Arizona poster

On my second trip to the West coast of America this year I was again awe inspired by the incredible vast landscapes and exposure to nature that we got. We spent most of both trips in California and I have an idea for possibly the best piece of art I will ever make inspired by a Big Sur / Yosemite hybrid once I get the time... watch this space.
In the meantime I made this inspired by our train trip to the Grand Canyon as the image for the next Nurze Nurze night poster.
I love using the cellophane for speed and energy but it also gets the ethereal sun-bleaching brightness of the West Coast across.

NURZE NURZE BANNER

Banner & logo designed for collaborative gig night Nurze Nurze.
Photos thanks to Rich Dundas at I Own You records.

Max's flag

For my friend puppet-maker and polymath Max Humphries's recent stag do, I made him a banner. 

Max has an air of an intrepid explorer of the Jules Verne model. He dreams big and relishes planning the mechanisms behind the perfect solution to whatever problem he faces. He is someone who is truly at home with himself and has a sense of timelessness. He proudly has no religion, he is captivated by grand tales, science, machinery. To me a lot of this is represented by a whale - it represents evolutionary theory, the awe I have felt when I've seen whales, a sense of being entirely in the moment which Max embodies.

The cog represents his interest in mechanisms, his tenaciousness to follow through exciting plans once they have been envisaged, unperturbed by the time it may take and work it may involve.

The lightning represents his interest in technological advances, the power of man to make and improve. When Max lived with us for a short time he made the story of Tesla and Turing come to life, introduced us to Kurzweil. He also really loves comics / graphic novels and the lightning bolt sums this up well too. 

The needle and the hand (I am especially smug about the hand here, take a closer look!) are about how Max brings people together, takes time for friends, puts the most enchanting personality into the puppets he makes. He is totally in love with his soon to be wife, Fi, their cat, their life. He is one of the warmest people I know as well as one of the most talented - think Max, think bear hug.



Anyway, having just caught up with him and his friends I feel like it is worth linking to some of the exciting things they do. What a crew. Check them out.

https://twitter.com/tomscuttdesign ; https://instagram.com/tomscuttdesign - website is currently being updated, but links possible through here   
https://instagram.com/maxhumphriespuppets - some good initial vids of puppets in the making
http://www.littlebulbtheatre.com
http://stitchesandglue.com
http://www.oftownsend.co.uk
http://www.nadialatif.com
http://www.rhysjarman.com
http://www.curtisbrown.co.uk/client/steven-webb

New posters

My friend Lisa Laverie and I will be hosting some nights as Nurze Nurze in May and June, for which we want to have some art as well as music. I have come out of retirement to make a poster for our logo:

A pyramid - museums, stories myths. Also looks like a cheese wedge, we love cheese. 
Sun / sound Rays - both are enriching and loved by Nurze Nurze. 
Badly drawn syringe - nurzes. 
Knife - cooking, cut n paste lifestyle. Analytical mentality. Not scared to cut it up n start again. 
River Lee / IV fluid line. Always moving, love the marshes, straight into your body goodness. 
Circles - two of us. Lenses of glasses / binocular. 
Grass. Outside people. I love planting things, Lisa nurtures creativity, grass seemed to sum it up. 
I really wanted everything to be representable with basic shapes and bright colours.

And subsequently made my good friend Charlie Potter a birthday poster portrait:

Charlie is an analytical (the eye peering down the telescope guy) who - like me - struggles with wanting to be doing / making /getting all the time and balancing this with enjoying time nurturing his social needs (scales). He studies ethics and is  interested in social responsibility (again, scales and the beehive), as I understand it. I am fascinated with the structures he imposes on himself, I think in part as a test and in part out of desire to continue improving himself. For example being the best vegan, despite his true love for cheese (pizza). He has lots of talents, so I am happy not only to have the book and the pizza to signify writing and cooking, but to me the representation of the telescope looks like sound waves.
Hopefully now I have finished my course I will have a bit more time for this side of things again. I also later put a tonne of wobbly eyes on it, which to me scream A Thousand Plateaus / psychoanalysis in general, but I am not 100% convinced they work.

Banners

Made as presents for two friends, the banners summarise the key elements I respect about the individuals they are made for.

For Briggs, the dog represents faithfulness, a good companion, intelligence. The antenna represent his ability to convey and receive information and his interest in culture. The magnifying glass represents his ability to make independent judgements, looking for what lies beyond surface appearance. The whisky glass his refined taste, his conviviality. The comb represents his good grooming, his decision to show the world him at his best and make an effort to make the most of his skills.

For Louise the baguette represents her sense of fairness and democracy - she is determined that all should have equal access to opportunity. The scissors represent her conflicting wishes - she is a great artist and is willing to cut things up and start again to keep things moving forwards. The camera shows her interest in the world as an observer, and her creativity. The rats are in memoriam of her old pets that she loved, but also show her tenacity and inbuilt sense of purpose. The books being near the floor show her obsession with information, but held in a place where she can trounce all over old agendas to make something new and more exciting from them!

20's style dress

I made this for the party after my wedding. 

It is fairly heavily beaded 20's style, made from 2 different layers of net, so actually is pretty strong.

It was a pleasure to play around with 1920's patterns - I tried some slips in 20's shapes too, which I will try and post up in the future.

But anyway, you get the gist. If you are interested in anything like this, ask me, I am very open to commissions.

Feather Head Piece

Do you know anyone who might be interested in buying one of these? 

It is 40's style and could be made in a range of colours, this is just the nicest one.
If you do, let me know, I might try and make more to fund the studies I begin in September...

What I have been doing

I made this a couple of days ago for my friend's baby, I am very pleased with it.

Whilst it needs a bit of streamlining, but I am hoping to spend a bit of time on this and some other animals done in the same style.

I am very proud of his handsome whiskers.

Fox is washable.

Helicopter

This is the short film I made for an art-swap with my friend James Parkin (find his work here).
I have had this in mind for a long time, the idea was conceived whilst reading 'Don't sleep there are snakes' (A great book). As I mentioned in the last post, I have been focussing on making offensively bright and clashing quilts recently, so have been slow with making any art, but I am really pleased with the quilts and with this video.

Quilts

You can see images of the quilts here (at www.flosscobbquilts.blogspot.com). Feel free to subscribe and tell any rich friends about them.

Beartown artwork

I made a sleeve for a band under the Beartown Records label. You can own this AND the great tape by SLUMP for only £3 from www.beartownrecords.com

I have been making quilts (initially for babies, now for double beds too) more than art in my spare time, which I will paste a link to very soon.
I have also made a short film (under 20 seconds) for an art swap with a friend, once I have made him his copy I will post it up here.
Currently working on a zine with some friends, to be completed (and a link to it put up) by August.

Follow up film / shots - The Periscope (Aleph)

I let myself get into the frustrating situation of going to document the Periscope with a camera with low battery. Oh dear. Hence this brief film:

However, I am pleased with how this shooting style this worked out, so have decided to see it as the start of a new short film work rather than a failure to document the last piece. So I'll get to work and post the next development from it.

Here are some new photos of views through the Periscope, I am also pleased with the way some of these turned out.

 

 

Rhizomatic

I am in this show, as are a lot of other people, as you can see - it should be very exciting! We are installing this weekend, the Private View is on Friday 8th. It is in Southall again and the 'Prop' show will be open for viewings in the evening on the 8th too - the hangers are around 100m from one another, so come and see both and have a drink.

The Periscope (Aleph)

 
I am hoping to bring a video to help fit the images together soon, but in the meantime, here are some pictures of The 
Pericope taken by my 
good friend Emsey Jones. 

The idea for The Persicope comes from a Borges short story in which a man finds a place in a basement from which he can see every point in time and space all at the same time. This brings
the man to despair. 

 

The idea of the periscope also came from the way in which some people with ASD (and some without ASD) relate to travel, and often experience satisfaction from travel in fast moving vehicles through busy places. My impression is that this could be because so much is visible at the same time, without an expectation that one should respond to any of these sights. Although that's just my speculation, and is certainly not to be read as fact.

Through the periscope the viewer can find objects symbolising particular aspects of the history of the world - a sulphurus-looking gas cloud (big bang/future atmosphere?), an ancient-looking 'fish', a roman coin, a knife, a tv, a bone...find the rest when you see it.

The Periscope is available to view by appointment as part of 'Prop' exhibition, details in previous post. I hope to post some more images of other work in this show soon - there were some brilliant artists in the show and it looks great. For your second chance at a private view, come to the private view of 'Rhizomatic' on the same trading estate - the 'Prop' show will be open during the evening. This will be on Friday 8th October. Invite to be posted shortly.

Prop

I am going to be in this show and have been down there setting up today with my excellent assistant. Come along to the Private View if you can.

PROP A group show of objects, images and interventions that suggest narrative or theatrical action

Matt Ager, Thorbjørn Andersen, Louise Ashcroft, Roxane Borujerdi, Floss Cobb, Blue Curry, Paul Eachus, Douglas Ebbage, Sandra Erbacher, Livia Garcia, Rebecca Gould, Toby Huddlestone, Jonathan Kipps, Ladies of the Press, Simon Linington, littlewhitehead, Janko Matic, Christina Mitrentse, Laurence Payot, Tessa Power, Matthew Robinson, Ilona Sagar, Mark Selby, Jonathan Velardi, Charlotte Young, Neil Zakiewicz. Click on the artists' names to see their websites.

Private View: Friday 17th September 2010, 6 - 9.30pm. Refreshments will be served.

Free taxi shuttle from Merrick Road (turn left out of Southall Station and wait by the sign)

Viewings by appointment: 13th September - 23rd October.

To make an appointment contact louiseashcroft@departuregallery.com

Address: Unit 8, Trident Way, The International Trading Estate, Southall, London UB2 5LF

Getting there: Take national rail from Paddington (14 mins) then buses H32, 105, 195 or 482 to Brent Road. Walk down Brent Road until you see the entrance to the estate and ask security to direct you to 8 Trident Way. Parking is available.

Departure Gallery is a nomadic platform for contemporary art. This exhibition is the latest in our ongoing series of projects in the vast warehouses of The International Trading Estate, Southall.

For more information visit www.departuregallery.com

Arcade Game - The Wheel

This was made across 2009, and exhibited in Ouroboros, a show of new work by Louise Ashcroft and myself at FinSpace in 2009. 

Instructions for Use

Hook all 6 missing conquests (another person’s shoe, the maze, the serpent, the ease of death, the infinity loop, the bow and arrow of protection and precision) onto the silver hooks of the wheel by their gold loops before play.

Adjust the height of the player piece (Beard of Odysseus) to your preference by moving the bulldog clips.

Encourage a friend to begin turning the backdrop of the game by turning the lever.

Use the handles at the sides of the player piece to open and close your grabbers. The claws can be hard to open, the game is not always easy. Persistence pays.

The Maze

 

The 'hedges' of the maze are attached with velcro, so the viewer can move tem around to create their own maze or design. This was made for 'The Fleet Rises' group show with the Departure Gallery in 2009.

Dominoes

The dominoes were begun in 2009, so far there are 15 of them. In a set of Dominoes you have 28, but I see it as a project that needs to develop over time. I showed the first Domino alone - Carter/Sebald, in 'The Fleet Rises', a group show in Farringdon curated by Louise Ashcroft of the Departure Gallery in early 2009.

I showed 3 in 'There's Something I'd Like to Tell You' in Berlin.

By the time of 'Mythical Lyrical', late 2009, I was able to show 15 together, so people were actually able to play with them as planned - building, knocking the figures down, making runs.