MORE LIFE

Here is the place to draw.

Another great drawing session organised by the wonderful David!

Body: Model's own

Commuting Home for Christmas

Up and down the country we were hurrying home to love ones. Cheek to cheek, toe to toe on the overcrowded trains, taking advantage of the services before they are reduced for the Christmas break.

Hurry Hurry Quick Quick!

Featured here the edge of Platform 3 at Marylebone Station in London.

CONGREGATION FOR THE CONFERMENT OF DEGREES

Tuesday 13 December 2011 at 9.45 am saw the culmination of an impressive learning journey: Private primary education, entry into the Grammar School system, spiced with adolescent anecdotes, such as an accompanied visit to a Police Station and very mild alcoholic poisoning and finally through to completion of an Bachelor of Arts degree course at the University of Leeds.

Megan Baynes was ‘admitted to the Degree of Bachelor of Arts First Class Honours - Sociology.

We had a nice cuppa in the Sociology Department after the Ceremony.

MIYAKE FOR ME

A little bit of Issey Miyake does us all a power of good! This drawing from Fashion and Textile Museum rediscovered during a recent stock take.

MARVELS OF MALCOLM

I found an audio cassette at the back of the cupboard yesterday.

A recording off air, from Radio 1 I guess. So straight to iTunes to down load Waltz Darling released in 1989 and took vogue style of dance. Fave track: Something’s Jumpin’ in Your Shirt featuring Lisa Marie.

Picture: Appropriate to the topic

NIL BY MOUTH

Laparoscopic Appendectomy: Drawing on the NHS

Bron recently underwent an operation and the recovery ward presented a good opportunity to get some drawing done.

Loads of interesting equipment, Ward Sister, shuffling patients and visitors out of place, meanwhile I am eyeing up the chocolates on the adjacent patient’s bed table.

ON A COLD AND FROSTY MORNING

Here we go round the mulberry bush, On a cold and frosty morning

Cycle chum, framer, photographer and great friend Chris and I did not find a Mulberry bush but it sure was COLD on Saturday morning - Me ‘plates’ were frozen as were me ‘German bands’

Picture credits: My iPhone

BACK TO LIFE

It was great to discover a life drawing group close to work and I went along last Tuesday! Brilliantly organised by David, excellent model called Clifford, great draw-ers and tea and biscuits at the interval. I shall return

Featured: Clifford

Link for more detail on the Group

Spens gift

I recently became friends with leading contemporary painter and printmaker Peter Spens and was lucky enough to spend time with him in his studio and Gallery close to Highgate tube!

Currently you are in for a treat if you can make the short trip to see From mountains to sea, his latest show at Cranley Galleries.

Additionally, much of Peter’s current work over recent years work brings London to life with breathtaking large-scale views of London and the Thames. When I was with Peter it was exciting to be so close to energetic pieces and see also how he translate this into monoprint.

Full details of the show is here and the address is Cranley Gallery 3 Cranley Gardens London N10 3AA

THREE THINGS I HAVE IN COMMON WITH AN EXECUTIVE CREATIVE DIRECTOR

1. I worked with one once, when he was at McCann-Erickson
2. A passionate interest in typography
3. An obsession with keeping a drawing book

After a decade of having not worked with him and slightly less from having met up with him I was delighted to catch up with David Harris, now Executive Creative Director at Wunderman.

David has 70 drawing books, Daler-Rowney A5, the first dates back to when he was at college. Illustrated here, excerpts from his current book.

We talked of many things, great agencies we had known and he had worked in, offspring of whom we were extremely proud, creative leadership in the digital age, how to get a creative department in on time on a Monday morning, how that just some times, you have to do the ***kin’ ad yourself and other topics around we might stay connected.

During my tawdry career in ad land I hung-out in the creative department when ever I could and sometimes felt uncomfortable, yet, looking back, it was and is the place to be.

THANK YOU DAVID