Welcome to Nick's dining room table. (4 Viewers)

[nickderry]

Tunnicliffe has always fascinated me, I love his work for the fact it (in the majority of cases) transcends the commercial, and the 'raw' wildness of wildlife art. His work is always aesthetically pleasing aswell as being naturally honest, which is a very difficult trick to achieve, and increases the appeal across the board. A lot of the time I say 'sod it ' to aesthetics, just to be different I suppose. I don't believe that art has to be aesthetically pleasing, it can be ugly and lacking beauty, as long as it has energy. The two artists I used to try and 'ape', and to some extent, sometimes still do, are Ennion and Mike Warren. I think that what I do tries to merge these two, and hides the seam by using media that they didn't use.

Phil, for the Blackcap - right-click on as many as you like, certainly does me no harm and often makes people happy - I'm all for it! See here - http://birdforum.net/showthread.php?t=165561

 

[timwootton]

Phil, for the Blackcap - right-click on as many as you like, certainly does me no harm and often makes people happy - I'm all for it! See here - http://birdforum.net/showthread.php?t=165561

I'd personally take it as a huge complement should anyone be so inclined. The issue is whether the originator will lose out financially and I can't quite see that scenario (unless they already actively market their work for use as desktop designs).

 

[nickderry]

One of my friends who took quite an interest in my paintings spent ages trying to tell me how best to market them (she'd often not come to the pub as she was busy sorting out her stock folio), she told me all about what I'd have to do to prevent forgers. I honestly would actively encourage forgers, what an honour that would be, and may they have more luck selling knock-offs than I do the originals!

 

[solitaryVSong]

One of my friends who took quite an interest in my paintings spent ages trying to tell me how best to market them (she'd often not come to the pub as she was busy sorting out her stock folio), she told me all about what I'd have to do to prevent forgers. I honestly would actively encourage forgers, what an honour that would be, and may they have more luck selling knock-offs than I do the originals!

Ah but I don't think that anyone would be able to forge your work! Unless they made outright digital copies, though I guess that's probably easier in a digital age than it used to be.

There's got to be a market for your work Nick. But for me and many artists the marketing part of art is so different than the art part, and so unappealing, that artists just let it go. I sure can't give you any advice since I'm so bad at it myself. I would hate to see such creative work get distracted by having to worry about marketing though so hate to actually encourage it.

But still I think there is a huge audience for your work if the world just knew it existed! One of these days, soon I hope!

 

[phil baber]

Tunnicliffe has always fascinated me, I love his work for the fact it (in the majority of cases) transcends the commercial, and the 'raw' wildness of wildlife art. His work is always aesthetically pleasing aswell as being naturally honest, which is a very difficult trick to achieve, and increases the appeal across the board. A lot of the time I say 'sod it ' to aesthetics, just to be different I suppose. I don't believe that art has to be aesthetically pleasing, it can be ugly and lacking beauty, as long as it has energy. The two artists I used to try and 'ape', and to some extent, sometimes still do, are Ennion and Mike Warren. I think that what I do tries to merge these two, and hides the seam by using media that they didn't use.

Phil, for the Blackcap - right-click on as many as you like, certainly does me no harm and often makes people happy - I'm all for it! See here - http://birdforum.net/showthread.php?t=165561

I got the Shell Bird Book (not the field guide) when I was 12, and was entranced by Tunnicliffe and Ennion. But also influenced by RSPB Birds cover artists around that time, which included said. Warren, also amongst them. It was he, I remember, included more iconoclastic elements in his work, like collage, and "post-hippy" approaches to bird art. (This was around 1974-5) Knew they were in your influences somewhere!

Warren figures in the "do anything to achieve the desired result" school. Which I love.

Great that these 3 wonderful artists fire your blood. Long may they inspire you!

As to the wallpaper? Still there! Still giving pleasure.

Saw a real hen Blackcap today, and the first male in song. 1st local migrant Chiff yester and Male Wheatear today!The UK is getting a shot in the arm!

Hope it's the same in Belle F?

Keep up the good work!

Regards,

Phil

 

[nickderry]

The Birds cover artists fired my imagination from very young, I 've still got them in a binder - but I could only keep the cover, (and a few articles) the whole magazines were just too bulky - I feel bad now for having torn up some magazines that are 35 years old!

France can happily announce that spring is springing - already this year the migrants I've had have included Garganey, White and Black Stork, Black Kites, Chiffchaff and yesterday the first two Swallows. Oh and it's SUNNY!


Bit of Crane passage going on here too, well apparently there is, never ever seen a single one of the (insert appropriate expletive here).

 

[nickderry]

I've been persuaded into following the fortunes of Franch-Comté's Royal Kites (so nice the French name don't you think!) this year. I could think of worse birds to be surveying, Kites are just gorgeous! So here is a collage of 'my' pair - the couple I discovered, plus a painting of another pair (their neighbours) with their Black Kite and Buzzard neighbours, and a passing Raven.

Collage of Hare, Curlew and Egrets, yes, it looks like a rabbit I know! If I find out something to make it look more hare-like, I'll give it a little tweak. I think it's the muzzle that's wrong, or perhaps the back of the neck.

Plus some sketches from watching the kites yesterday, not really supposed to be sketching them, should be watching where they land in the woods so that I can find the nest for the ringers to go in later on. Oh well, I'm only human!

 

[nickderry]

Now, come up to the lab and see what's on the slab! We've got some water pipits in the making (hopefully) and here's a shot of the 'creative space' you see, it really does need a tidy up! For those with sharp eyes, yes, that is dirty water with brushes standing in it, that is a big no-no, but I'm a lazy sod. The underpants are used for cleaning brushes once the elastic has given out, I don't paint in the nude as a rule. Though it would mean less ruined clothes. The cows and Monty's Harrier is upside down on the wall behind, I still haven't cracked the wing of the Monty's - will at some paint tear that section off and patch it up afresh, hopefully with a dynamic, buoyant Monty's just about to dive.

 

[nickderry]

that was quick - the hare needed a triangle of pale in front of the eye, and something to anchor the arse, make them a bit broader - done now, I'm off out to play.

I did intend to write ears, not arse, but as it made me smile, it stays.

 

[buzzard12]

More cracking work Nick...

Simple striking Red Kite collage that packs a lot of impact. The Kites and Buzzard painting is glorious too, great stuff. Loads of space in there, lovely unfussy painting. So freely painted with such great skill.
The Egrets, Hare and Curlews is another minor triumph. Not much one can say, Phew! Best to just lean back on the seat and take it all in.

A studio as it should be, a glorious mess. Dont change anything, not even the underpants, as long as work of this calibre keeps coming.
(I'd kill for a space like this, sharing a shoebox apartment of 38 sq. metres!Some day I'll have my owm glorious mess just like this!)

 

[colleenc]

whew these works just pour out of such a creative well, esp love the red kite, which has an oriental almost Matisse-like feel to it, he was a big collage artist too when it got so he couldn't paint anymore.

Bravo for the flight piece, IMHO the hare tho all the parts are very nice, suffers a bit for having placed him smack in the center, but nothing you post ever falls below par.

 

[EliS]

You're just as inspireing as ever! That hares and egrets, wow! I've really got some catching up to do...

 

[solitaryVSong]

I love the loft and movement in the kite painting especially. And I am glad that you explained that those cows were upside down. I was having the hardest time figuring out what type of really hefty bird they were.....

Studio looks just exactly as is should, as a place of work not of neatness.

 

[birdpotter]

I agree with with Tim. Screw the ears, focus on the arse!

 

[phil baber]

"Birds" covers!

All the influences working well.

But Derry's stuff nonetheless!

British and Polish Brown Hares would be happy with this.

(In Polish "Zajac", pronounced "Ziy - onts".)

 

[Woody]

The gems just keep on coming. Don't tidy the creative space as long all the time it continues to be the birthplace of work like this latest batch. The nestbuilding kites are just brilliant, everything stripped out and boiled down to essence of kite.

Mike

 

[nickderry]

Sleep deprived, I had a nice wander round Chapelle des Buis today. It's got a great viewpoint over the town and surrounding hills, so great for migration (when things are moving, today an Osprey was very nice, and a Swallow, but that was all, just one or two Black Kites moving, Starlings, Redwings and Woodpigeons - that sort of thing. Local raptors were displaying nicely, and I had some great views of Sparrowhawks. A good few Firecrests were in song, and the first singing Blackcap has joined a few Chiffchaffs. Brimstone butterflies were all over once the sun came out, and a few Commas had stirred from their sleep too. One of the Brimstones was flying in the same view as a bonfire on the other side of the valley - Fire and Brimstone sounds like a great title for a sunny painting!

The arly morning start was great for large mammals, a group of roe deer sped off at speed from nowhere as I walked past. This chamois was more obliging, aware I was watching it, it just made sure I didn't get any closer, and carried on feeding. Notice I drew his horns on back to front at first!

 

[nickderry]

and some arty shots, the chamois and the two blobs in the sky are black kites

time for a nap now methinks!

 

[solitaryVSong]

I love that last page Nick, especially the bird (firecrest?) at top. Lively as can be!

 

[nickderry]

I love that last page Nick, especially the bird (firecrest?) at top. Lively as can be!

it's a nuthatch at the top of the page - collecting bark flakes to line its nesthole. I was trying to keep a few pages back of my sketchbook as I was near the end and didn't want to run out of space should the Grey-headed Woodpecker makes an appearance - which it didn't - not even a call!