100 Abstract Broken Windows

 

One of my favorite albums of all time is Idlewild's '100 Broken Windows' and this year was the 10th anniversary of it's release, I loved it when it came out and still love it now, it's such a complete album every song is there for a reason and it flows effortlessly. My first ever gig was on the 100 Broken Windows tour at Manchester and the last gig I went to was the 10th anniversary 100 Broken Windows gig at the Relentless Garage in London. I've seen them loads and they still surprise me with how good they are and how amazing they make me feel. They're taking a hiatus this year so they can come back better in 2012! plus it lets Roddy Woomble do a solo tour and I get to see him at the Union Chapel in March, wahoo!

Anyways to celebrate 100 broken windows' birthday I listened to the album and drew a small abstract picture for each song (1st song-'little discourage' is top left and they then carry on...). Each image was drawn in the time it took to listen to the song and then I've put them all together and you can buy a t-shirt of it here! I think they make work better individually and with some type and then maybe I'll bring them all together to make a zine. I've never made one and this would make the perfect one, so keep an eye out!

Lochgilphead Map Drawing

I finally finished my latest map drawing I've been working on, it seemed to take forever at the time and now it's just become a record of that time. I took an OS map of Lochgilphead that I'd found in a charity shop and using the grid squares of the map I blocked out alternate contours within each square and then the opposite ones in the grid square next to the that. As well as completely blocking out all the green spaces. Why? The answer to that changes constantly, sometimes its a reaction to information overload and I need to gain a bit of control or freedom and I can achieve this through taking time over a map with a simple pen. Other times it's creating shapes from things that already exist, turning things around to a new perspective, a new lightness or darkness appears from something that wasn't there before. Then I like that sense of decision at the beginning where I decide what process to undertake at that point I am at my most decisive until I realise that it's impossible or not going to work out and then it changes and becomes permanently in a state of flux like me, like us, like the planet and the universe, it has always been like this and will always be like this, we're just along for the ride...

Central Station Book!

I'm in the Central Station Book, my copy just arrived and it looks fab- My map drawing 'Map Circle' was chosen to be a part of it (see top pic)! It's a book celebrating the 1st year of Central Station and there's Q&A's with two of my fave artists Martin Creed & Richard Wright, information about projects and what happenend with the member fund and lots of exciting portfolio work.

If you're not already involved, it's a community for artists/designers/filmakers/photographers/illustrators and many more creatives and you should join in just go here! If you'd like to get your hands on a copy of the book it will be available from January 2011.

New York City!

I went to New York a couple of weeks ago and had the most amazing time! The architecture, the shopping, the art, the food, the streets, the sights, the people, the views, the park! We went to Katz's deli, the pastrami sandwich was like nothing you'd ever believe, saw Kandinsky exhibition at the Guggenheim and Abstract Expression show at MoMA which were unbelieveable. Ate donuts for breakfast and took in an ice hockey game at Madison Square Garden, walked around Greenwich village. We took the subway to Brooklyn and walked back over the Bridge, saw Macy's Thanksgiving Day Parade and had a turkey dinner, went up the empire state and had the most amazing peanut butter brownie! Just had the best time and now I'm back to grey ole england and missing it so much!

Berlin/Barcelona & Paper

My Berlin poster I did for show us your type was exhibited in Barcelona and still on show till the 5th December at Galeria Cosmo better get there quick! In this picture it's the 2nd from left on the top row. It's great to think it's off making friends and starting its own journey!

My 'Paper stack' piece which was part of my degree show was featured on Central Station's Top 5: Paper. I'm also going to be featured in their Birthday Book which comes out in January, so watch this space for news!