Ezy Win

Reading a more in depth interview on Jack Vettriano it seems that he is a very complicated man that is misunderstood as an artist by critics that have been saying he’s rubbish for so long that they wont admit that they were wrong from the start.

Jack Vettriano is quick to admit his need to be connected with what he is painting and I think this can be applied to most people that are creating something that comes from themselves. In Jack Vettriano’s case his pictures have a beautiful seductiveness about them that has you trying to pick out different aspects of the composition and reflecting on what might happen next in the scene.

Jack Vettriano produces work that revels in the sensuality of a certain brand of lady, revelling in their confidence and sexuality. Jack Vettriano paints scenes that he likes to look at, that he likes the feel of, and that he would be at home being a part of. His own hedonistic life style seems to reflect off the canvas but frankly who cares, this man’s work is brilliant, loved the world over and printed and reprinted globally.

With Jack Vettriano Prints being distributed all across the globe outselling artists such as Klimt or Monet it is not surprising that this man from Fife’s work is well loved by the public. His yearly income from his print licensing alone is worth over half a million a year which on any level is somebody that is doing something right.

Speaking of money one of his most controversial of pieces “the singing butler” fetched £750,000 pounds at Sotherby’s which if art were based on a purely monetary level would point to someone that is well regarded by collectors (if not collections).

“The singing butler” was chastised by the critics when it was revealed that Mr Vettriano had used the human forms from an artist reference book and used them within the composition of the piece. But as rightly pointed out by Jack Vettriano the figures don’t make the piece merely add to the story being told on the canvas.

Obviously this was immediately jumped on by the art establishment who had backed themselves into their elitist corner and talked of as “Plagarism” but as Mr Vettriano said himself “But the background and the story, they were mine. Don’t tell me that’s not creative. Anyone who knows anything about art will know an artist will do anything to get an image down on paper tracing, pulling images out of magazines, anything. I’m a nightmare in my dentist’s waiting-room. What the story was implying was that I lifted The Singing Butler completely out of a book and that’s not fair. Lots of artists use photos Francis Bacon did, I still do. The thing is, it was The Singing Butler. If it was a painting no one had heard of, it wouldn’t have been a problem.”

Jack Vettriano is a great artist producing great art, lets hope in 2009 he will get the recognition he truly deserves.

Having lived by the coast for much of my youth I was drawn to the work of Rebecca Lardner as I walked past a gallery door. The lovely colours and soft oil colours provide an earthyness that makes you believe you are a watcher peering out from your cosy home by the coast.

The artist Rebecca Lardners work is frequently set within the surrounding arms of a English harbour with lots of activity moving in and out like the ocean. Often you see walkers and birds moving about their daily activities all adding warmth to the images. She started her work after completing an Art Foundation Course she moved on from the University of Liverpool with a BA Honours degree in Illustration.

Following a very successful career as an artist and illustrator starting out creating greeting cards. Rebecca Lardner now produces mostly original art works for magazines and record sleeves she has also created work for Paul McCartneys Music Academy. Influenced by Cornish painter Alfred Wallis her vibrant use of Oils on canvas pulls out the feeling of the coast.

Rebecca Lardner has created out, sought after corporate commissions all over the planet from Ireland to India. Rebecca Lardners work can be discovered in high calibre galleries across the UK, her evocative work being sought after all over the planet. I personally like her work because of the feeling she puts into each of the pictures, all of the colours work and the feel you get from her pictures are ones you want to keep returning to for another viewing.

I went to an exhibition in 2006, which was at the Lygon arms, Broadway. The exhibitor was Sue Macartney-Snape who is probably better known for illustrating topical characters in the Telegraph, I think the section in the Telegraph was called the “Social Stereotypes” section. I had sought to purchase one of Sue Macartney-Snape’s prints at the show but discovered myself in the annoying position of having no money to spend.

I have since heard how collectable her individual prints are with her work eagerly sought after by many members of high society. Personally I’m sure that a lot of the people Sue Macartney Snape paints have one or two of her caricature paintings secretly stashed somewhere in there home. Once again I digress, I went looking for some of her work online and discovered a few sites that allowed me to purchase pieces of her work.

I particularly liked the picture “collecting cuttings” with the lovely characters that she makes feel so bright and jolly among the trappings of an English garden reminding me of relatives getting their heads together over PTA fundraising ideas. I had Sue Macartney-Snape’s print posted to me via the post and it now has the best spot in my Kitchen layout. There was a limited run on the prints of 600 and each picture was 22” X 18” un mounted. I had a local picture framing company mount and frame the print and was extremely pleased with the results.

If you haven’t had the pleasure of looking at her artwork should check her out as she has a extravagant take on the weird hierarchy that is British society.