Edwyn Collins - bird artist (1 Viewer)

Did anyone here go to the exhibition of bird drawings/painting of Edwyn Collins in London recently? Apparently (I'm far too old to know) he is/was a well known musician and member of popular music combo called "Nu-Sonics" which evolved into the group "Orange Juice". You can see his work by Googling his name and it was featured in the press. Just wondering what people thought of it,

John Cantelo said:

Did anyone here go to the exhibition of bird drawings/painting of Edwyn Collins in London recently? Apparently (I'm far too old to know) he is/was a well known musician and member of popular music combo called "Nu-Sonics" which evolved into the group "Orange Juice". You can see his work by Googling his name and it was featured in the press. Just wondering what people thought of it,

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Not hugely impressed by his work here. Grew up with Orange Juice and loved them though. I guess that it has to be put in context-ie having a brain haemorrhage at such a young age. Birds and drawing has obviously been very therapeutic for him

His association with drawing birds has been very theraputic I've read. I seem to recall he's a natural right-hander, but had to learn to use his left after the brain haemorrhage. His family have a long association with Sutherland and they have been important folk in Helmsdale - where Edwyn now lives (he was/is Chieftan this year).
Maybe the show only achieves the profile it has because of who he is - then again, nothing new in that, is there?

Not that impressed myself. I think he should rip it up and start again.

DaveN said:

Not that impressed myself. I think he should rip it up and start again.

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Cruel, but I confess to laughing despite that!

I'm with Mark on this one; Edwyn's music means a lot to me for various reasons, and I'm really glad he's still with us and the painting is proving therapeutic for him. Without that association however, I'm not sure I'd give the pictures a second look.

Honestly, such criticism - I've Never Met Mob Like You Before . . dum dum dum dum dum-dum dum. . . .

timwootton said:

Honestly, such criticism - I've Never Met Mob Like You Before . . dum dum dum dum dum-dum dum. . . .

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"Never met a mob like you before"...[a girl like you]....is the only Edwyn Collins song i have....and i regard it very highly....!

As to the artwork....and on a positive note...i think the battling grey herons are fantastic...:cat:

Whilst I rather liked the panache, verve and strong line of his work, I couldn't help feeling that his work was only exhibited because of the particular circumstances of his fame and near fatal illness. That he has achieved so much following such a severe illness, particularly since he has to use his 'wrong' hand, is remarkable and praiseworthy to the highest degree, but I felt that the resultant work was not in and of itself at all distinguished. That much of it seems to have been copied from other illustrations rather lessens its impact too. If the exhibition was done in part to highlight the theraputic nature of art and rehabilitation post-illness that puts a different gloss on the matter, but as art alone I wasn't over impresed. Good luck to the fellow, but it's a shame some of the fine artists here aren't given the same chance purely on merit,