TIMOTHY SUTTONGeneral news and chit-chat of what I have been up to in the studio and on the road.
Urban Art is going virtual again this year due to the current social distancing rules, so please go online and browse their amazing display of work from a wonderful range of artists.
It’s been a tough year for everyone, but especially the creative community who have been devastated by the economic uncertainty and lack of exhibition opportunities. This is a great opportunity to give something back and also put something nice on you wall.
My latest commission has been a portrait of Marcel the French Bulldog who lived in Battersea.
The French Bulldog actually originates back to a British dwarf Bulldog known as the Toy Bulldog in the 1850s which were popular with Nottingham lace makers. Threatened by redundancy in the Industrial Revolution these workers emigrated to France where they bred with other short-faced breeds and after three decades a new breed known as the French Bulldog had evolved.
Recognisable for their large ‘Bat Ears’ and lovable clownish faces they soon became fashionable in artistic Parisian society and portrayed by artists of the day including Degas and Toulouse Lautrec.
The return of the breed to Britain in the last years of the 19th Century brought some antagonism from the traditionalists, but in 1902 the French Bulldog Club of England was formed. In 1906 the Kennel Club gave official recognition to the breed. These dogs are often kept as companions and are known for their patient and affectionate nature. They can live with other breeds and rarely bark. As they are human oriented dogs this makes them on the easier side to train, even though they do have tendencies to be stubborn.
Today they remain a popular breed globally with many celebrity owners which ironically include Snoop Dogg. Other famous owners include Reese Witherspoon, Hugh Jackman, Lady Gaga, Leonardo Dicaprio, David Beckham and Madonna.
I am offering lockdown portrait commissions in watercolour as part of the Artists Support Pledge project on Instagram #artistsupportpledge. Commissions accepted on a first come, first serve basis. Just send me your favourite photograph to work from for the perfect lockdown gift for you or a friend. See my shopping page for payment details click here
ARTIST SUPPORT PLEDGE is a culture and economy in support of artists and makers established and led by artist Matthew Burrows on 16th March 2020 in response to the COVID-19 pandemic. It is now a global movement of connected communities committed to an equitable and sustainable economy for artist and makers of all countries, media and ethnicities.
The project uses social media platform Instagram, which is a popular platform for artists to post images and share their work. Artists and makers can post their images using #artistsupportpledge giving details of their works and price (no more than £200 or equivelent). If people are interested in buying, they message (DM) the artist. Anyone can buy the work and artists don’t need permission to join.
Every time an artist reaches £1,000 of sales, they pledge to buy £200 of work from other artist(s). Donations are encouraged to other concerns too, such as @_hopsitalrooms @screen.south @samaratanscharity @s_lawrencetrust @refugecharity @survivalinternational
ASP works by example, showing how a generous culture behaves and exploring the values that maintain its ethos. At the core of this is a commitment to equality of opportunity FOR ALL and an accessible platform to participate.
ASP believes that an equitable and sustainable future economically and environmentally must begin by examining the cultural values we live by; that artists are central to this debate; and that ALL artists are important in maintaining the permaculture that is our global artistic ecosystem. If one part suffers we all do.
While we’re all locked down I thought I’d use the time to test my sketch speed. I set a time limit of 4 hours maximum and started with some biro scribbles, then progressed to coloured pencil after which I dug out my old water colour set, which I haven’t used for years.
As they say, a change is as good as a rest and I was quite pleased with the results. Let me know what you think.
Some of my favourite parts of completing a portait are the eyes, often referred to as ‘the windows of the soul’. It is at this stage that the painting really comes alive and I am working with a real live person or pet and not just with the medium, be that oils or inks.
HOW TO WIN:
Identify whose eye is from which paintings displayed on the first page of my web site.
This competition has now closed. Congratulations to the winner James Emery.
The winner of this competition will receive a framed lino-cut print of Izzy the tabby cat.
It’s starting to get a bit cold in the studio with my old, partially working, radiator so I’m having to wrap up warm. However the benefit is that it slows down the drying times allowing me to blend the paints more, so not all bad.
I have just completed the above portrait of Flori who is bravely fighting on despite the vet’s diagnosis. She has such a love of life which hopefully I have managed to capture in her eyes so wish her, and her owner, all the best.
Lastly I have attached a detail of some work in progress from a new self portrait. This is a bit of an experiment for the Sky Portrait Artist competition which I have entered. Must admit this took me way longer than the four hours given so need to find a quicker method of getting the paint down on the canvas. Fingers crossed I get in, and also find a new way of working!
Glad to say it has been another busy month at my West Norwood studios with some very pleasurable commisssions.
First up was the portrait of Zola the Yellow Labrador who lives in Wimbledon. A very excitable pup who was more interested in watching the local rugby players than posing for the camera. However, with a little patience and dog-treat distraction from owners Maia and Georgie, we managed to get the shot we needed. This was to be a birthday present for the father of the family who I have been told was “absolutely delighted”.
Next was a portrait of Olivia, a two year old girl who I photographed a few months back at my studio. Together with her Mum Kathryn, we had a grand old time trying different poses and expressions before finally settling on this very animated beaming smile which certainlty summed up her mood that day. Who says “never work with children and animals”?!
