About Me.
Hello. My name is Conner and I have been painting for about 8 years. When I was young I used to want to draw. I remember getting angry because I would have all these ideas of things I wanted to draw. Like Ghostbusters, Teenage Mutant Turtles, Power Rangers and Street Fighter characters. My mum used to ban me from drawing as I would get so worked up because I couldn't do it. Over the years I gave up on art and I focused more on words or rather the art of words so to speak. I spent about 15 years writing lyrics and I was a rapper. MAD CONNER on youtube if rap is your thing. I also spend a lot of time creative writing and I am working on a novel and a couple of scripts.
I turned 30 and I decided to start having ago at art again. I realised that I was able to draw and I started to spend a great deal of time drawing. I then moved onto painting and I now focus on Oil paintings on canvas as well as ink pieces. I have always had a love of films since I can remember and I have always tended to prefer the evil characters or those characters with violent tendencies and disturbed psyches. I have a degree in film studies and I have a diploma in adolescent phycology.
I did however have terrible GCSEs. I was graded Fs and ungraded. I was informed by my headteacher that my results were the worst in the schools history. I have always struggled in education and particuerly work. I did not get into art untill later life and I feel like I was raised in an environment where art wasn't seen as a thing to do. Im from a working class family and I always thought art was for posh people. I have since discovered some of the great artists of history and I have a great deal of admiration for them. I do not attempt to be like them and I believe I have my own style. I like to think that my art is a bit more for everyone and all people can find something they can enjoy. I am the least pretentious person and I hate pretentious people. I like to think my art is not pretentious and I dont think I am special. I dont really think Im an artist. Im just someone that enjoys painting and has managed to create work through dedication. I would like my art to inspire more people that would not normally be drawn to art. I believe everyone is an artist and it just takes the will to to try and the dedication to keep at it.
I tend to try and capture the phycology of characters and certain scenes that capture the characters essence. I am self taught and I tend to do art in a way that I find fun. I dont use pencils and I tend to go straight in with the oils and I just go with it. Due to this approach it can be very stressful as I have no particular structure and it can go in various directions. People often say they dont do art because they dont have the patience.
I am an artist and I find my patience is often tested with the process of making art but I find it as part of the process. Each piece of art I have done in a way is a part of me and a great deal of emotion has gone into them. From tears to screams, to chewing up bits of canvas in my teeth, to the great feeling of a piece complete. I go through a vast array of emotions when I work. I have mental health issues and I find that in order to stay focused on my work I will often lift dumbbells or do some shadow boxing in order to keep my energy levels up and stay focused. When you have mental health issues art work can be very difficult. Most people seem to find art therapeutic. In a way I agree but in general I dont. You have a great deal of time to sink into your own mind while you are working and it takes a great deal to stay engaged and get the work done. This of course may just be my own experience.
My Art Work.
THE Sopranos Art.
I am a huge fan of The Sopranos and I have been since it first came out. One of the main things I like about it is the writing and the characters. There is a great deal of phycology in the show and each character has there own individual element's of darkness. The show has so many layers and each character brings a different element to the show. I particularly love the elements of the supernatural that are woven within the show.
Tony back to basics. .
This piece took me some considerable time. It was a different style than I would normally do and it required a great deal of layering. I spent a couple of months on it and I would wait for one layer to dry and go over it and add various elements to it over time. The piece is from the scene where Tony is sat in the stable enjoying a Cigar while in the stable with Pie Oh My. I always found the scene beautiful and one of those special Sopranos moments. The thunder and rain is taking place outside and Tony is sat with Pie Oh My and is visited by a Goat who lives there also. Its a scene where Tony seems the most genuinely content. Unlike other scenes of Tony content that involve luxuries such as food and alcohol or woman. Here Tony is content with the basics and it almost nods to a more traditional time of old away from modern complications. I had fun and also a lot of difficulty with the light in this one. I used the shadows to represent Tonys evil forever clinging on to him. While he is sat in the place of tranquillity it is only a brief experience and the darkness that is his world and ultimately him is always there surrounding him.
The Curse of Christopher.
In this piece I try to portray the inevitable demise of the character. Christopher has always intrigued me as he seems to be alone in his various relatable ways. We witness him go through his dark journey and we get an idea of what that life can do to a persons Soul. Now I will explain how I put this together.
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I put him digging up the body of Emil with Georgy in the centre. Behind them is a tunnel which is to represent the Void his Soul is being dragged into. We see they are digging and it goes into the Pigs head that is above Christopher in the nightmare scene in Satrials. The pigs represent slaughter for profit and the life they are in. The large Pig at the top is Tony. He is digging into the pig and in essence burying his Soul into the abyss that is the life with Tony.
There is the nightmare of Adriana and the sausage and her demise from being affiliated with that life and knowing Adriana's fate the representation is one of hell and a ghostly presence. Her consuming the sausage could also be symbolic if her partaking in the evil that is taking place by consuming the benefits that come with dating a mobster. The consumption of materialism. The crow at the top suggests a higher power of darkness that is at work in Christophers journey. The crow of course nodding also to the ducks that are prominent with Tony. The nightmares of Christopher and his vison of Hell when he gets shot all seem to be a part of Chris journey. I have included the drug use as it no doubt played a part in his demise but also the scene where Chris decided to condemn Adriana by telling Tony of her portrayal. The crow by the open window is as tho its the window to the other world that awaits Chris's soul and the crow is there to take him to his next destination to be judged for the decisions he had made as portrayed throughout the overall piece.
The Eyes of The Demon.
For this piece I really wanted to try and capture the dark mind of Ritchie. I find him to be the scariest of the characters and he has a darkness in him like no other on the show. He seems to always have a simmering rage under the surface like a Volcano that could erupt at any moment. He seems to get no joy unless its in the act of violence. He seems fearless of prison and of death. In this piece I try to capture the array of darkness in Ritchie at the moment before he attacks Beansie. His eyes have a predatory fix and there is a look on his face of a dark hate that is about to explode into explosive violence. There is also a subtle look of pleasure as he is almost aroused as he is now letting out the demon and feeding on the nourishment of his evil.
The last drink.
I always found the episode Fun house very powerful and I always found the fatal scene with Pussy heart breaking. In this piece we can see the shame in Pussies face and the sad and painful reality that he knows there is no way out. Tony and Sil look on in heartbroken disproval as Paulie stares coldly with a clenched fist barely able to contain his rage at the betrayal.
The Beat Feasts.
I have always seen Tony as a kind of alpha animal. A powerful beast that can be dangerous if he doesn't get what he wants. Tony is constantly seen eating and often picking at food with his hands. Tony is very much a carnivore and is often seen eating meat. He is almost Bear like in stature with an intimidating physique which he often uses to intimidate prey or rival predators. As the show goes on Tony seems to get darker and lose more of his humanity. He eats more and becomes a lot larger. His repugnancy reaches new heights and his need to consume and indulge in vices become far more apparent. He almost comes across as a repugnant pig at times and one that will devour everything in his path. An all consuming beast that brings misery wherever he goes. I have painted Tony in a portrayal with this theory in mind.
Christophers Paranoia.
I try not to mimic other artists but with this piece I made an exception. I attempted to do this piece in a Goya like stye. I am of course not in any way suggesting it is remotely on that level but I thought the scene had a very nightmare like Goya feel to it. I did a mixed black and red background. This is to signify Chris's mind state of rage and depression merging in the drunken mist.
Tony and Ritchie
stare down.
Junior doesn't fold.
