Back to tiny for a few weeks.

Back after a few busy weeks of post and packaging….all done.

First off i owe a huge thanks to the support around the miniatures release. I’m over the moon that this part of my work is being embraced. I see this thing building up over the years to become a really large part of my work (even though it’s technically the smallest of my work).

Most of you should have you prints by now. American ones went out a touch later so i guess some of those may still be landing…so be patient. Uk ones went out first via dpd and you should have had a text with tracking.

I’m working in my spare time printing some of the less printed miniatures. I’m also making sure a small part of my work week is keeping up with new engraving. I find i need to keep my engraving skills consistent of i lose a bit my flow. So i’m always going to be juggling new miniatures just to keep the ball rolling.

One refreshing thing about engraving after the rider plate is that i don’t feel distracted when i’m working. A lot of the older miniatures felt like lessons or practice to hone certain areas of the craft. Many of them were done to prepare for parts of the rider engraving or test new ways of reshaping tools. So the plates i’m working on since finishing the rider feel far more focussed on my ideas and concepts i want to include. So from now on each miniature should really add more weight to the whole body of work.

Detached from nature (copper engraving). 5.5cm x 8.5cm. 2026. Engraving i’ve been working on the past week or so. I’ve also started editioning it so i can add it to the next bundles release.

The next release will likely be late summer early winter. I’m planning on doing a similar size set but with all new images. One larger 8 x 11 cm print, one 5.5 x 8.5cm and two small 3.5 x 7cm prints. The fifth print will be from the first release and will be blind. I figure it’s unfair to just do mixed bundles all the time. So with this approach you know your getting x4 unreleased prints and then you also get the fun of having one wildcard. I’m open to other ideas in the future if anyone wants to get involved with suggestions. I’m keen to listen and make this thing fun.

It’s a gear change for me doing extra releases but i’m trying to force myself into taking things up a level this year. I want to self fund quite a few projects and take my work in the direction i want it instead of getting swished around by wherever the art scene seems to take people. This kind of upstream swimming will cost money and but i feel in the long run i’m going to do things i’m proud of. In a way i feel this business model is way more honest. You fans buy my little prints and i use the money to do bigger daft stuff like building huge sculptures in forests, painting big abandoned buildings or doing exhibitions full of paintings far too big to sell.

This is where i’m at. I’m thinking about temporarily taking on a large studio to build and paint some big things. Where i go from there i’m unsure at the moment but its been years since i build the giants for the mausoleum show and i feel it’s time to do something public again.

I struggle with initiating large shows or at least until i’m lost in the work. I don’t have a huge ego and the desire to put myself out there and make a huge fuss or event just isn’t fun at all. But i also know that its hugely rewarding to have a show and see how much it brings people together. For me a show is a chance to make an experience for fans of my work rather than just a room full of buying opportunities.

My initial thoughts are to do a show where one room is dedicated to exhibiting my miniature work and then a larger room is full of paintings far to big to sell. I’ve wanted to work on some paintings indoors that bridge the gap between studio work and large mural work for a while now. I’m still throwing around ideas but i keep coming back to this so who knows it may stick. The work i have in mind is part sculptural but mostly painted. Similar to work i’ve done with cut outs in the past but far more about the painting. I’d like to spend more time refining the painting so its detailed enough to stand up to scrutiny in an indoor setting. Its an avenue i’ve avoided for years because i don’t sell paintings but it’s also become an area i’ve not explored.

I’m really interested in your comments on all this. Is it time again for a big phlegm show? Should i mix the two scales in one show or organise separate projects? Its early days but i’m trying to get a good plan together.

x phlegm x