Still life.

Still life.
Originally uploaded by art progress

I drew this picture a couple days ago. I've probably already mentioned it, but if I haven't, I should tell you that I've realized my long sought after goal of being a productive painter. Of the paintings and pictures in this picture are mine. In progress, some, but mine all the same. It's an interesting time to be living around here nowadays. I leave sheets of discarded oily Oiler program pages seemingly everywhere. I bought a wooden pallet the other day, but I didn't wash it off when I was through with it and now there's a bunch of paint stuck to it. It kinda hurt my hand too.

Anyway, I have a number of canvases on the go. The one on the easel is about a stolen chair which presumably carries some legal implications for a certain someone along with it. It's not blackmail. It's fact!

The one on the other easel is about a tree Kaylin and I rescued from the building lobby. We rode down on the elevator with the man who gave it away (who also happens to live on our floor), but were too shy to ask for it then. We had to claim it on our way back in. This way we don't run the risk of making building friends.

There's a picture of the legislature building being constructed in there too. It's a picture I got from my dead friend Ross who is no doubt looking down wondering why I don't write more about him. You're in my thoughts, guy.

The first canvas I worked on is in there too. It's a picture of Kaylin at the fair, but I think that choosing to paint my best friend and love as my first painting was probably a mistake. Talk about pressure! It's stalled, but I haven't thrown it away yet.

There's also some blank canvases in a bag in there which I've since done something with. They're in progress, but there is progress. I haven't posted my right proper first painting yet. It's at the framers. It's a lamp. The second one will be finished shortly. and the third. and the forth.

Ink on paper.
Blake Betteridge 2007

Anything for the children

Anything for the children
Originally uploaded by art progress

Kaylin has this creepy book of nightmareish illustrated childrens stories. I found it on the shelf one day and used it as source material for this drawing. The story is about a man who dresses up as animals to entertain the children. One can only assume that the displays are innocent, but perhaps one shouldn't be so short on assumption and long on long deliberate thought. I think that means that there must be a reason that he goes to such lenghts to attract and entertain children. That's some fish suit, fella. Nice blood baby blood fountain too.

I also drew this picture at New City. Maybe my days as the smart assed, yet accomidating retailer in that boozy closet will turn out to be a turning point. It was the first time I'd ever been tipped on a regular basis. I did a lot of interacting back then too. Ask me about some of my associations there sometime. I think it was kinda like bartending, only soberer and quieter. Notice the colour? I'm trying really hard to be in tune with colour.

Felt pen on paper.
Blake Betteridge 2007.

The end of oil.

The end of oil.
Originally uploaded by art progress

I just looked and nowadays a shiny new barrel of crude will cost you $90.90 amd. That's down from when it was around a hundred a barrel, but it's still pretty high. Oh how the inevitability remains (!) that the world's cheap supply of oil has been depleted. Notwithstanding the ever apparent environmental impact black gold has left and will continue to leave on our world. Notwithstanding human impact deniers and their oily counter spin machine... the cheap stuff is long gone, and will continue to be long gone short of some amazingly destructive catastrophic event (or events) leading to the end of civil, righteous oil producing and consuming humanity as we know it.

I drew this picture while I was working in the liquor box at New City. Looking back with some objectivity, I can see that this picture was an important step in my development as an artist. I think I'm really starting to get it at this point.

Ink on paper.
Blake Betteridge 2007

PS: This post is for you Mark. I get pretty inspired by you too.