Great Sheffield Art Show 2016 - Nov Thurs 24th - Sun 27th

For those who thought they'd missed this amazing show in the summer, I have some very good news. GSAS skipped an entire year in 2015, and were too late to book a summer spot at the Octagon for 2016, hence this year it's a November show! 

Perfect timing for a spot of Xmas shopping....

I'll be exhibiting 6 pictures created using encaustic wax. At our gazebo at Art in the Gardens in September so many people enjoyed being able to touch the wax as well as look at the images.They have a surprising strength, whilst looking so fragile. I'm not sure if the organisers of the GSAS will encourage touching pictures: just tell them it's OK by me ;-)

"Sing in the Lifeboats" 82 x 89cms wax on OSB mounted on hessian

“‎Life is a shipwreck but we must not forget to sing in the lifeboats.” This is a quote from Voltaire and seemed very apt at the time of the endless migrations across the Mediterranean last summer. Some of my work I like best has its origins in current events.

Primaeval Light 50 x43 cms

There was a lot of stellar activity from NASA in 2016. The Rosetta Mission and Philae came top of my list. Perhaps to lose sight for a day or two of what we are doing on earth, it's good to reach out to the stars.With coloured wax you can experiment with the look and feel of an entire new universe. Then return to Earth refreshed to get on with making some other rewarding creation: like dinner... 

SnaKing 104 x 36 cms wax on hardboard, mounted on turquoise and blue hessian

SnaKing is part of my dragon series. The rest are painted in Chinese inks. (See previous blogs) If only I could write Braille, he would have a message encoded into his bumpy skin. I like the fact he is tangible and swims forever across my wall. He may be wingless, but he's certainly not lacking teeth.

Between Two Worlds wax on MDF 61 x47 cms on blue hessian

There are times when paths cross and disturbances are created. Some confluences are smooth flightpaths, others disturbing or disruptive. A prisoner in a small cell will magnify the minuscule so there is some observable differentiation, else madness sets in. We all experience change and upheaval, and would probably die of boredom if we didn't.  This picture tries to express some of those tangents both in form and colour.

Letting Fly -wax on MDF 61x47 cms on hessian

It was during the Russian excursion/incursion into the Crimea in 2015 that this warrior appeared and asked to be armoured with something arrow-proof. I was glad to oblige with gold leaf on a smooth raised surface of wax.

         Autumn - waxed leaves on MDF on royal blue hessian  61 x47 cms

These are skeleton leaves from the previous year, ironed onto mdf board with coloured wax in 2016. One of the joys of wax is adding stuff, incorporating artefacts, experimenting. For an artist who likes to explore as much as liking to depict, it is an ideal medium. 

I'm looking forward to finding many ways to exploit wax in the future, and hope you will follow my journey, either online, coming to the show, or by contacting me.