With rumours that Myspace might be sold off or close, OK. I have never been heavily in to myspace, however, I was surprised to find the last time I logged in, they have added a worthwhile blog via Wordpress and as a direct result I took full advantage of this by setting up, very much a personal blog for myself. Obviously a lot of what I write will be about art and painting, but also about the other aspects of my life. Like music, books, dance, bikes and places of interest. All of which make me who I am and glides my hand and thoughts.
Its just called Mark’s Space. That I will probably fill with odd notes, things I do, places I go, as well as thoughts as they spring to mind. The latest post I wrote, just to kick thing off is about my personal feeling to abstract art and well worth the read.
http://mjopainter.wordpress.com/2010/11/06/abstract-artwork-is-more-than-just-patterns/
Wednesday 10 November 2010
Tuesday 9 November 2010
Different by far, a painting that breaks the mould.
 |
| The shape of things that are 80 X 65 cm, oil painted canvas, |
Despite being about disorder and frustrations. It has a calmness and ease that belie its subject. The green is vibrant and energetic bursting with life and in complete contradiction to the warm greys and reds. It is both fugitive and pastoral while holding firmly to the abstract.
For my self I cant quite decide if I like it as a painting. But the real value for me, was what I gained as and artist and painter from pushing beyond the fears and doubts that would have had me maintain, the status quo. How dose this abstract painting make you feel ?
Creative writing, one of the joys of being Dyslexic.
I spend a lot of my time struggling with words, I write a lot of stuff that never gets seen. I write mostly offline, flitting between programs like “word” or “Office” because of the Thesaurus and Spellchecker. I back this up, by online reference on Google and I might at any one time, jumping from as many as 5 or 6 pages, just to produce a short column of readable text… Reading and rereading over and over again, until I think it makes some sort of coherent mass. But to others, it often seams to be just compete nonsense.
OK. The more that I write the better I become at it. But the more I write, the more new things I learn and have to incorporate in the gibberish, that my two finger typing skills allow. That’s what others tell me when they Proof read it. OK I rambled on a bit there and I spelt that word wrong. “But It made perfect sense to me” at the time, though I have to admit. I often don’t quite see the world the way others do… Oh the joys of being Dyslexic.
It feels to me, that over that last few week I have been writing and writing and getting nowhere fast. Just amassing vast amounts of unfinished work, or publishing stuff that no one is going to read.
It feels to me, that over that last few week I have been writing and writing and getting nowhere fast. Just amassing vast amounts of unfinished work, or publishing stuff that no one is going to read.
Making online writing Simple
However good online writing is in essence. Draw them in with a Headline. Capture there imagination with a Summery and keep the content shot, to the point and snappy. It all sounds so simple, For Google content might be King. but for me, the reality is. That I really struggle with the Headline.
Today we all live in a sound bite world. Headlines dominate and content is dead. Every where we look, everything we hear, is a headline. Online and Offline. The newspapers, TV, even Twitter and Facebook are all about the sound bite…. What can you say in 120 characters? How much value can you condense into a few lines of text? Where has the big picture gone?
OK. The more that I write the better I become at it. But the more I write, the more new things I learn and have to incorporate in the gibberish, that my two finger typing skills allow. That’s what others tell me when they Proof read it. OK I rambled on a bit there and I spelt that word wrong. “But It made perfect sense to me” at the time, though I have to admit. I often don’t quite see the world the way others do… Oh the joys of being Dyslexic.
It feels to me, that over that last few week I have been writing and writing and getting nowhere fast. Just amassing vast amounts of unfinished work, or publishing stuff that no one is going to read.
It feels to me, that over that last few week I have been writing and writing and getting nowhere fast. Just amassing vast amounts of unfinished work, or publishing stuff that no one is going to read.
- A 5 page article on simple web design as yet unpublished
- 50 to 60 content rich web pages for my new website as yet unpublished
- A 9 page website for a clearance company published
- 2 articles about paintings as yet unpublished
- 2 press releases as yet unpublished
- Content for a new blog from Myspace some published
- Content for this blog and others as yet unpublished
- Comments and critiques in places like “Flicker”, “Buzz”, “Facebook” and such alike published
Making online writing Simple
However good online writing is in essence. Draw them in with a Headline. Capture there imagination with a Summery and keep the content shot, to the point and snappy. It all sounds so simple, For Google content might be King. but for me, the reality is. That I really struggle with the Headline.
Today we all live in a sound bite world. Headlines dominate and content is dead. Every where we look, everything we hear, is a headline. Online and Offline. The newspapers, TV, even Twitter and Facebook are all about the sound bite…. What can you say in 120 characters? How much value can you condense into a few lines of text? Where has the big picture gone?
Thursday 12 August 2010
The Life of an artist
My life is like most artists (I think) is filled with huge emotional ups and downs. Being torn by success and the failures, frustrated by a seaming lack of control and self-belief. Today I feel modern artists and painters are blessed in many ways by the internet and the instant access this offers to the whole world of art. You can paint and within hours the image can be viewed on the other side of the world by an individual that you might never have meet and who might never have know about you. Wow the sheer power of that is in its self staggering and despite feeling that I am only a small part of this instantaneous world of communications I have a part to play which is of real value to me and I hope to others too.
Image then how I felt when the very tool I use to access the incredible frontier began to fail.. Slowing down, crashing, reducing my ability to get online. I did every thing I could to solve the problem but the virus had got deep into the system and refused to budge. When I finally got my PC back from the computer doctor, I was distressed to find that every program or application had to be removed to solve the problem. This computer is my life line, every word, image and file is stored on the hard drive and my deepest fear was that I would not be able to recover the valuable information on the hard drive.
Thankfully most of my work, images and file’s are saved but sadly not all, in some cases I must start again from scratch and the loss of months of hard work, planning and study is for me a personal disaster leaving me teetering at a emotional brink that I am only just starting to pull back from. I must apologise to all of you who follow me for the delay in making any post for the past few weeks and hope that your understanding and support will encourage and uplift me. Thank you for contributing to this community I deeply appreciate your valuable time as I realise that all comments allow us to learn from our mistakes and build on our successes
Image then how I felt when the very tool I use to access the incredible frontier began to fail.. Slowing down, crashing, reducing my ability to get online. I did every thing I could to solve the problem but the virus had got deep into the system and refused to budge. When I finally got my PC back from the computer doctor, I was distressed to find that every program or application had to be removed to solve the problem. This computer is my life line, every word, image and file is stored on the hard drive and my deepest fear was that I would not be able to recover the valuable information on the hard drive.
Thankfully most of my work, images and file’s are saved but sadly not all, in some cases I must start again from scratch and the loss of months of hard work, planning and study is for me a personal disaster leaving me teetering at a emotional brink that I am only just starting to pull back from. I must apologise to all of you who follow me for the delay in making any post for the past few weeks and hope that your understanding and support will encourage and uplift me. Thank you for contributing to this community I deeply appreciate your valuable time as I realise that all comments allow us to learn from our mistakes and build on our successes
Friday 21 May 2010
I have been busy but that's not an excuse
The last few weeks have just flown past and without even seaming to notice I just found that another week had gone by without even taking the time to check my e-mails or anything. I have so much work and material building up, but that is no excuse, not to have posted something on any of my blogs or social sites. Oh what a waste IU chide myself.... The simple fact is that if I don't do it, it just wont get done but that is one of the benefits or drawbacks of working for yourself. Its not the lack of motivation but rater the lack of TIME... I can make all sorts of things be that paintings drawings or money but I cant make a single second and that's the killer...
Just one week away from my desk and I can see the number of visitors drop on my sites. Oh shore, I might paint a lot, "but if no one is seeing what you paint, then whats the point" says a friend... Well In my mind its not about selling its about painting, but who am I kidding it's just a flip of the coin. On the one hand you cant sell without a product and on the other you cant sell without a customer. Which brings us back to Marketing or Selling ! more accurately which came first the chicken or the egg...
Just one week away from my desk and I can see the number of visitors drop on my sites. Oh shore, I might paint a lot, "but if no one is seeing what you paint, then whats the point" says a friend... Well In my mind its not about selling its about painting, but who am I kidding it's just a flip of the coin. On the one hand you cant sell without a product and on the other you cant sell without a customer. Which brings us back to Marketing or Selling ! more accurately which came first the chicken or the egg...
Monday 19 April 2010
Anish Kapoor at the Middlesbrough Institute of Modern Art (mima)
Despite being told by a friend that the exhibition at the moment is not very good I was delighted to find several pieces by what I can only describe as my favorite sculptor Anish Kapoor that is coinciding with the launch of his new work Temenos. Which is is soon to be unveiled in Middlehaven, Middlesbrough.
I have over the years made a number of trips to this gallery and have to say that I have always enjoyed the time spent their and would highly recommend to anyone to make the effort to visit the institute of modern art in Middlesbrough as I know you will not be disappointed.
A big thank you to Temenos for leaving a valuable coment that we can all benifit from and a link to some pictures of the official launch of Temenos, pictures of Anish's art installation at Middlehaven.
Friday 16 April 2010
MJo-art on facebook
I have Finlay succumbed and made a facebook account for my art. I have to admit that social networking is something that I often seam to shy away from however you are welcome to follow MJo-art on Facebook so that you can keep up to date with my latest work, articles and postings that I regally make across the Internet on variety of sites. I look forward to welcoming you to facebook and getting to know you all a little better
Thursday 1 April 2010
fascinating and interesting methods for making art.
Whilst looking and researching for those 50 simple and fun painting techniques I came across many fantastic and novel ideas, websites, blogs and images that literally blew me away . Admittedly some are just too complex or time consuming to consider and include in my list of 50 easy, fast and unusual painting methods. I mean the title says it all and I did stick to my brief in this case.
When I started the list I naively (perhaps) thought that finding 50 things would be quite easy and straightforward. However once you sit down and think about you quickly realise its not as clear-cut as that. Often we use different words for the same things or we are limited by the processes itself…
In painting for instance we are reduced to the following processes,
I fully accept that this is not an exhaustive list but I am positive you get the idea as many artists often use all or some these on the same canvas. The combinations of these three processes might well lead to a vast arrays of effects but it has to be admitted that essentially you only have three ways to paint.
However during my research I did find some fascinating and interesting methods for making art. One such Fantastic artwork I found was art formed from burned out cars which is in my opinion a Reactive Process. The artist John Garghan finds and photographs the burnt out wrecks and the effects are printed on glass. These images are visually stunning and I would highly recommend taking a look at his website and blog to fully appreciate the
artwork he produces.
John Garghan website
John Garghan Blog
When I started the list I naively (perhaps) thought that finding 50 things would be quite easy and straightforward. However once you sit down and think about you quickly realise its not as clear-cut as that. Often we use different words for the same things or we are limited by the processes itself…
In painting for instance we are reduced to the following processes,
- Applying : Adding paint by brush, fingers, sticks or whatever.
- Removing : remove paint by peeling, dissolving, rubbing, wiping, scratching or scraping.
- Reactive : adding, changing or removing colour by developing, staining, chemical reaction or glazing, thin layers that effect the colour below.
I fully accept that this is not an exhaustive list but I am positive you get the idea as many artists often use all or some these on the same canvas. The combinations of these three processes might well lead to a vast arrays of effects but it has to be admitted that essentially you only have three ways to paint.
However during my research I did find some fascinating and interesting methods for making art. One such Fantastic artwork I found was art formed from burned out cars which is in my opinion a Reactive Process. The artist John Garghan finds and photographs the burnt out wrecks and the effects are printed on glass. These images are visually stunning and I would highly recommend taking a look at his website and blog to fully appreciate the artwork he produces.
John Garghan website
John Garghan Blog
Thursday 18 March 2010
50 fun, simple, creative and interesting art ideas.
As a modern and abstract artist I love and enjoy a challenge especially when painting... But like all artist ( I'm certain) I find that the greatest single challenge is the blank canvas... it literally terrifies me, it is almost paralyzing. I Set out with all the enthusiasm and energy necessary but as my brush rises to the canvas the fear grows, seizing me, tying me up in knots, my hand shake as a cold sweat brakes out....
Its madness, all the preliminary studies, research and sketches seam to mean nothing. All I can hear is the little voice inside my head screaming at me... What if its the wrong colour? what if you put it in the wrong place? what if you mess it up? what if you are wrong? what if you are right? Its Total madness. Total agony.
I read books on developing a positive mental attitude and dealing with fear and doubts to no avail... I know that there is no such thing as the wrong colour or wrong place, I even understand that there is "No right or wrong, just dose it work!" and work is what it is all about.! any good artwork or painting that I or any one can produce is about energy. Raw energy that the artist binds within their work. The energy that is bound in every brushstroke, that literally leaps off the canvas and make a painting vibrate with a life all its own.
Fear like all deep human emotions creates energy and vibrancy without it paintings can feel flat and lifeless and no amount of artistic skill or talent can conceal or hide this missing inner energy that all exciting paintings need. I for one keep this painting to keep me focused... (No matter what I personally feel about this piece) it still posses an inner energy that I constantly seek to capture and reproduce in all my work and paintings.
However if we consider that fear like all emotions add emotional content, and is a vital part in any modern or abstract paintings, despite any understanding we as individuals might have of our deep emotional stance, we, as artist must to some extent live with and encourage extremes of emotion if we are to paint worthwhile artwork that touches the human psychology that all of us have been conditioned with through out our lives.
Finding solutions that work
Faced with this paradox I found myself struggling both to balance the need for fear and to overcome its personal effects. The solution is essentially simple "take action" "Just do it" the more you face a fear the more that fear diminishes and recedes, this I can vouch for... as once I have made that first mark all my fear vanishes leaving me buzzing with excitement. The fact is that most fears are not real they are just phantoms that are easily banished.
The more that I have considered this the more I have come to realise that it is not the painting that is holding me back or even the feelings, but rather the value that I as an individual artist I have for the modern and abstract art that I lovingly paint and devote myself too as a slave. I simply value my art to high and as a consequence I'm frightened that I will "cock it up" and make a mess of it.
Art Is Fun ! especially modern or abstract art, even the making of art should be fun and it seams that I have forgotten this…. The solution to this is to get back to basics and start to have some serious fun with what I do and paint. Seams simple don’t it, but How. I sat down and started to write, throwing ideas about and seeing what happened then it hit me.
Make a list of 50 fun and interesting art ideas. Keep it simple, make it fun and don’t take it to serious. By using different media and techniques that are outside the box, radical and even unorthodox, I can play with Ideas, colours, shapes and concepts in a fun and novel way. I know that most of pictures and images produced will probably just get thrown away but that’s OK. I will have fun and explore art as it should be and when I’m ready I will be able to just paint.
The list itself started with a stream of creative ideas, but by the time I got to 42 things started to get a bit more challenging. I have covered all sorts of mediums from pastels to inks, water colour to acrylic, photo and film mixed-media and found objects, even. Dare I say it “Installations”. I have had so much fun with the list alone that I’m buzzing with excitement and energy and cant wait to get started….
I have been making art or modeling in one form or another for all of my life however it struck me that to simply dismiss the product of this project would be remiss of me... Lets be honest the success and failures of any artwork are of value not just to me but to any that have an interest in art and painting. What I should do is make a record of this body of work recording the Good, Bad and dam right Ugly, how it was made, the media used and what was learnt or gained in the making of it...
Now all I have to do is decide how best to do this ? Do I put the work on this Blog ? Create a new Blog dedicated to to this ongoing art project ? or something else ? what to do ? If you my readers have a suggestion I would welcome your input immensely.
Its madness, all the preliminary studies, research and sketches seam to mean nothing. All I can hear is the little voice inside my head screaming at me... What if its the wrong colour? what if you put it in the wrong place? what if you mess it up? what if you are wrong? what if you are right? Its Total madness. Total agony.
I read books on developing a positive mental attitude and dealing with fear and doubts to no avail... I know that there is no such thing as the wrong colour or wrong place, I even understand that there is "No right or wrong, just dose it work!" and work is what it is all about.! any good artwork or painting that I or any one can produce is about energy. Raw energy that the artist binds within their work. The energy that is bound in every brushstroke, that literally leaps off the canvas and make a painting vibrate with a life all its own.
However if we consider that fear like all emotions add emotional content, and is a vital part in any modern or abstract paintings, despite any understanding we as individuals might have of our deep emotional stance, we, as artist must to some extent live with and encourage extremes of emotion if we are to paint worthwhile artwork that touches the human psychology that all of us have been conditioned with through out our lives.
Finding solutions that work
Faced with this paradox I found myself struggling both to balance the need for fear and to overcome its personal effects. The solution is essentially simple "take action" "Just do it" the more you face a fear the more that fear diminishes and recedes, this I can vouch for... as once I have made that first mark all my fear vanishes leaving me buzzing with excitement. The fact is that most fears are not real they are just phantoms that are easily banished.
The more that I have considered this the more I have come to realise that it is not the painting that is holding me back or even the feelings, but rather the value that I as an individual artist I have for the modern and abstract art that I lovingly paint and devote myself too as a slave. I simply value my art to high and as a consequence I'm frightened that I will "cock it up" and make a mess of it.
Art Is Fun ! especially modern or abstract art, even the making of art should be fun and it seams that I have forgotten this…. The solution to this is to get back to basics and start to have some serious fun with what I do and paint. Seams simple don’t it, but How. I sat down and started to write, throwing ideas about and seeing what happened then it hit me.
Make a list of 50 fun and interesting art ideas. Keep it simple, make it fun and don’t take it to serious. By using different media and techniques that are outside the box, radical and even unorthodox, I can play with Ideas, colours, shapes and concepts in a fun and novel way. I know that most of pictures and images produced will probably just get thrown away but that’s OK. I will have fun and explore art as it should be and when I’m ready I will be able to just paint.
The list itself started with a stream of creative ideas, but by the time I got to 42 things started to get a bit more challenging. I have covered all sorts of mediums from pastels to inks, water colour to acrylic, photo and film mixed-media and found objects, even. Dare I say it “Installations”. I have had so much fun with the list alone that I’m buzzing with excitement and energy and cant wait to get started….
I have been making art or modeling in one form or another for all of my life however it struck me that to simply dismiss the product of this project would be remiss of me... Lets be honest the success and failures of any artwork are of value not just to me but to any that have an interest in art and painting. What I should do is make a record of this body of work recording the Good, Bad and dam right Ugly, how it was made, the media used and what was learnt or gained in the making of it...
Now all I have to do is decide how best to do this ? Do I put the work on this Blog ? Create a new Blog dedicated to to this ongoing art project ? or something else ? what to do ? If you my readers have a suggestion I would welcome your input immensely.
Wednesday 17 March 2010
the best Hubpages article... how to paint a better picture
Making better art is as much about how you see the world as it is about what you do within It. I have just written my best Hubpages article to date. The article, entitled "How to pain a better picture" is despite how the title sounds not about painting skills or style but rather how I as a modern artist deal with the problem of focus and objectivity.
Being an artist requires a lot from me and painting I have realised is only one small part of what I do... Reading, learning, understanding and growing as well as writing are vital to producing fantastic modern art. Hubpages is just one of a number of places that I invest my time and energy as well as this blog I write several others and contribute articles and comments across the internet all of which allows me to channel my thoughts and I believe and hope is as much a benefit to others as it is to me.
Being an artist requires a lot from me and painting I have realised is only one small part of what I do... Reading, learning, understanding and growing as well as writing are vital to producing fantastic modern art. Hubpages is just one of a number of places that I invest my time and energy as well as this blog I write several others and contribute articles and comments across the internet all of which allows me to channel my thoughts and I believe and hope is as much a benefit to others as it is to me.
Thursday 4 March 2010
Wednesday 24 February 2010
Art is a universal world wide language
I believe that Art is a universal world wide language.. I is not that pictures speak a thousand words its just that we understand the words spoken. last night while drifting around on the web I came across a shot video file for CHANGE an artist action group in Montréal called the ATSA that help the underprivileged there.
As an individual I am not a big supporter of charities although I do make regular payment to CARE International and I do buy poppies in November, in fact when ever I see the stand I empty my pockets of all the change I have (sadly my pocket are not deep) however I was so struck by the video I left a comment and decided to have a closer look at the ATSA and there CHANGE initiative.
I have to say I am impresed and have included links so you can get involved or just have a look as I have done ether way the world is a better place if art can and is used to help and not just as a soap box for radicals..
change website
ATSA website
CARE International
I have to say I am impresed and have included links so you can get involved or just have a look as I have done ether way the world is a better place if art can and is used to help and not just as a soap box for radicals..
change website
ATSA website
CARE International
Thursday 18 February 2010
update on MJo-ART's web-site and studio improvements
Time has a way of flowing like the flood of a river, at one moment is sedate and peaceful or at others a torrent of force and surging energy that threatens at every moment to carry me away or engulf me. So it has been with me and my recent endeavors.
Since just before christmas, time has been my foe and adversary, however The new web-site is taking shape with better content and a more comfortable lay-out. I can now say that within a few months I will be able to set a launch date which I expect to be some time in the summer or sooner if I can find some quiet time to reflect on those niggling wordings that still don't quite sit right on the page.
The improvements to my studio are also going well now after I have solved some problems with damp and moisture during that cold week or two of snow and ice which got into the plasterboard and brought the ceiling down. Mmmm...More expense and effort involved but it is now all painted and I am moving forward with grater purpose than before.
I seams that it has been so long since I last painted but that is the joy or bane of being an artist in today's modern world You must at times devote your self to the mundane of Marketing, self promotion, web-design, writing and business planing along all manner of other things rather than putting paint on Canvas.
Since just before christmas, time has been my foe and adversary, however The new web-site is taking shape with better content and a more comfortable lay-out. I can now say that within a few months I will be able to set a launch date which I expect to be some time in the summer or sooner if I can find some quiet time to reflect on those niggling wordings that still don't quite sit right on the page.
The improvements to my studio are also going well now after I have solved some problems with damp and moisture during that cold week or two of snow and ice which got into the plasterboard and brought the ceiling down. Mmmm...More expense and effort involved but it is now all painted and I am moving forward with grater purpose than before.
I seams that it has been so long since I last painted but that is the joy or bane of being an artist in today's modern world You must at times devote your self to the mundane of Marketing, self promotion, web-design, writing and business planing along all manner of other things rather than putting paint on Canvas.
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