Fine Art Blog

News and Opinions on published UK Fine Art

  • How do you use Jedi mind control on a Cow?

    This crazy thought popped into my head when I recently looked at some Limited Edition prints featuring Cows. (Ill call them cows or ‘Daisy’, it sounds better!)

    (‘Mildred’ by artist Toni Hargreaves, this is a painting and not a photo!)

    'Mildred' by artist Toni Hargreaves

    Cows seem to be a very popular theme in Art as of late but this leads to unanswered questions for an inquisitive mind like mine. Some of these artists MUST actually go to the countryside to see Cows close up because lots of artists do not work from other people’s pictures or random photos of Daisy form the internet!

    So Mr. or Mrs. Artist takes a day out to go to the countryside ‘Honey ill be back home later’ packing their lunch, digital camera & sketch book.

    After arriving, they wait for the right moment so Daisy is in the right position and either start sketching Daisy or try to take photos. Sounds simple right?

    (‘Wayne & Bruno’ by artist Caroline Shotton)

    'Wayne & Bruno' by artist Caroline Shotton

    But how long do you wait? How do you make a cow stop what its doing and POSE for a photo? Jedi mind control perhaps? but I’m guessing a Jedi’s powers does not extend to bovines! so it must be some other way.

    I mean its not often you hear a cow say ‘I’m ready for my close up Mr. DeMille’ so these artists must go to extraordinary lengths to get Daisy in the right pose for right photo.

    (‘Trinny And Suzannah’ by artist Paul James, this is a painting and not a photo!)

    'Trinny And Suzannah' by artist Paul James

    Here’s the best options I’ve come up with if your Jedi skills fail:

    1) Hide in a bush for a few hours and wait till ‘Daisy’ strolls by – don’t shake the bush or you will scare Daisy!

    2) Get a friend to dress up in a cow suit and try to ‘attract’ Daisy to come over – bit dangerous, maybe your friend doesn’t want a new girlfriend?

    3) Move town & get a job at a farm for a season but secretly keep sneaking off with your camera to see the cows! And when they least expect it…..*flash* you got your perfect photo & you can go off and paint your masterpiece

    thank you

    Russell

  • Have you ever lost anything in the Snow? a Sheep or your Dignity perhaps?

    Well my first example is of losing your dignity, this cat clearly appears to be very upset, he’s obviously spent many hours fixing his hair and now it’s all ruined and he’s going to have to cancel going to the party!

    (‘Snow’ by Sue Hemming)

    Snow by artist Sue Hemming

    How many people have lost other stuff when they were in the snow?

    This sort of thing seems to be a recurring theme in many paintings I’ve seen,
    and the theme of Sheep in the snow is also a powerful and recurring image.

    Does this say anything about the imagination of the artist? Because lets be honest, how many of them have actually been in the snow with Sheep, id bet it’s not that many.

    (‘In Snow’ by Mackenzie Thorpe)

    In Snow by artist Mackenzie Thorpe

    Perhaps its because as a child we are taught that counting sheep in relaxing and I also feel that snow brings happy thoughts to most people, do you agree with me on this one? There’s something very fluffy and cute about snow and it’s hard to describe what the actual appeal is, I mean if we stay out to long in it we get a chill and a cold and have to rush into the warm.

    Perhaps it’s the association with happy memories? Whether it’s a day off from school, playing out in the snow, or a wonderful Christmas you had or does it mean Father Christmas/ Santa is coming?

    This is one of my own favourite pics, it shows a Snowman hiding behind the wall of a house ready to surprise the owners that just created him. How cool would that be? Mr. Snowman wants a snowball fight!

    (‘On A Magical Winters Eve’ by Paul Horton)

    On A Magical Winters Eve by artist Paul Horton

    thank you

    Russell

  • Caroline Shotton – contemporary ‘Cow’ art & sculptures!

    Well it looks like Caroline Shotton has done it again and produced some amazing new pieces for Autumn 07. I really think her work is continuing to improve and the images are fabulous.

    Dirty Cows by artist Caroline Shotton

    Unlike some artists she is not intent on simply rehashing old ideas/images and making a ‘quick buck’ but she is intentionally adding a lot of depth and imagination to her work and developing the ideas behind them.

    ‘Cow-Moo-Flage’ & ‘Dirty Cows’ are 2 great examples, with her imaginative use of background colours and effects and also the tie in with the name of the picture itself:
    ‘Cow-Moo-Flage’ – with the cows bodies hidden within the the background and the ‘Dirty Cows’ – being covered in mud, a typical scene no doubt throughout many English farms!

    Cow-Moo-Flage by artist Caroline Shotton

    I find her work to be fresh, funky and vibrant.

    Sculptures are a new idea from her for 2007 and ‘My Fa-Moo-Ly’ is the 2nd one produced by Caroline, allowing her comedic cows to be appreciated in another touchable medium! I like the fact the sculpture is the same cows taken from her box canvas limited edition of the same name. I am sure the sculptures must be very appealing to those who own or liked the accompanying box canvas (also called ‘My Fa-Moo-Ly’)

    My Fa-Moo-Ly - sculpture by artist Caroline Shotton

    I think Caroline Shotton will stay ahead of her ‘field’ for many years to come, I couldn’t resist that one!

    thank you

    Russell

  • Daisy Boman – New Sculptor, New Limited Editions

    Flemish sculptor, Daisy Boman is now releasing some of her sculptures as exclusive limited edition pieces, for the first time through, Washington Green Fine Art Publishers (UK)

    Climb to Heaven by Daisy Boman

    “Sometimes its difficult to put things into words, my works says a good deal more”

    Already an established sculptor of some standing, selling her original sculptures I believe in her own gallery in Belgium, her work has brought something fresh and different to the limited edition sculpture market. With the unique design to here figures ‘in action,’ whether climbing up a ladder, a rope or escaping, they are a talking point from the moment I laid eyes on them and doubtless will be for galleries who stock her work and customers who hang them on their walls.

    Washington Green’s give us their explanation of the human aspect to the characters:

    “Alone, but mostly in numbers, Boman’s figures climb, interact with each other, fall, crawl, run-telling us stories about life, human destiny and universal feelings. The ‘Bo-men’ are there to remind us how much struggle defines our lives in the world. But are we all that different in our struggling? Daisy Boman suggests not, offering us a unique look at ourselves.”

    Have No Fear by Daisy Boman

    Her Launch collection 2 months ago consisted of 5 sculptures:
    ‘Climb to Heaven,’ ‘To The Edge Of The World,’ ‘From Here To Eternity,’ ‘Don’t Look Back’ and ‘Belonging.’

    Her distinctive ‘Bo-men’ figures are seen scaling the heights of 4 ‘boxed wall sculptures’ and a unique perspex enclosed sculpture: ‘Belonging’ – which is my personal favourites.

    For Spring 2007 a further 5 sculptures were released and these 5 follow the same theme as some of her previous work, 5 different work produced on a 34’’ inch square background or ‘boxed wall sculptures’ with her sculptures scaling this background.

    When I first encountered Daisy Boman’s work I found them to be very amusing, cheerful and naive to some extent but as I read more about the artist, I realized there was a deeper significance to her work. I personally interpret them as describing the struggle that is the human condition, and that we too, like the Boman characters, will win in the end.

    By the way I believe her characters are plain in colour (off white) and faceless for a specific purpose of making the viewer think as she put it: “Faceless, they ask us to look at them for what they are, not for what they look like. Their movements, situations and attitudes speak for themselves.”

    My favorite of her first releases, ‘Belonging’:

    Belonging by Daisy Boman

    All credit must go the publisher Washington Green, again finding and bringing something unique to the UK and International limited edition art market.

    These sculptures are very low edition numbers of 95 each and can be bought from only a few select galleries, I can personally recommend www.chelmerfineart.com if u want to view or buy her collection.

    thank you

    Russell