Well bonjour...ooooooo la la and a bucket full of frogs legs,

I've just returned from France...Montpellier to be precise...it was fantastic. I do advise everyone to go as it's so beautiful, historic and full of the most gorgeous looking people I've ever clapped eyes on. Do I sound shallow?...mmmm...I don't reckon so, I'm an artist so can truely appreciate the quality of the perfect form...well that's my excuse and I'm sticking to it.

I must say that France has inspired me...I saw some things that took my breath away...actually we were up in the hills one day which did actually shorten my breath...blimey it was hilly. I danced on the bridge at Avignon...just like in the song...well not so much a dance, more of a jig. Think I was in danger of being arrested as the bridge was trembling a bit...think of Homer Simpson on a treadmill...the French obviously reckoned it was a fit of some sort so gave me a wide berth...ho hum.

I went to a few galleries as well...saw a fantastic exhibition by Jose Pires in Lodeve and I also discovered the most spectacular paintings by Nicolas Mignard at the Calvert Museum in Avignon. I can honestly say I very near weed my undercrackers. I got all moist with emotion, decided to pack in painting all together as I could never aspire to such wonderment, had a major crisis followed by a cafe au lait which seemed to settle me...mmmmmmmm and aaaaaaahhhh. I've got over that now and am back on track with the new series of paintings.........

I'm now on the fourth image...it's a marionette. She's a rather moody bint...she stares out at me "with attitude" as they say in these 'ere times. I'm trying to capture a mixture of vunerability and defiance in the painting...I think it's working so far but, as it's only half done, anything can evolve. The "Burlesque Noir" and "Harlequin" paintings are also done and dusted...the same theme of vunerability threads through them both...well I reckon it does. I sent the images to a client of mine as I value his opinion and he says they remind him of the old black and white "art films" of Italy and France. I can really see his point and am dead chuffed with the comparison...thank you Michael, you're a star! When the "Marionette" is finally finished I want to do an escapologist/contortionist...I have this idea buzzing around in my head that I can't shake. It'll either work really well or look like an advert for an S&M Swingers club...ho hum.

Incidentally...whilst I was away on my jolly hols I read a book called "The Book Thief" by Markus Zusak. It is the first book in years to move me to tears...not a good look sat on a balcony in Monpellier with a snotty nose and making wailing noises, the locals were intrigued at the strange English bloke. I really recommend a read of it...I'm inspired to do a painting...it will not be at all commercial and it will be quite sad...but it is something I feel compelled to try.

I just thought I'd share that with you....

Thankyou for taking the time,

Ivor x

Bonjour my chums,

This is just a quickie of a blog as I've not got my bonce round a lengthy one...so much has been going on and on and on...ooooer. However...I will rectify this tomorrow with a full on no holds barred blog of epic proportions...

In the mean time this will have to suffice...apologies.

I've just learnt that this particular piece in off to France....how very international is that. I'm dead chuffed to say the least...perhaps it's due to the extra ordinary ammount of images there are in France of Saint Michael slaying the dragon. Ooooooo la la.

Thank you for being so patient...

Ivor x

Hellooooooooooooooo my chums,

I was enjoying some lovely sunny weather but thought I'd best bung up a blog lest you forget me. I am a martyr to my "art" to be sure....

Well I have finished the commission and delivered it to the client. Thankfully, he really liked it and seemed fairly moved by it. I admit to being a tad worried as commissions are always a little unpredictable...mainly because I tend to always paint "warts and all" with a portrait...not saying that the subject had any warts...infact a more handsome fellow you could not meet...it's just that I do love painting "detail"...mmmmm. I really wanted this one to be successful as it was commissioned from so much love and was full of symbolism relevant to the subject. I think it worked...I hope it worked. It also helped that the clients were so bleedin' nice.....thankyou Dave 'n' Stu for trusting me with your beings, it is much appreciated.

I am well into the new series of paintings...it still hasn't a title and I continue to refer to it as the "Fairground/Burlesque/Circus" series...which is a right gobfull. It's a much darker set of images than the shapeshifters...mind, that may well be due to them being set indoors and with un natural light. I'm endeavouring to capture the vunerabilty of the bods who work in this form of entertainment......it amazes me how most of the masses judge these folk. Hey hoo.

I'm trying to go for the raw, shabby and slightly forlorn look to these images...it's more to do with survival of the art and being constantly on the move than glitz and glamour. Oh and I apologise to all the purists out there....I'm painting a "feeling" rather than perfectly engineered circus/fairground equipment.

I reckon any one who can go out night after night wearing lycra and hanging from things deserves to be immortalised in acrylic...I also admire any bod who can wave feathers and jiggle their bits. I myself have tried it on occassions and am still receiving the doctors bills from all the people I traumatised....apparently the sight of a wee man waving feathered fans about whilst expressing himself through the medium of dance wearing a sparkly thong can give folk recurring nightmares....ho hum.

I'm now working on the second image...this one is proving to be a real challenge as it is so removed from the way I usually paint a piece. I've had to come at it from a completely different prospective and learn as I go. Mmmmm...fingers crossed that it proves successful...it seems to be going ok so far. Mind...that's no guarentee with me...I usually get so far in and then decide it's all a pile of poop. After that it gets quite messy with tantrums and tears and wringing of hands and threats to become a nun and all kinds of carry ons....hey ho...it's a right doings creating "the art".....

I'm off to the printers tomorrow to get some greetings cards printed...ooooer. I shall let you know how they turn out...

Thankyou for taking the time,

Ivor x

Bonjourno bonjourno bonjourno as our Italian cousins say...not that I have any Italian cousins and the nearest I've been to Italy of late is buying a pizza...ho hum.

I have been away to sunny Liverpool to have my website re jigged and given a spanking update. I've re invented myself like what Madonna does only I refuse to wear a conical bra...
A big thankyou to my chum and fellow artist Chris Butler for spending so much time creating it and putting up with my tantrums. How anyone can stare at screens, push knobs and play with a mouse all those hours is a wonder to me and I have great respect for them. I, myself, can just about muster up the enthusiasm to download a few pics and post a blog before I have a panic attack and become convinced the machine is out to get me and will aid my eventual downfall.
Mmmmm...perhaps I should do a series of paintings based on this paranoia and exorcise the ghosts forever...???

Speaking of a new series...tomorrow I begin work on the "Circus meets Burlesque" set of paintings. I'm quite excited about these as they're so different from the "Elementals"...I'm still unsure how they'll develop as I only have a vague image of them in my head. It's all a tad strange really because I usually have a clear image and a vague concept...this time it's reversed. The idea is firmly imprinted in my balding noggin but I'm going to have to do the first painting to see where the whole series will take me. All I can say is I see...velvet...tattoos...circus art...bosoms and colour. Here's hoping it all goes swimmingly well or I may well end up running away to the circus, donning lycra and dangling from a swing...mind, I have done that at parties....ho hum.

I've also just completed a new commission piece...I must say I'm dead chuffed with how it turned out and am just hoping that the client feels the same way. It's always a very anxious time where portrait commissions are concerned...how I see a person may well be totally different from how the person sees themself. I think I've captured the spirit and character of the person dead well.....fingers crossed the feeling's mutual......oooooooooooooooooer.

Whilst I've been creating "the art"...I've also been developing the idea of doing cards and prints. I'm putting the feelers out and have a set of 6 cards on display at "Luke and Jacks" in Glasgow, as well as some paintings. The very nice lads who own the shop have been fantastic and dead friendly. They are developing the shop into a wonderfly diverse "lifestyle" ambiance...it's well worth checking out. Please note the shop contains items of an adult nature so is only accessable to over 18s.
I'm feeling dead excited in general these days about my work and am often seen skipping merrily on the patio...not really a good idea at my age as things creek...others wobble and some swing................not a pretty site...hey ho.

http://www.ivorsexton.co.uk/

http://www.lukeandjack.com/

Thank you for taking the time,

Ivor x

Good evening my chums,

I apologise for the lateness of the hour...also...I apologise for any spelling mistakes cos it is so late.

Well what can I say? T'is been a whirlwind doings of epic proportions. I've been steadily painting some new pieces and finishing others. The "Dragons Kiss" is now finished...it was the last in the "Elementals" series of paintings. It's probably the most sensual painting of the series. I must admit she's looking a tad dishevelled and a little "emotional"...mind...who wouldn't with a bloke that's part dragon breathing all over you. It was quite difficult trying to bring in the "fire" to this series. All the dragon shape-shifters were men...and nearly all of those were transformed as part of a spell. This image is the only one of the "Elementals" whose story comes mainly from my imagination. Mmmmmm...how telling is that?

I've also been working on some nudes...reckon I'm doing this due to my own sad carcass being on a tobogan ride to sagging wrinkleness. Perhaps painting better forms will exorcise the ghosts of desperation at hitting middle age. Mmmm...I do admit to it being a very therapeutic exercise and I'm now less inclined to scream when I remove clothing. Ho hum. Plus...I'd forgotten what a challenge it is painting shed loads of bare flesh. Where these particualar paintings will end up is a concurrent countdown conundrum...but...I have fingers in many doodahs and irons in many fires...oooooer, I say no more.
My new best friend Joe Hendry and me have been in dialogue...I sound dead Alan Sugar. We're considering doing some stuff together in a rather groovy new place in Glasgow...I won't say owt else now as it's still in the early planning stage. I'm dead excited...I'm skipping as I type. Thanks Joe for keeping the faith my chum.

I'm still displaying stuff at "Christo's " Gallery in the West End of Glasgow and my stuff is also adorning the walls at "Art Bar" in Brunswick Road Glasgow. Please feel free to go along and have a gander...and...if you feel inclined purchase a pice of "Art"

http://www.christosgallery.com/

http://www.artbarglasgow.com/

I was at the circus the other evening and it was quite an experience. It wasn't immpressive at all...infact it all seemed a tad jaded and slightly sad. I do admire the troop continuing on despite dwindling audiences and constant protests from animal rights bods. "Why are you telling us this?" I hear you ask. Mmmmm...well, along with this circus experience and the stuff I've been reading on "Burlesque" theatre, I feel a new set of paintings forming in my bonce. Have no idea how it'll pan out or even how I'll approach it...but I know something will emerge from it all. A right "circus of burlesque". I will keep you posted...mind it'll have to wait a bit as I've got some commissions to do. Ho hum.

Finally...can I make a huge apology. Apparently a spam dooooings has got hold of my email address book and keeps sending people stuff for viagara. Please accept my sincere apology...I am endeavouring to sort it out.

Thank you for taking the time,

Ivor x

Helloooooo peeps,

T'is I and I'm finally calm from all the recent drama and upheaval.
Plus....I have news....ooooooooooooooooooooer.

Firstly I would like to take the time to say a big fat thank you to David from Park Gallery. Sadly his beloved business is no more....yet another statistic of this horrible economic melt down. I just want every one out there to know what a huge support he was to me over the past year. It was a pleasure doing business with you my friend, us artists have lost a good chum and I've lost somewhere really fun to lurk whilst I'm in Glsagow. Pecker up fella....I'm sure you'll bounce back with even more enthusiasm and, as our American chums say, spunk.

The "Elementals" series of paintings have now been split up and can be seen at two venues. Hurrah!

I am now showing some work at "Christo's" gallery on the Great Western Road...the West End of Glasgow no less. I don't know about you lot but I'm dead impressed. Thank you Louise for taking some of my work...I'm sure it's just the beginning of a beautiful relationship. "Christo's" is a lovely gallery and well worth nipping along to...not just to have a gander at my new stuff though I'd be really chuffed if you would...but because it has a dead friendly atmos and Louise is so welcoming.

http://www.christosgallery.com/

I am also showing at "Art Bar" in Brunswick Street...oooooer yet again...in the Merchant City of Glasgow no less. The really lovely, talented and all round good egg Joe Hendry contacted me and, Bob's yer uncle, I was in. Joe is organising the gallery and getting together some very talented and established artists to show at the venue. It is all very exciting...I've been skipping now for days which isn't good for some one of my great age and with a dodgy hip to boot.......I reckon it'll be a dead dead hip and happenin' laid back and groovy place to exhibit...I can't wait...I think I'll skip some more......

Cheers Joe...you're a star!

Joe and I attended the most fantastic and fabulous "Glasgow Boys" exhibition at the Kelvingrove. I recommend any one who is in Glasgow to go along and see it, it is so bleedin' worth it.
I came away with really mixed emotions. The first was "I'm so unworthy, I really must hang my brush in shame" The second was "where's me board and brush...I need to create!" They were truely great painters...it's a sort of spiritual experience being in the same room as those paintings. I was sooooo humbled. Blimey...I've gone all misty eyed. Mind...it's definitely put me well and truely back on track to start a new series of paintings. I know one that I feel the need to do...it's of the "Green Man"....the geezer who hung about in oak trees in the days of yore. Have no idea as to how it'll develop...but...hey ho...that's part of the fun.

Thank you for taking the time,

Ivor x

Hello my loyal chums,

T'is with great sadness that I write today so please bare with me.

My exhibition of "The Elementals" has been cancelled due to unforseen circumstances. Hopefully I will be able to find another venue soon so that this collection can be viewed.

I'd like to take this opportunity to say a big thank you to David at Park Gallery for all his support and help over the past year. It is a huge loss to the Art world and especially me, that his beloved gallery has had to close.
I'd also like to say thank you to Rachel his glamorous assistant.

You will be so missed my chums.

Thank you for taking the time,

Ivor x