Karen Mathieson, Lobey Dosser day, The Toy Orchestra, Who Stole My Sausage and Rain, Rain, Oh and More Rain

Do you think that title's too long? It pssd it down today, but I still managed to get some drawing done. First I did the 3 showings of Who Stole My Sausage, and got some great pics. Even the last performance where it absolutely apple juiced it down - apparently apple juice is what is used as urine in theatrical stage proppage - or so I was informed when the father figure in the performance drank some of Rorey the Dog's jugful. Yum.

After that I drew some jazz at the Tchai-Ovna 'hidden garden' round the corner from Gibson St. Was a lovely setting, met some great people, from old and new, the jazz was good, and I know the yogi chai is definitely good and most welcome on a pssy day like today.

Managed to catch some bangra at the Glasgow Mela in Kelvingrove Park with the Awaz fm DJ's trying to get a roar from the well dressed, made up crowds of the colourful young asian community, though Mum's and Dad's and other relations seemed a bit too cool to join in the yelling back! Didn't fancy one particular slow-eyed young chap choking back his rotweiler. A few people moved out of his slobbery gaze, sorry that's the dog not the youth's. Both seemed to be keeping a keenish eye on the bright yellow flourescent Bobbies at the sides.

Not many 'white' folks in amongst that lot which was dissappointing. Seemed like good fun though the crowd could have done better giving it laldy at the DJ's.

After that I scooted on up for some tres damp drawings of The Winter's Tale by the Globe. Apparently their set got damaged in 'extreme weather conditions' last night which was a shame, but with the stunning and dramatic backdrop of the Glasgow University, and the gonging of it's bell, what more do you need - well I could've maybe done with a fisherman's brolly/tent and a steaming cup of soya hot chocolate, not that I'm particular or anything.

Also to catch up on the past two days I've been drawing Aleksander Kudajcyk's beautiful though poorly attended performance at the Hunterian gallery. It was a year's anniversary since he'd been discovered working as a janitor at the university, so it was a real shame that not more publicity was done for it. His hands are really quite something, fluid and graceful.



Karen Mathieson - Detail - The Venue, Oran Mor, Glasgow, June 2008



Karen Mathieson - The Venue, Oran Mor, Glasgow, June 2008

I also drew Karen Mathieson for the first time though she's from my local village Taynuilt and her sister in law taught me at primary. She's got an amazing voice and a lovely presence and although it's not the sort of music I'd initially go to listen to, she has inspired me to learn some more old Scottish songs, because people, you can't beat a good ceilidh when it arises.

The Fete De La Musique at Brel was jiving though I only managed to catch 3 different bands, and draw 2. I've forgotten their names but will get them soon.

Then there was the Toy Orchestra at the Kibble. It was fun, and I did have a smile on my face throughout, but found the ending left me somewhat uninspired. The lead chap Raymond? seemed a bit like a clown dressed up in an Indie Boy's outfit, and the general feeling of the 'music' was as someone put it, a 'dark lullaby'. However, I didn't find it well structured, it didn't amount to anything, John Cage was doing things like that with impeccable timing and composure DECADES ago, and was more humble about it. I'm keeping an open mind, but if I had had to pay 8 quid to see this groups' experimenting, I don't think I'd have been too impressed. They should have practiced more.

All in all though, I've found the West End Fest to be full of fantastic little events, and I've been pretty pleased with the drawings I've done too. Prints will be for sale of any pictures you fancy, just email me at info@jennysoep.com Price is 35 poonds, though if you're in the picture, you get a lovely discount.

Night night for now.

The Challenging Pictures from Connect, and the rules behind 'accentuation'.

Modest Mouse washed away in the rain

Echo and the Bunny Men - After Modest Mouse I managed to get a drier seat.

I managed to draw this from side-stage which was pretty cool, but cramped and badly lit - hence muddiness. This picture is in it's raw state and I'm going to have a go accentuating it to how I remember the event. But time is ticking on, and my memory is fading somewhat. Accentuating requires peace and quiet where I'm not disrupted - this is a bit challenging without an actual studio, but that's something to be remedied.

No radio, no answering of telephones, no music apart from that of the band in the picture. Especially no TV. Without these distractions and with functional broadband to listen to music and view photographs to confirm minor details, accentuation of festival pictures will take about 2 days. With distractions, it can take a week. Hence, it's Thursday.
I also want to include the same photo of Echo and the B without my adding 'auto levels' in Photoshop since although the picture is a little darker, the colours are more realistic.


Should add Patrick Wolf, just because I wasn't initially going to see him since it was rather a trek from one side of the festival to the other by myself with all my materials, just to trek back for Aqualung in the Manicured Noise tent, and other acts in Your Sound and Guitars and Other Machines stage. As it was it was a last minute decision, and thankfully, I was quite pleased with the resulting picture even though I only got less than 15 minutes. Patrick seemed to like it too. A lot of the musicians seemed to think I was doing it for free for them, without realising this is how I plan to support myself as an artist. A lot of people like what I do, but pricing it is tricky. I'll reserve talks about pricing for another post. Meanwhile here's Patrick plus detail.