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To these striking images, he has added another layer of intuitive free hand texts that include lines from favourite songs (from the Beatles, Bob Dylan and other recognisable pop numbers that have seeped into his consciousness). In “I've been loving you a long time” his first in a series of original limited edition prints he has added the lines 'You're a big girl now' and 'like a rolling stone' - both borrowed from Dylan. These pictures are a wonderful mixture of cartoon characters that we all know and love with elements of autobiography, songs, stories and memories. In Girls just like to have fun we see Minny Mouse, with her sweet smile, her seductive gaze and long eyelashes. In the companion piece With a love forever true Mickey Mouse gives his characteristically cheeky smile. In another splendid image Felix the cat ..................... Spiller adds spots of colour around the image - not Damien Hirst-like spots, but colour as light - like the colour spots you might see flickering on the screen of an old film or like giant cartoon snowflakes. The choice of these characters is a personal one. Unlike most of us who first saw these cartoon characters on screen, Spiller was inspired as a young boy to draw them by his elder brother, and this has stayed with him ever since. Spiller's work, whilst having a light touch, has the hallmarks of a rigorous eye. He has absorbed the intensity and attention to detail that his first teacher Frank Auerbach taught him and he has since seamlessly incorporated a wide variety of artist's influences - from Picasso to Dubuffet into his work. And while these influences are serious, there is a charming humour to his tone. Spiller is enjoying himself. His paintings are cathartic life-affirming works. They may bear the struggle of their making in those expressive marks but they manage to retain their meaning.
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books  books and comics archive Author interviews and reviews from 2002 to 2008. art  art archive Watch artist interviews and see images from British exhibitions. |
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