John Geary

My very good friend and personal hero John Geary has finally lost his long and valiant struggle with a rare muscular wasting disease. He died a few days ago at his Holland Park flat. His friends and work colleagues knew that this moment would come eventually but it's still a deeply saddening shock.
John would be very dismissive of any tributes to him and his work but here's mine.
Basically he was a modest genius. Many ad agencies and designers all over the world would come to John for logo designs as his work was always brilliant and elegant. Here are a few of his designs.

Most recently he was working on a box set cover for the Game of Thrones. But I knew John mainly for his amazing illustration work. I shared three studios and several exhibitions with John the last of which was in a bar in Palma, Majorca and was a celebration of the female posterior entitled Bottoms Up! I had asked him by phone if he fancied contributing to the show and a couple of weeks later he rang me to say that he'd done some drawings and would I like to pick them up. In typical modest John fashion he said that they weren't very good so I wasn't expecting the dazzlingly elegant and erotic pieces that he showed me. "Who was the model?" I asked. "Oh, I just drew them out of my head." he said.
Here are six of the best!
I have entertained my friends in Brighton for many years with stories of John's experiences both hilarious and scary (the weird thing on the underground is a favourite! Ask me if you haven't heard that one!) and I am struggling to come to terms with the fact that I can no longer talk to him nearly every day on the phone about art, films, TV shows, Jack Kirby, film noir, Hollywood stars, books and all kinds of weirdness.
Farewell John. It's been a great privilege and a deep deep pleasure to know you!
Love
Paul

Constanza

On Wednesday afternoon I went along to the only life drawing session I can find in Palma with fellow artist Alan. Our model was the excellent Constanza whom I've drawn before here. Unlike Brighton they tend to have the same model for months which is fine if she's as good to draw as Constanza but can be boring if she's not. Anyway, It's good to keep practicing so here are my best efforts from the session.

Naomi

On Tuesday night I attended the SCAC life drawing session hosted by Bill Donohoe. It was a really packed class and our model was everyone's favourite redhead Naomi. She's a fabulous girl and an amazing model and as a special treat she joined the boys for a bevvy after class. I'm off to Majorca again tomorrow where there's only one rather dull life drawing class and no models as good as Naomi so I'm glad I got to draw the Goddess twice in a month! Here are my best attempts!

Princess Frankie

Last night I attended Bill's Tuesday night life drawing session at SCAC in Brighton for the first time in ages. Our model was the fabulous Frankie with her unbelievably long hair done up in two buns as a tribute (possibly but probably not) to Princess Leia in the new Star Wars film. Anyway, it was a very enjoyable session and afterwards some of the usual suspects (me, Geo Parkin, Mark Harrison and Bill Donohoe) plus newcomer Gillian (I didn't get her surname) repaired to the local jam packed Witherspoons for some cheap quaffing and blather. Then on the stroke of midnight we sang happy birthday to Bill who had just turned 60 and is now officially an old git! Happy birthday Bill! Much jollification!

Drawing Circus: Petty and Leyendecker

On Tuesday night I went along to Jake Spicer's regular Draw session at the Old Market in Brighton.
Emma Sandham-King chose the theme this time which was the advertising and pin-up work of George Petty and J C Leyendeker (who is one of my all time faves). It was quieter than usual which meant that you could get a seat and I spent most of an enjoyable evening sitting next to my mate and fellow cartoonist, the fabulously talented Geo Parkin. We were mainly sketching Beth, a new model to me, who has the longest legs since I last looked at mine in a funny mirror at the fair. Here are my best
attempts at capturing Beth along with a couple of lovely Emma.

A Brace of Beauties!

I'm off back to my small flat in Palma tomorrow so I've been doing as much life drawing as I can in the knowledge that despite its plethora of galleries there are bugger all life drawings classes in Palma.
So for two days running I drew two of my favourite models- Laura the Fabulous Finn and the Divine Naomi! I'll miss it when I'm out there but weather should be nice!

The Drawing Circus- Matisse

I went along last night to the Drawing Circus which is a monthly event held very near where I live. I was only going to stay for an hour or so of the 4 hour session but it was so good and inspiring that I stayed 'til the end. The theme was Matisse and the bar area at The Old Market was colourfully decorated with large cut-out shapes taken from Matisse's famous works. We had four beautiful models-
Frankie, Laura B, Laura N and Clementine who was painted entirely blue which contrasted wonderfully with her curly red hair. And for the final tableau they were joined by the impressive and gorgeous Belle who organised the whole thing. It was great fun and it was a pleasant surprise to see old friend and marvelous puppeteer- Daisy there with her lovely friend Sofia. A great evening's drawing!
Here are my best efforts, some of which I've tickled up in Photoshop.