October 2011

The year has turned into a pretty full one in all sorts of ways. My wife just gave birth to our second daughter. And i had the mad idea to get involved in 66 Books at the new Bush Theatre. Great project, amazing piece written and directed by Chris Goode who i knew of at Cambridge but never worked with, but pretty heavy in the context of a newborn's sleep (or lack of any) pattern. She was born on tech day...i'll let you do the Maths on how stressful this notoriously stressful monkey has been over the past fortnight. I turned 40 too somewhere in the schedule. The art has continued growing and selling, with a couple of very worthy patrons. I'm pleased i pursued the NostalgicArt cards and stickers mounting and framing as already the sets are becoming very rare, which was my suspicion when the idea kept me up at night three years ago. Right, i'm off to settle the little one before picking up the bigger one from nursery. Time for a shave? Forget it...

more April 2011

Forgot to mention, back in the real world (the one where i earn my living pretending to be other people) i start work on another important project at the Tricycle Theatre in a couple of weeks - the Baha Mousa Inquiry.

And now i'm just going to test out whether i can put up my DigiPics easily on here. Till i can pester Jon to stop being selfish and re-design my website it's the best i can do.

looks like it works.

April 2011

I kind of need my mate Jon Wright to help add a whole new section to this website about the art i've got immersed in over the last two years, especially since i'm now selling it! But Jon is rather selfishly cutting his second feature film...bugger. I might have to brave it myself...but for now a simple update to explain.

People on Facebook know about my iPhone fingerpaint DigiPics but they've taken off a bit in the shape of an exhibition (my first ever) at the Tricycle Gallery on the Kilburn High Road in North London. "NOSTALGICart & DigiPics" has been running for a couple of weeks and sales have already covered the printing and framing costs which is great. It's on till May 14th so if you're Kilburn way pop in.

Essentially "NOSTALGICart" is the glorification of the first art collecting any of us ever do - playground stuff you might say, but now up on the wall behind glass rather than thumbed and swapped. It came about as a result of re-acquiring sets of gum cards i'd always dreamt of completing, then realising they'd left indellible imprints on my brain and that i wasn't done with them yet! Other people are getting me to track down their own versions for them and frame them up to the same spec. It's costly and time consuming but big time rewarding.

The DigiPics start life as big as the palm of my hand but if they're strong enough i blow them up to A1 (relishing the pixelation instead of shying away from it - i'm an 80's kid what do you expect!) then get them dry mounted and framed. They're good. I like them anyway, and people have bought them so i guess they like them too. A lot of contemporary art is old methods with a clever new twist, but these DigiPics are the oppositie - new technology with the oldest of ideas. I just paint what i see. Yes there are some abstracts but the most effective ones are simple sketches of where i'm at.

I'm looking into how to 'grow' the whole operation and have approached a couple of online galleries and art publishers, but at the very least i'll keep creating them and may well start selling some either via Facebook, or more likely on Ebay. It's a little freaky to me that i've been more relaxed about this whole art project than any acting i've ever done, something about approaching 40 and not being on a patronising 'need to know' basis creatively but rather having some artistic control for the first time in 20 years. Being an actor can be seriously frustrating - when you're needed on set you're treated like royalty. People escort you ten metres and cross roads with you, they bring you food and drinks and call you Sir it does my head in. Particularly as when you're NOT needed on set you just sit in your trailer and damn well wait. And don't bother asking questions because that's not your remit and you're wasting precious time 'actor whatever-your-number-is-on-the-cast-list you're not famous so who cares' bloke....

I enjoyed that.

January 2011

I'm headed back to Washington DC in a week to perform The Great Game for private Pentagon audiences. An extraordinary end to an extraordinary job. I still believe that BBC4 have missed a huge trick in not filming it but what do i know... other than the fact that wherever we've been people have asked when it's going to be on television.

Some very big news may be on the horizon but i'm not telling till i'm sure. It will mean a long overdue revamp of this site! A brave new direction..

January 2010

I have been rubbish at updating my website. And i've been told off for it. But alot has happened in two and half years. I've had a child! Well my wife has, and i believe the baby to be mine. She certainly looks like me. Anyway i'm rambling. Basically 15 month old Jemima is my excuse for disappearing somewhat.

But now i'm back. Workwise i spent the end of 2007 and most of 2008 shooting a six parter for the bbc called "Apparitions" which somewhat divided opinion. Over 3 million viewers loved it. The press hated it. It started out as a two parter so the fact that we didn't get a second series is disappointing but besides the point really. I'm very proud of it. And it might just rear its scary head in a culty kind of way.

Last year was mostly about a series of plays at the Tricycle Theatre called "The Great Game" and it's coming back in the summer, to be followed by a tour of the US. The idea of a tour away from my wife and mini pest seems terrifying, but the project is a rare one i'd be stupid to miss. I'll post up a proper itinerary anon.

I've got quite a fun stint coming up on Holby City from Feb 23rd for a few weeks. The new consultant Toby Geddes, dancing in surgery, insulting every female in the hospital, and generally patronising everyone in sight, was a whole lot of fun to play. I'm hopeful he'll return to wreak more havoc.

Oh and as a postscript, I've developed an addiction for Ebay. Ten years behind the times as usual. Specifically i've been buying up (and framing to a pretty high spec) cards i used to buy and swap as a kid. Those horror top trump cards always rocked and they now take pride of place on my wall (albeit tucked away as my wife doesn't want the baby to see them...bloody spoilsport)

June 2007

I actually finally started writing! This time last year in fact, and this month will see the second draft of "The Horror - Being the Tale of Sawney Beane and his Diabolical Family" come to fruition.

I wrote the lead part with Viggo Mortensen in mind and as luck would have it i'm shooting a scene with him on a movie called "Good" in a couple of weeks! So he better get ready for me pinning him in a corner (steady ladies!) and pitching it to him. All reports from other actors on the job suggest he's the nicest actor in Christendom so at the very least I should be able to put it in his hands.

I'm also shooting an episode of "Primeval", getting chased and mauled by a Sabre Tooth Tiger (!) - nice to be working for Jamie Payne who I haven't seen since "Shackleton" but who I always liked. It's a fun little role too so I'm looking forward to it.

The other news is this revamped site and showreel, both the products of Jon Wright's hard work - ta Jon.