It's never one thing.

At Niel Bally's I was browsing through 'Horizons, Zones and Outer Spaces: the Art of John Loker', and was attracted by a poem of his in which he is highlighting the range of differences between the perceptions of objects between different people but also how each of us, individually, will pass through a whole range of how and what we are seeing at any one time, whether this is almost simultaneously or over the time of making one drawing.

Niel, in his introduction to the three days of life-drawing (see my next posting) in his studio in Talgarth had already emphasised that individuals respond in different ways, by presenting a definition of Gestalt:

'In the simplest terms, gestalt theory is based on the idea that the human brain will attempt to simplify and organise complex images or designs that consist of many elements, by subconsciously arranging the parts into an organised system that creates a whole, rather than just a series of disparate elements'

This 'organised system' or 'whole' will take any number of forms depending on which of the complex number of variables are acting upon the individual and their mind at any one moment. So an individual may find themselves jumping around from one of Loker's perceptions to another both in a short space of time or over a longer period of developing their own approach to making their art.

Followers will have become aware of my addiction to the philosophy and drawings of Hans Bellmer and a quote from which I responded so positively to many, many years ago:

'The female body is like an endless sentence that invites us to rearrange it, so that its real meaning becomes clear through a series of endless anagrams'

Central to my process is the act of de-construction (selecting parts which attract) followed by the act of re-construction (which the tells the story of my perceptual journey during the act of making the drawing)

  

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A 3-day dialogue with Annie in Talgarth

 

I'm over in Talgarth in Powys at Niel Bally's studio for three days with Annie our model and a group of half a dozen regulars with one or two additional new members.

My absence from life-drawing due to my leukaemia and Covid appears to have resulted in an eclectic output as it will appear to the reader that I jumped from one familiar response to another. So, nothing new to present. I have come to expect that during each life session I will make an evolutionary jump the nature of which usually turns out to be an unanticipated surprise. My only explanation that this did not take place this time was that my recent activity of returning to past 'fine-liner pen' drawings and working on them with colour to unravel their content had resulted in a set of quite radical images and the emergence in my life-drawing journey of a new genre (this work has been the subject of recent past postings). Is it the case that I had exhausted my creative endeavour and it was now nigh impossible to pick myself up and move forward again OR was I myself exhausted from the impact of my leukaemia treatment (these 3 days were bang in the middle of my latest set of chemotherapy injections, and my reactions this time were most unpleasant).

So, we've been here before..............

Firstly with a direct follow up to my recent working of earlier drawings..........

Secondly, a few lines from a number of very short moving poses.........

Thirdly, a ten minute response using charcoal and fine-liner pen. I recall I had no hesitation in how to respond to this pose. It was so beautiful and I'd seen it before and mark-making took no thinking about.........

Fourthly, a carefully considered response to how I might morph the parts of the pose which fascinated me............

Fifthly, selected parts from a number of quick poses using a fine-liner pen in each hand..........

Sixth, and the starting point is dividing the paper into four and resulting in a compilation in which I set up a relationship between parts of four different short poses. Each is aiming to be a simple geometric formation within its own rectangle, yet they move together to some extent........

Seventh, a single response following the above exercise............

Eighth, another carefully considered morphing of selected parts which are moved together.........

Ninth, the above repeated with a very much quicker drawing technique............

Tenth, in which I started with the foot and within the foot I started with the big toe. The shoulder, breast and supported lower arm were then explored. I knew all along I wanted to include this rear view, but to what scale and how may it relate to the already entered parts of the pose? My two-handed fine-liner pen initial drawings then contrasted with the use of charcoal which I caressed around the paper with my fingers to realise the sensual form before me..............

Eleventh, and back to my recent exercises.............

Twelve, and at last a more conventional response for which I spent some time exploring the correct proportions and perspective rules of the pose............

Thirteen, and finally a very speedy response using 2B, 4B and 8B graphite pencils..........

Guess who I just met?

 In April this year I was on a visit to Roman architecture and archaeology on sites in Tunisia, Algeria and Sardinia and ended up in the south of Spain, and eventually in Malaga. After visiting its amazing cathedral and Roman theatre I came across this guy sitting on a bench with his sketch book. I asked if I could join him and when he saw I had my sketch book with me he said "I will show you mine, if you show me yours". I did and we had a lovely conversation. It was so good to meet a fellow Cubist. It turned out he was born in Malaga but left about the age of ten, and was returning for a visit to meet up with some old friends. He now has a new one!

Revisiting Talgarth

 I shall be heading over to Talgarth on May 18/19/20 to spend three days at Niel Bally's studio and in preparation for this I thought I would bring together the drawings I have revisited which were originally fine-liner pen drawings produced at Niel's in either May 2023 or February 2024.