Category: Art

"Storm" ...attempting something dark

20/6/2014

My worst moments invariably come when I have finished a piece of work and am stuck on what to do next. This invariably sends me into a flurry of manic doodling...exploring figures...poses...ideas, and normally takes two or three days of aimless sketching until something clicks and an idea starts taking shape.

My last flurry of doodling (thoughtfully indulged in during breaks from my previous drawing) produced this sketch among others ...I thought it was an interesting pose but leading exactly to where? Somehow the visual became connected in my subconscious with recent media stories about Ireland's notorious Magdalene Laundries and more specifically the gruesome discovery of nearly 800 children's remains in a septic tank. From there it was just a small step to linking the image with child abuse in general and more specifically child abuse by persons entrusted with the care of children. A horrible scenario but one we are all aware happens all over the world. In our little corner of it too...

Did this sketch start to paint the picture I wanted? Well it was just a line drawing and definitely required some atmosphere. A dark one. So on to step two, a less rigid rendering in ball-point...

Here's the rough sketch, a bit more defined, the story told a bit better. It's a dark night, a storm is raging outside and the child clings to the adult for support. What happens next is immaterial but I think the ingredients are there for something less than innocent to take place. A tableau I find interesting, menacing too.

Here is an almost "complete" sketch I can work upon. My gut feeling is that this will take me some time and I will have to restrict the palette to a few colours with dark hues dominating. Without sounding perverse I feel that this will be a work I will enjoy doing. It is a newish subject for me even if I stumbled on the idea quite by accident. But then I have always believed that random doodling is priceless and really opens doors to ideas which would otherwise be difficult to think up. Subjects suggest themselves through doodling.

Satisfied with my sketch (I reckon it is enough to go on) I now start on the work proper...a few (and more than a few) hours of "blacking in" the paper with pen strokes, using just black ink dispensed from a single 0.13 (mm) pen.

Because the pen has such a fine line the inking in is a slow process....more so as I know this will be a dark picture and will therefore require thousands upon thousands of strokes. But in the meantime it gives me the chance to look and assess my work as I go along. This is very preliminary work in fact. Getting a feel of it is what it's all about really.

I feel that getting the lightning bolt right will be pivotal to the success or otherwise of this work so I start immediately on this area of the drawing and introduce Prussian Blue around the bolt.

This is more of a reference for myself and will (hopefully) help me gauge and control the darkness outside the window. A visual reference if you wish... For actual lightning reference I am using a couple of random pictures from the internet - most of the time I do not look at them but now and then one does feel the need to have a little peep again...

Having completed the stormy sky with the single bolt cutting through, I am quickly realizing this will be a far more time-consuming piece than usual. To get the level of darkness required I needed to be more than generous with my pen strokes...plenty and plenty of them.

Still it is a satisfying experiment up to now. Next I did the "landscape" outside the window - basically a mix of green, blue sepia and black - and am now starting on the window edges themselves.

I am also slowly darkening the shadows... initially behind the two main characters in order to bring them forward so to speak...

Since I now have to start colouring the rest of the drawing I have gone back to the rough sketch I did at the beginning and am trying to pencil in a colour scheme. Roughly yellow and sepia for the wall, grey to black for the man's vestment, a dirtyish pink for the girl's night dress and yellow for her hair. Subdued flesh tones for the skin. (Pic below)

Work in progress on the drawing with the working sketch in the background

The background now more or less completed and I start to tackle the figures...

In detail...the window and the male figure. I am using black and violet for the cassock.

The frightened child in close-up

And finally, twelve days after starting out, "Storm" is looking more or less finished. I must admit I am quite satisfied with the result. My only dilemma is actually when to stop but I feel that stopping here is just about right. The image, though with a hint of menace about it, is also fairytale-like - even if the tale remains a dark one.

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Valletta, Maundy Thursday

17/4/2014

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The week leading up to Easter is a good time to be in Malta. Whether you are a believer or not is of little significance as the religious celebrations at this time of year can be enjoyed on so many different levels whatever your other-worldly persuasions. Many locals still flock to the activities out of a genuine sense of faith, even though the grip of the Catholic Church is very much diminished in a society becoming increasingly secular as time goes by.

Saint John's - Maundy Thursday

Perhaps the best known celebrations are the Good Friday processions held in a number of towns and villages in both Malta and Gozo. These processions attempt to tell the tale of human salvation as seen through Catholic eyes, with characters representing personalities from the Old and New Testaments, and a number of life-size statues depicting episodes from Christ’s passion. People who take part in such processions normally hail from the village organizing the pageant and do this with great pride, sometimes even doing so as a means of showing gratitude for perceived holy interventions. Notable and popular processions take place in Valletta, Qormi, Zebbug, Mosta and all three of the Cottonera towns. The popularity of the processions with tourists has somewhat dented the sombre air these manifestations were once associated with.

Not meant to be sombre at all are the Easter Sunday processions, which take place amid fireworks and the mad ringing of bells and where the statue of the Risen Christ is frequently made to “run” by its bearers and cheered on by the crowd – admittedly something quite spectacular to watch.

Personally I love Maundy Thursday and its air of expectancy, when at dusk the locals traditionally visit seven different churches to pray at the Altar of Repose in each church. Regrettably this tradition has also become quite commercialized with food stands making their appearance for a quick profit in a number of towns.

One place that has escaped the marketplace feel and remains a personal favorite on this day is oddly enough Valletta. Whether you are a believer or not you will enjoy the sombre mood in the streets of the capital as worshippers in small groups make their silent way from one church to the next. An added bonus is that practically all the churches remain open till late – most of them dimly lit to reflect the commemoration of the Last Supper and the events which were to follow. A number of churches are must-sees on this evening starting with St. John’s Cathedral – certainly the city’s premier church. Other churches are Ta Giezu in St.John’s Street where the statues for the morrow’s procession are on display, the parish church of St.Paul and the Jesuit Church in Merchants Street.

Non-Catholic denominations also commemorate this evening in their way, and there are Scripture readings at the Anglican Cathedral, The Scots Church in South Street as well as the small Greek Orthodox Church in Archbishop Street. A number of band and social clubs also put on Holy week exhibitions, and though admittedly these are of varying quality, they nonetheless add to the atmosphere of this particular night in Valletta.

All in all Maundy Thursday remains quite a unique experience in the capital, and one I seriously recommend.

The above article was originally published in the April 2014 newsletter of Chevron UK - Malta travel specialists since 1982. You may subscribe to Chevron's newsletter here.

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Birkirkara, Market Day

2/1/2014

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Birkirkara is Malta's largest town with a population of well over 20,000. Most of the town's constructions are modern, but at its core there is a different world altogether - a warren of tiny streets and alleys definitely worth a second look.

Come here early on a Wednesday or Friday and mingle with the locals when the market sets up in the streets around the main church - the market itself is a large and lively array of stalls offering all sorts of wares: clothes and shoes, agricultural produce, meat and fish, household items, pirate dvd's - all jostle for your attention.

Start off at the small chapel dedicated to St.Paul on Valley Road and dive into the narrow street on its left which opens on to Main Street - arguably one of Malta's finest built streets with a good collection of old houses and a wealth of traditional wooden balconies. At the far end a chapel juts into the road - take the right turn into narrow St.Helen Street and soon enough this opens up to reveal Malta's finest (and largest) Baroque Parish church. The church of St. Helen's(picture right) - Birkirkara's patron saint - was designed by local architect Domenico Cachia and was constructed between the years 1735 to 1745. The ornate facade is its main pulling point but if you are here early do go in and have a look at the sumptuous interior - but bear in mind that the church usually closes by 10am.

Close by is another interesting and even older structure - The Sanctuary of Tal-Herba, dedicated to the Nativity of the Virgin. This dates back to the early years of the seventeenth century and became a popular pilgrimage place when a disabled man was reputedly cured of his ailments while visiting. It is a small and beautifully decorated church and has a wonderful collection of ex-voto paintings. These were normally executed by amateurs and offered to the sanctuary as a way to seek grace or give thanks. Their simple naivety bears witness to a strong faith enduring for centuries. The Sanctuary also closes its doors at 10am on most days.

Beyond these two churches there are a couple of other chapels close by, but perhaps of more interest are the tiny streets and alleyways themselves. To the right of the parish church and off St.Roque Street are a series of curious blind alleys - some of which seem to go on forever. Sqaq Sampusa (sqaq is the Maltese for alley) is the longest - there must be over fifty houses in this alley. Equally interesting are Sqaq Karla and Sqaq il-Bicciera, both revealing a medieval street plan probably unchanged over time. Don't worry if you get funny looks from the inhabitants of these enclosed spaces - it's just that outsiders don't venture here often - but it's completely safe and friendly.

The streets to the left of the main church are equally interesting with an abundance of niches and alleyways. Tucked in on Triq il-Laqxija one also comes across the house where Malta's first President - Sir Anthony Mamo - was born; a fine no-nonsense double fronted house. You may wish to round off this off beat visit with a snack from one of the many cafes in and around the church square.

Niches on practically every corner....

...and some lovely doors

The above article was originally published in the January 2014 newsletter of Chevron UK - Malta travel specialists since 1982. You may subscribe to Chevron's newsletter here.

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Mugged!

3/12/2013

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A small selection of my work is now available as designs on mugs through the Society 6 website. These are the first four designs of the ones available. The larger (and more beautifully shaped) mugs retail for the equivalent of 13 euros - quite cheap considering it's a unique design and made and shipped in small (very small in my case!) numbers. The items usually ship in three days - and yes they do ship to Malta (and everywhere else) of course. Apart from the quirky mugs there's also a representative selection of my work available as art prints on gallery quality paper or stretched canvas.

You can also return items if you don't like them for any reason.

They can be ordered here.

Happy drinking!

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Delusions of Grandeur

9/5/2013

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The latest piece I'm working on takes its cue from Antoine de Favray's fabulous but incredibly pompous portrait of Grand Master Pinto which hangs at St. John's in Valletta.

Favray probably set out to adhere to the unwritten rules of the standard commissioned work - that is to portray the Grand Master in all his worldly glory and surrounded by a plethora of symbols of grandeur: crown, shield, sword, drapery..you name it and it's all crammed in Favray's portrait.

But I tend to see this portrait more with the eyes of Goya when he set out to paint the Spanish royal family. Goya probably did not intend to caricature the family of Charles IV when he executed that particular painting but the unflattering depictions surely approach caricature...

Pinto died in 1773 and twenty five years later the Knights of St.John were unceremoniously bundled out of Malta by the cunning Napoleon Bonaparte.

On the right is Favray's portrait for comparison - and yes I am fully aware that comparisons are odious....

I am in no way attempting a lookalike or trying to add all the paraphernalia in the original work. I tend to cut down on the fireworks and keep to the straight and narrow road. My aim is pure and innocent mockery....

The frivolity of Man has no limits and I reckon this great painting (unintentionally?) brings that out completely.

Starting out with some rather tedious coloring in ...I love taking pictures of my left hand

Cautious start on the Grand Master's face

The face completed...

Finally the image is completed two months after starting out.

Altogether I used about nine colors out of the possible range of eleven colored inks I have, combining three or four colors for the curtains and carmine and black for the cape.

For the face I also combined colors: sepia, burnt sienna, yellow and a hint of vermilion.

I am now ready to start on something else...whatever and whenever that will be.

I hope it will be soon!

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Photo Blog - Naples Nativity Figurines

23/4/2013

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I am not sure if an eight hour visit to Naples is enough to do it justice. I have always been curious about this city but even the neighborhood names of Forcella and Spaccanapoli are to a certain extent off-putting... But we took the plunge via the very fast Frecciarossa train from Rome (1 hour ten minutes travel time) and did not regret it. True - Naples is quite dirty and rundown in places and one or two streets must be downright frightening after dark, but take the normal precautions, keep your fingers crossed and you should be quite ok.

Via San Gregorio Armeno has the feel of an Arab souk

There is a wealth of churches, palaces and museums but pride of place must certainly go to the most atmospheric street in town - Via San Gregorio Armeno. Here they make crib figurines all year round it seems, and not to get too bored the artisans introduce famous figures as well...at the height of his popularity, Barrack Obama was frequently depicted as one of the Three Wise Men.

I have no idea where the figures below could appropriately feature in nativity cribs but here they are anyway....

Pope Francesco

Queen Elizabeth II

Prince William and Kate Middleton

Comic turned politician Beppe Grillo

Angela Merkel

The late and lamented Amy Winehouse

Silvio Berlusconi and friend - enough said!

Pope Benedict takes up early retirement...

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Drawing again...stroke by stroke

10/3/2013

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Starting out on a new drawing. Trying my best to keep things simple. Do not feel like tackling complicated stuff. Have no idea how this will end up and have not yet thought what the background will be. Playing it by ear...

And this is what it's looking like some two weeks later....two weeks in which I was busy doing other work but also dedicating a couple of hours two to three days a week working up the cross-hatching. Up to now using only one pen - the Faber Castell TGIS 0.13. Will have to start thinking of colors soon....

A digital camera and Photoshop come in handy to try out a couple of color schemes and I rather like this one - so freeze here and let's start the drawing proper...which might turn out somewhat different as I go along...

A couple of days later and the color scheme is slowly being put into place...stroke by stroke.

A detail of the man's face as the drawing progresses...

A more marked yellow to the background and now it's about done... I used just colored inks this time with a variety of nib sizes and I did not feel the need to enhance and enrich tones by colored pencils. Started sketching this early in March and managed to complete it in about 20 days in between other deadline-dependent work.

I humbly present.. Cecilia and Herbert

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A few more early drawings...

17/1/2013

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I hate the time when I am not working on a "proper" drawing - something that takes up a couple or more weeks from start to finish...a drawing I can mull upon while building bit by bit. It's that time right now so I doodle and think until something crops up and I have a work-in-progress to look forward to a couple of evenings a week at least.

To beat this boring waiting period I scanned a few more early drawings - yeah and I haven't posted anything here recently either so...

An old sketch this one - must be the time I first read A Clockwork Orange...

Shipyard worker - sketch from 1987 or thereabouts.

Woman out shopping - I don't think I ever developed this idea further...

The Wizard of Marrakech - a drawing from 1987 - the only time I visted Morocco. I was struck by the colors and smells of this amazing country and the city of Marrakech in particular. I did some sketches while there
and later developed a market scene from the various drawings, This remains a favourite drawing.

Untitled drawing also from 1987. Nothing came of this.

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Start to Finish

25/11/2012

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Away from the mostly digital work I do there is nothing I enjoy more than picking up pen and paper and working on something I will do purely for myself, something that is driven by the simple need to draw - drawing as a relaxing and (yes) therapeutic activity.

A few weeks back I started mulling over the theme of the mother and child - a theme repeated oh so often in religious as well as secular art. So I played around with a couple of sketches until I had a working drawing I could use to take off with. When it came to putting in a background it just had to be a Maltese themed landscape - and it was then I hit upon the Gozo Citadel (ic-Cittadella in Maltese) as possibly the ideal backdrop.

I have always loved the view of this ancient redoubt sitting atop its rounded hilltop as you are coming down the road from Zebbug so I chose that particular angle . The rest of the landscape I left as simplified as possible.

By my normally very slow working rate this one was completed pretty fast... I started the pencil sketch on 3rd November and a day later started working with ink. I completed this on the 25th November - less than a month. Good job I never got the Sistine Chapel commission.

I used Faber Castell TGI-S technical pens with nibs ranging from 0.13 to 0.35 and Pelikan permanent inks in various colors: black (naturally), vermillion, cobalt blue, yellow, green, sepia and burnt sienna. I rounded off with a light dusting of Faber Castell Polychromos colored pencils.

I took shots of the drawing as it developed and here they are...
The Citadel Madonna - a blow-by-blow account!

Working drawing. Baby Jesus needs to be altered...

...and off we go. Work in progress.

Introducing cobalt, vermilion and burnt sienna inks...

Sketching in a background with a couple of pics for reference

Giving the background wall, fields and citadel some color: using green, cobalt, yellow, burnt sienna and sepia

Almost done with the ink...now a few touches with colored pencils...

...and I reckon "The Citadel Madonna" is ready!

Madonna face detail

Citadel detail

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Decay

17/11/2012

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The first time I became aware of John Paul Azzopardi’s art was when I spotted his work (Dawkin's Fundamentalism) Trickster displayed in a shop window in Merchants Street Valletta. It was dark and the warrior image stood out bathed in white light – an incredibly striking image. My first instinct was to smash the glass and run away with this intriguingly beautiful statuette. But I didn’t of course. Instead I looked the artist up and promised myself to turn up for his next exhibition.

John Paul is currently exhibiting seven pieces at the Splendid in Strait Street Valletta. The Splendid is apparently an abandoned guest house in some state of dilapidation but it’s an ideal backdrop for the (disappointingly) small number of works on show.

The works themselves are mostly top notch. My favourite is there – still apparently and unbelievably unsold. My other favourite piece is Bored Calculator, a figure sitting astride a sheep. It is constructed of so much diverse stuff; and the figure’s head is a jumble of colored wires through which the artist marvelously extracts a hauntingly vacant look. This is indeed awesome stuff.

Then there is Roman Pig (Back to Front). I can’t really make out the anatomy correctly but the piece succeeds in portraying greed, decadence and excess so well that anything else is futile and basically irrelevant.

I am pleased to note that the nation has actually acquired a work by John Paul Azzopardi – though I would have preferred the acquisition to be one of the two works mentioned above; Trickster or Calculator.

There is no doubt this artist is a profound thinker – all serious students of philosophy tend to be in my experience. I prefer to let the philosophy go straight over my head and see these works in the way my eyes see them – a brilliant portrayal of decay (obviously), decadence, unrest, violence and social ennui. If I’m reading it wrong then my apologies to the artist.

Decay is on at The Splendid, 74 Strait Street Valletta from 16 November to 2nd December. Mondays to Sundays 12:30 to 20:00. Unmissable stuff.

J.P. Azzopardi's website is here http://jpazzopardi.com/gallery/main.php