Art and artists

In April of this year I started a series of paintings under the title "I'm Not There." So far I have completed aprox 130 artworks and (touch wood) when eventually I complete the series I am hoping I can exhibit some or all of them here in Cumbria, preferably Carlisle.

David Harkins

Because I am a full time carer to my wife, Jayne, and our son, Jonathan, I paint/draw mostly in "my time," which is usually somewhere between midnight and 6am. I don't mind painting or drawing through the night, not at all. In fact I'm quite used to it and indeed prefer working through the night when everyone else is fast asleep.

The "I'm Not There" series of art works are inspired, if inspired is the right word, by loneliness. Virginia Woolf in a letter to someone describes the countryside around Hardian's Wall as being nothing but "miles and miles of loneliness" - When I'm working on my "I'm Not There" art works I feel like I'm painting loneliness, so to speak. Recently I've felt it necessary to write "I LOVE YOU" on the paintings. Why? I haven't a clue why.

In the past I've sold paintings all over the UK and indeed the USA, but nowadays I have neither the time or the inclination to sell my paintings/drawings. Although in the past couple of years I've swapped paintings with several well know and extremely successful artists working here in the UK.

Words and pictures courtesy of David Harkins.