I'm at the stage now with The auld Duke that it's time to strengthen the lights and shadows to really make him 'pop' off the canvas.

My plan is to give myself the weekend to achieve this...but me and the timey-wimey stuff, we're hardly bosom companions.

Hope yer having a creative day!

Speak soon.

​Davy

Instead of my usual fascinating facts' background on the Duke Of Wellington, I thought i'd best spend the day finally painting in some more of his physical background!

Today's been spent working on his pillar. I'll need to remember to tell you my story of the time I tried to bluff an answer about pillars in an art history exam at university - i'm still cringing about it to this day!

Tomorrow i'll add in the rest of his surroundings, though i'm still swaying at how defined to make them - the idea is to make you aware of them but the Duke of course has to remain the main focus. I'll be glad when they are done though as it will give my eyes a better chance to see how dark  to make my final darks and how light to make my final white's.

Thanks for having the patience to follow the Duke's progress so far. Three weeks ago I told a friend that i only had seven painting days left in him. Lesson learned - there's just been so much more detail to add than I originally thought - I really think I could draw him from scratch without looking at any reference photos now!

As soon as he is done though, i'll be adding him to my pop-up exhibition 'My Heroes Have Always Been Cowboys'  based in association with  the Virginia Galleries at Luke and Jack's (details here). 

Hope yer having a creative day!

Speak soon.

​Davy

A wee bit of info on how the Duke Of Wellington got his traffic cone hat!

Hope yer having a creative day!

Speak soon!

​Davy

It's funny how things happen in life.

I had been on a sojourn to the print studio in Trongate 103 in Glasgow and released my inner magpie to collect all the free magazines, brochures and gallery guides - they're always good for a read and inspire me to get back to the easel to start my own work.

Reading through issue 23 of State magazine, which you can see here - http://www.state-media.com/state/ there was an article on pop up exhibitions ("On The Level"), taking place in a range of venues, such as, empty offices, bakeries, tailors...even cemetries spooky doo!

You'll remember that a couple of months back I was lucky enough to be contacted by Carolyn from Cafe Wander to display some of my illustrations on her wall, which of course I jumped at, and have enjoyed seeing my work get a wider audience, and also waving goodbye to some pieces, which have travelled as far as France! 

By coincidence I had just finished reading that article in State Magazine, when Drew from The Virginia Gallery got in touch to offer me a 'site specific' pop up exhibition in 'Luke and Jack' in Virginia Street, Merchant City.

How fab is that! I had been working on some lgbtq themed oil paintings and I was being offered a pop up exhibition in an lgbtq erotic emporium! Again, like the fab Cafe Wander offer, I leapt at the chance.

As i've told you before, my university degree is in the History Of Art (MA Hons), and i've always been fascinated with the way the nude has been portrayed in different cultures and at different periods in history, and also of the way in which collectors of such works have chosen to display them - from the Chinese dynasties who would unroll the scrolls to show you a little cleavage, to the Victorians who would have the 'sexy' paintings behind a screen to be viewed by selected guests. 

To have my 'partly' nude work (well, maybe a little flash of nipple and pec) displayed in a site specific 'love boutique' is fantastic.

So, if you're 18 years of age or over, hitch up your crinolines and get down to 'Luke And Jack' in Virginia St, Glasgow to have a peek at my work. It's on until the 27th of March. The gallery and shop itself is staffed by the friendliest people in the world. And, you could also pick up something nice for a cozy night in whilst you're at it!

And if you fancy a coffee after it, then take a little walk along the road to Cafe Wander at 110 West George Street and have a keek at my other illustration work!

Glasgow's very own 'brodyquixote art tour' - who'd have thunk it!

Hope you're having a creative day.

Speak soon!

​Davy

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