CB (for John Dwyer)

CB (for John Dwyer), 2018, acrylic paint and watercolour on canvas, 80 x 80 cm

This painting is dedicated to John Dwyer, multi-instrumentalist, vocalist, songwriter, visual artist and record label owner. He’s most famous for being the founding member and main songwriter for Oh Sees (AKA Thee Oh Sees, OCS, etc). I first heard one of their songs, Web, last year on Marc Riley’s 6 Music show and have become a rabid fan ever since.

The band has had several line-ups and produced a diverse catalogue of music. The following is a favourite (from the album Help) by the group which comprised John Dwyer, Brigid Dawson, Petey Dammit! and Mike Shoun:

One from the current line-up of John Dwyer, Tim Hellman, Dan Rincon and Paul Quattrone:

And finally one from the last release (as OCS). This line-up was Patrick Mullins (the band’s first drummer), Dwyer, Brigid Dawson, Tim Hellman, Eric Clark, Mikal Cronin, Thomas Dolas, Emily Elkin, and Nick Murray:

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Ashley Lily Scarlett and I are engaged in a conversation in pictures called Between Scarlett and Guest. Check it out.

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Psst! (Pink)

Psst! (Pink), 2017, acrylic paint and watercolour pencil on canvas, 80 x 80 cm

Another of my Psst! paintings – the second to be made. The recent paintings have had a lot less colour in them…more of which soon.

Ashley Lily Scarlett and I are engaged in a conversation in pictures called Between Scarlett and Guest. Check it out.

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And David Cook and I are reviewing each other’s record collections one disc at at time (very slowly). Check out Zzzounds!

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David and I have also just completed an online conversation about Jasper Johns and you can find all three parts at https://londoneyeball.wordpress.com/

Painting for MES

Painting for MES, 2018, Acrylic paint and watercolour pencil on canvas, 80 x 80 cm

 

This painting is dedicated to Mark E Smith of The Fall. It was begun when he was ill and while I was working on it he died. There’s no real connection to Mark in either idea or execution (except of course that The Fall have been playing in the background since 1983 when a friend lent me Perverted By Language).

The only time I met MES was at a mini-gig at the HMV on Oxford Street in London to launch the album The Frenz Experiment. The group played a short set and then sat behind desks signing albums for the fans. Mark was friendly and polite (which was a surprise given that the music press portrayed him as a kind of fierce, cantankerous despot).

The Frenz Experiment (front cover)

The Frenz Experiment (back cover)

Over the years I’ve grown to love The Fall and Mark’s gnarled, dazzling poetry – from their first album, Live At The Witch Trials (1979) to their last New Facts Emerge (2017) there have been very few duds (although if you’re thinking of collecting their albums, steer clear of the live albums and compilations until you’re well and truly obsessed). And Mark E Smith went out as brilliant as he came in – the final album’s a stunning culmination, along with Sublingual Tablet (2015), of his work with Dave Spurr, Keiron Melling, Peter Greenway and Elena Poulou – a golden run of albums that started in 2008.

When I’m dead and gone
My vibrations will live on
In vibes not vinyl through the years
People will dance to my waves

Mark E Smith, Psykick Dancehall (thanks to The Annotated Fall)

If you are interested in learning more about The Fall a great place to start is The Fall Online Forum.

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Ashley Lily Scarlett and I are engaged in a conversation in pictures called Between Scarlett and Guest. Check it out.

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Psst! (Brown)

Psst! (Brown), 2017 Acrylic paint and watercolour pencil on canvas, 80 x 80 cm

Another Psst! painting. This one’s slightly different in that it includes some objects not found in the street: ship figureheads from a display at the Cutty Sark in Greenwich. The rest is the usual mix of discarded bags and bits of paper and paint marks photographed around London.

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Ashley Lily Scarlett and I are engaged in a conversation in pictures called Between Scarlett and Guest. Check it out.

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David and I have also just completed an online conversation about Jasper Johns and you can find all three parts at https://londoneyeball.wordpress.com/

Psst! (Black)

Psst! (Black), 2017
Acrylic and watercolour pencil on canvas
80 x 80 cm

Another of my Psst! paintings. Working on this prompted me to explore a predominantly monochrome palette, which I’m still doing…more soon.

Ashley Lily Scarlett and I are engaged in a conversation in pictures called Between Scarlett and Guest. Check it out.

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And David Cook and I are reviewing each other’s record collections one disc at at time (very slowly). Check out Zzzounds!

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David and I have also just completed an online conversation about Jasper Johns and you can find all three parts at https://londoneyeball.wordpress.com/

Psst! (various colours)

Psst! (Blue), 2017

Acrylic and watercolour pencil on canvas

© Richard Guest, 2017

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Psst! (Orange), 2017

Acrylic and watercolour pencil on canvas

© Richard Guest, 2017

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Psst! (White), 2017

Acrylic and watercolour pencil on canvas

© Richard Guest, 2017

 

Three of six paintings from 2017 – they are all 80 x 80cm.

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Ashley Lily Scarlett and I are engaged in a conversation in pictures called Between Scarlett and Guest. Check it out.

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And David Cook and I are reviewing each other’s record collections one disc at at time. Check out Zzzounds!

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