Being an art graduate it TOUGH. Maybe the toughest. I’m trying my best to carry on painting, and make the most of my studio, but at the same time I need to earn a living, and pay the rent. Not to mention getting regular exercise, housework, having a social life, affording a social life, keeping up with grad friends with grad jobs and prove I’m not a classic art grad waste.

Last week it all came together a dream. Three days in the studio, a cheeky run, lovely social times, and the perfect shift to tips ratio. POW.

This week is not going to be a dream. Closing last night, tonight, tomorrow night, and I think the next two nights after that. I’ll be an exhausted nocturnal little shrew, moaning about not using the studio. Why aren’t I in the the studio now? I’m already in shrew mode, equipped with duvet, tea, and a healthy dose of bitterness.

An ode to Malcolm Morley.

My works been used for both the invites and the BMAG website header. I'm pretty psyched about this. But now I'll go and serve over priced pizza to the masses with their discount codes and high demands. Being a Fine Art Grad is wonderful horrible and down right ridiculous at all times.

I quickly realised that painting dogs for money was both soul destroying, and not the reason I was awarded my studio. So I did the only thing left to do and bought some slides. Weird working with complete strangers memories. Creepy and horrible actually, I feel quite the voyeur. But it's been fantastically refreshing. I feel good about what I'm doing. I have a kind of direction again, and I'm making the most of my opportunities. Still available to paint dogs for petty cash to avoid the day job.

Go on... take a peek.

Today my auntie asked my mother if she bought this from ikea or dunelm.

I'll take that.

Foremark Reservoir

Buy my stuff - I'm open to offers

https://www.etsy.com/shop/ShufflebothamFineArt

Bit weird one, but this Christmas I've been painting and drawing dogs for a living. Had a mini freak out half way through that I was wasting my time and abilities, but it's not only been a nice little break, but it's got me back into the swing of painting. Like a little kick starter. Now I'm psyched to get back to my real work, get some shit done, and look for new opportunities.

This is my pal Bob, he's a good lad. Since painting dear old Bob I've been commissioned to paint two more dog pals as Christmas presents. SO Contact me and commission me to paint your loved ones pets this Christmas for a wonderful heartfelt super nice gift. Pricing depends on size (this chap sold for £80) contact me if you're interested.

Amsterdam oil sketch. I'm ordering a canvas for this later on today, so watch this space.

I did some pretty great travelling last year, I hate not having another adventure to look forward to.

Amsterdam Oil sketch So a large premise of my work is that when we take a gazillion photos of something fun like being at a party or on holiday for example we kind of loose that 'in the moment' feeling. We look back at the photo and think that constitutes for a memory but in fact I'd support Barthes theory that 'photographs block memory'. It's like we trade in the experience for a view of an experience. Anyway, when I was painting this sketch everything about my trip to Amsterdam came flooding back to me, in a way it never had before despite me repeatedly pawing over my slides and shooting 5 rolls of film in as many days. It was pretty neat. At the same time, I didn't find it important for this painting to look like the photograph, or anything at all for that matter. I wanted to think more about the experience, and I reckon that comes across in my application of the paint. I don't know. I'm waffling.

Pretty psyched to finally see this on the wall. The competition was launched two years ago, so it's a wonderful weight off my shoulders to see it hung. In a weird juxta, I did each of these paintings in around a day. Deadlines suck, but possibly did me some good.

Foremark Reservoir

Bob, the pug dog.

Sketchin'

First show as a graduate over at the Pod went down a treat. Ballin'.