Mel Larsen, someone I met as a result of getting involved with the ‘Peace one Day’ event in Streatham this year has been an inspiration. All the people involved were important but Mel was instrumental in the events success and she certainly demonstrated that with a strong will, and help from others, you can put on an event for virtually nothing, which has a big impact. This is surely such a valuable thing to see happen, and be part of, for an artist. This is something we all try to do, produce some thing that makes a difference to the viewer.
Last week as a preparation for running and drawing I sketched while walking. I noticed that speed becomes important and that people who are moving at your speed are easier than stationary objects. Also far distant buildings and trees are OK to attempt but the perspective changes as you get nearer.
Making quick sketches is always a challenge, but is great in the way you have to be so economic and decisive. You almost have to turn your brain off to get anywhere, which is never a bad thing.
Further to my acknowledgement of people who help you out or even have molded your development as an artist. I would like to thank Chrissie Nicholls, a more established artist than me and a good friend. Her advice and honest opinion and direct coaching, through drawing, have changed my perspective on my art practice. We differ quite widely in our approach to art, but a meeting with her always provokes a gear change in my practice.
I wore my a t-shirt with ARTIST stencilled on the back whilst training on the track as I do every Tuesday night. This felt a good thing to do and part of the cross over I am trying to make between the art and the sport in my life. Of course there were comments from my running friends and some humour and maybe some understanding too.
I have got a quote on PR for ‘jography’ and I see now I will have to change the overall amount I am asking for.
Last night I was trying to understand how anyone can run over 26 miles in just over two hours. To help I drew martin Lel. You can see how slight and light he is but even so it doesn’t seem possible to be able to run that fast. It is his job I suppose but I know if I trained every day for years I wouldn’t be capable of that speed now or even when I was his age. Some people are made differently.
On my morning run over the damp and quite nippy stretches of both Tooting and Streaham commons I had a moment of insight. I have been so caught up with ‘Jography’ I have forgotten all the people who make it possible for me to make art. The Arts Council grant application helps you to remember who is key to your process. To redress this I am going to introduce you to Steve Gorton.
A modest and very loyal friend, photographer, climber who helped me to make the video “Skatewardian’ and the stills for that and other performances. His pictures of me running whilst drawing are featured here. He does all this, and what is more doesn’t want to be paid. Well if my grant application goes through he will have no choice as he is included in the budget. And what a pleasure it will be to see that he gets rewarded for his work.
This afternoon I have turned my attention to what is the right footware for drawing and running. I think my new two inch vegan brothel creepers might not be suitable.
Yesterday was the start of a new integrated practice for me, and it seemed to go well. Combining art and running is something I should have done a long time ago. I hope that art will help my running and running will help my art. I have often sorted out a pressing art problem whilst in the meditative zone of a long run. The only problem is that today I have a very painful shin, so I hope that i can continue to run everyday. Overdoing the running is easy for me to do, an addiction is just that addictive.
