My old friend Gordon has died. This is him in all his glory. He was a writer, at first a copywriter with an ad agency which is where we met, then later a writer of books of all sorts. His writing could reduce me to helpless laughter and giggling as I tried, sometimes in vain, to get some sort of drawing out from them. Some of you might have seen a book called “Men and Sheds”, which was extremely succesful, and which he wrote. It’s well worth a read and it was succesful because of the words more than anything. … Continue reading Gordon Thorburn.

Apologies for the not very cleaned up version of this drawing, and it really is apropo of nothing, apart from perhaps me blowing my tuba, yet again. I was once asked by a teacher at school why I looked so miserable. I was not aware that I was, it’s just that my face fell like that. I’d like to think that this epiphany made me into the smiling cheerful chappie that I am now, but no, I still look miserable when I’m not. However of late I have decided to engage, as the phrase goes. I have nothing to sell … Continue reading Try engaging.

My final pictures of the trip to L A are from Train Town. There are wonderful old trains to peer at and a mini train chugs around the perimiter taking enthusiastic kids and adults in a big circular trip. From now on it’s back to drawings and images from the UK again. The recent exhibition in Manchester School of Art ends today, which a was a very pleasant look back, now I’m going to be looking forward. Big thanks to all those who came along to the show.The School found my original registration document, which prooves my average qualification. Phew! … Continue reading The last of the trip and the show.

Continue reading Mauritania

This seems to embody everything that drawing should be about.It has movement and as far as I’m concerned there’s not a thing wrong with this, every mark seems to count and it has energy and dynamism in spades. One can feel the bulk of the horse and the feel of that relaxed rider who like a good horsewoman ( and I’m pretty sure it’s a woman on board here ) feels completely at home on the back of this creature. You can find more examples of drawings like this right here.Julia Midgley If you want to see more of Julia’s … Continue reading This is well worth a look.

I warned you I’d be going on and on about this and here I am doing it again. My old friend David, on the far left in the picture below, found this picture of four of us from all those years ago. I have no idea what it was taken for and neither does he. I’m next to David with Alan Lofthouse on my right and Jim Coley on the right. I never really did get a proper job, but the rest were all in very worthy employment. David became Senior Vice President of All things Creative and Master of … Continue reading Going on and on!