now we are meeting before our inaugural xmas meal out in Otley, now we are off ...

Here is work in progress.

Here is a photograph SG took on his return to England having been living in Pennsylvania,US for the last year. It was his intention to come back to Yorkshire and paint some rugged, classic views of the rural landscape...it has taken a while to find the focus necessary so the Otleyobs group has been integral in acting as a new catalyst in the production of new work.
All members of the group meet up every Wednesday evening to share creative undertakings made in the previous week, beer is always available and after two months of meeting we have looked at each other's writings, paintings, photography, landscape designs, sketchbooks, notions of trespass aswell as having had conversations ranging from Banksy's stencilling to the application of computers in modern day society !
This painting was made by SG before he went over to the States to paint in July 2006....feels like he is starting to carry on where he left off thanks to Otleyobs.

Here is a series of paintings by Shane in response to the aerial landscapes of James Brown (the marbled images), the rugged qualities of the Yorkshire landscape(this is one of a series of large 4x8feet oil paintings on board),and also an abstract linear piece looking at issues surrounding globalisation and multiple symbols colliding to represent the everyday bombardment we get from the world of media.....

Meeting Place

A draft design by RK of the town centre of Ilkley for the future, with a reduction of car parking and a communal centre for people to meet and greet !
This series of marbled landscapes were made by SG in direct response to the incredible aerial paintings made by JB a while ago.
This is where it is happening every Wednesday evening at 8pm
There is no one in at the moment but we may well be setting up a video-cam/conferencing facility from 8 'til 9pm every wednesday evening for you to join in the debate.......

Dialogue Room

Here is where it is happening every Wednesday night in Otley at 8pm 'til late.
We approach the evening with a certain air of anticipation and when we have done our homework (!)...we share, shake and rattle the very fabric of society as seen through the wild staring eyes of the newly formed Otley Observation Society's members.
We may share poetry, painting, notions of anarchy, fell-running and the computer age. We seem to have one thing underlying all threads of collaboration....the inherent need in man to be creative........

Leeds Light Night and The Windfan

Here is a night shot taken at about 10.30pm in Leeds City Square....it was like a ghost town waiting for the mass migration of the student population from Headingley and Hyde Park arrival for the 'AM Clubs and Bars'

RK heading out into the last of the day, high up on Ilkley Moor.
Carpe Diem.......
SG return to lanscape painting having been back from Pennsylvania for three months, did have the intention to continue where I left off back in May but the climate of Yorkshire has left me somewhat cold....I suppose the harsh reality of being back from the 'magic year' has taken a while to get back in the studio, but it's buzzing now.

Made this 'Dream Maquette' as if returning to childhood, little Ellora and Kieran were in the studio at the time and my daughter was making all the moves and decisions...all I had to do was switch on the glue gun and let the story unfold.
There are many representations in the work and metaphors for companionship, family ties, dreams, and interrelationships. The sketches of Frank Gehry were maybe playing on my subconcious along with a fascination for play.

Now that the Otleyobs group if firmly in place and functioning on a weekly basis I thought we should begin some form of documentation of the Wednesday night discussions and creative presentations.

Week 1
life drawing discussions of media and emotive content SG/PH
The Windmill Rant RK
This evening consisted of Peter and Shane sharing the work the had done two nights previous at a life drawing session at Harrogate college.

Week 2
sketchbooks of travelling,reflection and pursuing a singular theme JB/PH
Ilkley town centre design RK
Large landscape series/urban rural SG

Week 3
Tolomy Jones 1st chapter JB
Figure through the grid PH
Micklefell Trespass and landscape interpretation RK
Lines Out Of The Black SG

Week 4
Henry Moore Centre for 3D Shutter & Boff RK/JB/SG
Leeds Light Night

Week 5
Trig Point With A View RK
Sophie's Painting JB
Marbled Mother Earth SG

Week 6
A Compromise RK
Doris Lessing and The Computer Age JB
Dream Maquettes SG