'Caractar' Sculptures

Brand new clay Caractar sculptures are now here!

Standing 25cm high, all sculptures are individually hand crafted in clay, painted in acrylic with a satin lacquered finish. 

Unique, stylised sculptures based on the characters found in my original paintings.

Now available at Artery Gallery

or enquire at www.scottcarruthers.co.uk for more info

2 New Additions to 'The Artist Collection' - Piet Mondrian and Jackson Pollock

Both or these paintings, although taken from 2 very different artists have something quite significant in common.

Piet Mondrian would carefully and methodically paint vertical and horizontal thick, straight black lines across the white canvas with 3 primary colours filling in chosen squares.

Jackson Pollock on the other hand would use a 'drip' technique, covering the canvas with a rhythmic fluidity of dripping and splashing paint.

"Triangles and Rhombuses" - (Piet Mondrian)

"Any Colour You Like" - (Jackson Pollock)

Despite the seemingly randomness of Pollocks paintings, like Mondrian he bases his work on a highly thought out process of composition. Theres something about that that I like as I use alot of composition in my own paintings, which is why I think these 2 paintings work really well and make important additions to this collection.

Glasgow Art Fair

Thought I'd have a day out of the studio today to visit the Glasgow Art Fair in George Square.

There is a couple of galleries I've arranged to meet and I'm sure there will be others worth chatting to.

I already have a couple of new exhibitions coming up, so hopefully I can build on my calendar after today.

More news to come soon.

Figurative Exhibition - Scotlandart Galleries, Glasgow

The joint Figurative Exhibition at Scotlandart Galleries in Glasgow opens tonight with 6 new paintings of mine on show, along with an additional 4 smaller works from the new 'one' series.

If you cant get along to the gallery in person over the next month, you can view all the paintings in the show on the scotlandart.com website.

Paintings on show include:

The Sweet Fantastic

Let There Be Love


A Moment of Clarity

A New Generation

I have decided to create a new look for my characters for my latest painting. The overall visual impact will obviously remain the same but I wanted to develop the look of the children slightly.

I will carry on producing paintings using the original characters but all being well, I hope to start producing more work using the second generation too. My hope is that people will then have preferences for one generation over the other so should help to add a little more variety of choice and add even more individuality to their chosen painting.

I will post a new image soon and perhaps votes can be cast on which generation is preferred!


Happy Cycling!

* New Website Now Live *

This week I have been working on a new website and I'm glad to say it is now up and running so please check it out.....

www.scottcarruthers.co.uk

You can browse through the easy to use galleries to view my main catalogue of work and you can still read about the paintings in the shop section where further information can also be found.

There are the usual useful pages, including an insightful About Me page, contact forms and other info, as well as links to this blog and the Facebook Group.

Enjoy.

North Country Boy - (L.S. Lowry)

"North Country Boy"

(30" x 30" Original, Acrylic on Canvas) Available at ScotlandArt

Laurence Stephen Lowry was born and raised in Stretford, Lancashire. He is famous for painting scenes of life in the industrial districts of northern England during the early 20th century, and is now regarded as one of England's greatest ever painters.

He had a distinctive style of painting and is best known for his urban/industrial landscapes populated with human figures often referred to as "matchstick men". Because of his use of these stylised figures and the lack of effects such as lighting and shadows in many of his landscapes, his work is sometimes characterised as 'naive'.

I have always had a great fondness for Lowry's work and have, on the odd occassion, had people comment on my own work as being very Lowry-esque. That's something that I can only take as a huge compliment!

In this piece, I wanted to create a Lowry type industrial landscape without giving it too much dominance in the painting itself. I hope by having it blending in faintly in the distance with minimal detail has helped achieve that.

Camarillo Brillo - (Andy Warhol)

"Camarillo Brillo"

(30" x 30" Original, Acrylic on Canvas) SOLD

Andy Warhol was an American artist and a leading figure in the visual art movement known as Pop Art. After a successful career as a commercial illustrator, Warhol became famous worldwide for his work as a painter, avant-garde filmmaker, record producer and author.

It was during the 1960s that Warhol began to make paintings of iconic American products such as the Campbell’s Soup Cans from the Campbell Soup Company, Coca-Cola bottles and Oversized Brillo Boxes, as well as paintings of iconic celebrities such as Marilyn Monroe and Elizabeth Taylor, amongst others.

It was thought his paintings of such items were designed to make a statement about mass-production and consumerism, however Warhol stated that the soup simply reminded him of his childhood. His Mother used to give him that soup for his dinner and it always evoked childhood memories.

Andy Warhol was a prominent figure in the art world throughout the 60's, 70's and 80's with his work and chosen subjects proving both popular and controversial!

Sit and Wonder - (Vincent van Gogh)

"Sit and Wonder"

(30" x 30" Original, Acrylic on Canvas) Available at ScotlandArt

Vincent Willem van Gogh was a Dutch post-impressionist painter from the late 19th Century. Despite struggling to make any hint of a career from his art during his short lifetime, some of his paintings, particularly 'Sunflowers', are now amongst the world's best known and most expensive works of art.

Chairs are often used in art as representational objects. Van Gogh painted 2 different versions of his close friend Gauguins chair. The two paintings are thought to have been intended to represent the vastly contrasting temperaments and interests of the two artists.

The fact that the boy sitting in this chair looks a little bit like Van Gogh, wasn't intentional! :)

I do wonder what he might be thinking about though?

Up in the Sky - (Rene Magritte)

Here is the first from a collection of 4 paintings paying homage to 4 well known painters and 'remixing' their styles and themes in with my own recognisable work to hopefully create something new and interesting.

"Up In The Sky"

(30" x 30" Original, Acrylic on Canvas) Available at ScotlandArt

Rene Magritte was a Belgian Surrealist artist and became well known for a number of witty and thought-provoking images, including his floating bowler-hatted men and in particular the painting titled 'The Son of Man', where the face of a bowler hatted man is obscured by a hovering apple!

I hope you enjoy viewing these new pieces and there will be more to come shortly.....

In The Studio

I thought I would post an image of myself in the studio working on my latest piece.

There is a slight change with this new painting as it is going to be completely in grayscale, like an old black and white film. Primarily becuase the painting is based on a film made in 1961 and is indeed in black and white!!

I'm quite excited about completing this piece as I am very interested to know how it will look with no colour involved. The film is also one of my favourites so I am desperate to do it justice and try to get some of the feeling of the story just right in the painting.

New Originals at Artery Gallery

2 brand new originals are now available at Artery Gallery

'Chasing Rainbows' and 'Out By My Side' are both on exhibition at the gallery based in St Andrews, Fife.

You can also read the press release on their blog at Artery Gallery News

Out By My Side

(70cm x 50cm) SOLD

Do you remember your favourite toy that you just had to have with you at every waking hour.....and even whilst sleeping?

My favourite teddy bear I had as a kid was named Boo-ya, a sky blue bear that looked a lot like Yogi Bear’s friend Boo-Boo (Apparently Boo-Boo was too difficult for me to say at the age of 5, so the name Boo-ya had to suffice!!).

Like many kids with their beloved companion, he came everywhere with me, whether out on a day trip or just tucked up in bed. Acting as a comfort just like a blanket.

Whether it was a teddy bear, action figure, a backpack full of favourite ‘stuff’, or what seems to be even more noticeable nowadays, the ever-present Nintendo DS, a favourite toy was an essential item to have by your side. You couldn't leave home without it!

Do You Wanna Be A Spaceman

(90cm x 70cm) Contact Washington Green for enquiries

What do you hear kids say they want to be when they grow up? The answers are always interesting to hear....and somewhat quite unachievable you might think. A Cowboy, a Spaceman, a Power Ranger or Superhero of some kind!

Clearly though, a handful of these dreams are fulfilled, as there are these Astronauts, Racing Drivers and Cowboys out there.

This is to those 6 year olds that will one day live their childhood dream day in day out. Though I’m not suggesting there is a real life Batman!!

Blank Media Collective - Blankpages E-zine issue 9

This months E-zine from Blank Media Collective features 'Magic Window' on the front cover as well as a quick Q&A with myself on page 6 of the online magazine.

You can click on this link for quick access to the magazine;
'Blankpages' E-zine issue 9

It also includes the write up for 'Magic Window' as well as one of my personal favourites, 'The World is Yours' on page 5.

More about the Blank Media Collective arts organisation can also be found here on their website;
www.blankmediacollective.org

Many thanks to those at Blank Media for showing interest in my work, these things always help in giving me huge boosts and extra confidence in the paintings I create.

In The Press

There was an article on me this week in the Norwich Evening News local paper to coincide with the start of my exhibition of limited edition prints through Castle Galleries. The Norwich branch in particular being of interest as it was my hometown for nearly 30 years!

Washingon Green's PR group put the article together with the Evening News press office also phoning me up to get any further info and quotes from me.

You can read the article here

There is also a great article in Picture Business UK magazine.

The World Is Yours

(90cm x 70cm) Contact Washington Green for enquiries

The world seems a ridiculously large place when you are young and far away places may as well be on a different planet.

Yet how many times do you hear the phrase it's a small world?

As decisions and opportunities arise throughout life, the world does seem to reduce in size, not physically of course, but certainly metaphorically. At some stage, you have the ability and the freedom to do exactly what you want. The world is your oyster and you're free to go anywhere....bar the odd strict border control!

Most people may not have the money to get to the places they want to, but a bit of drive, free thinking and adventurous spirit can compensate for any lack of funds.

The World Is Yours for the taking. Make of it what you can.

This original is available at The Westover Gallery in Bournemouth

Fine Art Collector Magazine

You can read a two page feature (pages 16-17) on me and my work in the new edition of Fine Art Collector Magazine.

This can be read online by clicking the link above, or you can pick up a free copy of the Fine Art Collector Magazine from your nearest Washington Green associated gallery.

Enjoy.

Money

(Detail from 'Money')

At what point I wonder, as a kid do you stop wanting a present for a birthday etc, and start demanding hard currency instead!?

There is nothing better than seeing a large box wrapped in all those fantastic colours and reading your name on it. Then tearing the paper with complete disregard to the care and attention it took to wrap up. Even if it is something you have asked for, the surprise is always nice.

And then you reach that age when these parcels of many colours become almost obsolete, and the shiny coinage takes preference.

However, I have found it goes full circle because the older you get, with the chance of ANY kind of currency coming your way being slim, just having something, anything, even the smallest of boxes is gratefully received!

(90cm x 70cm) SOLD

This original is available at The Westover Gallery in Bournemouth

A Little Teaser......

Here is a section from a new piece, just to give you a small taste of some future paintings:


Any Guesses as to what it could be about?