Close, home safe and sound.

Just the other day my moley made the last leg of it's journey from New York to Northern Ireland.

What a lovely surprise!

Here is Brian's contribution, three stunning close studies in pastel. Brian, you really amaze me how you can get such wonderful textures with pastel! I'm afraid I didn't do your work justice here.

This little sketch book is such a joy, I can't stop looking at it, I keep finding new things to enjoy. Thank you all so much for sharing your creativity with me. I will post a slideshow of it as soon as I've worked out how to do this. In the meantime I had better get cracking on Gesa's and Davids moleys.

The dates for the exhibition in Belfast have now been confirmed, 23rd February 2009 to 23rd March 2009. I'l have more details for you all closer to the time.

Missing in action

Here is the entry I did in Gesa's Lines & Lineages Moley. The image isn't very good, as it was taken in a rush before posting it on to Casey. Unfortunately Casey didn't post about the entry, so it's a missing piece which followed Vivian's work here. I don't think it stands a a piece on it's own but maybe what Lindsay does to follow will help tie it all in. Remember, Lindsay, you're welcome to draw, paint and obliterate what I've done, and with this piece, I don't think you can do any harm. I'm not being self-deprecating here. I'm happy with a lot of the work I've done, but I'm not satisfied with this one. Maybe David could send the book back to me to work over it before Gesa gets it?

Landscape by David

Here's David's beautiful addition to Vivien's "Landscape" sketchbook. Vivien suggests that each artist provide a landscape from their "local area - country, city or your backyard". David responded with an interpretation of the three ancient standing stones at Machrie Moor on the Isle of Arran. He uses a rich analogous color scheme of purples, blues, and green with a complementary surge of red and orange slicing directly across the composition at the eye level of a visitor contemplating the stones. This bright line that renders the drawing neatly in half is made even more compelling because it seems to emanate directly from the corner of the roof of Penshaw Monument in Steph's contribution on the previous pages. David sets up a wonderful interplay of warm and cool colors, giving his landscape a dynamic charge that lends itself exceptionally well to the mystical nature of this prehistoric site.
It's interesting to me that - following Viven's lovely field of flowers - Steph and David both contributed stunning landscapes with historic elements that are awesome in scale and symbolism. I'm looking forward to working in this book and am planning an addition with a very local subject. Hopefully, I'll be able to maintain the richness and vibrancy of the work by Vivien, Steph, and now David - this is a dauntingly beautiful book!

Steph's Work in Brian's Mole

This is Steph's stunning mixed media addition to Brian's Stretch Mole. Brian, you might just have to pry my hands off this journal to send it on back home. It's really lovely and I hope you post it as a slide show when it's landed.

Steph has used ink and collage and watercolor(?) to give her watery Autumnal contribution some real graphic punch. Lovely combinations here. And sorry it took so long for me to post. (S, thanks for the little addition! I might just pass some of that on in the form of an addition to this book!)

Gesa took this Moley travelling with her on the London Underground to people-watch. Then on to a friend's house in Germany, and lastly to the airport heading home. There's loads of detail crammed in and I especially love the image of the dining room, glimpsing rooms beyond doorways. Gesa's pen-work is strong and sure here. I know you'll love it, Lindsay.

When you get it, don't forget to rummage in the pockets.

Story tellings

On Thursday I got my latest Moley Fix: Casey's Freedom moley is now here with me after David's session.

It's pretty full now - as with Lindsay's Maps/Destination - my entry was #6.
It's intriguing stories, these sketchbooks are telling: in terms of the images and entries, but also with some of the ephemera.

E.g., I like Lindsay's little pocket for leaving/taking entry tickets and various found papers; how she and others stuck some stamps on it (sorry, Lindsay, I had one from Israel for you, but had temporarily misplaced it and only found it again after I had posted the book on); the little thoughts, ditties, comments some have written on the back.

With Casey's moley I liked the continuity of medium - and how everyone ended up putting some protective paper around their sketches.

The images tell stories too. And this was what struck me. I am not much of a story teller with images - that's why I think I can never quite cut it as an illustrator, the art of cartoon and visual novels or even storyboards for film is beyond me. I think as far as storytelling in painting/drawing goes for me, it's the work process. I like the layering of collage and mixed media. Of adding stuff to a painting. But 'stuff' is usually all there is, it's not straightforward.

I've seen quite a few of Lorraine and David's sketches now, and both of them are great storytellers with a single image. Though very different in style, their image is a message. And with this moley, David surprised me. From the sneak preview I was fairly certain it would have been an abstract in oil pastel. He had already said that it was neo iis, but I was struck when I opened it to find a hand reaching through bars for a wild blue bird.

Here, have a look for yourself at his commentary on freedom.

David's addition in Casey's Freedom moley

I had a bit of a free imagination and already continued. Who wants it next? Vivien or Steph???

Two for the Price of One

Right, I've got two moley's here primed and ready to go. Would anyone especially like to receive one of them first?

Detail of my contribution to the Freedom Moley.

and:
Detail of Local Landscape Moley.

I'll wait a couple of days and if there are no other takers then I'm sorry Gesa it will be you again!

And, en route again

Worry not, Steph... yours will be the next destination of Lindsay's moley... in the post asap as I decided that I am finished with it :)

What I did with it? Travelling...

Gesa's entry in Lindsay's Maps & Destinations

And my moley?

... where is it? Please? Everyone's seem to be somewhere but where on earth is mine?

Where on earth.....?

Hiya all, here's the list of Moleys. I've noted where some are, so can you 'edit' my post and record where the others are right now?

Brian - Stretch - in the post to Lindsay
Lorraine - Close - with Brian
David - The Dance - in the post to Lorraine
Gesa - Lines - with Lor Lor
Vivian - Landscapes - with David
Stephanie - Genesis - with Brian
Casey - Freedom - with David
Lindsay - Maps & Destinations - Gesa has it

we could add a tab down the side with this info, and each of us could update it when they receive a book? What do you think?

November morning

I emailed Brian earlier in the week to say I'd have a look at his Moley, which I think I've had for 2 months or so, and work on it this week. As I mentioned in the previous post, these little books seem to have taken on a life of their own, and as soon as I opened it up, I could see themes of shapes and colours running through this one. A few hours later, and I was done, letting it dry in a safe corner of the kitchen.
I'll post it on to Lindsay this afternoon and, as there's seven pages left, Brian will get to work in it to bring it full circle. Will this be the first Moley to cross the finishing line?

A change in the line up

Hiya guys, Vivien has mailed me to confirm that Casey has had to drop out of the exchange. He has forwarded on the books that he'd received without working in them, which is such a shame because he' such a fantastic artist and I was really excited about seeing some of his work in the flesh. Not to worry.
Making an executive decision, I think we should continue to circulate and work on Casey's Freedom Moley, and include it in Lorraine's exhibition, before returning it completed to Casey. To tell you the truth, when I get the Moleys I'm not thinking about who originated them, as they each seem to have taken on lives of their own, if you know what I mean.

Genesis by Lindsay

Hot on the heels of David's post with work by Steph and Lorraine, I'm adding Lindsay's addition to Steph's Genesis sketchbook. These spanners are captured so convincingly, you feel as though you could lift them off the page, and - despite the difference in subject and scale - Lindsay's composition complements Steph's work very nicely.

I've now got two sketchbooks here - Lorraine's "Close" and Steph's "Genesis" - and I'll work to get them on their way as soon as possible. Steph's book only has these two contributions (shown above) so far so it still needs to make most of the rounds. Lorraine's book is nearly finished with only Casey and I left to go. Both books are looking great and I'll do my best to keep them that way!

Just Like Busses....

...you wait forever on one, and two come along at the same time!


So, I'll take the first one part of the way then change to the second for the remainder of my journey:


Steph's brooding northern edifice, seen contre-jour from a low viewpoint, is pieced together with creative collage and full of painted textures. A monumental moley masterpiece! Great stuff Steph, and in stark contrast to the gentle rolling summer meadows of Viviens southern landscape. Bronte's 'Wuthering Heights' meets Vaughan-Williams 'A Lark Ascending':


Jump off one bus, and onto the next (it's just as well I have my Auld Git's Travel Card!):

Flying high with Lorraine's multi-coloured kite looking down on sandy beaches gives a great sense of a blustery day at the sea-side. I believe one of the two "edjits" with the dog may in fact be Lorraine herself loving the freedom and pleasure a deserted beach brings us!. Well done Lorraine - it makes a great spacious image:


I will need to fly this kite for a while up at Penshaw Monument to see if I can achieve similar enjoyable lift-off's!