CHALDECOTT GALLERY

There two types of Artist; those that exhibit themselves and their work with full commitment and those that prefer to remain stuck in their ivory tower with their works and their practice. This is the metaphor used by those in the art world anyway. With me; (upon realisation) it seems that I am happiest when quiet solice is vacant. Although I like to show off my work the practice of my art is very much different. It is in my ivory tower that I like to do most of my study but I do not mind the showing of my work out there so to speak. So I guess I'm stuck in the confounded middle of the metaphor.

Meeting people in the art world is great, all artists are of the most understanding, and philosophically minded people I have ever met. They are like minded when it comes to Art and the frustrations and wot-not that come with the study. I have moved within various circles and societies of art in the past twenty years: the earliest being the Chichester art society, and one thing they all have in common is the understanding of 'freedom of movement'.  

I have taken my diversified field very seriously, self analysis and learning comes in many forms, and what I can not learn for myself I will seek from the very best artist there is. And I am very fortunate to know such people; in whatever medium. With the oils my mentor was Brian Peskitt many moons ago, until sadly he died and left me to observe the medium entirely alone-- and that I did. The R.C.P.S taught me 'social adaption' in the arts. Strange but the observations whilst at the R.A taught me that sometimes a work of Art can be absolutely 'anything', even the crappiest piece can be worth LOADSA MUNNEE!! with modern art taken over from fine art! because fine art doesn't seem to make it there anymore. Yea, in my opinion art in some establishments is more about money than the spirit of art. There are still some unique artists still out there, those that operate their business of art whilst keeping the spirit of art intact, and it is these people I look to for guidance and advice. Because they exercise the verve in their work. They do not dilly or dally in the exercise of their stroke or put down their pigments with unconcentrated misuse. The true artists work is full of panache.

I have become engrossed in the art or craft of tattooing. It's a strange one because I gave myself a year to see if I would take to the new field of art or not. Away from oil painting I mean. If oil painting were a 'conscious being' it would not be jealous of my leaving it for another craft; rather, I think it would be pleased that I have advanced my practice.

At the moment there is a lot of things going on with what I'm upto, I made my decision to delve deeper into tattoo art when I bought my medical grade autoclave (an essential item if I'm to feel completely safe in the knowledge that my utensils are 'splammed' from any nasty microscopic bugs) and the damn thing wasn't cheap; and I aint rich! but hey! it's got now, so now I'm going for it, s*** or bust.

People love what I'm doing, everyone has healed up fine (I check  and observe this as much as possible) there was some crap ink that I first tattooed myself with that I have recently ditched to the bin (crappy stuff from overseas that come with my kit when I first got it) other than that, fine. Everything has to be critically observed in this game. That's the fun of it all, my mind is never layed bored.

I draw more now than I did when I was oil painting. Completeing a full two inch thick A4 folder of hand drawn material in a year. Now I'm onto my A3 folder. People present their own ideas and I just draw them up, it's bloody great, and their ideas are interesting too. It saves me dreaming up stuff to draw, although I do a lot of that too. The imagination has an endless vault of images just waiting to surface into reality. Not many people tap it (lord knows I've observed people that don't) but it's there. And tattooing is a great medium for utiliseing the imagination.

My brushes have transformed to become machines, my oils my ink, my pallette my ink-cups, and my canvas, people! I aint finished yet, if someone wants a painting I'll paint for them (depending) if someone wants a tattoo I'll do that too, and they'll get my best shot.

This is definately worth a mention as far as design goes for tattooing. Or for any other art medium come to that. I've drawn up (you can see on the designs page) Lakshmi, the Goddess of wealth and luck; now I'm looking at having a more detailed look and perhaps a more indepth study of these Eastern deities. I think they're great, colourfull, meaningfull etc etc. I'm going to draw up a few for my A3 folder: get a slower approach on some of them as far as drawings concerned anyway. Next is Ganesh, the God of  removing obstacles. The Elephant god with the large ears depicting 'To listen', and two tusks one depicting 'Emotion' and the other depicting 'Wisdom'. Although one of them is broken thus depicting something else between the two!

Anyway, this is the flavour of how these deities happen. All this with imagery and detail and colour and not forgetting 'meaning', or definition of iconography (if that's the correct term) I'm going to look forward to drawing some of these up. All present sitters that come to me for their tattoos at the moment; it's definately worth a browse of this Eastern culture art, if you like that sorta thing and are into loadsa detail and wot not.

Even the oriental Bhudda has variety of design: they don't have to always sat on rocks for instance. They can be holding alsorts of objects and have alsorts of 'different backgrounds' mergeing around the thing.

Although it's called  'Kali style' in tattooing it's worth mentioning that 'Kali', is actualy the Goddess of destruction and renewal. And everything she holds in her many arms; includeing the swords and wot not mean something.

When I research more into these Eastern culture deitie, (although my knowledge isn't totally ignorant because of my past glimpsing observations of em) for drawings, I think it's important to stick to the actual designs without too much 'artistic license' thrown in. They are specific to the Gods they represent and would not be a good thing to change them and their symbology.

Let's see what I come up with. A page or two on A3 should do for starters.

Art is an eternal road of learning and study. Even when your not practiceing the eyes pick up countless observations into whatever your training them on. Minor details become apparent, the slightest kink in a curve down to the flaws of other things too. An artist constantly strives for the best that they can be in their 'thing'. Nothing will stand in their way of progression and perfection of the stroke is always worked toward.

Sociologically, an artist is different, temperemental, emotional and sensitive. They are eccentrics and exhibitionists, (but not weird or stupid as some may define them as). Characters like this don't fit in to the normal mainstream job titles like working in a factory producing countless bottle tops for fat cats. To strive toward createing (or at best trying to create) a thing of beauty is an artist main aim. Aesthetic appreciation is better than feeling sad and down in the humdrum job titles that society would have the majority of us doing. An artist is not a 'robot', or mechanical device than can be controlled for the ends of others. It is a fact.

In my opinion, art is not solely about 'technical application'. It is a thinking process. It is trying to perfect the way the mind deals with the perception of reality; however one percieves it to be. To recreate your perceptions and observations into an artform is what an artist does. A good artist does it well, and does it against all adversity. Even at times when battelling against the negative aspects and ignorance around us. Cos there are those that try to thwart the process with their bitter tongues and horrible inuendos. These people are not artists, they are sheep!

An artist is not perfect, even if when they speak as if they sound like they are trying to be. Well yes! a true artist IS trying to be: but they are the first to observe that they are not.

So are Artists different by character from others? I don't know, you tell me. Because at the end of the day an artist will only consider the thinkings of ones own mind. They will take on board the positive and reject the negative: for the creative process.

I hear people speak of facts all the time. But there is no greater fact than what you see with your eyes. Things of the ear can be misinterpreted.

"NIHIL AD INTELLECTUS QUAD PIOUS NISI EN SENSU".

Hi peeps! things are getting quite interesting. If people demanded my oil paintings like they do my tattoos I'd be off to the Caribean drinkin pina colladas underneath coconut trees on the beach! I no longer have to think too much into which design I want to draw next; other people supply those ideas. Individuals know exactly what they want on their skin and that's the way it should be. For me; it's great that finally my artwork can walk around all by itself out there. If my oil paintings done that well that would be a thing wouldn't it. But nah! they're just stuck on my wall testimony to my skills as a painter or artist.

Generaly speaking, things are fine with this new diversified art study I've gone and got myself into. It'll be a year study this June and still loving it. Frankly people, I can't afford to take another twenty years out of my life to 'learn' to tattoo. I'm forty one years old I've gotta pick it up now (or soon now) or not at all realy, and that's being realistic. At the moment, if I were to stop now there would be more dissapointed people than just me because they are my canvases at the moment; certain individuals out there want me to put art on their bodies.

My operation has become meticulous in the practice/study/cleaning process'. Well it needs to be. I take no chances with peoples health. That is the most important thing. Aside all other things with 'tatau', (Polynesian term). Anyway just wanted to put a few words down here I spose I'll have to get back to it; I got a Gothic cross memorial piece to draw up!

Ooogh! and people! don't forget you can sign my guestbook if you want or whatever.

Have a great year

...is not only a crazy title for this little write up, but worth noting down. Because that's what my head is full of at this stage: images. Loads of them. Where as in traditional oil painting the subject matter (for me) has been mainly geared toward landscaspes and animals and the things we observe in our day to day reality. Tattooing presents a vast array of imagery to peruse over, study and look at etc. The mind can very easily become interestingly busy with it all.

With the tattooing and it's medium images are not only coming from my own research sources into what I feel inspired to do they come from other people too. A person may present an idea and then I go and come up with a drawing or design from it. Things tend to go from there really. The art side of such imagery is as much about aesthetics as it is anything else. If it is an oil painting, an engraved sidecaseing to a motorbike, a painted bakki tin or wall, or skin; the aesthetics of art remains. The 'ground' the artist works on is various in substance as too is the imagery that can go upon such things. Thinking about all these things and more; (especially in tattooing) is the hard thing! It helps when you have a degree of 'visual memory'2.

Now that people can observe some of my Tattoo body art (even though in the early stages of study) I think it's time for me to review my progress so far after only having my 'kit' for about four months; since mid June.

You can see in BodyArtGallery section what I have done so far. Baring in mind these examples have been done in such a short time of having my 'gear' that in double the time I would have doubled my effect in the results of any tattoo done. All aftercare and healing has occured on many of them without a hitch. I have to change (which I learnt a few weeks ago) the liner ink that I experimented using: and use a pro-pitch black liner ink instead. But hey! even though on one of the tats that I have done healed up rather faded grey in the lining; what do people expect if they come to me 'early'? Generaly however people are enjoying what I am doing in my 'diversified art', than not.

My clientele is growing fast, too fast for my study program it seems some times; so I give myself a break between sitters innorder to, research, learn, practice on some ME time. Using my legs as a tattoo sketchbook or canvas. As far as criticism goes, well, that's part and parcel of any art anyway but my ammunition in my defence is, 'not bad for four months though is it'. Wait till this time next year

Hello people. Well it's been a wee while since I touched my website. That's because I've been busy diversifying my art. Painters have been known to do this, if it weren't sculpture it would be something else; right through the ages this has happened with certain individuals of the arts. However I don't want people to get me wrong; painting for me is still a very big part of my being only now something a little more shall we say 'lucrative' in the short term has struck my eye and practice. I'll not say too much as to what the diversified practice is, just that my oil painting has been the greatest teacher into what I am upto now with my art. Oh! blowit! I'll tell you all now what I'm doing. I've diversified to body art. Namely a tattoo artist; not a 'tattooer', to me that is something completely different. Anyway, as you can imagine there are issues involved in tattooing (the proper way) which require my full attention to detail. This is what I have been doing.

My oil painting. Well, My collection is plentifull, and testimony to my ability as an artist. I paint now when I am inspired to do so, or when a commission comes in. Let's face it, in the business of art one has to make atleast some income. And nowadays, and in my location people would rather purchase a new car than a painting for their walls. Body art is highly popular; and now my artwork can walk around the streets in a way my oil paintings can not; this is appealing. But like I say, other issues have to be focused on here and I ask the viewers (those that enjoy my work) to relax in the thought that I have not given up oil painting entirely. In fact now that may well return to becoming a hobby of mine. Now my studies take on a different medium.

I am engrossed in the arts. Lately I have dived into the arts and it's application of my practiced medium intensively. Both culturally, historically and technically; as concerns my painting. I have on my easel now a small miniature on the go. This miniature is of special importance to me because it is the image of my grandfather and grandmother dressed in their wedding clothes and set up against an old panel fence. I'm exercising my colour mixing memory skills on all the subject matter. The photograph I am studying from was taken in about 1948/9 hence it is a black and white and a very old image. I am recreating Roland Chaldecott and Vera Lucy Chaldecott in full realist colour.

I will not give up with what I am doing; only me popping it will see to that. And I shall recreate in oils all my family and relations in this manner in due course. My miniatures, they are in-between paintings to larger ones, they keep my mind flowing into the study whilst nothing else is going on. At the moment, I await yet another commission that is due, whilst I await it, I will hold a pencil, or brush in my hand. Or indeed my eyes will be trained upon yet another subject or in a book of art history, or on this site. And if none of that is happening I will be relaxing with a can of beer; but my mind: that will be dreaming up something else to paint, metaphysically, it will be observing all manner of things. If I do not express these 'things', I feel I would go quite insane with frustration.

The finished portrait will be uploaded for my viewers to observe in due course. Anyone else interested in having their family or relations recreated from old B/W photo's feel free to contact me. And do hope that you catch me in moments of nothing going on!

M.Chaldecott; Oil Painter.

In between the bigger pieces I like to paint miniatures. I'm concentrating my efforts on miniature portraits of people at the moment; since I've never been too good a painter of portraits, studying them in miniature firstly is a great way to come to grips with the amount of detail involved in a portrait oil. It gets you involved in the shapes and the forms that are so essential to a portrait of a person. And, it lets the painter study to a degree of detail that trains the mind ready for the larger pieces. Do it and study it in miniature before one commits ones oil pigments to a larger scale, is my philosophy with this subject matter.

I have always introspected to the point of realising my inadequacies and failures in the things that I do (which is more than I can say for some people). With portraits of people I have much to learn on the subject matter. I have proved to people that I can paint of course. I have the 'stroke': however with people, or the individual human person as a subject for an oil, things have to be observed very carefully indeed. Because each and every one of us is different, except in the case of twins I presume. Two eyes, one nose, one mouth, and two ears on one person is different to another. I will study in oils more on this subject, and one day I will present to the people (where ever I may show it) a person as real as you look at me! framed through the window, and with a depth in the pictures planes enough for the viewer to step right in.