I was recently mentioned in an article in the local press, which has now been added to my press page, but this time the article was not about me, it was about a very special boy, a Superhero Charlie Lyne.

Superhero Charlie Lyne at home with colour

Superhero Charlie Lyne  at home with a finished drawing

Charlie is a Cornish teenager and from time to time, over the past few months, I have been guiding and mentoring him with some art at his home and in my studio.

Superhero Charlie Lyne art at home with Chris Billington

Charlie has Down’s Syndrome and he lives in a wonderful world populated by superheroes, mainly Marvel Heroes because it would seem that they are a little bit superior to those from the DC stable. But as I see it the greatest of them is Superhero Charlie Lyne himself, he lights up the lives of those around him and can often be seen sporting his cape or his flash logo around the village where he lives.

Charlie Lyne – superheroes in the studio – Chris Billington

In addition to a most amazing imagination Charlie has a clarity of thought and a refreshingly direct way of communicating which I see when we are together, much of which comes out in his art. I have been helping him by encouraging him to think freely and to be fearless in his decisions and through the creative process Charlie has gained confidence. As can be seen from the press piece by Emma Ferguson of the Helston Packet Charlie will take on any task with enthusiasm.

Superhero Charlie Lyne with his art in the studio with Chris Billington

Charlie is keen to learn and is now aware that although there is a serious side to making art, it can be a fun way of self expression. Of course with Charlie everything always seems to come back to superheroes. My 2010 painting ‘Democracy’ hanging in my studio is one of his favourite pieces of art.    Charlie tells me that this painting is us!   We are the ‘X Men’.

Superhero Charlie Lyne X Man with ‘Democracy’ in the studio – Chris Billington

I think that going forward Charlie may well take his creativity into catering but for now I want to share some of his magic with you because today Charlie is Captain America!

Superhero Charlie Lyne – today he is Captain America!

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Welcome into a New Year year of shining possibilities in 2017.

Chris Billington with ‘Rubber City Rebels’, 2014, wishing you a New Year of Shining Possibilities 2017

As we are well into a New Year, and as is usual for me this time of year, I am taking a look back at the year just passed.

December is always a special opportunity for me to spend some quality time with friends, patrons and supporters of my work in and around my home County of Cornwall and last month was no exception. This year I have decided to include a few photographs of some of my art held in private collections fairly local to my studio, some of which are quite extensive, and which I have the privilege of revisiting  from time to time here in Cornwall.

Private Collection of Chris Billington Paintings, Modern Art, Penzance, Cornwall Dec 2016

Private Collection of Chris Billington Paintings – ‘Mischief’, 2010, ‘Diving Platform Weston-Super-Mare’, 2011, ‘Gyllyngvase VIII’, 2009 – Truro, Cornwall Dec 2016

Private Collection of Chris Billington Paintings – ‘Penzance Promenade’, 2008, ‘Fractions Of Horus’, 2012, ‘The Cheesewring’, 2009, ‘Carn Euny’, 2011, ‘The Holly’. 2012 – Penzance, Cornwall Dec 2016

Private Collection of Chris Billington Paintings, ‘Shot By Both Sides’, 2014, ‘Sliding Into The Sunshine, Victoria Park’, 2011 – Penzance, Cornwall Dec 2016

During 2016 I was involved in a variety of interesting projects, including work for the recently reformed Spitfire Boys and The Spice Boys. and I spent far too many hours in front of screens working on computer art. In particular my latest piece of digital art, ‘Shining Possibilities’, a creation which has taken many more hours to complete than I anticipated, which is part of the reason why I am posting this toward the end of January rather than the beginning.

Shining Possibilities, 2017, 43 x 33cm

In a related way, a hybrid of cover art and computers, I was intrigued to have been contacted by PG Online early last year when they invited me to supply cover art for a set of GCSE Teaching Units on Computer Science. The artwork was based on a selection of my physical paintings, chosen by Rob Heathcote of PG Online.

Edexcel GCSE Computer Science – PG Online

I was delighted to be asked to participate and the full set of six GCSE Teaching Units on Computer Science can be found at PG Online below.

Going forward into 2017 I am already hard at work in the ArtLab, my studio here in Cornwall, and have started work on two commissioned paintings.  I shall continue to develop my digital art alongside my conventional painting, I am also working on an experimental film project which is progressing slowly. I have several offers to exhibit later this year at home and abroad, all of which I am considering, so I shall see where 2017 takes me. In any event my art is as ever branching out in different directions but always strongly underpinned by my painting.

Once again thank you to all of my friends, family and supporters of my art both here in the UK and from around the world. Thank you for sticking with me and for your kind interest in my art and for taking the time to read my sporadic updates. As I have said before, you are each and every one of you intrinsic to my creativity.

Private Collection of Chris Billington Paintings – ‘Muriel’, 2010, ‘And Accordingly The Knowledgable Shall Proceed’, 2012, – Penryn, Cornwall Dec 2016

Your love is the engine of my art and I wish you all a New Year of Shining Possibilities.

PG Online

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Celebrating Tinth and Christmas at one and the same time.

In 2016  the Counties of Cornwall and Devon staged some fabulous events to celebrate Tinth.   Marking the tenth anniversary of Cornish Mining and mining sites in Cornwall and Devon achieving World Heritage Site status in 2006.

An appropriate time for me to re-visit tin mining as a subject to paint, one which I have not really covered much since my 2009 Cornwall Mines and Monuments, Cornwall Heritage Exhibition.    Tinth  has a special resonance with me given my own personal family mining heritage.   Not only Tin Mining as a motif to paint, I am also privileged to have worked in two of the last operating Cornish Tin Mines, Wheal Jane – the subject of the painting – and Mt Wellington Mine.   Furthermore because my mother was one of 3 girls and born at a time when women no longer worked in the industry,  hers is the only generation in my family going back to before the English Civil War that was not employed in the tin mining industry.

For at least 400 years, and probably much further back, every single generation on my mothers side, with the exception of her and her two sisters, worked in the Cornish Mines right up to and including me.

As the year comes to an end and in yet another break from my usual tradition of sending out ‘Cosmic Christmas’ cards I have used my  recently completed Tinth painting ‘Tinth ~ Wheal Jane Mine’ as the basis for my 2016 Christmas Card

Tinth – Wheal Jane Mine, 2016 acrylic on canvas 30x36in

‘Tinth – Whean Jane Mine’ is my celebration of the tenth anniversary of World Heritage Stutus for our tin mining industry.   It is also a celebration of the blood , sweat and hard work of an exceptional breed of men who have gone before.   It is a celebration of an industry that created great wealth for Cornwall and Cornish folk but sadly took the lives of many.

Furthermore “Tinth – Wheal Jane Mine” is especially dedicated to my late grandfather Edward Henry “Eddie” Date who worked East Pool and South Crofty Mines.   It is also an homage to my Great, Great Uncle Nicholas Date who carried his 25 yo pal Thomas Kessell back to the surface after a mining accident involving a chain breaking on a kibble at 220 fathoms in Dolcoath Mine in March 1863.   This was in the Wheal Harriett part of the mine but during the accident Thomas fell a further 10 fathoms and Nicholas went  down to get him and tried to save his life and carried him back up to the top with as much speed as he could .  Thomas never recovered consciousness and died minutes after he had been brought back above ground.   Finally the painting is also for my Great, Great, Great Uncle Nicholas Date Junior who blew himself up in a dynamite accident underground at Wheal Vor in November 1838.

Eddie Date, front row left side, and fellow miners 1600ft underground East Pool Mine 1934

An apt reminder of the power and glory of a bygone industry and the bold and fearless men and women behind it.

Wheal Jane Mine and tailings dam c1988 – Chris Billington 2016

I am proud to share “Tinth – Wheal Jane Mine” as my Christmas Card for 2016, and as usual it goes out to my loyal patrons, friends, and supporters of my art both here in the UK and the rest of the world.

Happy Christmas One And All.

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The Spice Boys Christmas single is just the tonic for a proper punk style Christmas,  and yes it is very explicit!

The Spice Boys Christmas single

I am delighted to have been commissioned for the artwork on the new Christmas single by The Spice Boys.

Featuring Pete Griffiths (Spitfire Boys) on vocals this is definitely no soft Happy Holidays offering.

Buy it now and spice up your Christmas, you know you want to.

Available now on Amazon at an almost giveaway Christmas price!

The Spice Boys on Amazon

And news on Pete Griffiths and the Spitfire Boys can be found on the Spitfire Boys facebook page.

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Anthem for Leonard Cohen – There is a crack in everything, that’s how the light gets in.

An homage to the words, music, art and life of the late Leonard Cohen (September 21, 1934–November 7, 2016).

There are no words that I can add to the many glowing tributes to Leonard Cohen that have been published these past few weeks.

His precisely crafted poems and songs were light bringers, cloaked in darkness, resonating with millions across the generations.   He had the skill to make the complex seem effortless but the poems and lyrics of Leonard Cohen often took many agonising years to perfect.   The song Anthem took Leonard Cohen a decade to complete.   My small gesture of appreciation of the same name is a piece of digital art.   In contrast to Leonard my Anthem has only taken a mere 100 or so hours to create but it is a conduit of my feelings of love for the man and his work.

Thank you for your beautiful life Leonard Cohen.

The thumbnail links to a larger image which has also been added to my Computer Art | Digital Art | Machine Art Gallery.

Anthem for Leonard Cohen, 2016, 14 x 14in

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Koons at Damien Hirst’s Newport Street Gallery – the glamour of it all

Jeff Koons, master of the giant inflatable balloon sculpture and maker of the multicolour Play-Dough mountain, was toying with us in London again.  Taking centre stage at Damien Hirst’s Newport Street Gallery Koons was a triumph for Hirst and a visual feast for all.    Undoubtedly the duo have put on the shiniest show in town this year.

Jeff Koons Now @ Damien Hirst Newport Street Gallery

Sparkling with glitz and glamour Jeff Koons ‘NOW’ is a representative sample of an almost complete retrospective.   Charting Koons career from the early illustrious Hoovers through the giant blurry porn pieces to his celebrated balloon works.    The opening in May coincided with my birthday weekend which was reason enough for me to take a trip up to London for a viewing.

Jeff Koons Play-Dough @ Damien Hirst Newport Street Gallery

Jeff Koons Now @ Damien Hirst Newport Street Gallery

Imagine my surprise when en route I dropped into Koenig, my favourite London bookshop,  and when discussing my reason for my current visit the shop assistant told me that although he was a huge admirer of the work of Koons he probably couldn’t be bothered to take a trip across the city to see the show in person.   He went on to say that he was happy enough seeing the content online.   In disregarding this exhibition he has missed seeing an important body of work by one of the most important living contemporary artists of today and if he never did get around to making the effort I am sure will be forever regretting it, such is the modern world.

With almost all of the pieces on show coming from Damien Hirst’s own private collection, some never seen in public before and spanning several decades ‘NOW’ is as glamorous as art gets.   From the selection of 1980 Hoovers, through mid eighties period  ‘Equilibrium’ series noted for the sculptures of basketballs suspended in tanks of salt water and on to the later inflatable and balloon art there was plenty on show.    Including some works from the series of explicit large scale images featuring the ex wife (and porn actress) of Koons,  Ilona Staller, aka La Cicciolina, which they made together, sensibly exhibited in their own space in a separate gallery.

Jeff Koons Boy With Pony @ Damien Hirst Newport Street Gallery

Jeff Koons uses multidisciplinary methods to produce his art.   Aided by his studio staff of more than 100 technicians, and in a similar vein to Andy Warhol, he explores the themes of consumerism and mass production.   Although he does not see his output as being influenced by Warhol, and notwithstanding the similarities with Warhol’s Factory setup, there is obviously more than a cursory connection between the work of the two artists.   Not least of which is Koons’ preoccupation with the superficiality of the common object.    Also his blatant exploitation of sexual fetishism.   It could also be argued that few artists have manufactured and managed Warhol’s contradictory characteristics of public persona as convincingly as Jeff Koons.

Throughout his career he has been masterful in harnessing the space around his art to give it energy and the Newport Street Gallery adds power and emotion.

Jeff Koons Inflatable Flowers (Short White, Tall Purple) @ Damien Hirst Newport Street Gallery

Jeff Koons Kiepenkerl @ Damien Hirst Newport Street Gallery

Jeff Koons New Rooomy Toyota Family Camry @ Damien Hirst Newport Street Gallery

Jeff Koons Seal Walrus (Chairs) @ Damien Hirst Newport Street Gallery

Jeff Koons Acrobat @ Damien Hirst Newport Street Gallery

Jeff Koons Hoovers @ Damien Hirst Newport Street Gallery

Jeff Koons Balloon Monkey @ Damien Hirst Newport Street Gallery

Centrepiece of the show, cute and innocent yet seductively provocative with its ultra-shiny smooth curves immortalised in mirror polished and colour coated stainless steel, is the giant magenta Balloon Monkey.    One of a series of five produced, each finished in a different colour.

Jeff Koons Elephant @ Damien Hirst Newport Street Gallery

Jeff Koons Basketballs @ Damien Hirst Newport Street Gallery

The Art Glitterati

Newport Street Gallery is the new jewel in London’s glitterati art crown.   It joins the select ranks of the city’s growing fine independent gallery spaces alongside the likes of the Saatchi and the most excellent White Cube in Bermondsey with its 58,000 sq ft of internal space (being one of  Jay Jopling’s trio of galleries – two of which are located in London and one in Hong Kong) .   These are compelling art spaces where you just want to spend time, regardless of the art on offer.

Whilst I am a huge fan of The Tate Modern these three are now a world away from the Tate with its stuffy archaic attitude towards the public and also their own members.    Indeed their hostility towards the photographing of displayed artworks was why I did not renew my Tate Membership last year.   I will remain a non member until they adopt a more sensible policy on the use of casual photography in their galleries.   A policy which is more in tune with the 21^st century would be more appropriate.   Apparently back in 2012 The Tate Modern didn’t even allow Damien to drink a coffee in the gallery when he was installing the artwork for his own exhibition there.

Everything about Damien Hirst’s Newport Street Gallery is a complete contrast.   The staff that I met were all courteous and helpful and a real credit to his organisation.  The gallery itself is a striking conversion of three listed Victorian warehouse buildings in the most unlikely location in Vauxhall.  Set opposite and at the end of a road full of under the arches lock ups and units the gallery is a work of art in itself.   Designed by architects Caruso St John and clad in beautiful tones of pale brickwork.    This is a perfect space for art.   Complete with fabulous feature winding staircases and  topped with an imaginative saw-tooth roof.    It’s also a most worthy winner of the highly coveted RIBA 2016 Stirling Prize for the UK’s best new building.

Damien Hirst Newport Street Gallery

Kudos to Damien for giving something quite magnificent back to the community which is a positive contribution to the arts and architecture.

Staircase @ Damien Hirst Newport Street Gallery

Jeff Koons Hoover @ Damien Hirst Newport Street Gallery

Entry to the gallery is free and the taking of photographs is allowed.

Jeff Koons’ work is beautifully aesthetic and synthetic in equal measures.

‘NOW’ is in the final days but is still running until the weekend, full details here

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An update featuring some recently sold modern art.

1977 (2014) – 40in X 32in -Punk The Transatlantic Paintings – Chris-Billington – Sold Art

A selection of paintings that have sold recently including several from the 2014 ‘Punk – The Transatlantic Paintings’ Exhibition  held in Liverpool and ‘Snow On The Tracks Southend Pier’, a painting that was exhibited at The Blake Gallery in Gravesend, Kent in my 2012 winter exhibition.

Rather appropriately 1977 was sold to a client who was born in the same year but who also has a keen love of punk music from the same era.

Red & Black (2014) – 12in X 12in -Punk The Transatlantic Paintings – Chris-Billington – Sold Art

Heart Of Glass (2014) – 12in X 12in -Punk The Transatlantic Paintings – Chris-Billington – Sold Art

Teenage Kicks (2014) – 12in X 12in -Punk The Transatlantic Paintings – Chris-Billington – Sold Art

Seventeen (2014) – 12in X 12in -Punk The Transatlantic Paintings – Chris-Billington – Sold Modern Art

Snow On The Tracks Southend Pier (2012) – 50cm X 50cm – Chris Billington – Sold Art

Also I am most pleased that ‘Pink Flag’ is now living with a member of Wire in Sweden where it rightfully belongs.

Pink Flag (2014) – 32in X 40in -Punk The Transatlantic Paintings – Chris-Billington – Sold Art

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Love Machine has been generated entirely from code and computer software.

This is the release of my first exclusively machine art for quite some time.    Since  ‘The 29th Day’ back in 2012 in fact and it heralds the start of  a new direction in my digital art processing.

I see this as an aspect of my work which will become more prevalent in 2016.   My experiments with digital technology  and Electronic Art will run parallel with my traditional painting.   However I  envisage that the two areas  will at times mesh more closely, and also along with other strands of my art practice.

This stronger emphasis on creative experimental work in the digital domain will compliment and not replace my painting.

Love Machine was created to coincide with Valentine’s Day.

Love Machine (2016) ~ Computer Art ~ Chris Billington

Computer art generated by Grey Matter and Deep Blue in my ArtLab in Cornwall.

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Happy New Year 2016 to one and all from the Cornwall and France studios of Chris Billington.

May your year sparkle with light and be brimful of colour and wonder.

2015 Has been another very busy year for me  with various projects progressing well in the UK and France. In fact much of my time was spent in France and travelling between the two countries during the past year which has meant that I have not been able to dedicate as much time to my website.   A situation which I will try to improve on in the coming months.   Some of the art that I am currently working on I hope will be ready to be made public during 2016.

In a break with my tradition of keeping my immediate family private and off the internet I have to mention the birth of my beautiful granddaughter, Aria Pearl in my New Year message.

Happy New Year 2016 ~ Chris Billington with Aria Pearl

Born to my eldest daughter Jessica and her husband Jake a few weeks before Christmas, Aria Pearl is my fourth grandchild, each one adorable,  and she already seems to be captivated by the colours in my paintings in a similar way to my creative and eldest delightful granddaughter Abigail.  Aria is a beautiful reminder that there is nothing more precious or amazing than life itself and that each of us is an awesome shining star in the velvet black cosmos.

Also a big thank you for the overwhelming response to my 2015 Christmas Card, Cosmic Star Of Bethlehem.    As one or two of you know, I almost didn’t create one this year because I thought that you may have had enough of them by now, how wrong could I be!

As this New Year of 2016 is stretching out ahead like a roll of blank canvas, waiting for us to paint in the details of our lives, I would like to once again thank all of my friends family and supporters of my art from around the world, you are each and every one of you intrinsic to my creativity.

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Cosmic Star Of Bethlehem continues my annual cosmic themed Christmas Card, after a break for my slightly more traditional  Nadelik – A Cornish Christmas card of last winter.

Star of wonder, star of night – The Star Of Bethlehem features on my Christmas card for the second time in the eight years since I started sending out annual cards.   It follows on from my 2011 card and painting “O Cosmic Star Of Bethlehem”, the original of which was sold to a collector in New York in early 2012, and it is taken from my final completed work of 2015 which can be seen below ~ The Cosmic Star Of Bethlehem ~ shining forth from the cosmos to illuminate the way for the Three Magi.

Cosmic Star Of Bethlehem (2015) – 42cm X 58cm – Chris Billington

To my friends, followers and supporters of my work from around the world  I once more take the opportunity to wish you all a Christmas that sparkles with love and happiness and a peaceful and magical year to come.

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