpets.

I continue to paint and paint and paint. I am in danger of having to be surgically removed from my paint brush. I must say it's all going swimmingly well and I seem to be on schedule to gather together a lot of work...hurrah!
I've finished the "Saint or Misguided" Diptych....I think it works ok...well I'm hoping it works ok. Only time will tell really as I'm doing so much painting I am now unable to tell if something is any good or not. T'is a concurrent countdown conundrum to be sure. I think it was Leonardo who said you have to walk away from your work for a while and come back to it later...that way you can see the positives as well as the negatives. Mmmmm....probably worked for a genius like him...I...on the otherhand...just get more depressed ho hum.

I've also been organising commissions between all of this...which has proved rather beneficial as it's forced me to go out and research other topics aside from mental health issues...abuse....religious fervour and ghosts. Hurrah to that. Mind...I've no time to do these commissions until after the exhibition anyways so I thank my clients for their patience. I also reckon that I'll be on such a come down once the exhibition is up and running that I'll be dead enthused about doing these pieces...hurrah again.

I'm having to rethink how I display some of the paintings at this exhibition due to some persons being offended by a mans willy. Mmmm....methinks they need to get out more...or failing that....buy a "Playgirl" magazine ho ho ho ho. Actually...I did panic when first I was told of this little hic cup...but it has turned out rather splendidly as the way I will be displaying really enhances the mystery of the work. A big mega hurrah to that.

Thank you for taking the time...

Ivor x

Well good morning to one and all!

This will be brief as I just want to post up the poster for the exhibition in London...hurrah!
As you can see it says it all and I'm very much hoping that as many people will come along and have a bloody good gander at the work...................please.
I will be posting up further reminders from now on until the exhibition...well a bloke has to self promote ooooer.

I'm plodding along merrily...working my butt off and trying to create a show that will dazzle and inspire....mmmmmm...here's hoping the London crowd will think so to ho hum. I've just got back from the "Smoke"...I've been sorting out a commission. It's alovely job...a very nice man and I'm really hoping that i can do the guys idea justice. Thank you Colin for having the faith in me to do it.

Well must bugger off and get some more work done....will keep you posted.

Thank you for taking the time...

Ivor x

Well what can I say and what can I do?.....am a shadow of my former self due to excessive ammounts of waving my brush about...ho hum........
Oh how bloody bloody rude of me! Howdy doody my chums....I forgot to greet you...what would my old granny say?

Do you know...I'm so immersed in my work and exhibition and commissions that I've forgotten what I've told you and what I've not. T'is a terrible thing to be so "senior" so soon.
I think I was about to draw out and paint "The Reluctant Adonis"....? Well hurrah and hurrah with knobs on...he's finished. I went monochrome and colour once more. I reckoned it was the best way to go with this one and...I think...it works. Here's hoping the general public do and no one takes offence at coloured Y Fronts....oooooer. A big thank you to Greig for being such a wonderful model and for allowing me to put him in such awesome underpants. I was trying to put some humour into the work as alot of it is so emotional and a tad gloomy. Mind...not sure you can jolly up sexual abuse, self harming or psychosis....but maybe I'm just being terribly old fashioned.

Apparently "Waterghosts" the event has been nominated for an arts award...hurrah! Must say I'm dead proud to have been part of it all. Well done Jamie......

I've also been featured in the "Art of Man" magazine which was bloody splendid. Please check it out...there's a link on my links page. A big thank you to Eric Gibbons for featuring me and for being so helpful. You're a star Eric!

I'm now working ona dyptich entitled..."Saint or Misguided" It's a sort of "opposite" painting. One is showing full on stigmatyr and the other is self harming. I wanted to do a piece highlighting that there is a very fine line between religious fervour and psychosis. I reckon it's odd how people who "hear the voice of the Lord" are deemed "deeply spiritual" and others who have command hallucinations are deemed "bonkers" Anyrode up...what ever you believe...I wanted to try and paint it. The "Saint" has been a bugger to do and is still undergoing major tweekage and fiddling....ho hom. I always think things will got to plan when I have a clear image in my head but......oh NO! Still these things are sent to try are nes pas?
I shall post up the results when they done. I'm just hoping that if I get the first bugger right then the second will be plain sailing....mmmmmmmmm.

Thank you for taking the time...

Ivor x

Morning peeps!

Just a wee quickie...nowt so fine as a quickie on a Saturday morning ooooer.

Well splash it all over...cover me in sea weed and make me wet...."Waterghosts" is on its way to Brighton to exhibited in an event/exhibition all about...well... "Waterghosts"
If you remember eons ago I did a collaboration with an audio artist called Jamie Sturrock....well the whole event has come to fruition and can now be seen in Brighton...hurrah!

Well done Jamie and thank you for sharing it with me my chum.

If anyone is nearby...pop along and have a gander. I'm sure it'll be bloody splendid.

Thank you for taking the time...

Ivor x

Hello and good afternoon to one and all....and a bloody maaaaarvelous one it is to.

Alas and alack I'm locked in my studio so am not able to enjoy the wonderful sunshine. This old carcass will have to remain lilly white and pasty for a little longer...not that I'm willing to expose this body much these days...I've seen old people throw up and birds flee in terror...ho hum.

Anyrode up..enough of this nonsense...I just thought I'd blog to say the "The Reluctant Narcissus" is now finished...hurrah! I think it works...well I'm hoping it does. I sort of went for it and kept everything crossed. The model loves it so that's bloody brill...thank you Hayden for agreeing to pose for me.
I've also managed to do another wee painting....coo lummey...my brush has been out and active for days and days and days. Hence the lack of sunshine and white carcass. This one is entitled "The Shy Actor" The model who posed is actually an actor so hurrah! For some very very odd reason he seems to think he isn't as gorgeous as everyone else believes he is. Mmmm...t'is a conundrum because I know if I looked like that my body would be forever exposed.................Thank you Jason for being shy.

I'm now working on a painting about a "Conchie"....it seems to tie in with the "Ghosts and Gods" series and...as it's 100 years since the start of World War One...is rather timely. It's very early days and it quite a bloody challenge. It has been inspired by the Pat Barker "Regeneration" trilogy. Here's hoping she'll approve..........

Thank you for taking the time...

Ivor xx

Good evening my chums!

Well bing and bong and ding and dong....it's been all go these past few weeks and I've not had to work this hard since the war. I seem to be constantly painting so hurrah to that with knobs on. I must admit that having longer days of natural light certainly perks me up and allows ones muse to flow....ooooer.
I have now finished the first of the "Abuse" images....it's called "Hear Me". Methinks that it may well be a tad more difficult to gaze at than some of my other stuff but...hey hoooo. I really wanted to do this tryptich. Mind....I may just make it a dyptich as I think the two images may prove more powerful than the three. Mmmmm...I shall decide after the second is complete.
I must say a big thanks to Daryl for allowing me to use his person to depict such a controversial subject. Thanks my chum...you're a star!

I'm now working on another painting for the exhibition...this one is entitled "The Reluctant Narcissus" It's all about how a man who is obviously handsome, fit and with a body to die for...but still thinks he is in need of more work. Thanks to Hayden for aggreeing to do this one....I'm going  a slightly different way with this one and combining monochrome with full colour. Hopefully it'll all work out swimmingly well. Fingers and toes crossed.

Aussi...as our french cousins say...I've only gone and sold "Christmas Angel" Hurrah and fa la la la la la la la la laaaaaa....deck my bowels with sprigs of holly and all that feative doodah.
Thank you Craig and Gorden for liking it enough to buy it.....che

ers boys!

I thank you for taking the time...

Ivor x

Good morning my lovely chums!

I trust all is well with you and life is being kindness its self. Ooooooer.

Well slap me twice and call me Leonardo...I've only gone and sold some paintings. HURRAH!
There is a lovely gallery in Jersey called Studio 18 and a very nice man called David has managed to flog four of my paintings out there. Cooooo lummey....I feel like Bergerac...mmm...which could be true as I'm equally as craggy as the lovely John Nettles only not as tall....a pint sized Bergerac really. Sorry...I witter...must be the excitement...or vodka..............
Anyrode up...I'm well chuffed to say the least.
SO......Burlesque Noir....The Escapologist....Hare Lady and Hound Lad are now winging their way to new homes. HURRAH again.

I'm still plodding along toward the London exhibition and have begun a creative period that I am very happy with. I seem to have hit the flow so to speak....all very good for a hobbit with flow problems...mind...that could well be middle age ho hum.
The first of the "Abuse" tryptich is very nearly finished....will post that up shortly.

I've also just completed the commission of the two blokes who wanted to be angels. They are very pleased with how it turned out...as am I. Thank you Simon and Colin for having the faith in me to do it. Sending waves.....

Thank you for taking the time...

Ivor x

Good morning my fine chums,

I trust all is well and life is kind.....?
I am plodding along on my "Ghosts and Gods" series of paintings and have completed another one for the exhibition....Hurrah! It's called "Responding" and is the one about hearing voices...all based on my time working on an Acute Psychiatric Ward. I'm hoping that it speaks for its self...if you'll forgive the pun. It was a bugger to do if I'm honest...not sure if it's because I so want it to work or that I'm just going into artistic meltdown and self doubts. I seem to be having many hissy fits these days about my flow oooer. Mind...my eyesight is getting worse so it could just be the fact that by the end of the day I'm unable to see what I'm painting ho hum. Mmmm...methinks a new set of re-entry shields are due.....Oh why oh why is it I long to look like Clark Kent but know I'll end up resembling Mr. Magoo? T'is a sad twist of nature indeed.
I think I'll do the "self adoration" one next in this series. It'll be nice to paint someone who is that confident about their body image....mmmmm....hope I don't make them look too arrogant...they're much bigger than me and a tad scary ooooer. All those muscles could certainly do damage to a wee hobbitesque artist with a dodgy hip.......

I've also to finish the first of the "Abused" tryptich. Now that one has been a tad challenging...mainly because the subject is so emotive. I really struggled about how much imagery to put into it. I didn't want it to become a "shock...horror" piece of art. I really wanted to create an emotion in the painting that would create an emotional response from the viewer. I think I'm getting there...it's so not a commercial piece but it was something I really wanted to do. Just hope I'm not judged too harshly by those who have experienced abuse or work with those who have. Mmmm...test will be when they go to exhibition............

In between all of these shinanigins I've been working on a commission....coo lummey who said us blokes can't multi task...? Well who ever did say it were so right...half the time I don't know what I'm doing or which painting it is....I mean...what client would want a portrait where they look less angelic and more like they've done two rounds with Mike Tyson? T'is a conundrum indeed. Upshot is...I had to stop trying to work more than one painting at a time and focus on just the one. Big apologies to Simon and Colin....your painting is sooooo on the way....honest.

Anyrode up...I've wittered on enough and there's logs to gather and my flue to clean out....ho hum.

Thank you for taking the time...

Ivor x

Good morning peeps!

Well hurrah and hurrah and bloody bloody hurrah! I've managed to sell three paintings in one week and to one lovely lady from Moffet. All I can say is I'm splendidly elated and I can't thank her enough. They were all from the "Shapeshifter" series from way back and..if all goes to plan...I should have sold the final two of the series in Jersey to another lovely lady. Ooooer the ladies love a shapeshifter.....

 

These are they....I did enjoy this series as the stories were so beautiful and lyrical.                              

 

 

Hellooooo peeps,

Just a wee quickie blog ooooer missis.
Just to say that the "Face of Christ" painting is now done and dusted and just has to be framed...hurrah!
I started with a lovely bright blued eyed Jesus...he was so not middle eastern. However...the designer wanted him with brown eyes and I had to tone down his colours and darken him up for the stage. Mmmmm....even Jesus had to be in make up ho hum. Anyrode up....he's finished and looking rather spiritual so hurrah and hurrah!

Just hope his "run" throughout the play isn't to demanding....he's only wee. Ho hum.

Thank you for taking the time...

Ivor x

Well fiddle my dee and tra my la las....Hello peeps!

Coooo lumey I've been dead dead busy of late. I've been organising commissions and arranging photo shoots the live long day. Hurrah and hurrah!

Mmmm...where to begin? I'm about to embark on a wee image of Christs face. It's for a theatre group in London...I'm not sure how it's to be used but it's dead exciting having ones work on a stage for a "run". Ooooooer...how theatrical of me so slap me twice and call me Dame Judy.
I've also been out and about taking photos of a very nice bloke called Daryl. He has bravely agreed to be the model for a wee sereis of painting that I want to do on "Male Sexual Abuse". These are going to be a very difficult challenge as I'm not wanting to be to "in your face". I'm hoping that, between us, we've manged to strike a balance. Anyrode up...these are for an exhibition in Glasgow later this year. I'll post up more info as and when I get it......
A big huge enormous thank you to Daryl for shedding his clothes on such a bloody cold day and for an artist who was very unsure as to what he was doing....ho hum.

I've managed to finish another piece for the "Ghosts and Gods" series. This one is "The Actors Ghost"...it's an actors biggest fear that he looses the ability to speak or move. This image was inspired by a conversation with the model...it is his "ghost". Thank you Alex for being such a bleedin' fine model.
I've sort of started another...it's still very early days. This one hasn't a title as yet...all I can give you is that it's about a man responding to voices. Needless to say it has been inspired by the work that I did on an Acute Psychiatric Ward and the clients that I met there. I'm really hoping this one works as it's a difficult subject to paint...so pinkies crossed and pecker up.....

Anyrode up...I'm off to have a conversation with a couple of rather nice lads who want to be painted as angels....oooooer.

Thank you for taking the time...

Ivor x

Helloooo helloooo helloooo!
I'm back after a bit of a sebatacle....well the festive periodical really...hardly a sebatacle but it sure as hell sounds better than "I couldn't be buggered" HO HUM! Oh...Happy New Year to one and all. May it bring you everything your hearts desire with knobs on.

Anywho...I've been well busy painting for the exhibition entitled "Ghosts and Gods"...hurrah! I've finished two and am well into the third. It's been a strange old process because the whole theme keeps evolving. I started off with a clear idea in my head about creating a lorry load of images about spiritual and emotional "spectres" and I keep going off at a tangeant ho hum. I'm now toying with full on Mediums...self harming versus spiritual flagelation and male sexual abuse. Mmmm...you can tell what sort of Christmas I had nes pas? I'm not sure if it's got owt to do with the fact that my body seems to be rejecting me at the moment or it's because I'm hurtling toward old age at an alarming rate and my heads telling me to think deeeeeeeeep.....
What ever the reason I am being bombarded with all sorts of ideas and images and it's bloody wonderful. The true test will come when I try putting the ideas onto board and create the images. I don't want to go "full on in your face and be twatted"...I want them to be more emotional and make the viewer have to think about what's infront of them. I'm flopped if I know if I'll make them work or not but am so excited with the challenge of having a go. Hurrah to me! Mmmmm...how does one make stigmata look less messy amd more emotional?.....

In between all this exhibition stuff I've had commissions to do and am about to embark on some more. Bloody splendid and marvelous don't you know. I'm doing a rather interesting job for a theatre company in London oooooer. They want a painting of the face of Christ...not too sure why but am happy to give it a go. There's talk that they may require two...one of a peaceful ethereal Jesus and one where he's being well tortured...should be interesting. I do enjoy painting Jesus...he's got such an interesting face...think it's the beard.
I'm also organising a lovely commission for two really groovy blokes in Olde London Town. They want to be painted as naked angels...can't wait to do this one as it'll be dead colourful and loads of fun. Thank you so very much Simon and Colin for having the faith in me to make you winged...am well chuffed. Now go and get the pictures taken so I can start the bleedin' painting he he he he.

Thank you for taking the time,

Ivor x

Morning my chums!

I trust we are all well and life is good and kind.
I've been merrily merrily painting away like a merry man from old Robin Hood and his very merry men...what was that all about???

Well cover me in a sheet and call me Casper....I'm eating, sleeping and breathing spooks at the moment..........whoooooooooooooooooooooooooo.
The second painting for the "Ghosts and Gods" series is now complete...well I say that, I could very well be tweaking the live long day before it goes to exhibition. Hey hooo such is life and all of that.
I need to thank Tommy and Neale for spending so much time in and out of clothing to model for this one. It's entitled "Ghost of Loss", as per usual I'm leaving it to the viewer to decide what the "loss" is. All I will say is that it is ultimately about love and fear....and....there may well be a second image as...for some reason...I see this painting as part of a diptych.

The whole series seems to be coming together quite nicely and I've lined up a squillion people to sit for me..hurrah! Mind...having the ideas in my bonce and then getting them painted up are two entirely different things. I'm admitting to be on melt down and, like I've said, I'm sort of obsessed with the whole "ghost of this" and "ghost of that" imagery.

I'm also having to stop to get some Christmas commissions done....coooo lummey...I wonder if I'll end up bunging some spooks and spectres in the backgrounds of these by mistake...mmmm...not good if you're doing a portrait and some poor unsuspecting client has to unveil and announce..."Here's a lovely portrait of my hubby...oh and I have no idea who that old floater in the background is"......
Ooooooooooooer.....

Thank you for taking the time,

Ivor x

Well fiddle my dee and tra my la las....

I only went and published the wrong pic of the painting.
This is "Prestons Ghost" in its finished glory....

I do apologise...t'was having a senior moment ho hum.

Thank you for humouring a sad old artistic git..

Ivor x

Well howdy bloody doody to one and all!

T'is me....I'm back once more to blog my little doings off and let you know what's been occurring.

Well I've done the first painting for the "Ghosts and Gods" series. These are the ones to be exhibited in Olde London Town next year. Well from 29th September until the 5th October to be precise. I shall be displaying my ample wares at the Tabernacle Studio in Notting Hill ooooer....am very very excited and keep pinching myself...but not very hard as I really don't do pain.

The first painting is entiteld "Prestons Ghost". It is very personal to the model and is an emotional journey for me as well as him. I wanted to capture the essence of Prestons tale and his "ghost" but I'm not going to go into the details of it. I think it would be wrong of me to divulge exactly what he experienced as it's not necessary. I want the viewer to decide what they get from looking in at the image....if I've been successful then a story will evolve.
It was an emotional journey for me as I wanted to honour the trust that Preston had in me when he allowed me to use him and his story. Thank you young man...I'm well chuffed that you like it and that your "ghost" is a true representation of all you experienced.
This is the first of the "ghost" paintings...not all will be so dark...mind...I'm a right old misery at times so they very well could be ho hum. The whole concept of this batch is to try and depict a load of blokes and their particular deamons/gods/spirituality and ghosts oooooooer. Who the flop knows if it'll turn out like I envisaged...who the flop really gives a doodah? All I know is it is something that I want to do so ya boo sucks with knobs on.............mmmmm....not sure if that's a very artistic statement...I'm sure Rembrant didn't refer to knobs...mind...I know that Leonardo was rather partial to some oooooooer.

Thank you for taking the time...

Ivor x

Morning my chums!

How the devil are you all?
I'm not even going to bother about apologising for the lack of writings on this 'ere blog...I always do and am in danger of everyone not believing a dong dong doodahs of what I'm saying......ho hum.
All I shall say is..."I'm back...hurrah!"

Well shed loads has been going on...I've had quite a few commissions...hurrah and hurrah again.
I've had the pleasure of painting a very nice bloke called Gary as a "Raven/Man" It was a lovely job to do and....thankfully....Gary seems well chuffed with the final result. A big thank you to him for managing to see my vision as his own.
I've also produced a wonderfully over the top camp pice of art work for a wonderful new establishment and night venue in Carlilse called "The Regency" T'is a gay establishment owned and run by two lovely geezers called Glenn and Michael. They asked for bling and camp and got it in abundance ooooer. A big humongous thank you to them for giving me such a fun job. Here's wishing them shed loads of success and an enormous bank balance.....

Now here's a biggie and I'm not talking the contents of a porn stars undercrackers.....I'm going to be exhibiting in Londons Nottinghill for a whole week next year......hurrah and hurrah and another hurrah! I shall be doing a solo exhibition entitled "Ghosts and Gods" I'm wanting to do a series of paintings exploring mans emotional, spiritual and physical "ghosts" so Ooooooooooo and Woooooooooo and all things ethereal. The gallery is called the "Tabernacle" and I'll be buggering off to olde London Town soon to check out it's size and capacity.....a bit like the contents of a porn stars undercrackers again ho hum. So...my amazed chums....the next blog I do will give you some idea of what I'm trying to achieve and probably be the start of many hissy fits and creative meltdowns ho hum.

Thank you for taking the time...

Ivor x

Well howdy doooooody dooo.

Blimey it's hot! I'm melting in this 'ere studio and have resorted to painting in the buff...which is not a pretty sight as I have to keep bending over my board. I keep expecting a bike to be parked at any moment.....t'is not good to paint in constant fear of being violated by a two wheeled vehicle ho hum.
Anyrode...I digress...
I have finished "jessie distracted" all that's needed is for her to be varnished and framed. A big thank you to Jessie for allowing me to paint her. The fur coat was an eye boggling challenge but it has turned out rather well...even if I say so myself. She will..hopefully...be

on show very soon hurrah!
I've also started a painting of "Col"....title to be decided. It's part of this mens series I'm doing...it has bleedin' ages of painting to go but, with any luck, will be worth it. I've discovered my way of painting is changing of late and I'm geting far more loose with my washes ooooer missis...nowt like a loose wash to get the blood pumping. Anywho...I shall have to see where this creative journey leads me and try to just enjoy the bloody bloody ride. So ya boo sucks with knobs on.....
I've also got a few commissions coming up..hurrah and hurrah! All of them really interesting ventures. I shall speak more about the buggers as and when I get them sorted.

Off to French France soon for my jollies......well ooooo la la and squeeze my baguette.

Thank you for taking the time...

Ivor x

Oh helloooooo again...and so soon too ooooer.

I forgot to mention that I had a rather splendid commission from a man who breeds shetland ponies. I was asked to create this 'ere painting. I know...I know...

it's far removed from what I normally paint but it was a rather fun job and...as I love painting body hair...horse hair isn't that far removed when you think about it. Anyrode up thank you Douggie...the painting has galloped its way off to it's stable...hurrah!

Bonjour bonjour bonjour!

Thought I'd go all Francais as I'm buggering off there soon...hurrah!

Now I know it's been a wee while but do you all remember me witteringon about the new series of paintings I'm embarking on? The series relating to blokes and how they persue lifestyle and the like? The series where I chase down men and tease out their dark secrets, worries and "issues"?
Well I've completed one and it's called "Bruised"....a big thank you to Ronnie for making this painting possible....you're a star and a brave one at that. It ended up being an entirely different painting to the one I had planned. I was going to attempt an image of a man as a sexual being but...following a deep, intimate and a rather emotional discussion...I ended up with a very personal dipiction of a man in deep contemplation and some pain. It was a journey that neither of us had planned and neither of us had envisaged but it must be one of the most intimate paintings i have ever done. It also sold before the varnish had time to dry...which...to me...proves it's worth. Hurrah and hurrah! The scary thing about it all is...how do I top that? Mmmmm....we shall have to see. I have shed loads of ideas and I have shed loads of models lined up so...hey hoooooooooo...onwards and upwards.

Thankyou for taking the times,

Ivor x

Morning my special chums!

T'is Sunday and the birds are singing....mind...they're singing in the damp...blimey...Spring has definitely rusted and buggered off back from whence it attempted to leave from....

I just wanted to announce that "Banquos Ghost" has been sold...hurrah and hurrah! A big thank you to Admirable Antiques for all their sterling work at flogging my wares at their establishment. Oh and a big thank you to the lovely lady who bought it despite protests from a reluctant hubby ooooer.
Here's hoping it's the start of a deluge of sales...well a starving artist can dream.....
Work continues on "Bruised"....it's being rather slow to be honest. Mind...me thinks that might have something to do with the fact that I'm painting in a different manner. Have no idea how this developed...I can only guess that the subject matter has a far deeper meaning for me than the other subjects I paint. Oooooer...how deep and fraudian....oooooer.
I'm going to be giving/attending an art workshop in Glasgow this coming week. It's all very scary and I'm just hoping I don't bugger it all up. I would hate to dissappoint all those wee souls who have taken the time to attend. Anyrode up...I'll post up proper details when I have them to hand...but...thank you Garry for thinking of me and wanting me to do it....cheers fella!

Thank you for taking the time...

Ivor x