I am scanning and putting this rather messy preparatory sketchbook online from March 1991 as it crosses over between the previous figurative work and a new cartoon-like and more surreal direction. The image above is an important breakthrough to that later style.
I had applied and been accepted on to an Art Teacher Training course at Reading University which was meant to commence in September 1991. I was also helping my friend Laura Stenhouse prepare for her Illustration M.A. show at Central St. Martins in June 1991. She illustrated a suite of my poems and songs (see separate entry above).
So this was a period where I could ‘focus’ on art again instead of fencing or temporary admin. work as per usual. As the page in sketchbook shows I was looking at Simon Lewty, Edward Burra and Hockney.
The sketchbook also contains the first version of the poem ‘Clinker’ titled here ‘The Age of Steam’. Read the final published version here at Poet and Geek website
The rest of 1991 consisted of the large outdoors charcoal drawings that led me to the Rocket press (see above) but that was not the only direction.
