Acrylic…
This piece symbolizes the rise in pollution from our parasitic behaviour. Ultimately endangering the Bee.
Encased in steel and stone but with memories of how it could be via a canvas.
Practicing my figurative skills.
Check out my blog for the explanation for this one…!
The beginning of Covid was a dark time and if you think time passes slowly outside, in here the clock ticks are slower…
Cell in cell (Green dreams)
Acrylic on canvas board
I’ve drawn endless images of myself drawing myself. It speaks highly of the monotony endured within prison. This particular one I implanted the fantasy of my eventual freedom.
Pathways
Acrylic on prison blanket – A1
In this painting I attempted to just allow the piece to grow on its own. It spent months sitting in different positions on my cell and from time to time I would get an idea or feeling of what was needed. One really interesting aspect for me was the books as stairs, Being an advocate of the 12 step fellowship I found it fascinating that not only were there 12 books in the painting but there were also another 12 books upon which the figure was balancing precariously whilst he looked for freedom. The 12 and 12, those in the know will understand.
Ostrich – animals with attitude
Acrylic on canvas
Wanting to break free from some of my darker work I found myself looking at animals in peculiar poses. I continued with the punk theme and applied lots of colour and gave them a mohawk alongside an expressionof attitude. Its interesting that the viewers tend to read their own interpretation into precisely what that attitude is!
female punk
Acrylic on canvas A1
The more I observe of the punk movement the more I come to realise that it isn’t just about anarchy its about liberty. A freedom to be who you want to be, do what you want to do. Yet there is a beautiful oxymoron in the contradiction of the wearing of bondage regalia to denote a sense of freedom. I guess it parallels the adage ‘The submissive is the one in control’. The more I see of the punk movement the more I come to see it as art.
escape the madness
Acrylic on prison fire blanket A1
The prison system if filled with people on the brink of insanity. The system itself is a bizarre machine full of insane practices. The only thing that surprises me these days is that some people still get surprised. And more and more of our prisons these days have the lunatics taking over the asylum. Can we really expect to incarcerate people in an environment of madness and expect them to be rehabilitated to the norm?
Human beans
Acrylic on prison fire blanket 86 cm x 60 cm
My take on recidivism and the revolving door that the prison system has become. My beans and babies also keeps Nature vs Nurture in the loop. Its not coincidence that the drug culture among the lower class has become an epidemic. We’re doing very little to treat the problem at it’s roots. Instead we have yet another government focusing on the ‘Locking them up’. Millions of tax payers money is being spent on filling the prisons to breaking point then releasing men and women with active addictions back into society only the begin the cycle all over again. The system us awash with failure destined to break its banks as the levels rise.
the cracks are showing
Acrylic on canvas 100 cm x 76 cm
I painted this during the Covid-19 pandemic. Locked on a prison landing with endless shouting, music blaring and general discord. I was very much living a nightmare of being unable to even hear myself think. I think going ‘postal’ was very much on the agenda so I turned the screaming faces into a projectile and added the bullet hole for extra effect. It worked wonders in alleviating my stress levels.
Juxtaposition
Acrylic on canvas A1
I wanted to depict the urban alongside the establishment. Having a bit of a fascination with the Punk culture at the moment I thought it ideal as a representation of freedom.
Funky punky vicar
Acrylic on canvas 100 cm x 76 cm
Another in my series of punks. Accidentally found the white patch that evolved into a dog collar. Its led me into thinking about who else I could depict as a punk. Watch this space…
NATURE VERSUS NURTURE
A very personal piece oozing with sorrow and resentment. I specifically chose the austere interior of a Victorian prison to place the young boy in as I wanted the viewer to be disturbed by the severe environment we as society are prepared to indoctrinate our children into.
The apples are a metaphorical depiction of conditioning the rotten apple. The apple doesn’t fall far from the tree etc. If a child hears often enough he or she is bad its only natural to presume that conditioning will eventually become hard wired.
FLOWER AND BEE
DUNGEON
GOLDFISH
Acrylic on prison fire blanket.
Another experiment with washing colour gradually until the eye picks out form. Once I began to see fish there was a desire to create detail and bring the whole thing to life. I had to resist this in order to keep the painting abstract and allow the viewer to play with there own shapes.
FRACTURE
Acrylic on canvas A1
This was a reclaimed canvas that one of my peers had given up on. After applying some gesso I formulated the existing shape of a head in a new form and by allowing the structure to grow organically it developed into quite a vibrant piece with a 70’s feel.
KILLING TIME
This depressed the life out of me mainly as its such an accurate account of my life. I’ve spent far too long incarcerated where the suspension of time becomes the norm. Having also experienced the depths of despair a person can sink to I found myself one year finally giving up and sitting into a ligature. I decided to ‘check out’.
BLUE PUNK – CLOUD 9
Acrylic on canvas
This was an exercise in washes. I applied french ultramarine in gradual washes until my minds eye began to pick out form. Using white to highlight with minimal brush strokes I found another punk. Almost dream scape.
ANONYMITY
Acrylic on board A3
Being a firm believer in the 12 steps I began this piece with the desire to share visually my beliefs. It soon took on more than one meaning for me. Being a convict is to be seen and not heard! Whilst at the same time, as the cardboard could be interpreted as, mug shot and name its also reminiscent of the days of hitchhiking when we would use cardboard and black marker to tell of our destination. Destination anonymity. The mouth sewn shut is both representative of an inability to imbibe and also talk.
Steeldoorstudios 