Herbarianband

So the Winter Solstice approaches once again - have to say the return of some proper seasonal temperatures here in the UK has been most welcome, it's good to be warm but it just feels wrong at this time of year and a little ominous and foreboding too.

My main reason for writing is that after nigh on eleven years of trying I've finally got my children's novel THE GLASS GATEWAYS published as an ebook on Amazon Kindle. I painted the cover and uploaded it myself as it seems without being a celebrity or an established author there are far too many brick walls encountered when trying to get published these days!

It's probably best described as a latter-day ALICE'S ADVENTURES IN WONDERLAND populated with strange (but hopefully likeable characters) and some thought-provoking locations. To borrow (and slightly distort) a phrase - "It's a literary Big Mac laced with psychedelic dill!) If you're interested you can check it out here:

www.amazon.co.uk/GLASS-GATEWAY…

Cheers all!

Yikes! It's nearly Yuletide again (halfway out of the darkness!) and mayhap thou hast the bone-ache - or so spaketh Catweazle, the 11th Century magician who was catapulted into the 1970s in the children's tv series of the same era. You can catch both series on a certain video-hosting website (or invest in the dvds!) The combination of the magical writing of the much-missed Richard Carpenter and the mercurial acting of Geoffrey Bayldon in the title role is quite wonderful and though very much of its time is still well worth watching today.

Recently painted a Vitruvian Cyberman (after Leonardo) it was a Tenth Planet version and only served to remind me how downright creepy those original designs were with their almost mummified, cloth faces (concealing who knows what underneath) and their "human" hands reminding us of their origins and "closeness" to ourselves; truly the stuff of nightmares!!

Also I've had the privilege of being granted an exhibition in The Whispering Gallery which resides within the excellent Kasterborous website - if you fancy a wander through their grandiose halls and corridors please follow this link:

www.kasterborous.com/2012/12/t…

As the winter weather kicks in good and proper it's time to smear on the goose-fat and stitch yourselves into those under-garments - it really saves on the heating bills and is so much more comfortable than stuffing newspaper under your clothes!

Been back to Cambridge with my wife, Diane (Sonic Stylist) checking out some Floydian haunts; the Barrett family home on the Hills Road and the Anchor Inn at Granta Place (formerly the Riverside Jazz Club frequented by Syd and his fellow Cantabrigians back in the early to mid 60s) there's a poignant mural in Syd's memory in the downstairs bar overlooking the Cam; some fine time spent supping cask ales and watching varied attempts at punting out on the river - whole families drifting by just eating their dinner!

Working on an Autumnal painting and about to embark on a "Power of the Daleks" commission - all's well in our Gormenghastian garret! Speaking of which, don't miss Radio 4's classic serial adaptation of Mervyn Peake's magnificent opus airing on the next 6 Sunday afternoons!

Back to shameless plug mode: I have some paintings and a Tenth Doctor sketch up for auction on eBay at the moment - just follow this link: my.ebay.com/ws/eBayISAPI.dll?M…

Cheers m'dears!!

What a fortnight, Jo Wilfried Tsonga blasts away Roger Federer at Wimbledon and Anna Calvi plays a sublime set at Glastonbury - best act I saw though from the comfort of my living room I'm afraid cos I've been hellishly busy. Been painting a pastiche cover of TV Action (if anyone remembers that fantastic early 70s Polystyle weekly!) as a private commission, an utter pleasure to paint as I have very fond memories of those original, iconic Gerry Haylock covers, probably my first inspiration to become an illustrator way back when. Anyway, almost 40 years on there's a "new" TV Action cover in existence - a nod and a thank you to those forward-looking guys who wrote and drew the originals. Now a shameless plug I'm afraid; my "HEROES OF SONTAR" illustration (featuring the Fifth Doc and the Sontarans) is up for auction on worldwide eBay at the moment - a highly collectible piece of original, classic DOCTOR WHO artwork I hope you agree! Here's a link:  search.ebay.co.uk/_W0QQsassZ94…!