Art...

Painter in the Pub! 

I have been awarded a commission by the lovely commissioners Festival Stoke. 

They are running a programe called FestivalEchoes, which is a place holder for the larger Festival Stoke. 

At the time when they asked me if I would like to take part I proposed to pieces, the commission they went for is called ‘Painter in the Pub’ 

It was born of Marg, a leader on the project explaining that the festival echoes projects should aspire to engage those who do not easily engage with art. Marg explained to me that the most disengaged demographic, or teh most difficult to engage (not sure theyre the same) in Stoke is Middle-aged Men. I wondered where Middle aged men might spend most of their time, and concluded it may well be the pub. 

I had big plans to paint in the middle of Whetherspoons on a Saturday, Match Day in fact! 

These ideas were soon quashed. I quickly realised that my mental health was not the same as when I had applied for the project, and I wasnt feeling quite as confident as I had been! 

The Last Bus. 

Requiem for a Bus Station. 

I have been awarded an opportunity to make a show! The Last Bus. 

A show in Hanley Bus Station. 

The space is amazing, the bus station is old, and burtalist, and beautiful. 

People hate it. It represents a Hanley, full of promise, from the ‘70′s, that doesn’t exist any more.

 Its the first place I ever came to in Stoke, and has been a place I have left from, many times. I have to say our first meeting was, it was, well, different from the Isle of Man bus station. 

“Eternalism is a philosophical approach to the ontological nature of time, which takes the view that all points in time are equally real, as opposed to the presentist idea that only the present is real, and the growing block universe theory of time in which past and present are real while the future is not.”  Wikipedia. 

How do  you use your time? 

Do you use it to work in a job you hate? 

Do you use it to walk the dog you love, or snog the human you fancy? 

Terrible photo, but, I’ve been sketching, or doodling, or drawing or something, not sure what you call it.  

Need to practise though. 

I want to do more portraiture, and this is the stye I enjoy the most, but i think ‘people’ want to be flattered and painted in a realist style, so this sort of stuff doesn’t wash very well. 

Maybe if I do enough people will realise/think its my ‘style’. 

*** PUBLIC SPEAKERS! STORY TELLERS, SHOUTERS, PERFORMERS. ***

We are looking for people to come and share their opinions, stories, anecdotes, dreams and theories about LOVE!

The only pre-requisite is that you are comfortable talking publicly and that you can squish all of your words into 5 minutes.

Please send and example of your work and a working title to : [email protected] DEADLINE JANUARY 1ST.

For an Event Taking Place in Stoke On Trent on January 28th as part of a one day Arts and Culture festival - around the Theme of LOVE.