Owner: ShirleyBodArt URL:http://www.shirleybodart.blogspot.com/ Join Date: Tue, 30 Jan 2007 12:30:43 -0600 Rating:0 Site Description: Are you certifiably mad about art? You want honest opinions and are fed up with the bullsh*t brigade who alienate so many of us? Then this is definitely the blog for you! Site statistics:Click here
Solitude: Acylic on box canvas. 40"x 16" 1970-01-01 00:59:59 Anyone For Solitude
?Hi all,It's a recurring theme in my work. Solitary figures, or tiny groups, framed against backgrounds awash with colour. It's not an intentional metaphor for something deeply significant, though the idea of using such images to evoke subtle subtexts might appeal to my intellectual vanity! In truth I simply enjoy the effects such figures create in my compositions. Our eyes are naturally drawn to figures. They tweak at our curiosity and the relationship they have with their surroundings is a theme always ripe for exploration.As to the canvas; this is the first time I've used a 'chunky' box panoramic canvas and I have to say they're absolutely brilliant. Perfect for those sweeping 'vistas' and wide, wide sunsets. They especially suit my love of multi-hued dawns and fiery sunsets. So for those of you who enjoy rendering the great outdoors in its entire wide screen, Technicolor glory, then this is the canvas for you!Catch you laterShirley
Does Colour Linger in the mind? 1970-01-01 00:59:59 A Little Psychology on Colour
.Hi all,Colour. We see it every day. We experience it all around us and unless you hang upside down in a cave or belfry it will certainly impact on your life. From the packaging of a myriad daily products to the ultra cool techno graphics emerging from our plasma TVs we are continuously bombarded by colour. So, why does colour affect us? In an absorbing article on the Science Daily website it appears psychologists have been studying the effects of colour on our memory and how colour helps us to make sense of the chaotic world around us.Quoting extracts from field studies conducted by the American Psychological Association the article described how test after test revealed that people's recall of information was far superior when presented in colour. Black & White images recorded a far lower recall rate whilst even text and numbers were better remembered when presented in colour. Attempts to confuse the test group by giving objects and landscapes 'fals
Turner Prize 2006 1970-01-01 00:59:59 Not The Emperor's New Clothes Prize?Hi allHooray, a painter has won the Turner
Prize. Double take and double celebrations all round! German-born abstract artist, Tomma Abts has returned an element of sanity to what had all too rapidly become a pretentious free for all amongst the chattering classes. This is great news for artists everywhere. However, despite my despair concerning the prize in recent years I have never subscribed to the 'it isn't art' brigade.Look, I'm sure we all have our views on the Turner Prize. Cutting edge culture to some; crap of the first order to others. They're both legitimate, both points of view; both exemplify what art should be about. Art should provoke. It should kick off debate, start conversation; court controversy and evoke a reaction in the viewer. Believe me, there's much I dislike about the modern art scene, with its aloof circle of critics and their constant sneering at what's popular. But we need one all the same. Such groups contain the
Uplands: Acrylic on Canvas 20"x 30" (58cm x 72.2cm) 1970-01-01 00:59:59 Upland SunsetHi allA Mother and child stand silently watching the last glowing embers of an African sunset. Their gaze is drawn, almost compelled, to where the dying sun touches the distant hills. That place they call the Uplands.I hope you like Uplands. I certainly enjoyed painting it. Like much of my recent work my prime aim has been to explore the effects of warm colour within the landscape. Vibrant hues unleashed as only a dawn or a sunset can. Oh of course I may often write of 'unleashing the creative id' but painting has also got to be fun! I want my paintings to be a source of pleasure. A chance for people to abandon, if only for a few moments, the constant drudgery of doom and gloom around us! So come on folks, let your eyes soak in some heavy duty colour therapy. There, I bet you feel better already.Well, that's it for me. Yet another long day 'unleashing the creative id'. The brushes are cleaned, the paints packed away. Time now to reflect, perhaps to ponder a while upo Read more:Canvas
, Acrylic
SketchUp: 1970-01-01 00:59:59 Googles 3D Freebie! Hi all,Ever had the urge to try your hand at 3D design? Perhaps something without the rocket science learning curve,yeh right. Maybe even have some fun at the same time? Interested? Then have a look at Google SketchUp
a free download from your 'favorite' search engine people. SketchUp boasts a surprisingly powerful set of tools that allow you to literally design buildings and entire environments. You can paint and texturise the results and basically have license to indulge your inner child. I particularly liked the orbit tool that gives you an almost God like view from every conceivable angle. It's great! I came upon it quite by accident whilst still recovering from a visit to YouTube (some very bizarre postings there!) So I downloaded it, followed the 'easy peesy' tutorial and entered into the virtual and near addictive world of SketchUp. Within minutes I had created the ever so technical (not really) effort you see above. Which, for some reason, came out look
Cool Keyboard Tips 1970-01-01 00:59:59 Clever Fingers?Flipping through the Reader's Digest superb '1001 Computer Hints & Tips'(I don't just read art books!) I noticed a clever little keyboard shortcut you might find very useful.Instead of typing in the http://www. before the domain name, and the .com after it, just type in the site's domain name into the address bar. Then tap CTRL and ENTER keys together. This adds both the http://www. and the .com and works in both Internet Explorer and Firefox browser. Well, anything to save a few moments in our busy, busy world!Really folks, this is an absolute bible of a book. Tip after eye-opening tip. Magic!Catch you laterShirley
Is artOK? 1970-01-01 00:59:59 My Vanity FairI wouldn't claim to be a vain person. Yet for one fleeting moment vanity clasped my hand and beckoned me to follow. An image, an idea we (my David and I) had worked on, came at last to life. "Just supposing" I said to David "that we created our own fictitious magazine. A mock magazine I could regularly feature within my blog. An online parody no less, of so many of the art establishments stuffy and pretentious periodicals! What a perfect platform to act as foil to so many of the silly things being said and done in the name of art.So, to get our plans rolling David was kind enough to help me whip up the above effort featuring yours truly on the front cover (hence the vanity!). If, by chance you're wondering how we did it (using Coral Painter and Adobe Photoshop) then I'm planning on putting together a collection of such tutorials which can then be downloaded from this blog. Stay tuned!Great idea or the sad case contender of the month? Time, as they say, will tell. As I
ShirleyBod SlideShow 1970-01-01 00:59:59 Hi,Just trying out yet another slideshow to show case some of my recent creations! This one's courtesy of Slide.Com and it does boast some rather cool features such as the gallery version here. You can also post your images straight to it from the likes of Photobucket and My Space, pretty neat.So, please indulge me if you will and run your eyes over my collection. Then perhaps scroll down a thought or two? Thats very kind of you.Catch you laterShirley
Spray Paint Art! 1970-01-01 00:59:59 Non Solvent Abuse!Hi all,After you've seen the YouTube video (featuring Turkish artist Erdogan Baybakan) check out his web site for some more cool solvent sessions! http://www.freewebs.com/spraypaintart/index.htmI think these are fresh, spontaneous works with their echoes of encaustic wax painting in both style and their vivid multi-colouring. I only have one major qualm regarding his web site? Please, please Erdogan; loose that incredibly irritating personalized cursor!!Catch you laterShirley Read more:Paint
, Spray
V&A on the Web 1970-01-01 00:59:59 Fancy Some Culture Surfing!Hi all,Just been browsing the Victoria and Albert Museums superb website. I haven't been for a couple of years but this site offers a comfortable alternative to the real thing. Well, almost!'Search for over 20,000 works and over 26,000 images from the V&A's collections, including ceramics, fashion, furniture, glass, metalwork, paintings, photographs, prints, sculpture, and textiles.'This really is a treasure chest of a collection and you can enjoy it all from the comfort of your VDU!Catch you laterShirley
Flap Art 1970-01-01 00:59:59 In a Flap Art?Hi all,when I first came across this ad I thought it was a wind up! Go on, check out the web site!'Flap Art book Covers are shocking covers that slip on top of your book. The covers are sure to shock with titles like: Make Your Mother a Pornstar, How to Kill a Complete Stranger, and Perfecting the Art of Fart Projection. If you find yourself bothered by people on the subway, a book cover like this is a good tool to keep people away. 'There are over 20 covers to choose from. Some are a little racy like How to Make Your Mother A Porn Star and How to Overcome Nymphomania (put that one in your bathroom, with a bookmark and become a hero!).'Vulgar and childish, or just a bit of fun to take the bitter edge off life's sometimes sour menu? I'm inclined to choose the latter. Any thing to prick that pretentious bubble surrounding so much of today's 'thought provoking' media. I mean c'mon, it's Christmas time, the perfect opportunity to enjoy a little merriment!Catch You
Simon Schama's Power of Art: BBC2 TurnerHi all,
O... 1970-01-01 00:59:59 Simon Schama's Power of Art: BBC2 TurnerHi all,Ok, so I confess to being an absolute Turner nut!. But really you don't have to be in order to appreciate what has to be the highlight in a consistently excellent series. Schama may have his critics but for my money he's the best historian on the block. No fuss or waffle. Does exactly what it says on the tin!Tonight Schama focused on Turners 19th century masterpiece Slaveship (1840) pictured above, which he rated as his best. My personal favourite is Snowstorm (1842) pictured right. But there was no doubting either the passion or conviction of his argument, which, considering the terrible story behind the painting, was well deserved.Whatever your opinion it's certain that Turner has had a profound effect on the history of painting. He's certainly had one on me. Never do I approach a sky nor consider any landscape without that Turner touch playing it's part.Catch you laterShirley Read more:Simon
Late Sunsets?
Hi all,
Hope you like my latest pie... 1970-01-01 00:59:59 Late Sunsets
?Hi all,Hope you like my latest piece. Actually, I'm still trying to work out how I managed to complete this today as well as the eBay Me Page?. OK so I admit that hubby did help with the Me Page stuff. However the painting is all and every bit 100% mine!I haven't named it yet but as you can see it follows very much in the ethnic theme and sense of place (particularly dawn and sunset) which has influenced so much of my recent work.Again I have chosen acrylic in order to exploit this mediums immediacy and ability to respond to any sudden changes. Also it responds perfectly to my style when painting sunsets.Catch you laterShirley
Pollock: Read the Book then see the Film! 1970-01-01 00:59:59 When Doubt Doubles the Delight!Hi all,Writing yesterdays post 'Ten Most Expensive Paintings Ever' set me thinking about its winner Jackson Pollock
. He who was famous as an alcoholic, manic depressive and expressionist action painter. At college I could never 'get' what was so "wonderful' about his work (anyone can do that squiggle stuff right?) Despite my tutors caustic "Ah, wait until you see his work in the flesh" I was unconvinced. Then I did see it in the flesh and that changed everything.In London, 1999 the Tate held the first Pollock retrospective in 40 years. It was a sensation! That 'squiggle stuff' totally blew me away. As I wandered amidst those massive canvas's every preconception I had hitherto harbored melted away. Only when you get up close can you really begin to appreciate the sheer complexity of his paintings. They are so tactile as to be edible and possess a power to draw you in which verges on the hypnotic. Yes, yes I know that to the skeptical eye looking
Blimey! Ten Years Old Already 1970-01-01 00:59:59 And Still His Best?Hi all,Ten years old already? Can't be, surely not! Why, it seems only a flick of the memory cells ago that Matthew Collings first book Blimey! (pictured above) was receiving rapturous ovations and various plaudits as the happening read of the moment? Was it really 1997? The year of Brit Pop, Chris Evans, Oasis and the launch of project Blair? You see I was recently re-reading Blimey! (Subtitled-From Bohemia to Britpop: the London Artworld from Francis Bacon to Damien Hirst) a book I have always found both informative and entertaining. Collings may be a polarizing figure in a "love or loathe him' sort of way but he's an immensely entertaining writer and God knows the art world needs more of those!Ah, but what I really love about this book (apart from capturing that period so perfectly) is Collings accessible and unpretentious manner. He never leaves you feeling like some bedlamite with nose pressed up against the asylum window. Rather, he leads you along his Read more:Years
Things We Take For Granted? 1970-01-01 00:59:59 On Our Doorstep!Hi all, I remember a friend of mine who had lived in London for many years. During this time she never visited a single museum, attended any concerts nor entered any one of the vast array of the Capitals Art Gallery's. Quite surprising when you consider that she studied Fine Art at college and often discussed the subject over her favourite tipple! In her words she was always "Just sooooo busy". Well, everyone's entitled to their opinion! But here's the thing..Every year she took a week's holiday in Paris and guess where she spent a considerable part of that week? Yeh, that's right, wandering around the Louvre! Can you believe that? I used to joke with her that she no doubt had a Parisian counterpart (their planes probably passed each other over the channel) who had never visited the Louvre but made an annual pilgrimage to the National Gallery! (Pictured above)Ah, strange but oh so true. That's human nature for you. How often we take for granted that which si
RedScape: Acylic on Canvas 40"X 16" 1970-01-01 00:59:59 When You Just See Red? Hi all,I've definitely been seeing red today! No, not anger inspired(I don't think so?) or crimson shades of stress (well, perhaps just a shade.) Rather I've allowed the acylic paint to liberally flow. Splashing a few scarlet streaks, strands of yellow, a dollop of black and a wisp of white and Walla!.. a sweeping sunset. Ah, that's the beauty of acylic paint, always the instant result.Well, maybe not quite instant but always very, very satisfying.I hope you like RedScape. Horizons have always fascinated me. Distant plains where the sun sets or faraway fields that fade away on some endless eye line. That's their attraction, the allure of eternity. That out of reach, forever unobtainable goal. To stare at the horizon is to gaze into the unknown. Something we all find forever facinating.Catch you laterShirley Read more:Canvas
Picasso Given the Elbow! 1970-01-01 00:59:59 Yeah, but how?Hi all,News that Las Vegas Magnate Steve Wynn somehow managed to put his elbow through one of his Picasso
's (The Dream 1932, pictured above being sold at Christies in 1997 for £24.7m) has left me a tad baffled? According to ambiguous reports this major 'mishap' happened whilst Mr Wynn was showing his multi squillion dollar painting off to guests. Most unfortunate.My question though is how exactly do you do something like that? Whenever I touch one of my own canvas's (which sell for a hefty bit less than £24m!) I handle it as though I were grooming angles wings. In other words very, very carefully. OK, I know he's 75 years old and has a condition affecting his peripheral vision and I could understand if perhaps he had dropped it or fallen over it but how does he puncture it with his elbow?Maybe he'd just been watching Enter the Dragon and simply got carried away. You know these Bruce Lee fans….Catch you laterShirley Read more:Elbow
, Given
'Artist' cooks meal in own body fat! 1970-01-01 00:59:59 A Tale To Turn Any Stomach! Hi all,Yes, tragic but true and straight from the realms of 'you couldn't make it up' comes another giddy tale of lunacy in the name of art. Sad case extraordinaire (and self styled 'Bad Boy of Danish art) Marco Evaristti (pictured above) served up yet another example of insanity(courtesy of the Santiago Animal Gallery) as he presented his friends with his newest creation: meatballs cooked with fat from his own body, extracted by liposuction! On the plates in front of them was a serving of agnolotti pasta (I wonder if the Agnolotti was stuffed with cheese?) and in the middle a meatball made with oil Evaristti had removed from his body in a liposuction procedure last year. Doubtless served with faver beans, and a nice Chianti..."You are not a cannibal if you eat art," stated Evaristti, without the slightest trace of irony. Just as you're obviously not an artist if you stage sicko 'shock art' stunts like this just to raise your pathetic profile. Why no Read more:Artist
New Ebay About Me Page
Hi all
Forgive me but I'm ... 1970-01-01 00:59:59 New Ebay About Me PageHi allForgive me but I'm in a weary frame of mind. My brains numb, my senses worn and if I ever see another line of html code I shall implode! Grrrr.The reason? too many hours of tricky tinkering to put the finishing touches to my new eBay About Me Page. I won't bore you with a blow by blow account. Enough to say that after a long slog ( and yes, I did get lot's of help from my Hubby!) I (we) have at last got it completely to my liking. Go on then. take a look!Seriously though, it's amazing just how many sellers don't even bother to have a Me Page at all. Many that do seem happy merely to throw together a few scraps of text by way of an after thought.Buyers on Ebay need assurance. They need to know you're serious. In a world of slick scam merchants and happy amateurs the more you can communicate to them that you not only "know your stuff' but are willing to be completely open, the better. No other platform on ebay is better suited to doing just that
AL PACINO IS TO PLAY SALVADOR DALI 1970-01-01 00:59:59 Godfather of Surrealism? Hi all,I've just heard that Hollywood heavyweight Al Pacino is to play the great Surrealist painter Salvador Dali in a new film, which will begin shooting this summer. Reports in Variety suggest that 'Dali & I' will be directed by Andrew Niccol, who previously worked with Pacino on the film 'Simone'. The film is to be based on the Stan Lauryssen book 'Dali and I' which explored the latter years of the artist's life.Since I'm a big fan of both Pacino and Dali the prospect of such a project does sound very intriguing. However, movie land is notoriously fickle and such projects can and do often fall or falter due to the Directors or Actors last minute change of heart. Let's hope they make Pacino "an offer he can't refuse!'Catch you laterShirley Read more:PACINO
Paint Your Own Pollock? 1970-01-01 00:59:59 Or, Maybe Not!Hi all,I found this amusing gizmo (designed by artist Miltos Manetas) that allows you to create online 'drip paintings' of a style made famous by action painter Jackson Pollock
. (My brief effort is featured above..eh, sorry Jackson) Well, OK you may not find yourself shortlisted for any prestigious awards but it's a diverting trifle to whittle away a few carefree moments. Perhaps even release some of that suppressed creativity.Go on, have a fiddle! http://www.jacksonpollock.org/Catch you laterShirley Read more:Paint
Elephant Series:Acrylic on canvas 16"x 40" 1970-01-01 00:59:59 Elephants Are Fun! Hi all,Phew, another minor 'masterpiece' finished, glazed and presented for approval! Thus ends another long day of brushing, dabbing, swearing, smearing and yes, more swearing. In truth I felt a tad rusty. The result of an extended Xmas break in vain attempt to put painting completely out of my mind (fat chance there!) and concentrate on the IT side of things. You know, like getting to grips with HTML, CSS, RSS feeds and all the other joy filled 'web-whatsits' we online artists have to embrace! Oh well, C'est la vie.Like all my Elephant Series I aim for a graphic, more simplified effect. With a strong line, clean edges and an emphasis on surface decoration as opposed to any emotional representation. I'm interested in the effects of silhouette's and playing with the pictures negative space. However, this is primarily art as ornament, art to adorn. Although I draw inspiration from source's as diverse as wildlife photography and cave art I try not to adopt a to Read more:Acrylic
Canvas:Art and Culture from the Middle East and Arab World 1970-01-01 00:59:59 Full Of Eastern Promise!Hi all, Fancy a change? Want to try something a tad different? Something a little more exotic perhaps? Then how about adding a touch of Eastern spice to your cultural palette? Interested... then check out Canvas
(pictured above) a superb online magazine based in Dubai which presents "Art and Culture from the Middle East and Arab World
'. And does so quite brilliantly.The site itself is design heaven. With its clean edged thoughtfully constructed interface Canvas is delightfully rich in both style and content. What a pleasure to experience such abundance in both cultural and historical diversity yet be blissfully devoid of all political rhetoric! Thanks in no small part to its publisher and Editor-in-Chief Ali Y Khadra whose policy appears to concentrate firmly on the regions fabulous creative talents rather than to fan any militant agenda."Canvas is a bi-monthly magazine distributed across the world, offering the best in art and culture from the Middle East
Street Art; Not Just Graffiti? 1970-01-01 00:59:59 A1's CoolHi all,Whatever your take on Graffiti
(Cool cultural expression or urban vandalism?) there can be no denying the raw power and spontaneity in many of the images produced by street artists. Obviously I'm not talking about the mindless toilet murals much beloved by the bored and artistically challenged. Nor do I condone randomly daubing where the whim dictates. Rather where artists have joined community projects and channeled their energies into more worthwhile and legitimate pursuits.Now, I'm not trying to show you how hip I am with the street art scene (that would be about as convincing as Prince Charles's oh so cool "Full Monty' routine!) However, I've been taking a long hard look at whats "out there' and I'm finding myself continually amazed at the sheer degree of raw talent on display! At the moment I'm looking at the work of the late New York Graffiti artist Anthony Clark aka "A1' (1964-2001) Please follow the link to discover some incredibly rich Read more:Street
Life sometimes does get better! 1970-01-01 00:59:59 Working at what I love..Hi All, Here's me doing one of those oh so natural photo calls. Impromptu it isn't! (Note the smile struggling like crazy to get out!) Umm, well all I wanted to do was pop into our local gallery. You know, press the flesh, chew the cud and generally see how my work was selling? Just after Christmas you see, things still a bit… slow. Everybody still a tad… skint! It all seems so very eh..Van Gogh this time of year.Still it gave Hubbie a chance to loose off a few snaps of me. Indulge that "Henri Cartier-Bresson' moment. Also it allowed me pause to reflect on how much has changed in so short a period. Was it only last year that I decided to paint full time? It seems so much longer, well it always does. Yet already my life has taken on so many different aspects. Let's face it, you're lucky to make any money at all from your painting let alone make a decent living at it. Yeah, tell me all about it!OK, so I'm not as yet pinning any hopes on a major r Read more:better
Painting With a Passion! 1970-01-01 00:59:59 Slapping Your Brush!Hi all,Do you get that whim to surf the web on an impulse? Of course you do. Flip from site to blog in hope that you find …well something of interest. Perhaps even a gem or two to tuck away in your favorites file. Then try this one! If you like your painting rich, spontaneous and colourful with a capital C then look no further than Jonas Gerad.Here's a self taught artist whose flamboyant painting style is positively infectious! His superb web site echoes this with its effervescent mixture of portraits (like Picasso pictured above), abstracts and Digital giclee's (above right.. The Lady Saint Will Take You There)I especially enjoyed his video's in which he demonstrates his "full on' method of painting. And I can only say If you've never painted in your life (or if you've painted your whole life) then I guarantee watching Jonas Gerad will have you itching to slap your brush against the nearest canvas (Does that sound little.. improper?)So, as the perfec Read more:Painting
, Passion
Art Worlds G-Men! 1970-01-01 00:59:59 FBI on Art?Hi all, Now, hands up those of us whose perception of the FBI may have been well, slightly coloured by the novels of Thomas Harris? (C'mon you know, Hannibal Lecter/ Clarice Starling etc) OK, stereotypes aside, what else does your average Federal Agent do when not embroiled in cat and mouse duels with serial killers? Well it appears they invest a fairly impressive amount of time and money into tracking down multi-million dollar art crimes.Welcome to the Bureaus Art Theft Program (established in 2004) dedicated to the prevention of "Art and cultural property crime' which has so far recovered artworks, including a Rembrandt self portrait, in excess of $65 million! (Nice going boys!) However, with estimated losses running as high as $6 billion annually it seems those gallant G-Men have quite some way to go yet. (Better start putting in for overtime fellas!)Joking aside, this really is an interesting site. There's plenty of links taking you to all over the FBI's main Read more:Worlds
Paint Like An Eygptian 1970-01-01 00:59:59 Farghali Abdel HafizHi all, Are the long, cold winter nights starting to get you down? Feel the need perhaps for some exotic colour therapy? Then look no further than this month's edition of Canvas (Art and Culture from the Middle East and Arab World) their monthly profile looks at the Egyptian artist Farghali Abdel Hafiz. (Co-founder of the Axis Group, one of the most important art movements in Egypt's post -Modernist era) With a bold, spontaneous style he happily wallows in a warm, rich and evocative imagery.Using such concerns as his cultures past and present he has developed a series of fresh and multi coloured scenes such as "Spiritual Power of Aswan' - 2006 (pictured above) I like this artist. Yes, many of his paintings are very much influenced by an assorted mix of western movements...so what! What he manages to do so well is to inject his own highly personalized style into the great mix. Also, It's just so satisfying to find an eminent artist who's unafraid to enj Read more:Paint
Recommend Site To A Friend
