Above: elephants painted by Peter Smith (left) and John Wilson (right)

The Elephant Parade was the largest outdoor art exhibition ever staged in the UK, with 258 life sized baby elephant sculptures, set in locations all over London’s city centre. They were thought up and created for the leading wild elephant charity called ‘Elephant Family’ www.elephantfamily.org The interesting thing is that each elephant is a unique piece of art, hand painted by renowned artists and designers. The Parade ran for around two months; from May to July 2010. The elephants were placed in streets, parks and squares right across Central London at some of London’s leading landmarks.

Above: elephants painted by Alexander Millar (left) and Jeff Rowland (right)

With an estimated audience of 25 million (you cannot count every person in London who has viewed them can you?!), the campaign aimed to raise over £1 million for the endangered Asian elephant. It was a fresh and unique fundraising and awareness campaign that everyone could enjoy. Elephant Parade’s mission is to become the world’s largest financial support organisation for elephants, while attempting to save the Asian elephant from extinction in the wild.

Above: elephants painted by Paul Kenton (left) and Louise Dear (right)

Some of the UK’s finest artists and designers were sponsoring and painting an elephant including the previously blogged about: Alexander Millar, Jack Vettriano, Jeff Rowland John Wilson, Louise Dear, Paul Kenton & Peter Smith!…Many of these are artists licensed exclusively to Washington Green fine art publishers, so big thank you to them for allowing them to help out!

After going on display in various locations all over London, a select number of elephants were then auctioned off by Sotheby’s, whilst the remainder were auctioned online.

thank you

Vicki

Useful Links
Elephant Parade Main site: www.elephantparadelondon.org
Elephant Family Charity Main Site: www.elephantfamily.org
Donate to Elephant Family: www.justgiving.com/elephantfamily/donate

‘Into The Sun’ by Rolf Harris

‘Into The sun,’ is a stunning lioness face study & Rolf captures beautifully the features of this most majestic of animals; stalking her prey or about to start a chase? the viewer is left to decide!

‘Uluru Sunset’ By Rolf Harris

‘Uluru Sunset’ is the second piece. Uluru, also known worldwide as ‘Ayers Rock,’ is the world famous landmark in Uluru - Kata Tjuta National Park. To view the sunset there is one of the most popular excursions in the whole of Australia. With the rich warm colours, Rolf captures perfectly the scene in his trademark style.

As is usual now they are released as (1) an on paper version, which comes mounted/matted (with its borders) and will need to be glassed and framed or (2) an on canvas board edition: these are of a higher print quality & are as near a match to his original painting as possible, these are designed to not be framed but not glassed.

Rolf with his wobble board

Demand for these is huge, own a part of art history and be a part of Rolf Harris’ s 80th birthday year by owning these stunning pieces

Thanks you

James

Links:
Everchanging colours of Ayers Rock on video
Living With Lions, lion conservation group
Rolf Harris to do a song with Dizzee Rascal & the Chemical Brothers for his 80th Birthday!

(’Baby Love’ by Gary Hodges)

Simply called ‘Baby Love,’ this latest release features a mother & baby hippo in the water and it has been beautifully captured by the artist.

Gary tells us that it was inspired by his trip in 2007 to the Ngorongoro Crater game reserve in Tanzania and his observations of Hippopotamus.

Undoubtedly Gary is one of the masters of Pencil/Graphite drawing, other great artists that spring to mind being David Shepherd, Mike Sibley & Peter Hildick whose artwork is both loved and collected by art lovers all over the world.

(’Family’ featuring Meerkats by Gary Hodges)

I would say that over the last 20 years, Gary has been one of the consistently best selling artists in the UK, his older limited edition now sell for considerable amounts of money.

‘Baby Love’ is a valuable addition to Gary Hodges’s huge range of limited editions and is bound to sell out very quickly.

Thank you

James

Useful links:
http://ngorongorocrater.com/
http://www.game-reserve.com/tanzania_ngorongoro.html
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Hippopotamus

(Photo of the artist)

“We are deeply saddened to announce that one of country’s most outstanding, award winning contemporary artists - Govinder Nazran - who enjoyed enormous success around the world, tragically died on Tuesday 30 December, after suffering a seizure on Christmas Eve.

Govinder’s striking, naïve portrayal of the feline and canine form, married with strong oriental overtones, and rich texturing and layering, won him 1000s of fans across the world.

(Scratch & Sniff - Sculpture by Govinder Nazran)

As Glyn Washington, MD for Washington Green Fine Art Publishing, said:

“2009 would have been our tenth anniversary of working with Govinder. It was a 10 years in which we enjoyed the most amazing and creative art from one of the most talented, gentle and innovative artists we have ever had the pleasure of working with. Ironically we were planning a major event in 2009 to celebrate this wonderful 10 year collaboration. It has been said that ‘It is often the brightest star that burns for the shortest time’… never has a truer word been spoken.”

In 2004 Govinder became the ‘Best Selling Published Artist’ in the industry’s Fine Art Trade Guild Awards and he enjoyed 2 sell-out tours in Japan where his work was highly revered. During his prolific 10 years with Washington Green his work has been collected and admired by thousands of fans from all walks of life, including many well-known collectors world-wide. Unusually Govinder possessed the vision of both artist and creative director, as he innovated and developed the ideas for his ground breaking collections.

(Flapdoodle by Govinder Nazran)

A naturally warm and witty man of enormous integrity, Govinder’s shyness made it challenging for him to articulate his thoughts verbally. “My true personality reveals itself through my paintings,” he once said. His cats and dogs reached far deeper than a cute, naïve cliché of a ‘four legged friend’ with many of his paintings dedicated to the fight between good and evil. “I leave it to the individual to look at my paintings and choose what they would like to see, innocence or malevolence - the ‘good’ or the ‘evil’. Above all else I am, and always will be, an eternal optimist. Optimism is one of the greatest gifts we possess and my paintings are from my soul.”

Govinder often described his wife Sarah and daughter Eden as his “greatest inspiration” and his most ‘honest critics.’ He will be sadly missed by all at Washington Green and no doubt by all who appreciated and loved his work the world over.”

(The Wise by Govinder Nazran)

I very much loved Govinder’s style and work and it is a sad loss to the art world. My thoughts go out to his wife Sarah and his daughter Eden.

I am sure his artistic legacy will not be lost and he will continue to me remembered by the art world as a great contributor to contemporary art.

My thoughts go out to his family at this time and to all those at Washington Green publishers and for any of those who knew him.

Thank you

Emily

In 2007 Caroline had her second baby, Elliot, who was born prematurely and she heard about Bliss and through them she gained invaluable information about caring for her baby

‘Special Delivery’ by Caroline Shotton:

Both images will retail at £330 each and are sized 22’’ x 22’’ inches, a little smaller than her normal box canvases but are at a much keener price! These are special time limited edition pieces and will only be available from 14 July – 30 September 2008, so hurry!

‘Handle With Care’ by Caroline Shotton:

I really like these images as it brings something different again into her ‘Cow’ genre which undoubtedly she has cornered the market on.

I never thought it was possible but these cows maybe the cutest images she has ever released.

If you want to donate directly to Bliss charity, please use the links below.

thank you

Russell

Useful links:

‘Bliss’ baby charity - website homepage
‘Bliss’ - donation page

(’First Date’ by Doug Hyde:)

Doug’s images with dogs (normally a black dog) have always been really strong images for him that the public has gone crazy for; who knows why? Perhaps it is the cuteness of the pictures that we associate so strongly with are own pets, I mean pets are cute right?

(’Our Place’ by Doug Hyde:)

Introducing a new character for Doug, he gives us a Bunny Rabbit! of all creatures…with massive floppy ears!..I think he’s very fluffy and cute and reminds me of the cuddly toys you can buy.

‘First Date’, a very apt title for Valentines Day is also a great image and brings together again, some of the best elements of Doug Hyde’s work: the little people, the hearts, the kisses and again the lush red background and I notice they have brought out a bronze representing the picture (First Date - Bronze Sculpture) and it’s smaller but more affordable than all previous bronzes which retail for nearly £500.00 upwards.

(’Big Foot’ by Doug Hyde:)

Happy Valentine’s day everybody! mwah lol

thank you

Russell

useful links: view the Doug Hyde St. Valentines Day Images

(Here is the publisher’s jpeg of the item:)

The red ones where always traditionally her fastest selling Box Canvases and with the 2 tone effect of red, this is one a little bit different. It’s also unique, in that the flowers that appear on the piece are actually bonded onto the canvas, and it works really well.

The blades of grass also have the same effect. It could be that these embellished pieces with more intricate embellishment is the way she’s moving forward, whatever the case, I like it!

(Here’s a section of the Canvas I photographed slightly side on, so you can really see the embellishments:)

What exactly is the magic pull of this Caroline Shotton cow art on the buying public? I’m not sure, perhaps it’s like the Aesop fable of the goose that laid the golden egg:

http://www.happychild.org.uk/nvs/cont/stories/aesopsfables/page0002.htm
http://www.ongoing-tales.com/SERIALS/oldtime/FAIRYTALES/goose.html

In other words, if the public like it they like! No need to figure out why.

The cows clearly like the finished pieces ;0) anyway.

thank you

Russell

UK Artist Caroline Shotton has taken the bold step in repainting in her own ‘Milky Way’ some the ‘Great Masters’ in history and putting them in Cow form. These Limited Edition prints are ‘Moovelous’!

Caroline Shotton painting: ‘Moona Lisa’ (2007)
vs.
‘Mona Lisa’ by Leonardo Da Vinci
(painted circa 1503–1506)

Caroline Shotton painting: ‘The Cow with a Pearl Earring’ (2007)
vs.
‘Girl with a Pearl Earring’ by Johannes Vermeer
(painted circa 1665-1666)

Caroline Shotton painting: The ‘Laughing Cowvalier’ (2007)
vs.
‘Laughing Cavalier’ by Frans Hals
(painted 1624)

Caroline Shotton painting: ‘The Moo’ (2007)
vs.
‘The Scream’ by Edvard Munch
(series of paintings 1893)

Caroline Shotton painting: ‘The Persistence of Moomory’ (2007)
vs.
‘The Persistence of Memory’ by Salvador Dali
(painted 1931)

Caroline Shotton painting: ‘The Smooch’ (2007)
vs.
‘The Kiss’ by Gustav Klimt
(painted 1907)

I personally love these and find them a very confident statement on Caroline Shotton’s part. Some really great painting, not to mention creativity, went into these pieces. You really have to these pieces in the flesh to appreciate them fully. Everyone who has seen them has commented how the pictures have grown on them and how their favourite of the 6 keeps changing.

The frames on the 4 framed pieces are about 4” wide but are light in colour and give the pieces both a modern and contemporary feel at the same time. The other 2 are Box Canvases, the style Caroline has made all her own in recent years.

thank you

Russell

(’On Golden Pond’ by artist Michael Jackson, this is a painting and not a photo!)

Ok the quiz is as follows: how many fish are in the picture? lol it’s actually not as easy as it looks, this artist has done such a great job of painting that its hard to tell what’s a ripple of water, a fish or a light reflection. It’s so photo realistic it’s amazing.

Apparently there is a ‘limitless variations’ on possible colours of Koi carp, wow! I’m interested in buying some already. It’s actually a very popular hobby in the UK to keep or breed Koi carp and they can live up to 30 or 40 years old; apparently one lived to be 200 years old! (See link below) Must have been all the oily fish he was eating lol

(’Like Fish That Pass In Night’ by artist Nicola Read)

Anyway, I love fish and the fact in art terms you could paint them in so many different ways, photo realistic like artist Michael Jackson has done….in a contemporary style with big splashes of bold colours, look at artist Nicola Read’s pieces or even in a cartoon/naive style, such as artist Linda Jane Smith’s work….the different ways are limitless.

(’The Fisherman’s Arms’ by artist Linda Jane Smith)

Anyway if you want to read about this Koi Carp that allegedly lived to be 200…use the link below..in the meantime I just thought id post a random photo of a large Koi carp…enjoy!

Take a look at this guy, he is big (Photo of a Koi carp)

thank you

Russell

Further Reading:

Japanese guy talks about various Carps - Some lived to over 200 years old!

If you are an average Joe and have no knowledge of art, have a look at these pictures and just see them for what they are, Great cow pictures.

But if you feeling clever, then here’s a test for you guys, like I said can you guess which photos they are representing? Ill post the answers soon in another post

Ok once you know your score, here’s your rating

1) 1 Correct answers: you are a ‘Silly cow’ and you need to drink more milk

2) 2-3 Correct answers: you are a ‘Jammy cow’ and you’ve been eating your grass! well done you’re getting there

3) 4-5 Correct answers: you are a ‘Clever cow’ and you get a free chocolate milk shake

4) 6 Correct answers: you are one ‘Lucky cow’ and there no one else like ‘Moo’

The collection is called ‘The Great Moosters’ lol, someone must have been in a good mood that day! The 6 Cow pictures by Caroline Shotton are titled:

-Moona Lisa
-The Cow With The Pearl Earring
-The Laughing Cowvalier
-The Moo
-The Persistence Of Moomory
-The Smooch

all by Caroline Shotton

thank you

Russell