A red letter day…

five years back I was heavily engaged in putting together a show of Kevin Coyne‘s art.  If you don’t know Kevin was a ‘cult’ musician (i.e. little commercial success but feted by several critics and other musicians and suchlike – John Peel was an early champion) but also an artist and writer.  He was a proud son of Derby and a group of three, his longtime pal Paul Warren, filmmaker Doug Smith and myself, put together a modest exhibition at Deda, the dance based arts centre in the city on the occasion of the tenth anniversary of his death.

We crowdfunded the thing and included a small catalogue as part of the ‘rewards’.  And as part of the catalogue the excellent Jeff Young allowed me to use a lovely piece he had penned for The Guardian feature ‘The greatest albums you’ve never heard’.  This is all by way of a shameless plug for Jeff’s marvellous memoir Ghost Town.  It arrived this morning but I had to be out early and have only now been able to tuck into it.  But even after the few pages of the first chapter its contents are as great as the production values of the Little Toller imprint – first rate.

Charles Houghton Howard’s Painting (1), 1961 out for my research!

And whilst I was ordering Jeff’s book I recalled a conversation back in February when I was at Swindon Museum & Art Gallery  giving a talk on Charles Howard (an obsession of mine).  A couple came up at the end & mentioned their research on Clifford Webb.  I think the chap mentioned a book he had recently completed on him…and Little Toller published, last year, a marvellous volume on Webb…whether it’s author – Simon Brett – was the man I met I cannot be certain (February seems an awful long time ago now!).  But the book is, like Jeff’s, beautifully produced and I’m looking forward to it immensely now I’ve purchased it alongside Ghost Town.

People; What Are They Like?

The ‘Exhibition’ series, digital drawings by Paul Warren

I’ve been rather busy putting this together – an exhibition of the work of six artists focussed on the observation of folks as they go about their day to day lives.  It opens on Thursday (2nd November, 2017) at Déda, the dance dedicated arts centre in Derby from 18:30 – if you can come along we would love to see you.   Its been a voyage of discovery for me personally, not least as figuration is very much not my usual turf, and four of the six artists I’ve chosen were not known to me before I started to put it together. Of the two I did know its been a real pleasure to be able to share some of their work with new audiences as it is my view that they deserve to be admired widely.

detail from Tiny Screamers by Ellie Young

Ellie Young from Cardiff is one of those I found out about as I searched for painters whose work is firmly focussed on observation.  In her case it can be very direct (she has undertaken a project making 15 minute portraits at a local centre) but also from photos and film, indeed film is a great love of hers and though there are elements of caricature in her work it is fleeting impressions and glimpsed moments that seem to especially inform her work.

The Unknown Statistic by Sue Stone

Sue Stone (based in Grimsby, Lincs.) is another whose work makes extensive use of photographic sources though these are often wrestled into fresh configurations in her beautifully constructed pieces that combine exceptional qualities as a ‘textile artist’ with painted elements.  Her interests are in the wider realm of how memory plays such a vital part in our reading of images of people.

Arches by Helen Latham

An element of nostalgia might be read into the paintings of Helen Latham from Cambridge and they certainly have a very particular mood but often the subjects are very much of our time, and there are, to my eye at least, disturbing undercurrents in several of the images.  Taking us, quite literally, to another place is the work of the painter, Anna Pinkster, whose acute observations of people going about their daily lives in Vietnam are imbued with a freshness that belies their carefully considered realisation in her studio in rural Somerset.  And their marvellous vitality leads back into those artists who work I did know.

Pineapples by Anna Pinkster

Firstly Jackie Berridge from Southwell, Notts. is an artist I’ve known for many years but over the past decade she has become both the exceptional draughtswoman she always was but also a painter of rare distinction.  In her work a highly original cosmology exists in which episodes from childhood are interspersed with mature reflections on the human condition in paintings or, as here, drawings that are, on another level, simply lovely to look at.

Leash by Jackie Berridge

So back where we began the drawings of Paul Warren take us into yet another personal universe.  And this is where my quest started because my whole impetus for the show came from wanting to see more of Paul’s work in the public realm.  His particular – and peculiar – vision is something he shares with the artist Ian Breakwell & the artist/musician Kevin Coyne, both school friends back in the 1950’s at the Joseph Wright School of Art in Derby.  In their world view they forensically examine the human condition, all its foibles and frailties, but with a certain affection and – most crucially – a wicked and delicious sense of humour.  And if this show does nothing else it will expose and celebrate Paul’s contribution to this remarkable triumvirate of artists that came out of this city in the 1950’s.

Studio Sounds

Like any half decent crusty old cubist I’ve been drawn to the oval…work in progress at present…

I can rarely, if ever, have vocal music on whilst working in the studio. More often than not I’m inclined to jazz. I know lots of you probably hate it but I like to think that jazz is a bit like abstract painting…as the great Dave Hickey once said “those who care about it know where to find it but no one else gives a shit…” But of course what makes it helpful is the central importance of melody played off against improvisation. That, for me at least, makes it powerfully resonant with the way I engage with the working process. “Oh enough of this arty bollocks” I hear several of you say. And as it happens today I’m rather agreeing with you.

A decent painting is, after all, just like a good tune…take, for example the CD that just dropped through the mailbox this morning. It came about from me sitting at the breakfast table one morning a few weeks back and suggesting we got up off our bums one Saturday evening and go and see a live bank again. We don’t do it often nowadays, some large venue experiences with ‘big’ acts having put us off. But this was different – a smallish room in the back streets of Derby city centre – but with a great acoustic and a warm vibe (as us old jazzers call it). The gig was Corrie Dick’s band and it was excellent. I guess you could call it a kind of fusion jazz…some poppy, folky and world music sounds into the contemporary jazz mix. Lovely. But something made me a little sad.

I’m a bit crusty now, and apart from my missus, a fella sitting just behind us and the terrific Corey Mwamba (now the “musical Director’ or some such of the marvellous Derby Jazz), the rest of the audience (forgive me folks!) were similarly on our way to ‘knockin on heaven’s door’. Nowt wrong with that of course – we deserve to be serenaded on our way I reckon. But where were the young people – aha! of course they were the band! Now this is surely a shite state of affairs (apols to Renton) that the younger generation aren’t getting out to see what other extremely gifted young people are making. Maybe its just Derby…but talking it over with my 28 year old son…it seems a lot of them just don’t go out to gigs much, preferring their web connected devices. If so, sad.

Anyway I bought the CD and it arrived today…not only that but with a handwritten note from Corrie. Well worth it and I’d say do the same and if they’re in your neck of the woods go check ‘em out live..

Whilst on the subject of music…two other recommendations.
Firstly I got followed here recently by musicophile. Goodness only knows why s/he was attracted to this place, when I discuss music its only ever “I don’t know much about it, but I know what I like’, but their blog is very rewarding.
As is Dave Whatt’s – its one of the few things that often makes me laugh out loud – but today I’m suggesting you dip into his Soundcloud account. It has its fair share of Dave’s wry and affectionate take on the human condition (that reminds me a bit of the legendary Derby trio of Kevin Coyne/Paul Warren/Ian Breakwell) but it is also really really good musical fun too. Damn these multi talented people I say!

So the net then. Good and bad really…just as always!

Happy – that it has gone so well…

We are into the last week of ‘Happy Little Fat Man’ – the exhibition of Kevin Coyne’s extraordinary paintings and drawings. If you haven’t seen them…now’s the time as it closes at Deda at the end of the coming weekend.  If you can’t make it here’s an idea of how it look(s)(ed).

Conversation about Conversations…

I’m sitting in on Carnival of Monsters today (18 Oct.) from Noon till 3pm and tomorrow from 4:30 till 6:30pm. if you’ve time to pop along and have a chat about the Conversation series (showing alongside HMS colleagues).  When I’m not there I’ll be working on the catalogue for Happy Little Fat Man – Art by Kevin Coyne on at various locations around Derby in November, December & January – more details to follow shortly!

The Art Of Travel

Over the past four days I’ve been travelling again – this time to Nuremberg to collect the work of Kevin Coyne for the Happy Little Fat Man exhibition we are planning for Deda and Derby Art School from November to next February.  I love travelling but this trip was rather testing…some 1500 plus miles over effectively two days with an all too brief stopover in Nuremberg in the middle.  It was fortunate that my pal came along as it really wasn’t a wise trip to do solo.

Sometimes its possible to really savour the places you visit but sadly this wasn’t that kind of trip – there was a job to be done and the timeframe was tight.  Not that there weren’t moments that were a real pleasure.  The city is delightful and given the unseasonable weather…it was more hot midsummer rather than autumn…it looked a treat.

In the wonderful and spectacular Neues Museum the Amish Quilts and James Turrell show was a stunner.  I’d really no idea of the stark simplicity of the quilts and quite how modern they look. And it was good to see the early Turrell works.  Now begins the hard work of cataloguing the material collected, getting photographs done and sorting out the press material and merchandising…here’s a first – I think rather amusing – image from the stuff collected…

 

 

Moving along…

So despite all the patronising blather the Westminster elite can breathe a sigh of relief and get back to their core business of placating and sustaining the international financiers and no doubt ignore the Scots and the rest of us… Moving right along I’m looking forward to being a part of Salon 6 in a couple weeks time…and although I know a fair few of the artists showing there will be new pieces that will surprise and delight.  Coincidently the selection of works that Rachael made of mine comprised the Full Metal Jacket series…though we both acknowledged that she couldn’t show all eight…and it is one of the images from that series that I took my detail for (detail) that opens tonight at Transition Gallery in London.

I’d have been there but for the really nasty cold that has settled on my chest and, since my heart bypass seven years back, I tend to take these things quite carefully nowadays.  So at home for me I’m afraid.  It’s a triple blow really as I had hoped that my wife and myself could have taken in Late Turner and also showed up if only for a few minutes at the last ever Lion + Lamb opening.

 

The loss of any gallery is sad of course but for us painters the Lion + Lamb is particularly devastating…it has been a beacon of light for painting over the past two years and the curation (and I use the term advisedly unlike as is often the case nowadays) has been of the highest order.  It will be very sorely missed.

So…moving on again…with Salon 6 and (detail) my wife Sarah R Key and myself will have shown together twice recently.  Now its Sarah’s turn to have another solo show – at the New Court Gallery at Repton.

This opens in October so we are full on with preparations for this now.  The New Court is a smashing space so it should prove to be quite a show. Also coming up fast is Beeston’s Carnival of Monsters…where I’m hoping to show several of the large Conversation pieces…though I haven’t as yet managed to resolve all of them (note to self best get my finger out!). And of course following on not so far ahead from all this will be the Happy Little Fat Man show featuring the work of Kevin Coyne.  As I type this I’m also thinking that I’m feeling a little better today…and when I think of all the foregoing its probably just as well!

 

 

Events…

 

Danger, Danger – Kevin Coyne, 1992

can sometimes overtake the best laid plans.  The initial Crowdfunder pitch for our upcoming Kevin Coyne exhibition in Derby, ‘Happy Little Fat Man’ didn’t make its target so we are having to go again.  Instead of being in the studio my day is being devoted to online activities to try and raise the £1250 that was pledged last time around…and maybe find a little more!

This is my first time in fund raising through social networking and its proving quite tough! The initial target was a little ambitious so we’ve scaled it back and are going again…if you pledged first time can you ‘go again’ and if you are coming to it new then please consider doing so. There’s a new link and we have ten days to raise the figure…or we get nothing!

The project details are all here:

http://www.crowdfunder.co.uk/happy-little-fat-man-an-art-show-by-kevin-coyne/

If you are coming to this new here’s the basic info from the Deda brochure for the autumn.

Going Live…

Our Crowdfunding pitch goes ‘live’ at 12noon GMT tomorrow – Tuesday 1st July  Get on board and help me, Doug and Paul achieve our ambitions to make this exhibition (and the associated events and material) a reality!

Go to:

Happy Little Fat Man

 

Happy Little Fat Man

I am busy working on our Crowdfunding pitch for ‘Happy Little Fat Man – The Art of Kevin Coyne’.  The idea is to generate pledges of cash in return for rewards so we can achieve all our ambitions for this project.  we have (just) about enough to get the work here to Derby from Nurnberg in Germany but to do the project justice we need to raise a tidy sum.

I got involved in this a few months back when my friend (and until recently, fellow studio holder) Paul Warren, a long time friend of Kevin’s asked me if I’d help out as the idea of the show, to mark the 10th anniversary of Kevin’s death in 2004, had run into difficulties.  We now have it back on track and with help from Kevin’s supporters we may yet do him the justice of proper recognition in the city of his birth this November.  Below is the detail on the project…and if you want to help…seek out ‘Happy Little Fat Man’ on Crowdfunder from tomorrow!

HAPPY LITTLE FAT MAN – Art from Kevin Coyne

 In Nov 2014 we are opening an exhibition of Kevin Coyne’s art in Derby. Be part of this project and help make the show a massive success!

 An exhibition of over 50 paintings and drawings by Kevin Coyne will open from 21^st November 2014 and run until 7^th February 2015 at Déda, the Dance and Arts Centre in Kevin’s home city of Derby.   And an accompanying exhibition of further work by, and associated with, Kevin will run at the University of Derby’s Markeaton Campus in the city from 21^st November until 19^th December.

Kevin Coyne (1944 – 2004) was an important player in the contemporary music scene in the late 1960’s and 70’s and became a cult figure thereafter. Alongside his prodigious musical output (over 40 albums in his lifetime) he continued to paint, draw and write throughout his life and the exhibition will cover all facets of an amazingly fertile creative force. Alongside the display at Déda the University of Derby’s College of Arts will host more work including rarely seen and unseen footage of Kevin in performance and discussing his work. This is the first ever exhibition of Kevin’s artwork covering his whole career and we want to make it a really positive experience.

This celebration of one of the city’s most creative and widely recognized forces in the 20^th century is the idea of a group of enthusiasts and supporters in the place of his birth. They came together with the idea of mounting this large display in recognition of his importance on the anniversary of his death at the age of 60 in 2004. We are three local to Derby arts people and passionate enthusiasts for Kevin Coyne, his music, his writing and his art. We have one of Kevin’s oldest friends on board, with the other two of us with years of experience of putting together arts events and the venues are fully committed. There is support from Kevin’s family, in the UK and in Germany where Kevin was based for the latter part of his life. We already have enough backing from our key venues for the show to go ahead but with your help we can make the project bigger and better. Amongst our ambitions that your support will allow us to achieve is a catalogue to accompany the show, we plan a weekend celebration with the exhibition opening, films, readings and live music over two days.

Our passion has been recognized and supported by Déda’s Director, Stephen Munn and Professor Huw Davies, Dean of the College of Arts at the University of Derby who have offered the venues for the event. Professor Davies says “it is fitting that Kevin should be celebrated here, as he was a student at the Derby School of Art for four years in the 1960’s”. And Stephen Munn commented “it is a fitting exhibition to show off the newly expanded and renovated Centre that will be sure to attract national and international attention”.

In return for your support you will receive ahead of the event a priority VIP invitation to the exhibition launch with drinks and delicious nibbles. Further pledges of support include a limited edition of post cards of some of Kevin’s paintings, a tee shirt, catalogue, free admission to our celebration weekend of performances, a limited edition framed print and for our top level pledgers a special Kevin ‘Teddy bears ‘pack (teddy bear, tee shirt, limited edition print) all to be ready for you at the exhibition launch and the special celebration weekend event.