‘Have a Nice Day’

This fellow and his dog in the market place, playing the accordian. The sign said “Bonne Journée Avec le Sourire” ( ‘have a nice day – with a smile’). He looked worried. I think the dog was used to his music.

‘Life Insurance’

more gesture drawings of musicians

Some pages from my A5 sketchpads. Drawn from life, when the music stops, the drawing stops. Click on the images & the let the music begin.

Drawings of a Guitar Player

 Living a Creative Life – The Importance of Significant Others

What we can can also learn is that it is up to us to reach towards multiple definitions of creativity and, in doing so, to rethink worn-out concepts of autonomy, compromise & success. It is not our intention to underestimate, or oversimplify, the exquisite complications of leading creative lives and living affective lives; nor do do we in any way mean to belittle the agonising lonliness of artistic & literary production. All of us involved in this book know the wrenching pain of sitting alone in front of a blank page or a blank canvas. But we also know that the story doesn’t end – or for that matter doesn’t begin – there.

– Whitney Chadwick and Isabelle de Courtivron, Introduction, ‘Significant Others – Creativity & Intimate partnership’ Thames & Hudson, 1996.

I meet him in Bath, UK about sixteen year ago. In 1995, he invited me down to his house in SW France for a season. We painted lots & lots. We also learnt so much of each other. Seeing him paint frescoes convinced me of:

• The importance of learning from an artist with more painting experience than oneself.
• Watching an artist paint (ie demonstrations).
• Dialoguing with other artists (whom you esteem) about your aims, hopes, beliefs & more concretely, about your upcoming painting projects.
• Having the courage to expose oneself to other artist’s opinions & feedback about your own paintings.
• Creative thought & vision. Art isn’t just about technique. It’s also about self-expression & can have a playful aspect.

Here’s a picture of him in his atelier. Observe the sand, the spade & the cement mixer!

And here’s his official press-photo, slaking lime putty in California. Again note the spade… and I thought I had a thing about brushes??? 😉

Inigo ROSE, fresco artist

Inigo Rose paints frescoes. Proper frescoes in lime, the same technique as used in the Quattrocento in Italy & South West France. Inigo learnt the techniques in Italy from whom he says is the greatest living master. Note that the are NOT acrylic nor emulsion.

Inigo Rose

He’s also plays the guitar & is a well-known yoga teacher. Philosopher, he’s just come back from the Amazon jungle, where he studied the shamans. Free-spirit, he’s an ‘international person’, having lived in many countries (England, west coast of USA, Italy). Convivial personality, he believes in creativity in all spheres of life, including friendship & just having fun.

‘Taurus – Wheel of Life’
Inigo Rose
Lime Frescoe on wall in SW England
about four metres
©