Vanishing Point Redux

my mate Ed drove from San Francisco to NYC in 12 days with a camera on the dashboard capturing a photo every 30 seconds....he put this little film together when he got home...its awesome (but keep a travel sickness bag handy!)...


here's some great stills too...i want them blown up and on my wall...stunning...

this is my favourite...its like paint by numbers....gorgeous

brain activity

David Shrigley show at the Hayward

popped down to the Hayward Gallery  to see the new David Shrigley exhibition - which was brilliant of course, though i am a long time fan.  this is the first major show of his work and its full of great pieces that are funny, poignant, insightful and playful - you can't help but titter as you walk around (though there were a few rather serious types discussing high brow ideas comparing his work to the economic breakdown, blah blah blah...somehow i think they were missing the point). as it's half term there were also a few children wandering round and, in my opinion, this is the perfect introduction to art shows because its dotted with little hidden spy holes, crawl spaces and bits and pieces at floor level - as well as some cool animation and a light smattering of naughty words - perfect for the pint-sized (and young at heart).

David Shrigley poses with his I'm Dead piece...

Lost by David Shrigley, one of my faves

DS has been known to do tattoo parlour events & a collection of fan tatts are on his site - would love one

i have wanted these for so long and at last they are mine (Salt & Pepper - £75)

on the way there i spotted this sorry looking mattress and later on Lukey Likey sent me one over from where he was in Hackney.

Pathetic...pull yourself together! (Leghorn Road, NW10)

From a distance....from Lukey Like (in Hackney)

the snow's now just about all melted here in London - only a few sad looking blobs (leftover snowmen) dotted about the gardens - still cold, bring on Spring!

cat on a cold snowy roof - view from my bedroom window earlier in the week

Misha the Penguin - enjoying a snowball in the kitchen

baking heart shaped biccies in honour of Valentines Day!

Charlie says...cheer up, January's nearly over

possibly THE best lost pet poster ever!

January has been mostly filled with laying low due to lack of funds, getting back into the routine of the daily work grind and generally feeling a bit blah...but at least i haven't lost a pet....recently spotted the above poster on several trees and lamp-posts around mattressland for this missing moggy.  looks to me like Charlie didn't pay heed to his own advice [from those old '70s public service information cartoons]....

mind you...has anyone checked with The Prodigy....heh heh...

have only managed to get out on the bike a couple of times this month - despite the good weather (no snow...yet) and popped down to see the lovely boys and girls at Half Pipe to get my tyres pumped - they asked for another Mattressland Calender, having loved the 2011, so will be taking 2012 down to them this weekend.  spotted this beauty on my way home up Kensal Rise aka "the slope" - so this is just for the Half Pipers....

Kilburn Lane, NW10

and Lukey Likey sent me these corkers from down south london way the other day....cheers m'dear.

i did also manage to fit in a trip to the London Art Fair thanks to the lovely people at Byard Art - the gallery i bought my Lee Madgwick painting from - who sent me a VIP access all areas (and free booze) pass.  you always get your money's worth at the fair as there are so many artists on show - especially new and emerging work in the Art Project area - but there wasn't really anything that particularly blew me away enough  that i was itching to get the plastic out of the purse (thank god!)....

same old cock n' balls at the London Art Fair

Modern Toss

Modern Toss show @ Imitate Modern Gallery til Sunday 18th December 2011

i have long held a soft spot for the modern toss boys, so was really excited when i heard they were popping up to town for a live portrait session at their new show at the Imitate Modern Gallery in Devonshire Street on sunday.  i bundled up against the cold and caught a bus down just in time to be 4th in queue (which was snaking out the door as i left) and after a quick chat with Jon, came away with a fab little portrait in my grubby mitts...and for only a fiver...what a bargain.

i'm ready for my close up....mind the step yeah

eh...what...do i look like that...ha ha ha...brilliant likeness

whilst there, everyone was keen to have a go on the fab Periodic Table of Swearing (a print of which my dear mate Kate bought us each when she was over last christmas and gives us literally minutes of stupid fun on facebook as we throw coded insults back and forth) - it definitely raised a titter or two out of the waiting queue - how i'd love to have this in my house ha ha!

the Periodic Table of Swearing

the all important button...

The Black Feather

The Black Feather, 2011

yesterday i visited the Affordable Art Fair Hampstead and i am now the proud owner of this stunning Lee Madgwick (oil & acrylic on canvas) painting.  i can't quite believe it as i have been wanting one for a while now and missed out getting the one i wanted at last year's AAF.  all thanks to the brilliant Own Art scheme which allows you to spread the cost of your payment and take the piece home with you straight away (and who i am now indebted to for the next few years!).  the painting is just breathtaking - photographs do not do it justice - the haunting light, the beady eye of the crow following you around the room and the detailing on the trees and blades of grass - like an intense acid trip.  its certainly not to everyone's taste (my folks will no doubt hate it) but i love it and am feeling quite emotional that its actually mine to look at every day.  funnily, i have just realised that on the walls that face me as i sit on my sofa i have three paintings of an abandoned sofa, a tower block and a dog (not on a string admittedly) ....am starting to wonder whether your environment affects your art choices in any way...hmm...what do you think?!

the painting in situ...

one day i do hope to own another Lee Madgwick painting - i love the buildings - here's the one that got away....

The Stork Won't Talk, 2010

 check out more pics of his work here.

tiny confessions

i literally wet myself laughing looking at these hilarious prints by New York artist/comedian Christopher Rozzi.  i so want one...but which - they are all brilliant??? (even more available via etsy shop)

 

 

 

 

Rey Mysterio feels your pain....

Rey...on a recent trip to Brick Lane...

holy vampiros!

i LOVE this poster for cuban animated film ¡Vampiros en La Habana! from the Sydney home of Maria & Eduardo of villa + villa spotted via the brilliant design files.  HOW have i never heard of this film before - according to the imdb blurb its the tale of a scientist who invents a potion that allows vampires to be able to live in daylight and when all the vampires of the world find out they fly to Cuba to gain control of the potion. what ensues is a battle between american and european vampires.  the main character is a trumpet player (the scientist's nephew) that holds the formula for the elixir and from the clip i found on youtube - he seems to be able to use his trumpet to disrobe large breasted women and get them into bed!! hot stuff.  but anyway - the poster is fab, i'm wondering if i have room for one as they are available via amazon.

tastes orangey

My home is the sea

Asleep

thanks to poppytalk for bringing to my attention these lovely sewn paintings by Clare Elsaesser available via her etsy store tastes orangey. They are just gorgeous...i love them all but am trying to decide which one of these three i will purchase....mmmm...sooo beautiful!

Watching Trees

wish

i love this cute print from YellowHeartArt spotted via mademoiselle cranky pants - i wish i had wall-space for it!

NOSTALGICart

a snippet of one of Rick Warden's pieces on display at the Tricycle - i spy JOHNNY ALUCARD (in the bath!) from Dracula AD 1972 - a personal favourite!

i was over at the Tricycle in Kilburn the other night to catch a film and was intrigued by current exhibition NOSTALGICart & DigiPics by  Rick Warden (memorable as demon Astaruth in the BBC's cheery exorcism tv drama series 'Apparitions' - tho he's done a lot more!).  the NOSTALGICart part of the exhibition came from memories of his childhood top trump card obsession -  begun anew as he has now managed to search out and complete the sets he coveted in the school playground - absolutely LOVE the Dracula piece (sadly not for sale as its obviously his personal favourite).

my brother would so love this one made from the horror top trumps cards

in 'Apparitions' Father Jacob (Martin Shaw) sends demon Astaruth (Rick Warden) packing - despite the extreme blood loss and levitation he still doesn't rate high enough for his own top trump horror card.....

the DigiPics he created by using an app on his iphone, then made digital prints and has also done a couple of oils - despite my initial reservations the vibrant colours grew on me and i actually fell in love with this one...probably cos that looks suspiciously like Trellick Tower there...anything with a bit of Trellick gets full marks in my book.  check out Rick's exhibition before it goes - on till saturday 14th May 2011.

i spy...Trellick Tower...?

camper-bike

 

 

who needs a campervan when you can have a camper-bike?! Brooklyn-based artist kevin cyr created this beauty in 2008 - isn't it fab (as spotted via swiss miss).  i've always hankered after owning a campervan but can't drive (25 years of living in London, a determination to utilise our national & public transportation systems and a general mistrust of our reliance on cars, which naturally disappears when someone offers me a lift anywhere) so this bike hybrid is very appealing to me - tho i'm sure my cycling skills wouldn't be up to negotiating the streets on it.  i also love the paintings Kevin does of bashed up and graffitied old delivery trucks, vans, etc - he sees the beauty in these messed up and sometimes abandoned vehicles - a man after my own heart.