FIONA WILSON

New Year, New Studio

2012-01-13T00:41:00.000-08:00

For over 6 years I have been working out of a bedroom studio in my home. My house was getting more and more full of paintings and art paraphenalia and I was also concerned that the house smelt of turps constantly. So, with trepidation, I put my name down on the waiting list for a WASPS studio at the beginning of the year, not expecting anything to happen for at least 3 years.

With all the new refurbishments going on with the WASPS studios around Glasgow, there were a lot of artists moving from one studio to another and I got the fabulous opportunity of a proper artist's studio in the refurbished Briggait building in the Merchant City, a very bohemian end of Glasgow. I was offered the studio in December and started the long task of moving in my equipment and furniture on the 4th January.

Here is the studio before I moved in. It didn't look so big when it was empty.

I have now moved in a small amount of my stuff and the place is looking quite homely and nicely minimalist (for me). I am not sure how long that will last, but I will enjoy it while I still have plenty of floorspace. I love it there as the light is amazing; I have a wall that is completely glass plus some of the ceiling too. I cannot wait until the summer when I will get so many more hours of daylight. My husband is worried that he will never see me!

So now, if you want to see my work, I will also have a continuous little show of paintings, framed, and in progress, in studio 203. Come and say hi (but call first to get let in)!

Shoredich Street Art Inspiration!

2011-12-02T09:06:00.001-08:00


not quite a tropical holiday

In November, my husband and I toyed with the idea of going on a wee holiday to somewhere warm, but for some reason we were drawn to London, as we hadn't been down for a while. We decided to go for a long weekend and booked into the swanky Hoxton Hotel in Shoredich, and area we had never been to before.

ROA rat artwork

On getting off at Old Street, I spied this brillaint piece of street art, and knew we were staying in the right area for an artist and a photographer to visit. The area of Hoxton and Shoredich has changed from a down at heel place to one of the hippest areas I have been to. They even have their own fashion style, and they are called the Hoxton Hipsters.

poster street art seen from the hotel window

Art behind a steel fence, near the Hoxton Hotel.

Near the hotel were two great cafe bars. The Breakfast club with a distinctly 80s vibe and The Book Club on Leopold Street, that had wonderful illustrations painted onto he walls as well as a fab exhbition of drawings (sorry, I didn;t write down the name of the artist). The food was great too.

the Book Club, Leopold Street, London


Scarey Bridge Art

painting under the bridge on the other side.

On Sunday, we headed down towards Brick Lane for the market, and took in some of the great street art on the way, as well as on the street.

This one was created by chipping the plaster away from the wall to make the tones in the face. From a distance it just looked painted!
All along Brick Lane, gems of urban art could be spotted behind the busy stalls selling vintage clothing, antiques and knocked off bike parts.


Picasso lives!

Muerte Boy

A real banksy? Who can say


The Big Chill Bar

Every street corner was an inspiration for this artist who is tired of seeing the same old commercial and classical art out there. This art was raw, exciting and urban. It often had something to say and was free for all to enjoy. Some may hate it and see it as simply vandalism, but art like this, for me, is nothing short of absolute inspiration!

New Online shop for Giclee Prints

2011-11-29T08:17:00.001-08:00

We have been very busy over the last few days, completely revamping my 'Cheap Thrills' online shop.

a screen grab of the new shop online

The reason for making the shop is that I receive so many positive comments on my paintings and drawings through online admirers of my work, but very few of those people have the kind of money to spare that an original oil painting costs.

The shop will initially be for the sale of reproduction prints of my paintings, made at a professional art print studio usng the Giclee print method. The papers are all archival as are the inks, making this no ordinary inkjet print. The images are roughly 25cm along the shortest side (plus a white border for easy framing) and start at £60. They all come signed and numbered by myself at the bottom.

I have limited the print runs to only 30 prints, and as the runs sell out, the cost will increase. This means that early bird buyers get the most rewards!

I hope soon to add new sections of drawings and small artworks, so keep your eyes peeled.

www.fionawilson.net/cheapthrills

LUXE MIDWINTER show at BON PAPILLON, Edinburgh

2011-11-23T10:05:00.001-08:00

I have just returned from a long daytrip out to Edinburgh, to deliver new work to Bon Papillon for their new xmas show titled: ‘LUXEMIDWINTER’ opening this Saturday 26th November from 2-5pm.

A little cup of tease, oil on canvas, 20 x 20cm

Trevor and I turned up like a whirlwind at Bon Papillon, with my usual array of colurful bags full of art. There was quite a lot, so Ingrid had the daunting task of quickly deciding which pieces were best for the show. There will be about 19 pieces of mine in the show, ranging from £1395 to only £70, so a lot of pockets are catered for!

unglamorous baggage

There will also be work by two of my artist friends, Emma Mount who has submitted her fabulous pin-up painting called Kemper the Impervious, and Fiona Watson who is one of the top printmakers at Glasgow Print Studio who has framed up 'There's a tattoo of you name across my soul'.

There are of course, many other great artists showing including our lovely hostess, Ingrid Nilsson, who runs the gallery as well producing these imaginative paintings.

work awaiting places in their new home for December

As well as popping along to see the art, it is well worth visiting for a delicious lunch or a warming hot chocolate and some of their excellent home-made cakes. A meal in themselves!

The show will run until Christmas Eve, then the gallery will be closed for the holidays until 13th January next year. Maybe see you there!

BON PAPILLON gallery – café – framing

15 Howe Street, Edinburgh
www.bonpapillon.com

International Art Shipping

2011-11-16T07:31:00.001-08:00

I think what I love about being self-emlpoyed as an artist the best, is the bizarre range of jobs you end up doing. A lovely gentleman from London enquired about one of my large paintings, Lemon Petticoat, and was happy to purchase her if I could ship the painting to France.
The professional courier cost half the cost of the painting plus insurance, so my hero or a husband, who happens to be a dab hand at DIY, came to the rescue with his box making skills.
This is the package that will be going with a courier tomorrow. I just hope they have a screwdriver at the other end!

Tunnocks, Aye Doll!

2011-11-08T10:22:00.000-08:00

I was invited to submit work into a small group show called Gandolfi Loves Tunnocks. The show was a spin off from the larger event at the Glasgow Print Studio in the spring of this year, where my saucy tunnocks inspired painting flew out the door the day after the opening.

Since it was a show by printmakers, I decided to try my first piece of digital art. I had a couple of old Barbie dolls lying around my studio so I thought about making a pin-up girl for the Tunnock's brand. I used the wrappers to make swimming costumes, then painted the doll's faces to be more 50s inspired. The hair was styled and a backdrop of the seaside was painted before organising a shoot with my professional photographer husband, Trevor Wilson

I wanted the image to be like an old fashioned postard so I found a card with the fancy edges and scanned it to make a mask over the image. I then added a Glasgow postmark, since Tunnocks is based just outside the city. I got the giclee printed by Ian at Lighthouse Photographics who was very patient in achieving the washed out colour effect that I was after.

Here is the finished print with the model and a teacake. I also submitted a mini version of the painting that sold at the last show. Sadly, the print was not hung as part of the show it was intended for as there was, apparently, not enough room for both pieces and the painting went better with the other work. It was still very disappointing after all the work in getting it produced, but I am sure she will enjoy her debut as part of the show at Bon Papillon opening at the end of November.

I am also hoping to have my new online shop ready in early December, so keep your eyes peeled, or sign up to this blog for updates.

Affordable Art Fair London 2011

2011-10-19T03:36:00.000-07:00

I can't tell you how delighted I am that finally, after 2 long years, a gallery is taking my work to the Affordable Art Fair in London, Battersea this coming weekend. I am being represented by the innovative Axolotl gallery whose main gallery is on the prestigious Dundas Street in Edinburgh.
I hope to find a few more fans as well as patrons of my work in the big city. I will be sending this portrait of Daiquiri Dusk, performing her cinema girl act, for it's first showing.

Lemon Petticoat, oil on canvas, 56 x 76 cm

She will be kept good company by a good collection of my other burlesque and vintage girl portraits, drawings of ladies in their underwear and my new monotype print of Bernie Dexter (below).

I Know What I Want and I Know how to get it, monotype, 46 x 60cm

My only disappointment is with the establishment of the AAF who have stipulated a 'no nudity' policy on the artworks to be hung. This is art censorship at it's worst, as it means that the everyday buyer is being limited by the art that will be on view. I don't think my more nude portraits are pornographic as all the important bits are covered up, but then again, perhaps that is what makes them more exciting and dangerous in the eyes of the art world.

Fifi's Great Fire Sale # 1

2011-10-17T05:57:00.000-07:00

I have just picked some work from my last three shows and the house is bulging to bursting point with paintings and drawings. I really want to start some new work but don't have the space (both physical and mental), so I thought I might try a little fire sale, before I literally put these on the fire!

The idea is that I will post a painting every week or so for you to put 'bids' on. You can email me on fiona@fionawilson.net with bids or private mail through my facebook. Please do not discuss money on my personal facebook page as people have been losing their accounts for this. Postage for canvases will be £8 special delivery in the UK, and I can post Worldwide but will have to get a quote. Payment my UK Bank transfer, UK cheque or Paypal.

First up is 'Posing at the Panopticon', oil on canvas, 40 x 50cm
Normal Gallery price £920 framed (this will be sold unframed to save on postage costs but I can supply a frame if required).

This is a painting of the beautiful Bunny Warren who was the first model to privately pose for me. We set up a shoot at the Britannia Panopticon music hall in Glasgow, where Stan Laurel started his career on the stage. She loved the 'God Save the King' poster as one of her infamous acts is the 'God Save the Queen' one.

I would like to start the bidding at only £50 for this canvas, which is less that the cost of a pair of decent shoes these days.
Bidding will end on Monday 24th October 2011 at 10pm.
*This is a blind bid, so you don't have to rush at the last gasp. The highest offer wins the damsel.

two lovely gentlemen have offered to save the lady from the fire, but my lovely artist friend Maureen Rocks-Moore is the new, proud owner.

Original Temptation painting STOLEN!!

2011-09-21T01:57:00.000-07:00

I had some very bad news yesterday that one of my favourite paintings has been stolen right off a gallery wall.

I have a large show of work up at the Virginia Gallery in Glasgow, along with some work of invited artist friends. I got the call from the distraught gallery owner, that the little 30 x 30 cm box canvas painting was missing and that they were talking to the police. While they were making the police report, they noticed that a life sized ceramic head sculpture by Margaret Fraser had also been taken.

I just don't know what kind of folks can walk into a gallery and do that. In some ways I should be flattered that they chose that particular piece, but in others I am angry with myself, as I nearly didn't include it in the show, as I fancied keeping it for myself.
Some paintings are just special to you as an artist, and this was one of them. Now it has been taken and I don't even know who has it, or whether it is treasured or discarded in a bin somewhere.

It makes me very sad as someone probably saw the £700 price tag on the wall and thought it was a bit steep. But when you think that I only get 50% of that after gallery commission, then I take off the canvas, paint and framing costs, travel costs for delivery, then I pay for a studio to be heated and lighted, I pay for models and attend regular life drawing classes for training and it took about 30 hours to paint, that I really don't get that much in the end. I am beginning to wonder why I am doing it at all!

I have a vain hope that maybe the CCTV will show the culprits and the painting will be recovered. If it is, It is going on my wall and never coming down again!

As a two fingered response, I have organised the printing of small giclee prints for sale at the show instead. Hopefully I will recover a little money from the sale of those instead.

Art off the Square- Sales in a small village

2011-09-07T09:38:00.000-07:00

So we are well aware that the western world has been plunged into a state of recession and business is very tough for businesses, particularly those selling luxury products, like art. Let's face it, if money is looking tight, you are worried about your job and the fuel prices are soaring, the last thing you are going to want to buy is a pretty picture for your wall. I must admit that I have noticed that the sales in galleries have tailed off rapidly and I did spend a lot of the summer wondering what on earth I was doing trying to make a living at this. Two solo shows and only a couple of sales, was enough to test the nerve of the most confident artist. So I decided to take a few risks. I put work into shows that I would normally not enter, or changed the type of work I gave to galleries and shows.

Fairylights on Ashton Lane, mixed media on canvas, 30 x 30cm

Each year in a nearby village in Kilbarchan is a small 3 day art show called Art Off the Square. I had entered what I thought would sell - small Glasgow cityscapes, in previous years and had no luck selling. I had kind of given up hope, but thought I'd give it one more shot and put in two cityscapes for safety, a figure drawing and a burlesque portrait, although not too saucy a one, as the show was in a church after all!

Miss Hell's Belle, oil on canvas, 20 x 20 cm

And just when I needed it, a miracle happened and I sold two of the four pieces; the large cityscape and the burlesque portrait of the beautiful Miss Hell's Belle. It was one of my favourites after all, so I am not surprised.

Pittenweem Arts Festival 2011

2011-07-27T09:17:00.000-07:00

I am delighted, that after many years of trying to get a venue at this wonderful event, with no success, that I have finally managed to get my work shown this year at The Fisher Gallery right on the High Street!


The Secret Gardens: mixed media on wood, 21 x 16cm

I must admit, that I took the opportunity to have a little break from oil painting burlesque ladies and headed to the Glasgow Print Studio to make some new monoprints inspired by my trips to Fife and particularly the village of Pittenweem. I produced a fair number of prints but was inspired, by them, to make some small mixed media works on wood, of the boats and houses I sketched and photographed a couple of years ago.

Paintings in progress: it was great getting the glue out again!

Here are the works in the first stages where I added the collaged and printed elements to the pictures. I really enjoyed getting covered in glue and paint - the early stages are the fun bit!

Pittenweem Harbour 3: mixed media on wood 21 x 16cm

I have always loved the boats that are moored there, and at Crail harbour. There is something about their intricate design combined with the jolly colours of the paint hiding the rust creeping at the edges. Here is one of the finished paintings of those very fishing boats. In the paintings, I have layers of collaged found paper, print, splattered paint and printed relief. Feel free to click on the picture above to see a bigger version.
I plan to do some larger works based on these little studies, but for now I will delighted if these little paintings find new homes!


West Shore, Pittenweem, monotype & ink on paper, 32 x 45cm

The Pittenweem Arts Festival is well worth a visit. It runs this year from 5th August (opening evening) to the 14th August. Saturday 6th August features lots of events including the Plein Air Painting event and a torchlight parade in the evening finished off by a great fireworks display. Maybe see you there!

ps. The work will still be on view until the end of October, so if you missed the festival, you can still catch the art.

Femme Fatale and Framing Madness

2011-07-01T01:19:00.000-07:00

It is coming up for my hand-in for a solo showing at The Merchant Gate Gallery in Glasgow, which starts on the 5th July. As ever, I am running at the last gasp doing the frames! I always leave it to the last minute as I don;t really enjoy making them, except this week, when it has given me the excuse to spend most of the day outside in the garden!

The frames are for the Femme Fatale show, so I am going for a moody black and gold theme with the frames. I will add photos of the work for the show tomorrow.

Monotype madness at the Glasgow Print Studio MONOTHON

2011-06-27T01:16:00.000-07:00

Master Ian McNicol helps the day go smoothly

On Saturday 25th June 2011, the Glasgow Print Studio (GPS) held an event called a MONOTHON to promote the unsung technique of making monotypes and monoprints. They split the day into two 2 1/2 hour sessions with four experienced printmakers in each of the etching and screenprinting areas. I was part of the afternoon group and worked in the etching area, even though we were using blank perspex plates.

So what is the difference between a Monoprint and Monotype? The word mono or course means one, so both types of prints are designed to be one off creations with no two completely alike. Monoprints use a plate or screen that has some kind of repeatable element created on it which is then inked up in different ways to creat new images. Monotype means using a blank plate or screen, where the image is created directly on the plate. Other printed and drawn elements can be added to both types of print afterwards and sometimes collage can be an element in the work. I used oil based relief inks, there were also watersoluable oils being used and a watercolour print was also taken.

I started by using a charcoal drawing I made earlier of Vendetta Vain modelling as a geisha in a red PVC kimono at Dr Sketchy's Anti- Art School in Glasgow, as the basis for the print.

Vendetta Vain modelling at Dr Sketchy's Glasgow

colour layer only

drawing to print over colour layer

I made a quick 'registration' sketch the size of the plate then rolled bright colours onto the perspex as a base layer. I added texture by 'printing' cut out elements onto the wet ink (which lifts the ink up and leaves a feint impression) and used sequins as decorative elements on the kimono. Two prints were taken of this colour only layer, the second being called a 'ghost' print. I cleaned off the plate and drew the geisha figure in a mix of black and prussian blue ink. I also decided to print onto the plate, some of the cut outs from before, to add texture to the drawing. The result of the two plates is the red print below right.

print number 5

monotype plate with two prints, first print on right

The plate was then reworked with a new drawing, but with some of the colour residue from the last prints. I intended to print this drawing plate over the ghost colour background but I decided at the last minute to print it alone, and I was glad I did, as I was very pleased with the results. The print above right is actually a fifth print from a third alteration of the plate. On the right picture you can see how pale the ink is on the perspex plate, yet master printer, Ian McNicol, managed to get a last print off that by using wet rather than dry paper.

I had not made any monotype prints for some years and getting back in under extreme pressure was a great learning experience. I do like the print that I planned in my head, but the experiemntal prints that followed had much more subtelty of colour and texture. Bascially, I am itching to get back into the GPS and do some more!

the series of monotype prints produced from a geisha drawing

Featured Art Tart of the Month: April-ish!

2011-05-19T08:23:00.000-07:00

Little Geisha, oil on canvas, 18 x 24cm (model Vendetta Vain)

I was contacted recently by a wonderful set of folk running a website called the tart gallery. Each month they feature the work of an artist that catches their eye, and this April it was me! There was a small problem with the website, so I am a little late in appearing, but better late than never I say.

I am very honoured to have a selection of my burlesque paitings showing alongside so many fabulous, alternative artists. Thanks Tart Gallery for inviting me, and thanks to my good e-friend Emma Mount for drawing their attention to me!

You can view my tarty daubs here....enjoy x

http://www.thetartgallery.com/fionawilson.html

Having an mid-Art crisis

2011-04-21T05:29:00.000-07:00

This week has shown very slow progress. I think after puting everything into the BP portait competition and then the Axolotl show, I have been feeling a little like vacuum. I have been trying to paint, but nothing good seems to be coming out and I start to question whether I should be a painter at all. I am afraid what will follow will be a bit of a rant.
This feeling of inadequecy is compounded by the fact that the portrait of Trevor got rejected from BP (not really surprising since you only get a 2.39% chance of getting in) but also from my local art competition, The Paisley Art Institute Annual Exhibition. I just paid £15 to receive a letter saying there wasn't enough room for my paintings in their exhibition. All in all I am up to about £150 in exhibiiton fees and travel costs this year alsone, just to be told I am not good enough to be part of their clubs.
I am really at a loss. I am told I need to get into establishments in order to progress but the constant rejection is becomeing too big a cloud over what I do. I might try some collage or some sculpture, to have a break from painting for a while...or I might just go and look for a proper job.

Spring Fling at Axolotl

2011-04-08T03:49:00.000-07:00


The Last Roses of Summer, oil on canvas, 24 x 30cm

It has been a quiet year on the Art world front so far, but everything seems to be happening at once, now that the first fourishes of Spring are in the air. After my successful show, Fire & Brimstone at Axolotl gallery in Edinburgh, I was invited back to fill not one, but two of the gallery rooms! I have handed in 24 pieces and am looking forward to attending the preview night tonight. If anyone is in the area, they are at 35 Dundas Street and it all starts at 7pm.

Vendetta in Furs, oil on canvas, 50 x 40cm

Art Club Rendezvous, oil on canvas, 50 x 40cm

A few of the pieces you may have seen before but I produced quite a lot of new work specially for this show. In general, I saw my work take a slightly darker turn during the long cold winter here in Scotland. I had some trouble with my back and I think the combination of the constant pain and the cold, dark days, really affected the colours I chose to paint with. When I started painting, I was working in acrylics and the colours were extraordinarily bright, in big blocky brushstrokes. But I switched to oils a few years ago, and fell in love with the skin tones and texture they offer. I seem to paint many, many layers until the effect seems right, but it means that the paintings take a very long time to produce and as long to dry!

Many of my works are based on photographs taken at Dr Sketchy's Anti Art school modelling sessions. Here you get the chance to draw and photograph the fabulous people of burlesque performing and sitting for the audience of 'art monkeys'. In general the stage is bare, apart from a few props, so I like to add in details to make the painting have more meaning. Daddy's Gone (below) is based on an act by Miss Hell's Belle called Caught Red Handed, danced to the Nick Cave song with the same title. The idea was that she had bumped off her newly wed millionaire husband, so she gets down to her red satin underwear and drapes dimaonds on herself before revealing that she still has his head in her suitcase. I love this act as it relates so well to the Grimm's fairytales I am so inspired by. I called it Daddy's Gone, with Daddy being her sugardaddy. I dressed her in a white dress, like a wedding gown, and laid her on a bed of money, just help get the point across.If you look closely, you can see the word Evil in there too. My real femme fatale!

Daddy's Gone, oil on canvas, 50 x 40cm

Cheeky Angel, oil on canvas, 24 x 30cm

Beach Bum, oil on canvas, 24 x 30cm

The Reveal, oil on canvas, 30 x 40cm

Little Seductress, oil on canvas, 24 x 30cm

And lastly, I seem to have become infamous for painting bums, so I couldn't let a show go up without a small selection of those.

BP Portrait : finished and sent

2011-03-23T09:46:00.000-07:00

So finally, the portrait is finished, after over 60 hours of painting and a lot of layers of paint. Trevor (the model) took the framed painting to the Glasgow courier last week and I am waiting to hear back from the judges. It would be wonderful to get a place in the show, but the odds are against everyone with a very small percentage getting in. At the end of the day, my husband wanted a portrait of himself to mark this point in his life. The competition gave me a deadline to work to, which I often need for personal projects.

Overall, I am pleased that it is a very good likeness of him, and that he looks a bit restless. He was watching Top Gear (the only way to get him to sit still) but he was also glancing out the window into his winter garden which could not yet be tended, as it was still frozen. The Howies T-shirt, 'Grow some vegetables' was a present from me many years ago and it is a clue to his favourite hobby, gardening. The dog, Meg, has been our constant companion for over 10 years, so she defiinately had to be in, although the poor cat didn't get a prime spot. You can imagine him under the sofa somewhere, scheming.
Whether it gets to our the country as part of BP, or just ends up on our living room wall, I am sure it will be much loved by us both over the years to come.

Here are some photos of the work in progress

BP portrait competition 2011

2011-02-24T11:10:00.000-08:00

So after my last post, I have decided to try again for the BP portrait exhibition. It is about a 1% or 2% chance of getting into the exhibition (never mind winning anything) but it is such a great standard, that to be included would be a fanstastic honour. I enter a lot of competitions, usually just because it is the thing to do, but this one is different - the quality of the work in the BP portrait competition is always consistently high and to be accepted would be a real achievement.

So after deliberating over what to paint, my husband suggested I paint him, as he wanted to be portrayed as he was, before he got too old etc! Much as I love him, I was reluctant, for one good reason....he cannot sit still! At all. Ever. So a deal was struck. He would sit in the living room and watch Top Gear on the telly while I drew.

The top image is of sketches made from life (over three different telly sessions) and the one below is of a colour study from a photo and another sketch.
This planning is showing a new way I am trying to work. I am tired of replicating photographs and hope by doing the sketches that some of the life of the model will be preserved into the final painting. Before I go, here is the final study at 30 x 40cm for the bigger painting.

Wish me luck!

Art competitions; a necessary evil?

2011-02-16T09:31:00.000-08:00

After a lot of deliberation, I have decided to enter the BP portrait competition. I was deliberating as I have entered once before, but didn't get in, and have had quite a few rejections from more local competitions over the years. For the BP though, there is really only about a 2% chance of getting shown (never mind winning) but the standard of the work is usually extremely high. I feel it is worth doing, as if I got shown, I would at least feel highly honoured.

In general, I find competitions particularly difficult to choose work for, as there are a few factors that I can't get out of my mind when painting; how much it is costing and whether the painting will be good enough, or liked enough. There is always a terrible temptation to dumb down what you do and be more safe, more classic, more grey etc. in a bid to be liked by the Art Societies in question.

In reality, art is often rejected, not because it isn't any good (as I saw some lovely work on reject day at the SSA) but how much space an organisation has left over after all the VIPs have been hung. With dwindling budgets and societies getting squeezed for wall space, this situation will only get worse, meaning that the public will get the chance to see less work from new artists, and more work from the members of the old boys club. I realise I probably sound a little cynical, but having work rejected, only to sell it the following week, tells me that there must be another reason, above quality, on why my work is not being picked for the national shows.

So, back to the BP. I have decided to portray my long suffering husband, Trevor. The only way I could get him to sit for more than 5 seconds, was to draw him while he was watching Top Gear and Horizon. He felt deliciously naughty watching TV in the afternoon! Of course, the dog had to get in on the action and will be in the painting too. Keep and eye on this page for developments.

NUDE New Year

2011-02-02T04:46:00.000-08:00

This post is a little late, but January turned out to be a surprisingly busy month. Just a week before the opening, I was discovered by the eternally enthusastic Drew at The Virginia Gallery and invited to submit some work to his second show entitled Nude. The show opening was a roaring success with a party going on into the wee hours (although I had to leave at 9) and I sold the painting above to a lovely lady owner of Organic Pleasures shop in Edinburgh. She said she was planning to hang the painting next to her grand piano, which I thought sounded terribly glamorous!
The painting above is called 'Canary yellow Fans' and is a portrait of the stunning Vendetta Vain performing her 'Sally Rand' fan dance. For thise of you who don't know, Sally Rand was a burlesque performer famous for her fan dances because under all those feathers, she was completely nude : no pasties, no thong, nothing!

The NUDE show has a mixture of sculpture, painting and the under-represented medium of photography. Particulalry inpisrational is the work of Jean-Marc Milliere who takes portraits of partially clad women in their own homes. I am also a fan of the bright figure paintings by Ivor Secton whose new paintings evoke the vintage world of funfair art.
I hung a few paintings from the recent Axolotl show as well as a cheeky new one of Dirty Martini from New York.
Catch the show over the next few weeks as it runs until 4th March 2011 and watch that artspace as I think there is going to be some really interesting happenings there.
The Virginia Gallery
45 Virginia Street (downstairs from Luke & Jack)
Glasgow G1 1TS, call 0141 552 5699

One of My Favourite Muses

2010-12-07T11:58:00.001-08:00

The above painting is called 'The Harlots' and is a portrait of two fabulous burlesque performers from New York. Molly Crabapple, at the front, is a talented illustrator and the founder of Dr Sketchy's Anti-Art School, (an art class meets burlesque in a bar), where I have gained much of the incredible inspiration for my paintings over the past three years. She modelled two years ago at Dr Sketchy's Glasgow for their first birthday party and brought along the glamourous and risque 'Kitten on the Keys' to perform and model for our delight. Kitten is an alternative musician and her ditties had us falling of our chairs with bawdy laughter.

When I looked back at the drawings and photos from the original session, I was for some reason reminded of Manet's controversial painting Olympia (shown below). I loved the contrast of Molly being pale and nearly nude with Kitten's tanned skin and vibrant corsetted outfit. I had thought of making Molly her slave, as her heavy necklace is reminsicent of a collar, but I wanted each person to be equal.

Kitten's head is thrown back with passion while my Olympia looks away from the viewer in an almost distainful manner. I had originally painted Molly looking right back at us from the painting, like Manet's Olympia, but with the strong lighting it looked too hard. I preferred her sideway glance, as if dismissing us, or even looking a little bored with our eager attentions.The flowers in the background represent the bouquet of flowers from their admirers as well as representing the promise of passions yet to be unleashed.

Manet's painting caused quite a stir in 19th Century France and even though nudes were often seen in galleries, Manet's nude was not acceptable. But why? Basically his painting was shunned by the establishment because the nude in question was obviously a courtesan, shown by the fact she was wearing slippers and a ribbon round her neck. The black lady is her servant bringing flowers from one of her admirers or clients. On top of all this suggestion, the woman has the audacity to stare back at us, as we stare at her laid bare.

In the same way, over a century later, I find my work shunned by certain galleries and art establishments for similar reasons. I find that I can happily hang a completely nude woman (preferrably looking away from the viewer) in any gallery, but add a pair of stockings, and all hell breaks loose. Burlesque celebrates women of all shapes and sizes, but it can also be political and is of course, in most cases, sexual. My nudes cause embarrasment because my models are strong women who are comfortable both in and out of their costumes. They are women having fun in a thong and pasties. They enjoy showing themselves off and are not afraid to challenge the viewer eye to eye.

See Molly's illustration at http://www.mollycrabapple.com
Hear Kitten at http://www.suzanneramsey.net/
Find out about Dr Sketchy's Anti Art School at http://www.drsketchy.com/

enjoy x

Christmas Shows and heavy snows

2010-11-29T09:37:00.000-08:00

Ingrida reclining, oil on canvas, 80 x 60cm

We have been having a bit of crazy winter weather here in Glasgow with heavy snowfall and sub-zero temperatures. Now I am glad that the Christmas show hand-ins were last week when the weather was cold but clear!
This Christmas, I am showing at a smaller number of select galleries, due to the timing of my big November show. You can find my work at ARTeries, Art Exposure and Merchant Gate Gallery in Glasgow city centre, The Gatehouse Gallery in Eastwood, south of Glasgow, Axolotl in Edinburgh and The Fisher Gallery in Pittenweem. This will be my first time showing with the Fisher gallery and I hope it goes well, as it is a wonderful part of the country for a visit when dropping of work!

This week sees a slow start with tying up loose ends and lots of thinking about new work to be produced, in between organising the commissions I didn't have time to do earlier in the year. If I could just thaw out my fingers enough to draw!
I also want to get down to the Glasgow Print Studio, now my back is allowing me to do things again. I really want to practice the photoetching technique I learned in the spring and apply it to some of my many photos of the beautiful people of burlesque.

Fire & Brimstone Show Review

2010-11-26T05:43:00.000-08:00

Now that the remaining work from Fire & Brimstone is back in Glasgow, I can sit back and say that I was extremely pleased with my first show at Axolotl Gallery in Edinburgh. The team are an extremely professional yet friendly groups of people and I was very impressed by the efforts they went to, to promote the work. I made a number of sales, despite this recession doom and gloom, to buyers in Edinburgh, Newcastle and Austria.
I was also very honoured to be showing work alongside artist Paul Muzni, whose vibrant life paintings were particularly inspiring, and I met many new art contacts on the opening night.

The cherry on the cake was my first review, which is as follows:-

Fiona Wilson has her finger so tightly on the pulse of the zeitgeist, she is in danger of cutting off its circulation. In her ‘Fire & Brimstone’ collection, chiaroscuro oils depict burlesque artists and tattooed nudes, many with wings which transform them into metaphysical beings of light – or darkness. The moody pieces capitalise on the current fascination with the supernatural, combined with the vogue for burlesque and vintage style.

‘Harlots’ is – appropriately enough – a dominant piece, a large work depicting two sultry female figures. The background swirls with dark material and patterns behind them: it and the title give the work a devilish and sinful quality which is compelling. In ‘A Thing Of Beauty’, Wilson has incorporated real bird feathers into the oils, turning her portrait of a young woman into something more beguiling.

Another standout piece is ‘Greed’, featuring a dark-haired woman in provocative pose, her limbs fading into the Klimt-like pattern of the background. Other paintings in the collection are more graphical in style, feeling like panels from a graphic novel at times, but Wilson’s siren-like oils are most definitely the seductive stars of this show.

Keith D, Edinburgh Spotlight Review- New Works at Axolotl, Nov 11th 2010

The original can be seen here:
http://www.edinburghspotlight.com/2010/11/review-new-works-at-axolotl-gallery/

I am not very good at 'bigging' myself up, so I am very pleased that Keith D was able to do it for me!
I am now busy tidying up loose ends before embarking on a new project which has been living in a sketchbook for way too long.

Fire & Brimstone at AXOLOTL gallery

2010-10-26T12:53:00.000-07:00

It has been a while since I have posted anything as nothing really seemed to be happening in the art world over the summer. Sales were slower and galleries were not planning many shows. I used the spare time wisely and I got in touch with the fabulous Axolotl Gallery on Dundas Street in Edinburgh, who immediately offered me a two person show in November.
I have been painting solidly since then and am onto framing work. The opening is on bonfire night, Friday 5th November, so to tie in with the date, I decided to base my show around fire & Brimstone, and of course, beautiful but wicked angels.

Show description:

And the angels came to the city of the Sodomites...when the Sodomites beheld the young men, who were outstanding in beauty of appearance and who had been received into Lot’s house, they set about to do violence and outrage to their youthful beauty. When Lot exhorted them to be temperate and not to proceed to dishonor the strangers but to have respect for their lodging with him and said that he would offer his own daughters for their lust in place of them, if they were unable to restrain themselves, not even so were they persuaded. Therefore, God, indignant at their bold acts, struck them with blindness, so that they were unable to find the entrance into the house, and condemned the Sodomites to destruction of the whole population. —Jewish Antiquities 1:199-202

Biblical stories have always fascinated me as many of the events are miraculous, even fantastical, and the writings are open to so many interpretations. The story of the two cities of Sodom and Gomorrah ties in well with my work inspired by burlesque performers, in that their acts often portray acts of baudy humour, earthly desire and sexual deviance. Where woman can be wicked and men can tease.

The towns that were destroyed by God were bound by earthly pleasures. God sent his angels, beautiful but deadly men, as his agents of destruction to make the wanton residents repent.

"Then the Lord rained brimstone and fire on Sodom and Gomorrah, from the Lord out of the heavens" Genesis 19:24. "Turning the cities of Sodom and Gomorrah into ashes, condemned them to destruction, making them an example to those who afterward would live ungodly" II Peter 2:6.

I invite you into the world of angels and to view the inhabitants of a sinful city like Sodom, where women tease and men are lustful, and sometimes revenge is sweet and murderously delicious. The paintings include angels depicted as tattooed men or women who may, or may not, be godly creatures.

The time for earthly pleasures may be limited, so let the fireworks begin!

100 Artrists for Pride Exhibition: Brighton 2010

2010-07-23T01:13:00.000-07:00

'Somewhere over the Rainbow', 20 x 20cm, oil on box canvas

Through my friends on facebook I came across an exhibition running in Brighton as part of the Gay Pride festival next week. The idea was to have 100 artists exhibit a small artwork for the week to raise funds for the festival next year. I love festivals so thought why not?
This is my portrait of Champagne Charly performing her 'Dorothy' routine. I added the rainbow as it is the colours of gay pride and I made her feather boa a touch more vivacious. I did resist painting the red shoes for once though!

Pittenweem Catch

2010-07-05T01:14:00.001-07:00

Over the past few months I have had a bit of bother with my back, but rather than lie about doing nothing, I found I could still do little postcard sized paintings by sitting for short periods of time. I was up in the pretty seaside village of Pittenweem in Fife and overheard the owner of the Fisher Gallery talking about a fund-raising charity auction for a Gala day there. As I wasn't getting much of my own painting done, I took one of their A5 boards home and produced this little piece.

I had to mail the painting to the gallery where they were auctioned 'blind' (no signatures on the front, so you didn't know whose work it was) and I was pleased to hear that mine fetched £150. The boat is actually from the harbour and the model is Leyla Rose performing her mermaid act. I had always wanted to portray Leyla as a bit of an evil mermaid capturing her sailors, so a bit of fun for me made some money for the Pittenweem Gala Day fund...happy times!

I'm a broken doll

2010-06-07T10:23:00.000-07:00

I have not been on here for some time as my back broke: I have had herniated disks in the past but it was hard to remember just how sore back pain is. I have nerve damage in the left foot from the disk herniation three years ago, but this time, the old foot went just as numb and droppy, like an old piece of meat hanging off my ankle. In the painting I collaged a piece of text 'nothing left' found in the sunday paper. I liked the play on words for my missing left foot and also the feeling that since I couldn't paint, there was nothing left for me in a mental sense. The roses are to represent the fragility of my spine and the spikiness of the pain it gives me. I had been listening a lot to Paloma Faith's I'm a broken doll, so the idea kind of stuck.

The painting will be shown this Friday at the Aspect Prize exhibition in Paisley Museum and Art Gallery.

When I couldn't paint, I found I could do a little drawing, so I spent a long time planning for the bigger paintings. These two wood panels (30 x 30cm) were printed up using oil paint and the drawn over. They were for an exhibition at the Glasgow Print Studio where the image had to have some printing in it. I chose montype as I couldn't get into the studio to the etching I really wanted to do. Hopefully, I will be able to go in soon, although this recovery is taking a long time.

2010-04-16T03:08:00.000-07:00

Wild Card Kitty as the American Woman

A new painting which I feel is just about finished, except for the signature. It is based on an act by the fabulous Wild Card Kitty, a peformer based in Edinburgh. Her act consisted of a saucy love dance and strip for a bag of Macdonald's finest fayre, which ends up all over her. It was one of the funniest acts I have seen in a long time so I had to make my tribute to her art.
The stars in the background and spray painted on as I feel a bit of graffiti inspired works moulding themselves in my head.

New Limited Edition Art Prints for Sale

2010-04-13T07:38:00.000-07:00

I have just finished my new sales section of my website that I have called Cheap Thrills.
I called the shop this as I wanted to offer more resonably priced art for all my lovely admirors out there, who maybe didn't have so much disposable cash lying around, and of course most of the art is a little saucy and hopefully, a little thrillling!
I have started by selling Limited Edition giclee prints of a selection of my paintings with only 30 prints of each image.

www.fionawilson.net/cheapthrills

TUNNOCKED ART EXHIBITION

2010-04-02T07:17:00.000-07:00

What an April Fool's Day! I unveiled my saucy painting and a pair ot framed teacake tassles, at the Glasgow Print Studio's TUNNOCKED show last night. I went suitable attired in a red and white striped dress and made a teacake heart fascinator to match. Trevor wore a tassle t-shirt under his jumper and was giving everyone a wee flash.

I was very surprised how well the painting was received as you don't see much risque art in that gallery. A great time was had by all, and selling the tassles was the cherry on the teacake!

2010-03-31T05:43:00.000-07:00

I am very excited by the opening of the TUNNOCKED exhibition tomorrow night at The Glasgow Print Studio. It promises to be a bit of a silly night with people dressing up for the occasion and free teacakes for all. My painting has appeared in a photo in the Scotsman newspaper today, so here is the full painting showing that naughty use of our national treasures - the Tunnock's teacake! The painting is 36 x 36cm on box canvas and is painted in oil.

A small photo of the work in-situe is in today's online scotsman which you can read here:-

http://news.scotsman.com/glasgow/Great-taste-in-art-with.6192400.jp

TUNNOCKED exhibition 1st April 2010

2010-03-30T04:03:00.001-07:00

TUNNOCK'S TEASECAKE
Oil on canvas, 36 x36 cm

A new painting for a special art show opening on 1st April at 6pm at the Glasgow Print Studio @ 103 Trongate. Called TUNNOCKED, it celebrates everything to do with Tunnocks sweet confectionary produced in Uddingston, Scotland.
The show opens on Thursday Night 6-9pm and there will be teacakes for all. The exhibition continues until 11th April 2010.
Come and see the whole painting while munching on a free teacake!

Glasgow Art Fair 2010 - Gatehouse Gallery

2010-03-23T08:53:00.000-07:00

I am just enjoying a mad marketing day after finishing and framing a set of new oil paintings of burlesque performers for show at The Glasgow Art Fair 2010. I will be represented by the fabulous Gatehouse Gallery on stand 23 and will be exhibiting one of my large 100cm paintings.
The show opens to the public on Thursday 25th at 10.30 and runs through to Sunday until 6.30pm. If you are very lucky, you may be able to obtain an evening pass for the Wednesday or Thursday from one of the galleries.

Please visit their website for times and details.
www.glasgowartfair.com

New Work - Wings of Desire

2010-03-16T04:28:00.001-07:00

I am just varnishing this new painting for hanging at the Glasgow Art Fair next week. It was inspired by the beautiful Miss Tickle from New York when she toured with The Slipper Room troupe to Glasgow, last summer. Her performance was one of the most elegant and graceful burlesque dances I have ever seen and I hope I have captured this.

My Modern Pin-Up Project 2010

2010-01-29T07:28:00.000-08:00

With the start of a New Year, in a new decade, I am writing my first blog. I have been painting full time now for over five years and have been painting my series of burlesque beauties for the last two. I think this year needs me to be wilder in what I do and less worried about what is 'nice' or 'sellable'. It will be my downfall or my making. Only time will tell....