Animation: History of Flight

A very short bit of animation I am experimenting with. More will follow soon I hope, but it is taking longer than I thought to get things moving!

Card Trump Boxes

These well loved and well used tin card holders (1940s?) were a present that consisted of three - but that didn't include 'diamonds'. I was finally given the last one, which has a knob to turn it to the trump of choice - a very happy man - all bases now covered!

Folkestone Triennale

The last day of the Folkestone Triennale. A lovely sunny day and some interesting work including this suspended 16th Century bell by the sea by A K Dolven titled 'Out of Tune' and beech hut forms by Richard Wilson cut and constructed from a long abandoned crazy golf course. Also great work by Hew Locke and a poignant and beautifully shot 3 screen film by Nikolaj Bendix Skyum Larsen about migrants from Afghanistan and Iran who live in makeshift camps near Calais and hope to finish their final crossing to England.

Twins: Nature v. Nurture

An illustration I did for The Times which looks at the classic topic of the effects of nature and nurture in developing happiness and skill in twin studies. I think I'll always come out stronger on the side of nurture.

Department of Psychedelic Studies

Went to the closing event of 'The Department of Psychedelic Studies' at Wysing Arts Centre. Some mind-bending sounds and some unusual structures. Here is 'Beehive Skyscraper' by Bedwyr Willimas and a re-cycled buliding called 'Amphis' made in 2008 by Folke Kobberling, Martin Kaltwasser and helpers. Also, a great poster for UFO MK2 - not sure who did it - anyone know?

V&A Summer Posters

The end of the Summer. Just finished new designs for Autumn children's posters for the V&A. These Summer ones (in the tunnel at South Kensington) will be down in a week or two.

Thomas Struth: Photographs 1978-2010

I was really knocked out by the Thomas Struth show at the Whitechapel Gallery. It was a retrospective of work he has made since 1978. I have seen his work before in books and admired his precise aesthetic and composition, but seeing the work in the flesh and at real scale was another thing entirely. The photographs all feel larger than life and often are - they tower over you and the colours are super saturated. Many of the locations are unpeopled (except in tiny detail) and the position we are in as the viewer is unsettling. Are we in the picture? Passive observers? Where are we exactly? And even when we know we are in an art gallery looking at big photos, we still feel as if we are looking at the subjects from a very new perspective. There is an uneasy balance in these impressive images between absolute clarity and total mystery - there is always a little more than meets the eye. The questions often seem to be around technology and how it causes us to live and relate to each other and the world. So glad I saw the show. Here's a pic of a half submerged oil rig, but you have to behold the image at scale (about 12 feet across) to really appreciate its power.

Stages & Arenas

Looking back through some of my work and found this image. Seems to speak of moving and familial relationships..... actually perhaps it's just that I like the green. More of the series on my website here.

Ruthin Flower and Country Show

Visited Ruthin Flower and Country Show in North Wales last month. There were some great exhibits, entries and prizewinners, for such things as 'Longest Runner Bean' and 'Best Animal Made From Vegetables' and even 'A Plate of Vegetables Not Listed in Schedule'. My favourite was this potato mouse. The arrangements were beautiful, imaginative and amazing. There was also a large collection of machinery badges attached to differently shaped old bedheads on show - true Folk Art. A wonderful experience.

Goodbye to the Cutty Sark?

Here's an illustration I did for The Guardian on the morning that the Cutty Sark burnt.  Just been looking at progress being made now and it looks like an excuse has been found to turn the ghost of what was left  into the bones of yet another 'interactive visitor centre' due to open in 2012. Looks more like a spaceship than a boat to me. We'll see...... What do you think? Here's a link to the Cutty Sark experience!