Wednesday, November 28th 2007

Marilyn Monroe

• · Mood: Various!
• · Music: Various!

It’s been quite a while since I got to indulge in an iconic piece but I completed this new Marilyn Monroe art today.

This is the smallest Marilyn I have painted and she is as cute as can be in acrylic and oil!

Rgds

Joe

Tuesday, November 26th 2007

More Glasgow Art

• · Mood: Still Bouyant
• · Music: StillKraftwerk

I took the winter park art painting which I have been working on in a completely different direction today.

Lots of thick wet warm oil paint to give a complete contrast. Hopefully it will be dry for the exhibition at the weekend.

Today was one of those odd days in the lead up to December when a change in atmosphere was very detectable: and I don’t mean the weather. I think December has a “cosy” feel to it.

It is quite wet at the moment in Glasgow and although colder than it has been, not freezing yet?

What’s it like in your part of the world?

Rgds

Joe

Tuesday, November 27th 2007

More Self Portrait

• · Mood: Various!
• · Music: Various!

I brought my self portrait a shade closer to completion today. I am trying to get him ready for the Park Gallery exhibition which starts at the weekend. I don’t want to seem like a narcacist but this has been a joy to pain. I think I have taken more risks with my painting style because there is no-one to |let down “ other than me at the end of it all.

There is a lot of other stuff going on in the background at the moment with the Pink Gallery exhibition in Helensburgh still going on too.

Meditation class at the hospital tomorrow morning and then to the studio in the afternoon...

...watch this space!

Rgds

Joe

Wednesday, November 23rd 2007

More Glasgow Art

• · Mood: Bouyant
• · Music: Kraftwerk

Today I had real fun messing about with some really juicy oil paint!

This piece is another which is based on a photograph which I took at Queens Park in Glasgow. It will either be titled “Edge of The Park” or “Edge of Winter”. It will hopefully be complete in time for the Exhibition at the Park Gallery which begins on December 1st.

Also today I was working on a commissioned piece and switching between the two paintings.

In the background the news on the radio was very depressing so I played my Kraftwerk remix CD at full blast. Just like driving a car: loud music has been proven to make you drive faster, I am sure that music tempo and volume makes me paint more vigorously!

Cheers for now.

Joe

Wednesday, November 21st 2007

More Glasgow Art

• · Mood: Reflective
• · Music: Lou Reed

More work on the self portrait today. It’s quite an odd experience working on a self portrait. I look like a really grumpy sod at the mo but I am sure things will develop.

It feels a bit vulnerable putting the “works in progress” on display but I do get quite a lot of emails from people (thank you!) with comments and it does seem to be a popular feature with visitors to joehendry.com

I am also working on some new cityscapes which i will post here soon.

Cheers

Joe

Monday, November 19th 2007

More Glasgow Art

• · Mood: Reflective
• · Music: George Michael

I have not worked on a self-portrait for around 2 decades and I think with all the contemplative stuff going on learning meditation practices at the moment now is as good atime as any.

This piece is about 50% complete and is based on shaving poses! It’s probably the most amount of time that men spend looking at themselves in the mirror and it struck me as quite amazing some of the poses I was pulling in an effort to shave properly.

It also saves the problem of an affordable model!

Anyone out there want to offer to pose?

Joe

Wednesday, November 13th 2007

More Glasgow Art

• · Mood: Chilled
• · Music: Tubeway Army

One of these days in the studio where I had plenty of breaks in the Cafe! (If you ever come to visit, I promise to treat you to a cuppa.). We are a bit spoiled at the WASPS studios as there is a fantastic cafe called Cafe Sejuiced on the ground floor. Frankie who runs it has fantastic, healthy home made food but I often fall foul to the cakes.

I did find time in amongst the chatting and cake-eating to finish this new Glasgow paiting of the Finnieston Crane and the new “squinty Bridge”. So called as it crosses the clyde at an angle. This is another smaller scale piece at 18 x 14 inches.

I also had a play around with some oil late in the afternoon. No idea where this one is going ...time will tell....

Speak soon,

Joe

Tuesday, November 13th 2007

Park Art

• · Mood: Happy
• · Music: Tubeway Army

It was one of those days when I was chopping and changing from one painting to another. Six pieces of art on the go at the moment: but that’s the way that I like to create my art.

I am also working on some very different (for me) canvasses - so watch this space.

Also, is it just me or is it really cold? Funny how when the weather starts to get wintry it is such a shock when you get your first reminders of just how cold it can get.

Off to warm up with some home made soup!

Cheers,

Joe

Wednesday, November 13th 2007

Self Indulgent Art

• · Mood: Selfish!
• · Music: Tubeway Army

I finished off a small canvas I have been having some fun with recently. ”Big Hat” is an oil painting which is only 10 inches high. I have been working on her sitting at a table in the studio in between working on other paintings. Almost all other pieces are worked on at the easel. There is definately something that transfers to the art when you are sitting down and possibly more relaxed.

I know this is a big departure....any comments?

Let me know what you think

Cheers,

Joe

Monday, November 12th 2007

Park Art

• · Mood: Happy
• · Music: Shakespears Sister

After recently wandering around Glasgow with my camera, I am starting to produce some new work based on the shots which I have taken.

The sunlight through the trees at Queens Park is the first new small scale piece which I have produced.

These are mainly for the Park Gallery Christmas Exhibition in the first weekend of December and the WASPS Christmas sale on the second weekend in December. More details on the news page.

Joe

Sunday, November 11th 2007

Birthday Art

• · Mood: Chilled
• · Music: Art of Noise

I often get asked to paint art on a commission basis but it is not often that I get the chance to meet customers.

Yesterday was a lovely day as I was invited to present a painting which was commissioned as an 80th birthday gift.

Many Happy returns Alec. The painting was a pleasure to work on and I am delighted that you are so pleased with it.

More new art soon,

Joe

Saturday, November 10th 2007

Oil Paint

• · Mood: Still Buoyant
• · Music: Still Shakespears Sister

It might be the weekend but I woke up just itching to paint today so I headed to the studio. After stopping off to take some photographs through the car window I continued with a new oil painting. My relationship with oil paint is a changeable one but at the moment I am in love with it again. This piece is about 50 % complete. I have painted the subject before: she is a real character with possibly the most stunning eyes I have seen.

I am also spurred on to take more photographs since finding a fantastic new website called Hidden Glasgow. Some of the photography is genius.

This afternoon I am off to present a painting of the Isle of Skye which I painted in August.

Speak soon,

Joe

Friday, November 9th 2007

Dear Green Place

• · Mood: Buoyant
• · Music: Shakespears Sister

Really pleased to see Glasgow being awarded the Commonwealth games for 2014. Glasgow has had it’s fair share of bad press over the years but I love living here.

Opinions are changing as the City itself has change. There was the Glasgow Garden Festival in 1988, the award of the City Of Culture in 1990 and now the Commonwealth Games.

I can see Celtic Park, where the opening ceremony will be held, from my lounge window. So, to finish off this great week, here’s a sneak preview at a newly finished Glasgow piece of art.

Have a great weekend,

Joe

Monday, November 5th 2007

Big Smile

• · Mood: Mindful!
• · Music: Tubeway Army

I am starting the month with a big smile. Among other things, I have been working on a commission for a very lovely lady and it is nearly there. As I said before, painting a canvas that smiles back at you is quite infectious.

Between painting I have been working on my “mindfulness”. I could go on for an age about all the techniques I am learning at the moment, enough to say that I am really absorbing the new course which I started on in October.

Outside sounds like armageddon tonight. I have to say, I just don’t get Guy Fawkes night anymore. Is it me?

Chat soon,

Joe