This week's art

Usually by this time in the week I have four, five, maybe seven different pictures that I have produced over the course of the week. I'm finding that I'm producing far less and I taking more more time over what I do create.

There are two pictures (only two!) this week - and they are utterly different. Couldn't be more different actually.

The first came from an idea that I had.

I wanted to present the United Kingdom Independence Party (who I loathe) in a single satirical picture, and I had this circus idea going around my mind.

If anything about this image causes any offence, I'll tell you now, I'm not sorry. I don't like to cause offence - I don't set out with that in mind - but this picture is definitely a statement of how I feel about this ring wing political organisation.

There's a lot going on here, and I wanted to present a surreal nightmare that is overwhelmingly busy and uncomfortable and crowded.

With my previous piece - 'Apocalypse How?' I talked the piece through quite thoroughly to give the viewer my purpose and meaning. I'm not going to do that, but if anyone does want to talk about this piece with me or ask me any questions, please do leave a message for me or catch up with me on twitter (@PublicPriestley).

I was happy with how this came out - it's more or less what I had in my mind's eye.

The second piece was a challenge that I set for myself.

I have been reading about, and listening to lectures on, Johannes Vermeer. So I turned my attention to one of his most famous paintings - The Girl With The Pearl Earring.

 

And this is the result. While I'll acknowledge immediately that I haven't captured that Dutch Realism style and it's a bit more impressionistic than the original, it is nonetheless better than I thought I could produce and as a result I was very happy with the outcome. 

I have tried to reproduce Van Gogh previously - and as with that you have to say, particularly without training - you're setting the bar very high to try and approach a genius. I give myself that. I think anyone would approach this and say 'Ah isn't that...'. They'll never approach it and wonder if it's Vermeer (I would hope!) - but the reproduction is recognisable - so I'm happy with that.

I also reflect on the images that I was producing only weeks ago and I realise that this would have been well beyond me at that time. So there is some progress.

I'm really very happy with the earring itself and although I have since softened the eyes a bit - even in this version, I'm really quite happy with the eyes. The shadow work also pleases me too.

Her complexion is a little pale and a little flat and the texture of the fabric could also improve - but hey - if I can see that, I can work on it.

Thanks for looking at my work this week.