Fantastical travels

Posted: 23 April 2012 | Author: Rona Green | Filed under: Inspiration, Rona | Tags: art, Borneo, cats, Dalmatian, Dayak, dogs, George Burchett, headhunters, Horace Ridler, Iban, inspiration, Kuching, linocuts, prints, Rona Green, tattoo, The Great Omi, wild men | 2 Comments

‘All fantasy should have a solid base in reality.’

– Max Beerbohm (1872-1956)

Max Beerbohm

Please join a tour of the creative thought process that lead to my series of prints titled Borneoids.

A French made map of Borneo

Borneo, the third largest island in the world.

The Wild Men of Borneo

The mysterious island lends it name to quite a few modern wild man myths such as Hiram and Barney Davis (aka Waino and Plutano) who were transformed into the Wild Men of Borneo earning a great sum of money as side show stars.

Statue of cats in Kuching

Kuching is the capital of Sarawak, Borneo and is also known as Cat City.

Another cat statue, Kuching

Cat City is riddled with wacky cat sculptures as well as real life felines nosing around.

Dayak headhunter

The Dayak are the native people of Borneo.

Traditional Dayak tattooing ceremony

For the Dayaks headhunting and tattooing are important ritual activities.

Borneo tattoo designs

The Dayak are traditionally animist in belief and their tattoo designs are sophisticated stylisations of flora and fauna.

Rafflesia

One particulary impressive plant native to Borneo is the Rafflesia.

Borneo rosette design

The Iban in particular are a heavily tattooed branch of the Dayak peoples of Borneo.

A swanky Iban man

The Great Omi (aka Horace Ridler, 1892-1969) was a professional freak.

The Great Omi

Part of Omi’s side show schtick was claiming to have been captured and tortured via tattooing in New Guinea.

George Burchett tattooing Omi

Actually he was inked by the ‘King of Tattooists’, George ‘Professor’ Burchett.

Dalmatian

Who doesn’t love a black and white patterned animal?

Rona Green, Dally-boy, 2006, linocut & watercolour, 69 x 55 cm, edition 23

Rona Green, Cutter, 2006, linocut & watercolour, 69 x 55 cm, edition 23

Rona Green, White Rajni, 2006, linocut & watercolour, 54.5 x 38 cm, edition 23

Rona Green, Goo Goo Man, 2006, linocut & watercolour, 54.5 x 38 cm, edition 23

Be sure to check out this mesmerising little clip of The Great Omi.

Don’t tell me what to do

Posted: 9 April 2012 | Author: Rona Green | Filed under: Inspiration, Rona | Tags: art, Henry Rollins, inspiration, Jello Biafra, Johnny Rotten, Mojo Nixon, mug shots, paintings, Pit Bull Terriers, Rona Green | Leave a comment

Mojo Nixon

Mojo Nixon aka Neill Kirby McMillan, Jr. (b. 1957).

Jello Biafra

Jello Biafra aka Eric Reed Boucher (b. 1958).

Henry Rollins

Henry Rollins aka Henry Lawrence Garfield (b. 1961).

Johnny Rotten

Johnny Rotten aka John Lydon (b. 1956).

John Lydon on TV show Judge Judy

Pit Bull Terrier

Pit Bull Terriers

Cheeky doggies.

King of ?

13 is lucky for some

Naughty boys.

Unit 4 corridor Jika Jika

Pentridge Prison.

Rona Green, Mr Correct (Hank), 2011, acrylic on canvas, 76 x 76 cm

Rona Green, Mr Correct (Reid), 2011, acrylic on canvas, 76 x 76 cm

Rona Green, Mr Correct (Junior), 2011, acrylic on canvas, 76 x 76 cm

Justice.

Rona Green Art Giveaway Winners!

Posted: 3 April 2012 | Author: Rona Green | Filed under: Giveaway, Rona | Tags: art, giveaway, prints, Rona Green | 8 Comments

Trumpet herald please!

Gonzo from The Muppet Show

The winners of the Rona Green Art Giveaway have been drawn by Freddie The Lucky Lagomorph.

Freddie The Lucky Lagomorph

And the winners are:

The Art Giveaway Winners

Andy – winner of Bogatyr.

Harriet – winner of Knyazhna.

Tarli – winner of Pajari.

Congratulations!

Rona Green, Bogatyr, 2008, screenprint, 38 x 56 cm, edition 23

Rona Green, Knyazhna, 2008, screenprint, 38 x 56 cm, edition 23

Rona Green, Pajari, 2008, screenprint, 38 x 56 cm, edition 23

And here is a little bit about the creation of the works:

Danzig Baldaev (seated)

These prints were inspired by Russian criminal tattooing and the drawings of Danzig Baldaev.

Of particular interest to me is the use of the cat as the symbol for the thief.

Drawings of Russian criminal tattoo designs by Danzig Baldaev

All the characters in the giveaway prints are based on pets of artist friends.

Bogatyr is a portrait of Bodhi, companion of Belinda Fox.

Bodhi aka Bogatyr

Knyazhna is a portrait of Alba (named after The Duchess of Alba), companion of Eolo Paul Bottaro and Marguerite Brown.

Alba aka Knyazhna

Pajari is a portrait of Mr Pip, companion of Stephen Wickham.

Mr Pip aka Pajari

Thank you all so much for entering the Rona Green Art Giveaway and for your wonderfully entertaining comments.

Congratulations again to the winners!

Dr Teeth and The Electric Mayhem from The Muppet Show

Remember you can visit my website to join my mailing list if you would like to be informed about future exhibitions, events and giveaways.

Rona Green Art Giveaway

Posted: 26 March 2012 | Author: Rona Green | Filed under: Giveaway, Rona | Tags: art, giveaway, print, Rona Green | 179 Comments

THE GIVEAWAY IS NOW CLOSED.

WINNERS ANNOUNCED IN THE NEXT BLOG POST – TUESDAY 3 APRIL 2012 IN THE PM.

Drum roll please…

Thank you Animal from The Muppet Show

I am delighted to present my inaugural blog art giveaway!

You have a chance to win one of the following Rona Green original limited edition prints:

Rona Green, Bogatyr, 2008, screenprint, 38 x 56 cm, edition 23

Rona Green, Knyazhna, 2008, screenprint, 38 x 56 cm, edition 23

Rona Green, Pajari, 2008, screenprint, 38 x 56 cm, edition 23

To enter:

1. You must be a follower of my blog.

Either an existing or new follower (go to the ‘Follow This Blog’ heading at the top right hand corner of this page).

2. Leave a comment telling me which print you like the best and why.

Click on ‘Comments’ under the ‘Rona Green Art Giveaway’ heading at the top of this post or comment at the end of the post.

Please note: Comments may not appear immediately as they must first be moderated.

Entries close at 11.59pm EDT on Monday 2 April 2012.

Freddie The Lucky Lagomorph

Each entry will be numbered as the comments come in and Freddie The Lucky Lagomorph will draw the winners who will be announced in my next blog post on Tuesday 3 April 2012.

Thank you for your interest in my work and good luck!

PS: If you would also like to join my mailing list to be notified of future exhibitions, events and giveaways visit my website.

THE GIVEAWAY IS NOW CLOSED.

WINNERS ANNOUNCED IN THE NEXT BLOG POST – TUESDAY 3 APRIL 2012 IN THE PM.

Strange soirées

Posted: 18 March 2012 | Author: Rona Green | Filed under: Artists, Inspiration, Rona | Tags: art, artists, Bela Lugosi, Diane Arbus, Dutch Golden Age, Frans Hals, inspiration, Jean Dubuffet, Jim Henson, Muppets, poppets, prints, Rembrandt, Rona Green, Thomas de Keyser, Vincent Price | 5 Comments

Diane Arbus, Transvestite at her Birthday Party, N.Y.C., 1969

‘For me the subject of a picture is always more important than the picture. And more complicated.’

– Diane Arbus (1923-1971)

Boogie's 6th birthday party, 1978

All kinds of images fire up my imagination.

One photo in particular has intrigued me so much that I have created three different interpretations – it is a snapshot of my guy’s birthday party, illustrated above.

The first incarnation, party, was highly influenced by my love of Jean Dubuffet’s art.

Rona Green, party, 1995, lithograph, 17 x 30 cm, edition 4

Then there was Birthday Boogies, a mixed media piece including soft sculptural objects that I call poppets.

Rona Green, Birthday Boogies, 2002, mixed media, 27 x 35 x 3 cm

The poppets were born from a fondness for dolls, puppets and masks. As a kid I adored The Muppet Show produced by Jim Henson, and the colourful characters of Warner Brothers and Hanna Barbera cartoons.

Jim Henson and Muppets

After Birthday Boogies came Secret Robot Society, which incorporated my fancy of the Dutch Golden Age of painting.

Rona Green, Secret Robot Society, 2002, linocut and watercolour, 49 x 70 cm, edition 13

Favourite artists from this period in art include Rembrandt, Frans Hals and Thomas de Keyser.

Rembrandt, The Anatomy Lesson of Dr. Nicolaes Tulp, 1632

Frans Hals, Regents of the Old Men's Almshouse, 1664

Thomas de Keyser, The Syndics of the Amsterdam Goldsmiths Guild, 1627

After making Secret Robot Society I produced two more prints – Treacherous Boys With Charisma and The Ventriloquist – to form a trio of group portraits.

Rona Green, Treacherous Boys With Charisma, 2003, linocut and watercolour, 49 x 70 cm, edition 13

My creative process is very much about collaging together an eclectic range of source material to invent something otherworldly and somewhat absurd.

The dashing Bela Lugosi

The debonair Vincent Price

In the case of these prints I have referenced the Dutch painters along with TV shows, horror movie stars, dolls and puppets, as well as ideas about social hierarchy and esotericism.