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Asoka

Undercurrents

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Edited by Richie Cuthbertson, Thursday, 20 Jan 2022, 21:40




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Undercurrents and your forthcoming website


Hi again Richie,

Immediate thoughts about undercurrents;

the fingers of hands; the dendrites of a neuron and the colours of a synapse(?); underground streams, brooks.


I picked up (your thread of 7 July) on your intention re: your website. Not sure how long you're studying with the OU, but let us know when you've set up your site (if you are still with the OU).

You've also referred to the fact that, though your painting is your first love, you may need the Java course and your software engineering generally, to earn a living (no sale on prints yet - at 7 July, at least).

One of the (other) reasons, I didn't pursue the art night school (way back in '83), was I realized that it really is difficult to make a living from art - though it can be done, obviously. A former neighbour, Nick Tolley, has succeeded and further my great uncle, the late Jack Dixon (I never met him - he died when I was little more than a baby, though his youngest brother was my grandfather), combined his art with teaching and brewing.

I have a few originals of Jack's, one by Nick Tolley, two by a WW2 artist called Marsden.

Your work is sincere, plus you live in an inspiring part of the UK.  Noticed you've one called Sea Breeze, which can be turned - and be a flower! As always, I will make a musical association and the former reminds me of 'Sea Breezes' by Roxy Music (1972 and re-mixed in 1976).

Anyway, this is bout your work, keep it up, and let us know when the site is up and running,

Best,

Jeremy 

Postscript – ‘Jack's website’ – I’ve taken it out, just to be sure


Postscript - Jack's website by a relation, plus other originals I own


'Jack's' (family name)/ John Dixon - archive website (not secure, but just for information). Put together by another relative - I've never met - though her Mum, knew my Mum, as they all did, as my Mum was the eldest of the seven children of her family.


3 September 2021 - I have taken out 'Jack's website' link, just to be on the safe side, after further reading on encryption. This has also given me an opportunity to add to my original post (below), also in italics. 


Richie,

I've also watercolours by J.A. Hurley and Rushton, as well as other less known originals, and this one (the artist is better known) bought by my partner for my 50th birthday (a Marseilles based artist - specialises in slightly cartoon-like dogs, very collectable - I only had a 'budget' set by Sash, and could only afford a smaller work - I'll remind myself of his name - it's Herve Maury - I keep the receipt in the back of the hung painting).

You know that I know the Scottish mainland quite well. Well Sash and I have recently spoken about visiting some of the islands in the future, when we have a better, longer term, understanding of COVID, obviously, so I hope that we can look at some of your work, at some point in the future, maybe 'in the flesh', further 'down the road'.

It may be Richie, that, for reasons of your own, you prefer to keep your location private, and that's fine, I certainly respect it. To an extent you may choose to do this, even after you set up your website. You currently use other sites to offer your work for sale. I didn't wish to 'invade' that privacy in any way. Although, things are opening up somewhat, at this stage of the Covid-19 pandemic, the future is yet, far from certain, and a lot more data needs to be discerned before we, and I'm sure, a great deal of others, will consider holidays or getaways, as we did, pre-December 2019. From our point of view, I think the whole of 2021 will have passed, before we consider, leaving England, at all. All the best, J.

You have your own speciality or style Richie, keep up the work and all the very best with your (combined, or otherwise) career. 

Jem


Asoka

Cheers

No worries, I am currently in quarantine with a bug, don't know if it is covid, but I always quarantine myself when sick to avoid passing it on to anyone else. Even just the common cold can kill someone if they have a compromised immune system.

Alas, the truth is I am a very boring person to meet in reality, I don't socialise much, find communication difficult and I am not the best conversationalist, can be very quiet sometimes. Our flat is also a bit cramped and not great for receiving guests. But as long as people don't expect us to be able to accomodate them in our flat - I love visitors. 

I do not look after my paintings. I could try selling the paintings themselves on etsy, but they are only A4 size on paper, and no idea what to value them at to make it worth while. I hate putting them in frames as it is a real hassle, and I also find the glass reflects the light and annoys me, so I currently just stick them on my walls with masking tape. I may upgrade to canvas one day when I can afford it.

Yeah I think computing is probably my best bet at making an income. Although my mood swings and back pain make it hard to work full time in an office or do manual labour for a long stretch of time. So I am trying to figure out a way of creating a livelihood that I can manage in my own time at home without the invasive surveillance and long hours. Not easy though, but I might get it together one day, who knows...

- R 

Cheers back, Richie


All understood.

It's interesting that your works are A4, this reminds me of a few original Dali's, I have seen. In Cawdor Castle (back in 1988), I think I saw his The Persistence of Memory (about 1930, I think). If I didn't see it at Cawdor (I definitely saw one Dali at Cawdor), I will have seen it in London. That is smaller than A4 (or at least no larger).

What I liked about Dali (besides his public persona), was his adoption of Freud's ideas (for a while), all the surrealists noticed him - in fact Dali met Freud the year before he died (1938 and 1939, respectively).

For the first time ever (!) I understood what you meant about not wanting, purely, to be realistic or a photo like reproduction, this is totally valid. Though I still maintain, there has to be something that the viewer can recognize, and form their own narrative (or attachment) with it (for me/my view). You manage this.

A couple of nights ago, we watched a recorded programme about the Scots founded, Del Amitri, we saw them live, in 2014, I think, here in Oxfordshire. Justin Currie was filmed in a seaside cottage on Lewis (whether its his or not, I've no idea) but I really enjoyed the documentary. My partner wants to move to either Scotland or Wales, one day we might, we'll see. 😎

I hope, from time to time, you keep posting some of your paintings (I am reluctant with purchasing anything off too many on line sources - we try and limit to three or four for anything - the caution of the older generation 😄), but in any event, all the very best to you, and yours,

J. 

👌👍