Reviewing the year

Well another year gone, and lots happening in it...

I feel now that I am more established as an artist, proved by my ability this year to take three of my old paintings and re-vamp them to make them far more interesting than they were before, which brought my spiritual healer friend to label me the "Alchemist Artist" - a title I adore!

I've painted dogs, and captured their essence and spirit so much that I was asked why I didn't paint dogs full time and apply to Crufts to be their official painter. Mmm.... nice idea, but not *quite* as exciting as doing erotic art.... LOL

I've also painted people and houses, conjuring happy emotions with their depictions for the people that they are aimed at.

As the year has progressed, I've got more involved with being a member of the Guild of Erotic Artists, being their report writer for the times I've been at the event days, and more importantly being featured in the latest Guild book, which is a great step forward for me, both to be in it, as well as being featured along side such other great artists, photographers and sculptors. That's a great accolade. The book has had great reviews and the Guild intends to go on from strength to strength.

I've sold more artwork to the USA this year, which is great that my work is going a bit further around the world.

But, best of all, is the "Queyntes" series - the fantasy fanny project that started as a wonderful idea, and has proved itself as such by the vast positive response to it that I felt that I needed to exhibit them somewhere quickly. The best place being the "Erotica" show at Olympia, London. I've never worked so hard as I did to get that show in place in such a short space of time - but it was worth it for the chance to do an exhibition, a chance to show the fantasy fannies. And that in turn meant that I met quite a few bloggers - some of whom had their "Queynte" on show. So that was a wonderful experience too. As was seeing and hearing the wonderfully positive and upbeat responses to the "Queyntes" at Erotica from people who knew nothing about them and had never seen them before. Fabulous experience!!!

And since then, I've been experimenting with the the same bright and vivid abstract way of painting, and that has carried me on with new ideas and I think it will continue to do so......

So..... on to the new year. And what will that bring with it? Well my spiritual healer friend has finally finished writing her book on unicorns, so I shall now have the chance to illustrate it for her - something that I am looking forward to immensely. Plus I still have more "Queyntes" to paint - I count that as an on-going project, and hope to promote them in other places, and maybe even find another suitable venue for a bigger exhibition of them. Plus this abstract way of painting has also picked up other people who are interested in that way of painting, so I think I may be using that elsewhere for less, er, intimate artwork! And I've put my name down for a watercolour workshop painting .... er.... flowers.... in the new year!!! Tee hee! Ya never know - maybe I'll become a "flower painter" full time....... LMAO ........Nah, I don't think so!!!!!!!!!

But also, the really lovely thing is that I've met some wonderful people through my art - people who have open minds, who feed my inspiration with their positive and helpful comments - people who I consider to be good friends. And that's a wonderful thing to have.


So for the new year - I wish you peace and happiness, good health, and joy being with the ones you love. And for me I hope I continue to paint and bring happiness through my art. So I'll leave you with this image at the end of the year - the same subject as last year, but a different image - of a unicorn, the same one I used as my Christmas card, to bring light and love to you in the year ahead.

Stuart

Now we've got Christmas out of the way, I thought I'd share with you the letter I've had from the chap I drew the other week. He's happy for me to show his letter here, as well as the drawings I did of him....

Dear Jackie

I have knocked out this piece about the sitting at your home on December 3rd. I have allowed my memories to filter down over the weeks and have tried to make them representative of my experience. Should you like to use it in your blob (or is it blog) please free free. Everyone who has seen the drawings are impressed by them both the quality of your work and my temerity in being pictures in such a way (as they think) and the audacity of my showing them with great pride.

Regards Stuart

..... For some time now I have entertained the idea of commissioning a life study of myself by a competent artist although I am aged 72 but in fairly good shape. My resolve to accomplish this ambition was accentuated when I attended a life class workshop. I was was enthralled by the craft of the male nude model and his ability to remain absolutely still for very long periods. "I would like to try that myself", I thought and so I enquired as to the possibility of finding a local artist who would be willing to execute the commission. A few weeks later I received a recommendation for Jackie Adshead, a professional, versatile artist who specialises in erotic art.

I contacted Jackie by phone and she agreed to undertake the commission as soon as she had reduced her current workload.

One thing I have lacked during my lifetime is super confidence. As soon as I had realised I would be posing nude feelings of apprehension engulfed me. Would I have the nerve to divest myself of clothing in front of a woman and an attractive one, as I later found out. Only my wife had seen me naked since I reached adulthood except for a few medical men and women. However, when the day arrived to visit Jackie at her home for the sittings, I was strangely calm. She ushered me in and made me feel at home with her friendly, confident, professional approach which installed confidence in me. We had a short general conversation before she showed me some of her beautiful work and described some of the media in which she worked. I elected to have two drawings in graphite on A3 paper. We decided that the first pose would be seated and reading a book. The second would be on a couch with me in a supine position. Jackie decided that a standing pose might prove difficult and tiring for a beginner.

In the drawings I wanted to make a statement:- "This is me as God made me and I have nothing to hide or be ashamed". I would also ask Jackie "What do you see" and the answer would be in her depiction. My desire was to see myself as others see me and not through the lens of a camera. The drawings must be frank as I did not want any coyness or false modesty in them.

With the chair in which I was to pose in place the moment of truth had arrived for me to take the plunge and divest myself of my clothing. The degree of success in Jackies introduction could be judged by the confident way I walked nude across the room to assume my pose. It was strange, however, to be walking naked in someones home in front of a woman I had only known for a hour. Jackie had provided some of my favourite music as background, predominently the works of Beethoven. I also had a pleasant view through the window of the garden. We engaged in pleasant general conversation as Jackie worked and it soon became clear that we had enjoyed a common interest in local and social history. The conversation only flagged when Jackie was engaged in the execution of a challenging piece of drawing that demanded full conversation.
The time flew by and after about a hour and three quarters the first drawing was complete. My only inconvenience experienced during the time was the pressure points on my back caused by the chair became noticable. It amazed me that I had sat for that length of time and only noticed my lack of clothes when I glanced down. We had a break between poses when we enjoyed a cup of tea. I was so used to being nude that I did not bother to get dressed for such a short time. During the sitting no sexual thoughts crossed my mine. There is great beauty and innocence in the human body. At no time did I feel vulnerable as I trusted Jackie implicitly. Perhaps before a class of students I might be less comfortable.

The second drawing took only just a bit more than a hour. Both the drawings are magnificent and the more I see them the more I like them and they are among my most treasured processions. Not only has Jackie captured the essential me but also the essence of human nature with all its mysteries.

All in all, it was a very interesting and intriguing experience which I surprisingly enjoyed. I would certainly pose again. One occurence amused me when I was getting myself in position for the second pose. Jackie requested "Could you lower your right leg, I cannot see your genitals", It took me totally by surprise. I met Jackie a few days later and she recognised me fully clothed!

Thank you Jackie. I will never forget you!

Decorating with light

Christmas is hard work..... there's always a lot to do.....

....but when it's done, its a magical time.....

Decorating the house with light and colour, the kitchen filled with tantalising aromas, interesting packages to give and receive in return. But sometimes the gifts aren't the ones you're expecting. I've received three gifts this week which have given me a lot of pleasure.... one was the go ahead for a very interesting commission, one which I shall enjoy doing in the new year, one was the totally unexpected but very welcome gift of sweet biscuits from a previous buyer of my artwork from a land across the seas, and one was a delightfully long letter from the 72 year old chap who I drew the other week who wanted me to know how much he had enjoyed the experience, and since he writes a column in a local paper wanted to know if I'd be happy with him writing about the experience of my drawing him, and yes I'm very happy at that thought....

So.... lovely gifts already. Of art, and the kind words and deeds that have come back in return...........

So I'll take this opportunity to say - may the seasons spirit bring you love, joy, inspiration and prosperity. Happy Christmas!

Analysing me

I've been thinking about a conversation I've had with a good friend of mine this week (albeit by email, and albeit with many miles and the Atlantic ocean between us!). I've been thinking and analysing why I like painting erotic art and its interesting for me to look at it in depth, because a few people have asked me recently WHY I do erotic art. And there are quite a few reasons WHY. Some deep, some less so......

......its certainly an intellectual exercise for me, and I've always said that painting a picture is only one tenth of the thought process of producing it. But I also want my audience to think about the painting too, to react to it (hopefully in a positive way) so I try to involve subtle clues in various places, some intended, some created by serendipity and kept, and some are even found when I've not even known about them! So then the viewer will get whichever messages they've picked up and if its erotic, their mind will start to think erotic thoughts... I understand the thoughts I've INTENDED to put in the painting, but sometimes I find thoughts I hadn't considered are there. Wow! I love it when that happens! Because as my friend so eloquently says there is no more mystery or intrigue for me when I create a painting than there is for the author of a detective novel who knows which character committed the murder long before the last chapter...... and that is indeed true for the intended reactions. BUT this is one of the reasons why I like erotic art - that people will have different reactions to it than they would JUST looking at a pretty landscape or vase of flowers - then the reaction is just "that's nice!"- BUT for me to depict erotic art, I have to have a good understanding of what people like in a picture, and as an erotic image, what happens within their brain, and then I have to get in there and try to capture all of what they like, and put it down on paper to make them like it even more through shapes, line and colour! Its a sort of psychological visual conversation and communication. I want my images to be more spiritual and intuitive and emotional than "just a vase of flowers" - which I am very capable of painting, but am not inspired by it as a subject matter - there is no emotional commitment or exchange between the viewer and the artist.

So that's one of the reasons I like painting erotic art - the communication between me and the viewer.

And which is probably why I write a blog about being an erotic artist too!!! :)

Queynte 13

I've not shown you a picture for a while, so thought it about time I did! Here's the latest Fantasy Fanny - introducing Queynte 13.......

Whatever turns you on

I've had a few conversations this week with different people, talking about what I do as an Erotic Artist, and a couple of times I've found myself saying "And I look at a naked body I'm drawing in exactly the same way that I look at a vase of flowers or milk jug, and get turned on by them as much as I do looking at a vase of flowers or a milk jug - which is not at all!" (just incase you're thinking I'm some sort of weird woman who has a strange attraction for erotic tea parties with milk jugs!). Twice I've been told this week that I have an interesting life as an Erotic Artist, and I would agree that I have, but drawing naked bodies is "Work" as far as I'm concerned, and nothing else. Having said that if I'm not "working" I can look at a body and find it very attractive, sometimes. I suppose it depends on which part of my brain is working - "work" or "pleasure". I know Lucy Felthouse has been asked the same sort of questions - whether she gets turned on by her erotic stories, and the answer is "No", and I can see why she says that. So is it a draw-back (if you'll excuse the pun!) that the sort of images that turn a lot of people on, leave me cold? Other people look at my images and get turned on, I look at them and admire a certain shade of colour within the picture, or the way a line is drawn.... but then I'm analysing them as work! :)

Dear Jackie....

I've had a letter from the elderly chap I drew last week saying how much he and his wife love the drawings, and thanking me. He was nervous before he met me but said that his misgivings were entirely misplaced, as my confidence, good humour, talent and friendliness assuaged all his fears! He said that he thought he would feel vulnerable once he was naked but that was not the case and at no point did he feel uncomfortable which speaks volumes for my manner. He found it a remarkable experience and one that he will never forget.

I'm touched that he has taken the time to write to me, and touched by his words.......

Good etiquette

Its an odd profession, being an Erotic Artist. I recognise it as being odd. This week for example, a man I'd never met before came to my house, and within an hour of walking through the door, he's stark naked. That's got to be odd, hasn't it? He also announced, before he got naked, that the only woman to see him naked, was his wife of 48 years. And now me. So it was a big thing for him to do. He said he felt trepidation before he arrived. I can understand that. It may be normal for me to be around naked people, but not everyone else is used to it. But after an hour of us chatting, and getting to know each other, he felt comfortable about taking his clothes off, and I politely turned away whilst he did. He settled in the seated pose we'd previously discussed, and we chatted whilst I drew him. And by the time I'd finished the drawing, he felt totally at ease, to the point that he was happily naked whilst we discussed the next pose and went straight into it. This pose was his choice, as he wanted a lying down pose. So he lay as he had envisioned the pose, and asked me what I thought of it. I said quite matter-of-factly "Well, I can't see your genitals in that position" which amused him, and he shifted his position slightly, so that I could. He sniggered about that comment, as I drew him. And I said that I had presumed that was the point of the pose, that I could see them, and draw them accordingly! And he agreed, it was! We chatted alot about many subjects, he's a very interesting man whose lived an interesting life, and likes to try new experiences, which is why he finds himself in his 70's naked in my house!

He rang me the next day to say how pleased he was with the pictures I'd done of him, and the experience of it. Which was good to hear. He said he'd been in a local shop that morning and said to the shop assistant who he knows quite well "I was in this woman's house yesterday and she said to me, 'I can't see your genitals with your leg in that position'!!! "......... Mmmm... I think he's going to be getting a lot of mileage out of this new experience! It also turns out that a very good friend of his is another artist who I know quite well, and they are going to be having dinner together with their wives before Christmas, I can imagine that over the soup he's going to be saying "I was at this woman's house the other day and she said to me.... "I can't see your g....."!!!!

A change is as good as a rest

Since I first started doing the Fantasy Fannies a couple of months ago, all I've been thinking about is them . Female art. Very abstract feminine female art. But this week brings with it the wind of change, and I am now involved in some masculine art. I have been asked to draw a guy. He's never been drawn naked before, but he's interested in art and has decided that he would like to be drawn. He's led an interesting life, and I think he will enjoy this experience. He wants a woman to draw him, rather than a man. And to start with, when I heard that, I wondered if there was an "ulterior motive" - because I am very aware that some guys might think that if there's a woman who's an erotic artist drawing them, then they might get more than a painting out of it! So I have to make that clear from the start, that it is "work" for me, and it will be "hard work" for them. He understands that. He says he is feeling some trepidation at meeting me. I can understand that, its a new experience for him. Its all quite normal for me. But drawing him will be a first for me - he's a chap in his 70's, and when he asked me if I'd ever painted a pensioner before, I had to say I hadn't!

And to add to this, this morning I had a younger guy ring me wanting me to do a "bedroom picture" for him. We were on the phone for an hour, and it took a lot of gentle chit-chat to find out what he wanted exactly. He probably has never had the sort of conversation we had, before, and I must admit it struck me as amusing and novel! Because his "bedroom picture" was more than just a sensual nude sitting in a chair, artfully lit. He was a bit more specific than that. He wanted a woman in the picture, a woman with very large breasts, and he wanted her "doing something" - ok, I agreed, I could do that. What exactly did he imagine she was doing? Well, it seemed he wanted her doing something quite specific, to a man to be exact. And he wanted the man to be himself. Ok, I see, well yes, that was possible, I could do that, and agreed it was indeed a "bedroom picture"! He said he was happy to pose for the drawing, which helps, because if I'm drawing him, it might as well be him. He's never posed before, and thought that the opportunity would be "good" for him. I can see that he might think that! But I made it very clear that it was highly unlikely that I was going to find a model, a) specifically one who fits his description of the woman of his dreams, who was b) going to pose, and c) going to do what he specifically wanted. But the point is that I can take various images from various sources and put them all together, to compose the image he wants. So I probably deflated his fantasy, in reality anyway. But I know I can create it on paper for him. And that's what I do. I paint peoples dreams. He's come to me with an idea, and we've discussed it, I can picture it, he can picture it, so now I have to get inside his head, and draw that image on paper so that everytime he looks at it on his bedroom wall, he feels hot and horny, looking at that image................................. Should be fun! :)

But I get the impression from the conversations with these two guys, that they feel happier being drawn by a woman artist , than a male artist. And I can understand that, most hetrosexual men don't seem to be happy being naked infront of another man. They feel more comfortable with a woman.... it makes sense....... and gives me more work!