Saturday 27 February 2016

Sound Of Silence

Yesterday began the filming of a T.V. programme about my work. They had me cycling in the park for footage to go with my new painting 'Bicycle Thieves'. It was pretty cold waiting for the signal to start cycling again while they did a bit more filming.
I had warmed up the studio to a reasonable temperature  as I knew I would have to turn off the convector heater when the interview began.
However there was a problem as the sound system wouldn't work. Urgent phone calls and a trip back to base to get other equipment meant that we got going later than expected. By then I had moved the interview into the house where I knew I could guarantee a much warmer environment. It's very hard to think straight if you are cold. I'll let you know when the film gets it's first public outing.  

Wednesday 17 February 2016

The Colour Green

I needed a certain sort of  green for my current painting ' Bicycle Thieves'. I could picture it in my head but it was difficult to pin down. I imagined it as an old fashioned peppermint green, the sort you used to get in children's sweets.
As we have a wonderful traditional sweetshop in Ely and a fabulous Chocolatier (is that the right word?) I decided to try both. The sweetshop had peppermint creams but they were to pale (I guess the clue is in the name) so I tried the Chocolate shop. PERFECT! Just what I was looking for and it's now pinned in a bag to my wall.
How do I want to use it? Well, it's for the colour of the wedding cake and three brides - don't ask.

Friday 12 February 2016

Another Door Opens

I always tell my students when  rejected by a University for a course they have applied for, that they have 24 hours to feel sorry for themselves and then  need to get working again.
Well, I was rejected by  Ferens Art Gallery recently, so I tried to apply the same rule to myself. It was quite hard to do, as they did seem  interested in having an exhibition of my work. In the end they said that it was too difficult in these straightened times to get outside funding. What they didn't say (but meant) was that no one had heard of me and I wasn't a 'name' who might attract grants etc.
Ted Coney's Family Portraits is yet to go global!
I shall keep trying by sending my portfolio to other galleries but in the meantime another interesting offer has come my way.
There is going to be a TV film made of my work. It's for a new, local station but you never know, it could be scooped up by the BBC.

Friday 5 February 2016

Brides Head Revisited

Readers of my blog may remember the disaster when my wedding cake started to melt and one of the three bride's heads fell off (see Sticky Fingers - 30th December 2015)
I had originally commissioned the cake and the three brides as models for my current painting 'Bicycle Thieves' and although not a cake you can eat, it does have real icing. However, to my horror the cake started to melt and bits began to drop off.
I had thought it must be too warm and it was melting, but I was wrong - it had got too cold in my studio.
Happily, the bride's head has now been reinstated now and I can begin using it for the painting.