Art Journal Post March 2017 by Jenny Meehan aka jennyjimjams
As per usual, skimming is order of the moment because the writing just goes on! I have a new camera which is very exciting and will be better for cataloguing my work. I am rather behind on this, and have quite a lot of photography to get done. But with the knee replacement operation very soon here, I have to keep lowering my expectations of what I will achieve in the next few months. I have various things in the pipe line as per normal. And the Kingston Artists Open Studios is coming up in a few months:
KAOS OPEN STUDIOS 10th/11th and 17th/18th June 2017
Our 7th Open Studios Event will feature over 80 artists in studios across Kingston!
It’s in no time at all! So pop this in your diary and make yourself a nice day out. Walk by the river in Kingston, Stroll in the park, walk along the studio trail, pop into a little cafe! Meet KAOS (we are a lovely bunch of creatives) and take a look at what we love investing ourselves into! And if you are someone who does collect art, be it just a few pieces or many, make a good choice and visit the artists direct. You can talk with us and find out more about the work in a way that you wouldn’t be able to do in a different context.
I will be showing a mixture of artwork, including a recent series of paintings which are 20 x 16 inches on hardboard. The look deceptively simple. But they are the fruit of many dedicated years of working with paint non objectively and have a level of refinement that is characteristic of my expressionistic paintings and an attention to surface and light which has taken years to develop.
Here is one, actually my personal favourite! I have it facing me right now in the living room.
abstract lyrical expressionist british paintings jenny meehan
Painting by Jenny Meehan “Simple Piece – Crossing Over” © Jenny Meehan All Rights Reserved
“Is Art Just Rip Off?” by Roger Lewis
(Roger Lewis writes this article in response to the “Rogues’ Gallery: A History of Art and Its Dealers ” by Philip Hook)
In my various ramblings over the internet I often research things about the value of art, because what people understand as “value” is a very interesting matter. As an artist I am interested in why one person will consider art worthwhile and another not. Value is an elusive thing. How surprised I was to find this article on the internet. It’s written by Roger Lewis, who brought some happiness into my life by purchasing one of my paintings a few years ago to add to his collection. This was a good encouragement to me, as it always is, when another person sees, responds, and wants your work to the extent that they decide to buy it. The joy in this for me is not the money paid (though obviously needed) but it’s the faith placed in the work you have done. That someone has recognised a value in it is the most precious transaction.
How ever good I believe my work, and however much faith I have in the purpose of it, I want it to to have a purpose far beyond the perimeters of my studio space. The main value in people buying my paintings, if they should ask to do such a thing, is that they relieve me of an item which is taking space up needed for another painting. Not just that, of course. I jest. It is that they bring the work into another context, for encounters hopefully with other people, (Oh, please, never buy a painting and put it in a cupboard). (Of if you do, never tell me about it, because you have imprisoned any life that might be experienced by the work’s existence).
Value is the meeting of artist and buyer, in discovering that something worthwhile has been done, and that the experience of it can be shared and enjoyed. Value is the recognition that there is another dimension to life and experience which lies far beyond the business of buying and selling art. And it’s the desire that investing in that is worthwhile simply for that. These are my thoughts on the matter.
Yes, I am romantic at heart. Much too much, but that is how it is for me. But success, as I define it, is based on what I have written above. It is nothing to do with ‘profit’ in the money sense of the word. It’s a about enlarging our souls and if someone relates to a painting in such a way as they want an ongoing encounter with the work, then this is an amazing and wonderful thing to happen. Both people are happy. Artist and buyer. Anything good which is offering sustenance in life is a good thing.
My romantic aspirations are one thing. But I don’t want other people taking the words from my lips on the eternal virtues of a painting and then demanding a ridiculous amount of money for it. So it was with great pleasure that I enjoyed reading Roger Lewis’ article. He has articulated several things I have not been able to but have wanted to.
http://www.dailymail.co.uk/home/books/article-4185476/Is-art-just-rip-off.html
“On the face of it, art ought to be the cheapest thing going, as the outlay is minimal: pens, pencils, paint — or, in this day and age, unmade beds and pickled fish.
What makes it desirable, though, what creates the eye-watering price tag, is the compelling sales pitch of the dealer.”
Thankfully there are plenty of people who buy what they want direct from artists and dealers have nothing to do with the process. There is a lot of sense in heading to your local artists’ Open Studios Events or arrange to visit their studios, if you want to collect art! The UK is full of self representing artists who need more space to make more work. And who need sufficient money for their materials. Don’t let illusions of relative status affect your desire, or let anyone fabricate them for you. Because what makes something desirable, in the truest sense of the word, comes right from your very own heart. And that desire will stick with you, and not be a passing fad or temporary creation which someone else has created for you in order to release you of some cash. So, again I say, pop that KAOS Kingston Artists Open Studios in your diary!
Another related read:
Imagined Worlds Exhibition
This fantastic touring exhibition is now at its second venue, artatruh.org
imagined worlds exhibition alph the sacred river coleridge kubla khan jenny meehan
The work above “Alph the Sacred River” was selected as part of this art exhibition. More information:
IMAGINED WORLDS ‘IN XANADU DID KUBLA KHAN…’
Event Date and Time:
Monday, 30 January 2017 – 8:00am to Thursday, 27 April 2017 – 8:00am
Event Description:
Imagined Worlds’ features the work of twenty contemporary artists inspired by Samuel Taylor Coleridge’s visionary poem Kubla Khan. The exhibition curated by Somerset Art Works on behalf of The Friends of Coleridge Society is part of a programme of events timed to coincide with the bicentenary of the poem’s first publication.
The artists have drawn upon different facets of Coleridge’s or their own imagination to create a diverse array of works including painting, drawing, printmaking, collage and photography as well as film which is available to view online at http://artatruh.org/exhibitions/temporary-programme/central-exhibition/
The Friends of Coleridge Society is grateful to the Arts Council England, Somerset Art Works, Somerset Film, Sedgemoor District Council, and many other supporters for their help in enabling the celebrations to take place.
Event Location:
RUH Central Gallery, Ground Floor (Zone B)
Royal United Hospitals Bath NHS Foundation Trust, Combe Park
BA1 3NG Bath
United Kingdom
I cannot remember if I put these images up on here before but better late than never! These were from the previous venue. Exhibition was curated by Jon England in collaboration with Somerset Art Works. All the following images of the exhibition: Photo: Jon England
imagined worlds coleridge kubla khan inspired art exhibition somerset
imagined worlds coleridge kubla khan inspired art exhibition somerset
imagined worlds coleridge kubla khan inspired art exhibition somerset
imagined worlds coleridge kubla khan inspired art exhibition somerset
imagined worlds coleridge kubla khan inspired art exhibition somerset
imagined worlds coleridge kubla khan inspired art exhibition somerset
What do Artist’s do all Day?
Maybe paintings like this one? !
dark night of the soul abstract painting jenny meehan © Jenny Meehan All Rights Reserved
I titled this painting “Dark Night/noche oscura” primarily because things have been harder for me since the condition of my knee deteriorated, and that experience of deterioration, (while certainly not an experience of depression, but rather of desperation and challenge), has been a path of uncertainty, and of not knowing the way ahead. Maybe an amount of not understanding what is going on, and a difficulty in getting to grips with the reality of my situation. Some times in life, things seem more predictable and we feel more secure. Other times we are thrown all over the place. So when I looked at this painting, having worked my way with tenacity through the process of it’s evolution, a fight into the face of darkness and unknowing seemed to be it’s main root.
Dark Night of the Soul (Spanish: La noche oscura del alma) is the title given (though not by the poet himself) to a poem by 16th-century Spanish poet and Roman Catholic mystic Saint John of the Cross. Saint John of the Cross’ poem narrates the journey of the soul from its bodily home to its union with God. The journey is called “The Dark Night” in part because darkness represents the fact that the destination, God, is unknowable. The “dark night of the soul” does not refer to the hardships and difficulties of life in general, although the phrase has generally been taken to refer to such trials. The nights which the soul experiences are the necessary purgations on the path to divine union. There are several steps in this night, which are related in successive stanzas. The main idea of the poem can be seen as the joyful experience of being guided to God. The only light in this dark night is that which burns in the soul. And that is a guide more certain than the mid-day sun. This light leads the soul engaged in the mystic journey to divine union. ( text adapted from Wiki…https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Dark_Night_of_the_Soul
“Dark Night” is often used as a way of referring to a person’s spiritual crisis.
Debris Painting
Debris Painting by Jenny Meehan © Jenny Meehan
Not much to say about this one, except that the interest with solidity and fluidity, continues. While debris is often used to refer to rubbish or waste material, I titled this painting more thinking along the lines of loose natural material, breaking and being scratched into, with varying degrees of solidity. My interest was to create something which had a feeling of brokenness, but also conveyed suspension and holding together. The disintegration of the solid matter having a kind of dynamic and positive feeling to it, rather than being a simple matter of decay.
Waterfall Painting and Arshile Gorky
waterfall painting jenny meehan© Jenny Meehan
“Waterfall” by Jenny Meehan © Jenny Meehan All Rights Reserved
http://www.tate.org.uk/art/artworks/gorky-waterfall-t01319 take a look.
“Gorky was born in Armenia, but was forced to flee Turkish persecution, and in 1920 settled in the USA. His early work was strongly influenced by Pablo Picasso and the European Surrealists. In the summer of 1942, Gorky spent three weeks in Connecticut making drawings from nature. He went on to produce a series of paintings that refer to natural forms. In this painting, amorphous shapes and drips of liquid paint suggest the fluidity of the waterfall.
Gallery label, August 2004″
Mine is a somewhat more blocky type matter, but I kept the whole things quite loose. This was a discovery for me, that I did not need to hold everything neatly together. Lesson for life, that! Relinquish control!
https://www.theguardian.com/artanddesign/2010/feb/06/arshile-gorky-painting-william-feaver
Very nice quote from Arshile Gorky:
“Abstraction allows man to see with his mind what he cannot physically see with his eyes… Abstract art enables the artist to perceive beyond the tangible, to extract the infinite out of the finite. It is the emancipation of the mind. It is an explosion into unknown areas.”
Read more about Arshile Gorky here: http://www.theartstory.org/artist-gorky-arshile.htm
What Does “Asana” Really Mean?
I found the following text here: https://www.yogatraveltree.com/blog/article/sanskrit-101-real-meaning-asana (link now extinct)
and I was very pleased, as I had been playing with the idea of titling some of my paintings with the word “Asana”.
“We’ll start with the term “asana” which is part of most of the Sanskrit pose names. “Asana” is defined as any of the yogic postures or movements, but literally translates to “seat.” It’s said that originally the only posture in yoga was a comfortable seat taken for long periods of mediation. Eventually the other postures were developed to help find ease in sitting for so long, and to assist with opening the mind to a meditative state. The postures are used to increase hip flexibility so one can sit crosslegged, and to stimulate the chakras and nadis (allowing for energy body throughout the body). “Asana” is a very thought-provoking term, since thinking of each posture as a place to find the meditative “seat” or state of mind brings the practice away from just the physical movement and begins the journey of the mind looking inward. It also reinforces the idea that a practitioner should try seated meditation in addition to practising postures.”
Each painting may also be an opportunity to find a meditative “seat” or state of mind. I have several earlier paintings which I called “Resting Place” and they featured a block/still area which served as a point of resting the eye…or seating the eye maybe, in one (normally fairly central) area. I very much like this idea of the painting, as a whole, as an “asana” or point of entry to a journey of the mind, as it looks inwards. So the looking ourwards bears a kind of inner reflection, a reflective state. A painting, while it does contain dynamic movement in the way that it stimulates the eye and mind, is also beautifully still. For looking at a painting to be appreciated as a kind of meditative pose being taken by the viewer has a lot of appeal to me.
The painting above “Boat House” was for a considerable time also titled “Resting Place”. In the end I settled with the “Boat House” because of the strong aspect of reflection in water which really makes it stand apart from the other similar experiments I did at the time. Around 2012 ish. This painting is ready to find a new home I think. We are now five years down the line. Because of what happens when you take photographs of paintings the blue looks much stronger than it is in the flesh. The red is also a little more prominent. The playing around with more solid areas and then areas of fluidity turned out to be a feature which continues to fascinate me.
Mother Artist
So What do Artists do all Day?
My answer: Housework, but as little as possible. Caring work, because I’ve invested myself in nurturing my children. Art work, squeezed in wherever possible!
If they are mothers and housekeepers, domestic bliss will keep them busy. They do all that they can to avoid their domestic tasks, and spend as much possible time as they can developing their art working! But, other work cannot be avoided. Indeed, the challenges of balancing my time between the work of an artist and the work of ‘everything else’ is a healthy tension. It’s helpful to keep perspective, and also distance, in any creative activity, is a great blessing. It is very convenient for me that my work base is also my home. I can flit between the intensely creative, to the simplest mundane tasks, and both contribute to the other in some way. The constant effort of letting go is a good one to employ. In order to paint, I need to somehow ignore the piles of domestic tasks which surround me. It is hard, takes will power, and a very focused attitude of mind. On the other hand, to be able to release myself from the intense involvement in a painting, and do a bit of washing up, or work in the garden for a while is also very helpful. There is always a certain frustration with respect to limitations on time, however this is less of a problem now the children are older.
So, for a start, throw out the impression (possibly) given by the question “So What DO Artist’s Do all Day?” that they might be wondering what to do. For a large number of artists, the time they invest in their art working is hard won, in one way or another. It is pressed between the other demands of life. Unless they are on a creative retreat or residency maybe. Many artists have multiple roles in life. Artist is just one of them. And art working is just one strand.
Even bearing this in mind, they may still choose to define themselves primarily as an artist. I do. And the greater or lesser amount of their time spent on their work in no way makes them less or more of an artist. What an artist does “all day” may be for a small part of the day, among all the other “normal” things (!!!!!) that occupy people. While some artists may pride themselves when they reach of point of describing themselves as a Full Time Artist (capital letters being very important!) , there is no real merit in that description, I don’t think, because defining yourself as “an artist” is more about an ongoing mission/vocation.
So, don’t worry about dreaming or wishing you could be a “full time artist”. If you are an artist, every part of your being abides in the whole of your life, and in every little thing you do. Your whole life and all you do in it, is essentially the raw material of your art working, and will influence what you create, if you let it. The way your time is allocated, is the way your time is allocated, and no more or no less than that. You are not more or less of an artist if you need to spend more time doing things which seem less related to your art work creation/activities. You will call yourself an artist, if you decide that this definition is something which most aptly describes what matters to you.
Here a another read on the topic. The Myth of the Full Time Creative Artist!
http://skinnyartist.com/myth-of-the-full-time-creative-artist/
This is a very good read.
This “Don’t Fall For The Part-time Artist Versus Full-Time Artist Trap”.was also a good read:
http://theartedge.faso.com/blog/94055/dont-fall-for-the-part-time-artist-vs-full-time-artist-trap
Adds another dimension that I had not thought through with regard to the whole “art business” model.
Professional Artist?
I realised recently, that from an external perspective, unless one already knows a professional artist, it might be hard to appreciate the nature of “work” for a fine artist. This is the only explanation I can come to as I mull over the words “But it doesn’t affect your work” (with reference to the state of my knee) which was applied to me a while back. I may have misunderstood. I will get over the shock of hearing this, I am sure. Though how a lack of mobility cannot affect every single area of a person’s life, I am not sure. And how some areas might be considered more worthy or less worthy of attention, I am not sure either. And how anyone could say that to someone else, when they do not know the person, or know nothing about what they spend their time doing, I do not know either. It was a mistaken assumption, for sure. (I have ranted!)
But we all make mistakes. Sometimes ones which cause annoyance! And it makes me remember the look of bewilderment on a young lady’s face at a recent art networking event I went to. Myself and another Mother-Artist were talking about the challenges of balancing the domestic sphere of activity, child rearing, and our art practice, and in the conversation we referred to “Keeping the house”. This phrase was a complete mystery to the younger lady…She said “What do you mean? Keeping the house?”. She looked bemused and confused and said “What is there to do?”. It’s amazing, but I shouldn’t be surprised because I think thirty years earlier in my life I would have had no idea or no appreciation of what household management and housekeeping involved. The whole idea would have been alien to me. We are often very lacking in awareness of the work which our mothers (usually mothers) do because we take them for granted. And also, probably, I would have had no appreciation of the way that the person who spends more time based in the home often tends, by natural default, to then take over the main responsibility of running the show. Which, depending on their partners occupation, and various other factors, can mean running everything. We slip into roles. They just happen.
But I don’t think what is happening with the whole matter of women being strongly encouraged/expected to enter, (even when their children are very young), into external workplaces, at the expense of the work which happens in the home, really helps younger people, or anyone, gain an appreciation of either the importance, nature, or value of work done in the home/stemming from the home base. The implication is that home based work is something that is easily left, and of lesser importance, when in reality they are of equal value to society. The only difference between work done in the home and work done elsewhere is that they are carried out in different locations, and one tends to be paid and the other not. (Well, there are other differences, depending on the job titles which might be coming to mind, but potentially there are also no differences, just a merging of potential job titles!). The actual activity varies from person to person, depending on their situation, but there is a lot of overlap in terms of what is actually done/the effect on society. Investment is a word we tend to associate with money, but time and effort are the material of investment.
I reflect, then, that there are many people who are not part of the labour market, but who do “work” very hard, and with a sense of purpose and drive, which is the very same purpose and drive, which might fire them ahead in any paid career. Many people in this category might be termed “retired”, I guess, but may have nothing retiring about themselves and their outlook or their manner of going about their lives. Or they may be caregivers of various kinds, or just be pursuing a vocation which doesn’t fit neatly into a box or is slightly unconventional. The main thing is that voluntary work, or activities which do not profit in the financial sense, (or aim to in any way), are still work. And profitable work. But the profit is not monetary. It’s not spiritualistic. It is not materialistic either. It is to do with the soul, the heart, the centre of being, and those experiences and moments in life which touch us to the core, and ultimately make us who we are.
Passion and involvement are what is needed to “work” in the truest sense of the word. To coin that familiar phrase “It’s not what you do, it’s the way that you do it” Maybe “work” is, ultimately, those activities we do in life which are rooted in love, passion and maybe even a sense of mission. So “work” may weave it’s way through our many aspects of life…it is not limited to a single compartment of someone’s life. It is, maybe that which we apply ourselves to in a dedicated and determined manner, in order to reap benefit, for oneself and for others. In order to contribute to our society in some form or other.
Basically, work is life!
Consider also the words of the Lord Jesus Christ
Mark 8:36 King James Version (KJV)
36 “For what shall it profit a man, if he shall gain the whole world, and lose his own soul?”
As a mother, I can also testify that the unpaid work of mothering (fathering and indeed, parenting roles by any person…gender regardless, but I have to speak as I am) is extremely important for the soul of our society, and is horrifically and destructively attacked by the capitalist and materialist systems/prevailing consciousness we are subject to, in my opinion.
The whole trend of equating money with value is pretty gross basically. Thankfully a lot of people do see this, recognise it, and speak about it. We kind of know it, deep down I think. But the currents are strong, and pull us sometimes away from our very selves, and away from the source of our being. A person, whatever their occupation, and regardless of what they do or do not do, is no less valuable than any other human being. We work at life, and do not understand or fully appreciate each other, or our own unique trials and triumphs. Though we work at doing so, hopefully. It is not for us to judge…Though we tend to, by habit. We judge ourselves and others.
It’s worth adding, also, that if someone is free to involve and invest themselves in unpaid work, this should not stand against them either. The assumption that because someone is presently at liberty not to need to earn any money, and that this state will go on forever, is also mistaken. We all need to work, and our work is what we work at. It is the matter of life which matters to us. What we invest ourselves into. Our mission. Sometimes the activities people do “for a living” are that which provide them the financial resources they need. But sometimes the activities people do “for a living” are not related to the financial resources they need but are still none the less related to their living, their experience of living, and the quality of life. What IS work and what is not work? In the end, work is what matters to a person and what they invest themselves into.
I think I have digressed rather, as is my habit. For I did start with “What do Artists Do all Day”. So I had better get back to that. One thing did lead to another! I am still slightly reeling, but it is an overreaction on my part. I do realise this. An artist’s work is not a conventional “job” in the way that so many peoples work activities are. I am in charge of my own work schedule in a way which is very helpful when disabled with knee osteoarthritis. There is some flexibility there. However, in so many respects, the effects of a lack of mobility have the potential to be just as destructive for someone in my position as for someone who is employed in a more conventional work context. In terms of one’s future, one’s potential. one’s personal development, and basically one’s fulfilment in life, if your mobility is affected, then your opportunities in life ARE drastically restricted. Every thing is impacted. Don’t worry. I’ll get over it!
Back once more to “What do Artists Do all Day”. Well, away from the emotional and into the practical. While clearly there is a lot of variation, and this variation is wonderfully interesting, some of the practical tasks which are carried out by artists of a similar type to me, might include:
Creating original work, and also prints and reproductions of their work.
Carrying out commissioned work
Being involved in selling their work, as much as time allows. This may be through Open Studios events or Studio visits. Artists need to sell their work because if they don’t, then end up having no room to live in anymore! They need room to create more work! And money for resources. (Some might be in a position of having someone to do this for them. Most don’t though!)
Involvement in community art projects and sometimes teaching and education.
Maintaining a website and creating an internet presence.
Researching and planning art works.
Sourcing materials and developing relationships with suppliers
Keeping in touch with what is happening creatively around them. This includes seeing exhibitions, meeting other artists, and keeping eyes out for future opportunities for good working relationships and interesting projects.
Networking, through private views, and other events
Administration, correspondence, and creating publicity
Project planning
Writing proposals for galleries, competitions or artist residencies.
Writing funding applications (public and private)
Applying for residencies, competitions and other opportunities.
Liaising with contacts, gallery owners, curators and other artists
Curating individual and group shows
Writing press releases, and writing/speaking about your work
Maintaining a portfolio
Documenting your work
Skills needed are (as well as artistic talent/ability)
determination and commitment, with passion
self-belief, without an over active ego, but with a good dose of humility
good writing, verbal communications skills and presentation skills
self-promotion skills and confidence
technical ability and interest in materials and experimentation
an ongoing orientation toward professional development
organisation skills and the ability to meet deadlines
research skills
ability to work independently and with others
stamina and a willingness to put in long hours
flexibility and a constant attitude of readiness to learn
a lot of self motivation!
ability to grow and develop your work and practice through increased self-awareness
curiosity and interest in what is happening in the world around you
Self motivation, determination, discipline, and perseverance are very important.
Have I written enough for March? Yes.
I need to go into the garden and look at the shooting shoots shooting up into the air.
Do a last tiny bit of gardening before my knee replacement operation, being VERY careful not to cut or damage my legs in any way.
And I need to pray.
“By prayer I mean not that which is only in the mouth,
but that which springs up from the bottom of the heart”
John Chrysostom
Knee Replacement Operation Coming Up Soon!
Ah, it is coming up soon.
It is major surgery. It is routine surgery. I try to keep the two thoughts in balance!
And how interesting this journey towards surgery has been for me.
How grateful I am for the understanding and care I have had from the professionals I have been involved with. Yet how aware I have also been of the influences which have been at play. Influences which constrain people, however understanding they might be. Think…FUNDING and CCG. Influences which affect all concerned, and subtly affect (I found in my experience) a patients belief, faith and understanding with respect to knee replacement surgery and how realistic an option that might be for them. Think…IS THIS AN OPTION FOR ME AT ALL? I am a sensitive soul. This may not have helped me in some ways, and I may have been better off oblivious. But it is not my style. Artists’ do tend to be rather sensitive to the currents of cultures they inhibit. And I cannot help thinking that if I had not been so persistent, I would have been deterred by many factors, and chosen to delay knee replacement surgery. But I had a pretty big sneaky feeling, which as time progressed grew less sneaky and far more obviously sensible, that for me personally, it would be insane to delay knee replacement surgery bearing in mind the disability and pain which have now become part of my life. The experience has inspired me to such an extent, that I plan to write another page on my blog completely dedicated to my knee journey story. But as I am not ready to do that quite yet, then I share this little finding with you… It is from the BOA, see https://www.boa.ac.uk/publications/boa-letter-to-the-times-rationing-of-hip-knee-replacements-30-01-17/
The Times
1 London Bridge Street
SE1 9GF
Dear Sir,
I read with interest your article on rationing by CCG’s of hip and knee replacements – an issue which is so
important to many of our patients. It is unfortunate that a number of myths continue to be perpetuated in this
debate, some of which you have focused upon in your article. There are many further pieces of information which
support your comments.
Firstly there is robust evidence that having a BMI between 30 and 40 does not increase your risk of a poor
outcome following either hip or knee replacement. Indeed there is some evidence that this group of patients is
actually the ‘happiest’ with their outcome. If your BMI is over 40 your complication risk goes up marginally, but if
you have an uncomplicated outcome you are as happy with the outcome as thinner patients.
A hip replacement costs £7.50 a week and 90% of hip replacements will still be in place having required no further
treatment (beyond 15 years in many cases) at the end of a patient’s life. Patients prior to a major joint
replacement will attend their GPs, on average, a couple of times a month. Post joint replacement they need to do
so only a couple of times a year.
The Oxford hip and knee scores were not designed as a pre-op screening tool to eliminate large sections of the
population from a qualitative life improving procedure: they were designed as a tool to measure outcomes in
large populations and not in individuals. There is evidence that timely surgery has the best effect on patients’
general health, the implication being that if you wait, their general health deteriorates. There is also good
evidence that although patients with a very bad score pre-operatively may make greater improvements in some
respects, they tend not to reach such a high level of functioning or such a low level of disability after their
operation as those who start off with a lower level of disability.
Using the well-intentioned aim of an overall improvement of the populations’ general health as a justification for
limiting access to very effective treatment is neither acceptable nor ultimately cheaper. In an era where patients
should be fully advised as to their options and choice of treatment, this stance will inevitably lead to endless
appeals and a further waste of resources to deal with them.
The Department of Health says there is no more money. This is an assertion which can easily be challenged as in
the UK we spend much less of our money on health care than do most of the developed western nations.
However, if the government is absolutely adamant that they will provide no more funding, there are two things
that should be considered before such arbitrary rationing. Firstly, the enormous increase in NHS management
costs, which have at least tripled in terms of percentage spend over the last two decades, needs to be cut
radically. Secondly, if some form of rationing is deemed essential, it should not be targeted at treatments that
are cost effective and will help maintain the fitness and independence of patients. This clearly applies to total hip
and knee replacement as two of the most cost effective treatments available across the whole of health care.
Preventing patients accessing these life enhancing treatments smacks of moral bankruptcy.
Yours sincerely
Ian Winson FRCS
BOA President
Well said!
I personally thank the wake up call of knee pain due to post traumatic osteoarthritis in my right knee. Yes, I really do, because it has provided a reality check in terms of me recognising how damaging being obese can be for me. It is very true though, (with respect to my obese status …and I am still just above 30 BMI! Nearly under!) I was, with various modes of support, able to utilise my experience of pain and disability pre-operatively but I am highly aware that this would not be the case for a lot of people. Being overweight or obese isn’t good for the body in many respects, and the little bit of lay person’s research I did on the recovery from TKR did reflect this general principle, but it is interesting that the letter above references a BMI of 40…Much greater than the BMI of 30 which seems to feature in the CCG’s I looked at.
Indeed, when I look at my still just over 30 BMI body, which is several stone lighter than it was, I think most people seeing it would not realise that I am technically obese. And, when it comes down to it, loosing weight HAS NOT reduced the pain and disability I experience. My knee has had phases of being better and worse, but the general trend has been a steady but gradual deterioration. Weight loss may have helped a bit, and lessened the load, quite literally. I am certainly going to keep the weight off to make sure my knee replacement has the maximum chances of a long life. And I plan to loose a couple more stone in addition, to keep up the good work. Exercise is now a way of life for me.
NHS Financial Crisis
Here is the “NHS Financial Crisis” art work I came up with, as part of this experience. It’s important to me that the load is seen to be born by both clinicians and patients, and not just one or the other.
NHS financial pressures knee replacement jenny meehan © Jenny Meehan All Rights Reserved
Love my painting, but love a bit of graphic art from time to time.
On the matter of artist’s being sensitive:
“Sensitive people often pick up on the little things in the environment that others miss, see patterns where others see randomness, and find meaning and metaphor in the minutiae of everyday life. It’s no wonder this type of personality would be driven to creative expression. If we think of creativity as “connecting the dots” in some way, then sensitive people experience a world in which there are both more dots and more opportunities for connection.”
This excerpt is from the new book Wired to Create: Unravelling the Mysteries of the Creative Mind, by psychologist Scott Barry Kaufman and HuffPost Senior Writer Carolyn Gregoire.
Nice quote:
“The truly creative mind in any field is no more than this: A human creature born abnormally, inhumanly sensitive.”
— Pearl S. Buck
Read the article here:
http://www.huffingtonpost.com/entry/artists-sensitive-creative_us_567f02dee4b0b958f6598764
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Jenny Meehan is a painter-poet, artist-author and Christian contemplative based in East Surrey/South West London. Her interest in Christ-centred spirituality and creativity are the main focus of this artist’s journal, which rambles and meanders on, maybe acting as a personal (yet open to view) note book as much as anything else
Jenny Meehan BA Hons (Lit.) PGCE offers art tuition. Availability depends on other commitments. Online art tuition available.
Jenny Meehan works mainly with either oils or acrylics creating both abstract/non-objective paintings and also semi-abstract work. She also produces some representational/figurative artwork, mostly using digital photography/image manipulation software, painting and drawing. Both original fine paintings, other artwork forms, and affordable photo-mechanically produced prints are available to purchase.
This artist’s blog is of interest to artists, art collectors, art lovers and anyone interested in fine art. Those interested in British 21st century female contemporary artists, women and art, religious art, spirituality and art, and psychoanalysis and art, will probably enjoy dipping into this Jenny Meehan Contemporary Artist’s Journal.
Art collectors are often interested in the processes, techniques, interests and influences of the artists whose work they collect, and sharing my thoughts and perspectives through a blog is an important dimension of my creative practice.
My main focus is directed towards process led abstract painting. I encapsulate my painting as being romantic,expressionistic, abstract and lyrical. Art collectors interested in lyrical abstraction, abstract expressionist, and essentially romantic art, are likely to find my paintings an interesting and exciting addition to their art collection.
I am a self-representing artist, whose aim is to ensure I continue to develop my painting practice in an innovative and pioneering way, rather than attempt some kind of commercial success, and whose aim is also that my work is historically relevant, rather then celebrated in that so called and illusive “art world”. I hope to add to the number of people who value, collect, and develop an interest in my paintings and to thereby sustain and develop my practice over many years.
Follow the Jenny Meehan Contemporary Artist’s Journal at WordPress and keep informed that way.
Note About Following Jenny Meehan Contemporary Artist’s Journal
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Help me continue my practice/art working:
Jenny Meehan art images on Redbubble and Image Licensing through the Designer and Artists Copyright Society
If you would like a way of helping me in some small way, while benefiting from my art working yourself, then scoot along to redbubble.com where you can buy various products with my imagery on them. It is a good company and they produce and sell their products with my images on. I get a small royalty payment when something is sold. It all helps a little. Here is the link to the pages on Redbubble.com which show prints with my imagery on them:
https://www.redbubble.com/shop/jenny+meehan+prints?cat_context=u-prints&page=1&accordion=department
My prints and some merchandise which uses my artwork can also be purchased safely and easily through Redbubble.com
Here is the link to the main Jenny Meehan portfolio page on Redbubble.com:
http://www.redbubble.com/people/jennyjimjams?ref=artist_title_name
COPYRIGHT INFORMATION
All content on this blog, unless specified otherwise, is © Jenny Meehan. Unauthorized use and/or duplication of this material without express and written permission from this blog’s author and/or owner is strictly prohibited. Excerpts of writing and links may be used, provided that full and clear credit is given to Jenny Meehan with appropriate and specific direction to the original content. Images may not be used without permission under any circumstances.
Copyright and Licensing Digital Images Information – Jenny Meehan
Copyright in all images by Jenny Meehan is held by the artist.
Permission must be sought in advance for the reproduction, copying or any other use of any images by Jenny Meehan.
Copyright for all visual art by Jenny Meehan is managed by the Design and Artists Copyright Society (DACS) in the UK.
Licensing an image is quick and easy for both parties and is organised through the Design and Artist Copyright Society. (Note, my images are not shown on the “Art image” selection on the Design and Artist Copyright “Art Image” page. This does NOT mean you cannot apply for a license to use an image of my work from DACS… They simply have a very limited sample selection of work in their “Artimage” page!)
I have extensive archives of digital imagery, and keep records of all my art work, so if you require an image similar to something of mine you have seen on the internet, it’s worth contacting me to see if I have something suitable for licensing if need be.
About Jenny Meehan (Jennifer Meehan)
Jenny Meehan is an established artist who has been exhibiting for over ten years, mostly in the UK. Notable exhibitions include, most recently being selected for the Imagined Worlds touring exhibition of artworks inspired by the poem ‘Kubla Khan’ and inclusion in “Building Bridges, the Female Perspective” at Tower Bridge Victorian Engine Rooms in 2016. Jenny has been a keen supporter of various charity art exhibitions over the years including the National Brain Appeals ” A Letter in Mind” at Gallery@oxo, South Bank, London and the “Anatomy for Life” Exhibition for Brighton Sussex University Hospitals Trust in 2015
Selected by a wide range of judges in open submission exhibitions, her work appeals to the aesthetic and emotional discernment of many, and has been displayed in many prestigious galleries. These include the Dulwich Picture Gallery, London, in 2015, as part of their Open Exhibition, and the Pallant House Gallery, Chichester, West Sussex, as part of the Pallant House Gallery/St Wilfrid’s Hospice Open Art Exhibition in 2010.
Jenny Meehan’s work has been included in several academic projects and and publications including “Speaking Out – Women Recovering from the Trauma of Violence” by Nicole Fayard in 2014 and the ongoing “Recovery” Exhibition project – Institute Of Mental Health/City Arts, Nottingham University, also in 2014. While her romantic, lyrical, expressionistic, abstract paintings offer a contemplative space free from cares and concerns, other strands of her practice engage with subjects ranging from violence, trauma recovery, psychoanalysis, and mental health.
Jenny Meehan – General Introduction
I am a painter/visual artist/contemplative/poet/writer and mother, based in Surrey/South West London, UK.
Interested in spirituality (particularly Christ centred spirituality), creativity, emotional and psychological well-being.
I exhibit mainly in the UK, and am a member of Kingston Artists’ Open Studios. I am currently training with SPIDIR as a spiritual guide/mentor. I am a trained teacher and hold occasional small groups in developing painting and drawing skills, and general visual creative expression.
Contact me via the contact form if you would like more information with respect to art tuition, and/or if you wish to receive my my bi-annual newsletter.
My artistic training has been through the Short Course programme at West Dean College, Surrey and through local adult art education classes. Professional in approach, I exhibit widely over the UK and some of my paintings and prints are available for purchase.
Please note that all images of my artwork are subject to copyright law: All rights reserved: Jenny Meehan DACS (Designer and Artist Copyright Society). In the first instance, contact me, and I will refer, as/if appropriate.
http://www.jamartlondon.com
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boarded window photo jenny meehan
Above “Boarded Window” photograph. One of the Chessington Series. copyright Jenny Meehan
Kingston Artists’ Open Studios “Selfie” Exhibition at Cass Arts, Kingston Upon Thames
Another task is the self portrait for the KAOS exhibition at Cass Arts, in Kingston Upon Thames. (103 Clarence Street, Kingston upon Thames KT1 1NW). The exhibition will be called ‘Selfie’ and Kaos members will submit at least one self portrait. It is planned to hang the exhibition on 3rd June, and Cass Art have kindly offered to sponsor a private view on Thursday 4th June. This will be the official opening exhibition for this year’s open studios. I have a few photographic works which I might submit, but the most likely one would probably be “Woman and Home” which was one of three digital art prints which where part of the very excellent ” Speaking Out – Women Healing from the Trauma of Violence” project at the University of Leicester (Dr Nicole Fayard and Stella Couloutbanis). The “Speaking Out” (2014) project involved an exhibition of painters, printmakers, installation artists, sculptors, writers, photographers, and performers coming together because of their particular interest in gender violence. “Woman and Home” was one of my submitted images. It is a self portrait I took by holding a camera above me, as I was sorting through a huge pile of washing. After manipulating the image I then added a layer of headlines taken from the front cover of the “Woman and Home” magazine. Here is the text from the catalogue regarding the art work which was included in the exhibition “Speaking Out”:
“Jenny Meehan’s photography provides powerful representations of the psychological damage that can be inflicted on children who witness domestic abuse. Children acquire their positive sense of self and self-esteem from powerful role models, usually their parents or carers. Trauma occurs when this relationship is broken. The traumatised individual will incessantly re-experience the suffering caused by the events that shattered their sense of identity, independence or their trust. Meehan explores such a mother-daughter connection by keeping both subjects separate but connected by their gaze. In “Pages in my Story Book, It is Hard to Turn the Page”, eight juxtaposed copies of the same image of the artist’s daughter shot in high angle capture the sense of traumatic repetition that affects the child’s sense of self. This contrasts with the image of the artist herself in a point of view shot in “Woman and Home”. Whilst both subjects are separated by the angle of the shot and the frame of the photograph, their gaze appears to look in the same direction. “Hide and Peep” shuts us out of the scene and offers the view of an insider – the child – looking out, conveying a sense of entrapment. This oppressive mood is however contrasted as “Woman and Home” is superimposed with empowering messages. The camera angle and the dialogue between “you” and “me” in the messages, which appear to reflect the survivor’s stream of consciousness, both act to restore her sense of self. The sharing of the experience of trauma and empowerment might also provide ways of bringing the disempowered together. By addressing her work to a wider community (“you”) Meehan implies that it is intended to function as a narrative of empowerment for a community of fellow-sufferers in similar positions.”
There is more text, but as usual, this Jenny Meehan Artist’s Journal is longer than it was ever intended to be, so I will skip the rest! The above text credit is as follows: “Speaking Out” University of Leicester 2014
“Woman and Home” One of three submitted and accepted artworks for this valuable and worthwhile project.
I need to add, with respect to the following: “This oppressive mood is however contrasted as “Woman and Home” is superimposed with empowering messages. The camera angle and the dialogue between “you” and “me” in the messages, which appear to reflect the survivor’s stream of consciousness, both act to restore her sense of self.” I liked this reading of the work, and so was happy to accept it for the purposes of the catalogue, which, rightfully, had an emphasis on the positives and recovery, rather than just the damage and negative effects of violence and trauma. It was a pleasing reading, and I always value and appreciate others perspectives, though, the reality of the matter for me, at the time of making the work, was not optimistic. I was in a place where I was re-experiencing quite strong bouts of emotional distress/flashbacks with respect to some of my own past traumatic experiences, and the original image (of 2006, before I re-worked it ) was inspired by childhood experience of domestic violence: the power of existing within a schema of subjugation, rather than anything positive. I was struggling with low self esteem also, and the work, from my own perspective, was more to do with feeling trapped by the messages from the media with respect to how I should be…A kind of media oppression! And of feeling the weight of all that was involved in running a household, and just about managing to do it while in the slough of despond. I was feeling completely overwhelmed by media communicated expectations and images of what both a “woman” and a “home” should be. So it was rather an expression of negative, than a positive, experience. However, I chose not to input this material into the catalogue, because, as said, I didn’t dislike the interpretation. I have always viewed women’s magazines with a lot of cynicism and not personally found them a source of empowerment…I am sure that they work very differently for many other people though. And I do believe it is important to acknowledge the positive dimensions of having experienced a lot of suffering in one’s life, and to realise that there are many strengths which can be developed through having experienced extreme adversity. I found a brilliant book on this, which I reference later on in this post.
Healing and Recovering Thoughts…
Even with very helpful experiences of divine healing, thanks to the Holy Spirit, and assisted by some influence from John Wimber’s ministry in the eighties, plus all the other benefits of faith in a Creator God, since around 2008, the accumulation of unresolved trauma (and lots of damaged ways of operating ) suggested (strongly!) that I seek professional help, which I did in 2011. For me personally, psychotherapy and its various approaches have been something which I have (and still find) very complementary to my faith and relations with others and God, and my interest in psychology of many approaches, frequently brings my way lots of very interesting reading material which I find very useful when I look at my painting and other creative pursuits. Something I have been reading recently is “The Posttraumatic Self: Restoring Meaning and Wholeness to Personality” Edited by John P Wilson…
“The Posttraumatic Self: Restoring Meaning and Wholeness to Personality” – John P Wilson Routedge
I have to confess to only having read extracts of it on the internet, as I often do! I cannot afford to buy all the books I might fancy reading, and I have not enough room to put them in anyway, but I do find my dipping into articles, extracts and papers which are easily found on the internet a great asset to my thinking about things! I am finding “The Posttraumatic Self: Restoring Meaning and Wholeness to Personality edited by John P. Wilson immensely helpful. Here is the blurb on it:
“Filling a gap that exists in most traumatology literature, The Posttraumatic Self provides an optimistic analysis of the aftermath of a traumatic event.
This work appreciates the potentially positive effects of trauma and links those effects to the discovery of one’s identity, character, and purpose. Wilson and his distinguished contributors explore the nature and dynamics of the posttraumatic self, emphasising human resilience and prompting continued optimal functioning. While taking into consideration pathological consquences such as posttraumatic stress disorder (PTSD), the authors study the impacts a traumatic event can have on one’s inner self, and they help the victims transform such an event into healthy self-transcendent lifecycles. The Posttraumatic Self will help victims and healers transform the way they deal with the complexities of trauma by making important connections that will allow for healing and growth.”
It is such an excellent book, but even second hand it is quite pricey. Maybe at Christmas! (put it on the list!!!)
Trauma certainly is complex, and even more so when you have had lots of it over the years. I have found reading the parts of this book I have had access to very helpful in balancing out the tendency to be more aware of the negative impact of having had lots of very traumatic experiences (and the related consequences) than I am (at times) of the positives. I know the positives are there, and experience them too, but seeing them outlined has been immensely useful to me. It’s much more common to be aware of the pathological consequences as you push on through and forwards in the recovery processes. It is easy to become discouraged by the physical tension you feel every day, occasional flashbacks (which always take you by surprise!), negative expectations, anxieties, etc, even though you know why you have the feelings and expectations you do. I have come a very long way in the last several years, and everything is now far more balanced, stable and joyful than it used to be. I am getting my head around my life, and recovering a sense of meaning which isn’t totally fragmented and broken. And even, seeing the blessing in it. There is a lot of blessing there for the receiving. My awareness of my brokenness isn’t a negative. I have often held onto this. And I have needed to, because I need to accept that I won’t ever recover completely. Not in the way that you “get over” something. It is more a matter of acclimatization and adjustment. Re learning. Understanding. Getting better at recognising what is happening emotionally and psychologically, and acting accordingly. And getting the spiritual sustenance I need. Which brings me on to this! …..
Canticle 74 : A Song of Our True Nature (Julian of Norwich)
Christ revealed our frailty and our falling, * our trespasses and our humiliations.
Christ also revealed his blessed power, *
his blessed wisdom and love.
He protects us as tenderly and as sweetly when we are in greatest need; *
he raises us in spirit and turns everything to glory and joy without ending.
God is the ground and the substance, the very essence of nature; *
God is the true father and mother of natures.
We are all bound to God by nature, *
and we are all bound to God by grace.
And this grace is for all the world, *
because it is our precious mother, Christ.
For this fair nature was prepared by Christ
for the honor and nobility of all,
and for the joy and bliss of salvation.
(the little stars are there to indicate that you make a long pause. This is quite useful, as it stops you reading it aloud too quickly.)
I mentioned in a past posting about a very helpful workshop I attended at Mount Street Jesuit Centre, “Life Before Death” and I was so grateful for this input, as it has been very much in line with my interest in making important connections which will allow for healing and growth. I have had a chance to review my notes and the material, and while I can offer only a glimmer, putting it here in this Journal is a good way for me to keep a note of it. I find my paper notes, like my art work, paintings, poems and drawings, tend to float around the house and are very hard to retrieve! Using this Journal means I have at least one river which flows in a place I can always find it!
Just briefly then, the day focused on the psychology of flourishing… Basically, paying attention to “what makes life worth living” and included considerations on analysing what happiness and well-being is. A recommended read was “Thinking Fast Thinking Slow” by Daniel Kahnemann. The distinction between the experiencing self and remembering self is something I would like to read more about. (I cannot really give a great account of the content of the day, as so selective is what gets into ones mind and not, but these little scraps will help me!) Also a couple of books by Martin Seligman will be worth reading, I am sure. Routes to well being can come through positive emotion, engagement, positive relationships, meaning, and accomplishment, and all these are underpinned by character.
Other notes: (not necessarily particularly accurate…lots of information caught on ear wax on the way in, I think! )
How important it is to look beyond us, especially the importance of HOPE!!!!! Pitfalls of the “damage and deficit model of growth”…the idea that if you want to grow and change to be a better person you need to look at what is wrong with you and what you are lacking, and fix it. The challenge is not solely to fix and repair, but live with things creatively and work with them. He wasn’t saying there isn’t a time to sort out mess if people get stuck, and wasn’t anti therapy or anything like that, it was more that it’s really important to look further than just inside ourselves. (note, in my own reading regarding the pros and cons of psychotherapy, it certainly is a very focused way of working…I rate this and find it very helpful, but like any approach, it does have its pitfalls, and what is it’s strength may also a times be it’s weakness too…) My notes on Character… Use your strengths to solve problems or to cope with things that cannot be changed. Build a life around what you are good at. Point about the way we have ended up with a “victimology”… the character as a moral agent has declined, personal responsibility matters. Lots of practical ideas to try out, which I won’t go into here, but will try out! Linked the psychological stuff with growth as a Christian and drew parallels between traditionally recognised virtues and values and positive psychology.
Oh, I cannot do it justice here, but I was most impressed, because I even had some homework to do, which I like immensely!
Well Spring is one of the artworks in the new Rethinkyourmind mental health resource
“Well Spring” above is suitable to go with this Journal entry… It was one of the paintings chosen to be included in last year’s “Rethinkyourmind” Mental Health resource.
A lot of interesting thoughts and ideas regarding Flow. (Mihaly Csikszentmihalyi) … All good and interesting. Also, never to be forgotten , the heart. So much information, great, exciting, super, interesting. But as well as head, the heart. Give me grace!
Example of a past course at West Dean College
Mark Cazalet was one of several very inspirational teachers who taught me at West Dean College as part of their Short Course Programme, and I am so glad I took these images of students work on the course on colour, all those years ago!
mark cazalet course west dean 2007 students work largest image jenny meehan’s painting
mark cazalet course west dean 2007 students work early part of course
mark cazalet course west dean 2007 students work middle part of course
mark cazalet course west dean 2007 students work final part of course
I hasten to add that no LSD (or any other hallucinogenic drug!) was given to students as part of the course… The dramatic change in the colours was due to the tremendous confidence and boldness encouraged over the course, which is testimony to the art of the tutor as much as the students! It was only a four day course, I think, so a lot happened!
I am recalling this course now I think as I am pretty sure that it was this time of year I took part in it! Unfortunately I can no longer afford to continue with formal art training, which is a shame, but I do have many happy memories. I applied for a residency recently at the London City and Guilds Art School, but didn’t get it. It was going to be one way of getting into an Art Education Institution, but not successful, sadly. There is an Artist’s Access Scheme that some Colleges run, so maybe that might be worth looking at in the future.
Well, looking back, I have just put up one of my drawings which I drew from life during one of my West Dean College stints.
” room for a view” charcoal drawing by jenny meehan charcoal drawing landscape west dean college and west dean estate jenny meehan romantic
I look back with fondness on the time when I painted from observation more than I do currently. However I still draw from observation, in order to keep my eyes keen. I don’t count out painting from observation, at all, but I have to go with the flow of what I am learning, and trust in the direction I have been carried in through my own process of discovery. I was saying to someone recently that when I look at nature, I feel it is so wonderful I don’t want to insult the beauty of it by attempting to replicate it in any way. I think this is why I have immersed myself in abstraction. I feel that patterns of beauty can still be discovered and experienced but without attempting to copy something already there. However, I feel that observation is very important indeed, and I spend a lot of time looking, and often drawing from life. The time I have invested in exploring surfaces and colours, textures and composition, has meant my focus has been off the external world somewhat. But though I don’t put it down on paper, I spend a great deal of time looking!
Leatherhead Theatre Flying Colours Exhibition..
Will be hanging this exhibition of fine art prints with Chris Birch on Saturday 2nd May…
We are really grateful to the theatre for hosting the exhibition and hope it brings a lot of pleasure to many!
free art exhibition jenny meehan and chris birch Flying Colours Leatherhead Theatre
Support Indie Artist Jenny Meehan
If you like my art working and would like to support me you can!
Paypal.me/jennymeehan in your browser and follow instructions. There’s no option for me to thank you via the PayPal Me process but do contact me via contact form and let me know if you have gifted me so I can thank you.
You can buy my original paintings… Just contact me via the contact form. Price range is between £250 and £400.
Also available via redbubble, the well known print on demand marketplace, you can buy unsigned prints on many substrates.
Take a look here, any problems locating it feel free to contact me via the contact page on this Art Journal/ Artist Blog
It’s also a good place to get a feel for quite a big strand of my creative artworking. Any problems locating what you want, feel free to contact me via the contact page on this Art Journal/ Artist Blog jennyjimjams.redbubble.com
I have mostly the abstract, flat colour geometrical art in Redbubble as it makes nice prints. I selected work for that platform in order to help my work become more accessible. There’s also a lot of surface pattern designs. I find creating patterns very therapeutic!
The main style of my original painting is Lyrical Abstraction/Abstract Expressionism. I also enjoy working with black and white photography tending towards pictorialism. I frequently use collage and digital collage.
St John the Evangelist, Waterloo Road SE1, My “Bog Standard Gallery” Pirate Toilet Humour Cannon Ball” Sign Contribution,
November 21, 2012
Popped in to St John The Evangelist, Waterloo Road, London SE1 recently and was grateful to have walked in at a time when a youth orchestra were rehearsing in the building, which was beautiful to listen to and made me wish that I remembered more German as the singers where singing about God (I know “meine Gott” in German!) and the voices and instruments were such a spiritual blessing it would have been great to know exactly what was being sung! The church interior was quite unexpected and a lot of restoration work has gone on. I pick out particularly the following quote from the website:
“On 7 April 1998, in the presence of HRH Princess Alexandra, a packed church gave thanks and celebrated the latest restoration of this beautiful church.
Work had begun under a previous vicar and was continued by the then vicar, the Rev (later Canon) Richard Truss. Now as the fifth phase of the work reached completion the beautiful interior shone as the sunlight beamed through the new windows onto the gleaming paintwork and restored ceiling.
In his sermon, The Bishop of Kingston spoke of an unattributed quote that he had heard recently, it said: ‘The world belongs to those who care deeply, dream boldly and work steadfastly’. He went on to say that the service of thanksgiving was ‘the fulfilment of a bold dream, dreamt by people who have cared deeply for this church, community and city, and who have worked steadfastly often against insuperable odds, worrying set backs, and the inevitable financial constraints’. Further he said, ‘this church is to be a sign of hope. It must symbolise the dream of a new and restored humanity. The bringing together of the present and ‘what lies beyond’, heaven and earth’.
In inviting the Princess to unveil the plaque the vicar, Richard Truss, said that the church was ‘a memorial to a lot of hard work and generous giving, to skilled experts and gifted craftsmen.’ ‘… This is a time of great rejoicing, but also of anticipation. We want this building to be open to be used, for prayer, worship, but also for music and meetings, lectures and conferences, but primarily as a place which is there for the people of this area, both those who live here and those who work here and also those who are simply passing through.’
That’s a great quote from the Bishop of Kingston, whoever it was at that time, and it is also great to see the building being used for many different things. It is a beautiful building. I was also pleased to see that it is part of the “Inclusive Church” movement, which I find very encouraging indeed.
The architect was Francis Octavius Bedford who was in the forefront of the Greek revival in the early nineteeth century. I am yet to explore the grounds but I plan to do some sketching there. Bombed in 1940, people used to worship in the Crypt until 1951 as the roof was blown off. (I wonder at this, we do seem to worship in the crypt when our roofs are blown off!) Very beautiful to see were the paintings by Hans Feibusch, who was a Jewish artist exiled from Germany in 1933. There are other paintings, but I like his painting the most.
I am planning to visit a variety of different churches in central London over the Winter months. I enjoy the buildings and artefacts. These are not the life of the church, but for a creative like myself, I take heart in the creative achievements and examples. They are a service in themselves.
Just noticed that one of my images submitted to this site has been accepted: http://www.hesainprint.com/search/jenny+meehan I cannot remember being notified that it was included, but never mind, nice to see it there anyway.
Ever orientated towards things people write about painting landscapes, I found this a very good read: http://painters-table.com/blog/tenses-landscape?utm_medium=email&utm_campaign=Painters+Table+-+Weekly+Update+October+19+2012&utm_content=Painters+Table+-+Weekly+Update+October+19+2012+CID_010b424e11d6329ca909cd4cbf072ded&utm_source=PT
Jonathan Chapman has done an amazing job in organising the Autumn Art Exhibition at The Ark Centre in Basingstoke. The whole process was so well organised and includes this entry on WordPress, with images of all the work on display http://artintheark.wordpress.com/exhibitions/autumn-open/
I was sad not to make the opening night, but it really helps to see the space and the work on display, and it has been a pleasure to be involved in this venture. It must be a lot of work to sort an exhibition this size out.
Melanie Boda has kindly invited me to contribute in a small way to her delightful “Bog Standard Gallery”. See http://www.bogstandardgallery.com/about.htm. At Watersmeet Theatre in Rickmansworth the Christmas Pantomime for 2012 will be “Peter Pan”, and so with the pirate theme in mind, she has asked for contributions of toilet signs with a pirate theme. This has been delightful fun, and my contributions are as follows:
So, I hope you enjoy a little toilet humour.
Melanie Boda is the creator of the “Bog Standard Gallery”. The “Bog Standard Gallery” must surely be the smallest art gallery in the world! It is a converted portable toilet cubicle, and thankfully it smells fresh and clean! Melanie exhibits photographs of toilet signs from many different countries and I was delighted to produce these pirate themed toilet signs for display inside the cubicle.
I enjoy the challenge of creating something to a brief, and took a conventional approach in terms of using black and white on a flat plane surface. But toilet humour must be a little bit silly and a little bit “naughty”. While I played with various ideas, I settled in the end on a pile of cannon balls/shots and ever keen to encourage equality, it felt good to have “nice shot” on BOTH of the sexes signs. (Yes, I know you menfolk have some advantage in terms of aiming, but we still fire with the same power. Just differently.)
More about Artistsmeet at Watersmeet here: http://www.threerivers.gov.uk/Default.aspx/Web/AboutArtistsmeet
I really enjoyed responding to a theme, and this challenge brought the designer out in me. (The painter in me is having a break over Winter!) I do plan to work on some new “Resting Place ” paintings shortly, as The White Gallery in Dorking Surrey would like me to swop over some work soon, ready for Christmas.
The winter days tend to send me to the computer screen. It is sometimes the lightest thing around!
How to Support Jenny Meehan
If you like my art working and would like to support me you can!
Just put
in your browser and follow instructions. There’s no option for me to thank you via the PayPal Me process but do contact me via contact form and let me know if you have gifted me so I can thank you.
You can buy my original paintings directly from me personally.
Just contact me via the contact form. Price range is between £250 and £400.
Sometimes they are offered for sale during exhibitions too. Normally its more expensive to buy them this way, (though not always). Some organisations enable me to price my work in an accessible way due to the way they operate, but if a submission fee is required I obviously have to factor it in.
I dislike this system, but art exhibitions are used to generate funds for different organisations and charging artists to submit artwork (to submit… Even if not accepted!) is one way this is done. There are also other costs incurred by the artist in supplying the artwork for exhibition. So artists artworks sold during an exhibition are frequently more expensive for an art collector to purchase. It is often preferable to approach an artist directly and view work by arrangement in person.
If you are thinking of buying one of my original paintings I can arrange a viewing for you. If you are looking for something specific in terms of colour and/or style, just let me know because I have many more paintings than I am able to display online. I can send you further information on the process of buying artwork directly from me if you would find that helpful. I appreciate that it is unfamiliar ground for many people.
Also available via redbubble, the well known print on demand marketplace, you can buy unsigned prints on many substrates. This is an easy and convenient way to purchase my art online.
Take a look here:
It’s also a very good place to get a feel for quite a big strand of my creative artworking. Any problems locating what you want, feel free to contact me via the contact page on this Art Journal/ Artist Blog.
I have TWO Redbubble Artist portfolios! The “jennyjimjams” one has most artwork on it at the time of writing.
My two Redbubble Artist portfolios are;
I have mostly the abstract, flat colour geometrical art in Redbubble as it makes nice prints. I selected work for that platform in order to help my work become more accessible. There’s also a lot of surface pattern designs. I post more of those on my
Artist profile. I find creating patterns very therapeutic!
The main style of my original painting is Lyrical Abstraction/Abstract Expressionism. I also enjoy working with black and white photography tending towards pictorialism. I frequently use collage and digital collage.
Copyright and Licensing Digital Images Information – Jenny Meehan
Copyright in all images by Jenny Meehan is held by the artist.
Permission must be sought in advance for the reproduction, copying or any other use of any images by Jenny Meehan. Individuals or businesses seeking licenses or permission to use, copy or reproduce any image by Jenny Meehan should, in the first instance, contact Jenny Meehan.
Copyright for all visual art by Jenny Meehan is managed by the Design and Artists Copyright Society (DACS) in the UK. If you wish to licence a work of art by Jenny Meehan, please contact Jenny Meehan in the first instance to clarify your requirements.
DACS always make an initial proposal for image licensing fees in line with the industry standard. Personally, I am open to negotiation. So contact me in the first instance so we can discuss your requirements, project, and budget. The Designer and Artists Copyright Society will administrate accordingly.
It is I, the artist, who determines the final licensing fee, and there are often projects, charitable organisations, people and smaller ventures with which I am particularly keen to work with because of a shared vision. I appreciate budgets can be restrictive. While image licensing fees for my art images will broadly based on the industry standard, this is a guide amount, and can vary subject to circumstances.
The administration for organising an image licence is straightforward for both parties, and is done through the Design and Artist Copyright Society. They provide you with the licence paperwork and I supply you with the image.
Jenny Meehan - Art Journal 