Tea at the New Artist Fair

Beauty Fades - 13x20cm (2012)

I know, it's been a while but sometimes time is not ones friend which it most certainly hasn't been in my case. However I have been busy further developing my tea stained art and preparing new pieces to be unveiled at the New Artist Fair which returns this September in London's Brick Lane with over 40 artists of all genres, styles and mediums. The Old Truman Brewery in Brick Lane will be hosting this exciting event.

I have prepared smaller more affordable works lately measuring just 13cm X 20cm as well as slightly larger works too. These have all been made using Tetley tea bags and Twinings rasberry & strawberry tea. No paint has been used, only the teas staining hues and properties. The only additional materials used are pencil, ballpoint pen or white ink.

Tetley & Twinings Tea

 You're all welcome so please pop on down and support this great event and the artists exhibiting including my good friends Darren MacPherson and Marina Jijina with whom I've exhibited a few times before. Check out the full list of artists at the fair here: LINK


New Artist Fair
14-16 September 2012
The Old Truman Brewery, F Block T2
91 Brick Lane
London E1 6QL
FREE ENTRY
Opening Reception: Friday 14th September 6-9pm
Saturday & Sunday 11am-7pm

Lady Snowblood (修羅雪姫)

'Shura-Yuki-Hime' - (tea, pencil, biro & white ink on card)

My latest tea stained piece brings you the beautiful 1970's Japanese actress, Meiko Kaji from the cult classic movie 'Lady Snowblood' (original Japanese title 修羅雪姫, Shurayukihime). A 1973 Japanese film directed by Toshiya Fujita. It is based on a manga comic called Shurayukihime.

The title of this piece is 'Shira-Yuki-Hime' which is the name of the main protagonist. This has to be one of my favourite movies in my collection, fantastic story of tragedy, great imagery and swordtastic action.

Shurayukihime (修羅雪姫) – meaning “carnage snow princess” – is a pun on Shirayukihime “white snow princess”, usually referring to Snow White, and is translated for this classic film as “Princess Snowblood”.

It was also a major inspiration for Quentin Tarantino's Kill Bill, which borrows plot, characters, visual motifs and settings. In particular the character O-Ren Ishii is based on Lady Snowblood. The scene in which The Bride fights O-Ren Ishii uses a snowy landscape that echoes scenes in Lady Snowblood. The theme song, "Shura No Hana", sung by Meiko Kaji (translated by Tarantino as "The Flower of Carnage") is also used in Kill Bill, Vol. 1.

A Spot of Tea?

Over the last few months I've created a series of drawings, painted, stained and splattered with tea bags. These were first seen and displayed as part of a project I was involved in by an arts collective called The Fabelist, at their IMPRINT exhibition. (Read more about the project here and in my blog post)

I use not only the tea as pigment but also the tea bag to create playful and spontaneous splatters and drops that try and complement the clean line work of the drawing in pencil and pen.

I enjoy the hues the tea produces and mainly its staining properties giving a used and vintage feel to the work. I build layers of splats and drops, fusing the natural pigment of the tea further into the paper as if time has ravaged the work and the hues change and the stains take a life of their own as the results can never be certain but always unexpected.

A cultural ritual of sorts also as tea for us british is a much sought after pause from our daily lives, a moment to reflect, to breath, to talk over, to energize or unwind. These drawings hold ideas and emotions to ponder and reflect upon, based on the world around us and how it stains and permeates over time, just like thoughts and ideas which have an impact on our minds and hearts.

(Facebook photo album)

Neko, a photo by Carlos Martyn Burgos on Flickr.

Building Blocks, a photo by Carlos Martyn Burgos on Flickr.

It's Cold Outside, a photo by Carlos Martyn Burgos on Flickr.