Portraits and Concept Works: Andy Mercer

Thru the glass

andrew.mercer3@gmail.com (Andy Mercer) — Tue, 07 Sep 2010 00:00:00 GMT

Night Flight

andrew.mercer3@gmail.com (Andy Mercer) — Tue, 07 Sep 2010 00:00:00 GMT

Digitally modified drawing. Created 2007

Signed limited edition prints are available for purchase, please contact me.

This work is available on various sites to purchase as an unsigned print. Search Google images for "Mercer Night Flight"

andrew.mercer3@gmail.com (Andy Mercer) — Tue, 07 Sep 2010 00:00:00 GMT

Portrait of Norah

andrew.mercer3@gmail.com (Andy Mercer) — Tue, 07 Sep 2010 00:00:00 GMT

This is an idea for a different type of portrait, fusing together drawn and photographic elements to create something different.

The photograph was taken in Park Guell in Barcelona with one of Gaudi's structures in the background.

Portrait of Kath

andrew.mercer3@gmail.com (Andy Mercer) — Tue, 07 Sep 2010 00:00:00 GMT

I am fascinated by the idea of creating a new type of digital portraiture.

Portrait of Norah

andrew.mercer3@gmail.com (Andy Mercer) — Tue, 07 Sep 2010 00:00:00 GMT

This work was created by fusing a simple line drawing with a photograph.

Please contact me if you would like to commission a digital portrait along these lines

Flag for the United States of Art

andrew.mercer3@gmail.com (Andy Mercer) — Tue, 07 Sep 2010 00:00:00 GMT

With the old ways of doing things coming apart at the seams maybe its time Artists proclaimed a new world order “the United States of Art” !
Please pledge your allegiance while wearing a berry and holding an artistic implement close to your chest.

(HEALTH AND SAFETY WARNING : Please take care when handling sharp instruments)

andrew.mercer3@gmail.com (Andy Mercer) — Tue, 07 Sep 2010 00:00:00 GMT

Clown

andrew.mercer3@gmail.com (Andy Mercer) — Tue, 07 Sep 2010 00:00:00 GMT

I was rummaging through some old drawings recently and came across this and the Redhead drawing.

I know you all know me as an internationally famous* artist but I’m actually a Chorley lad. When I was younger I would tell folks I was the founder of the Chorley Art Movement.. because there wasn’t one ! I still claim that Chorley was the centre of the Roman Empire.. before being cruelly usurped by the flashy Italian city. And they also stole Pizza from us.
But in recent years little old Chorley has become the centre of the universe (ish) it has sort of come true with Phoenix Nights becoming a cult TV classic, . There has always been a strong tradition of the performing arts and music in the area.
My main claim to fame is that the lead singer of cult 70’s band Ultravox sat in my lounge.. not Midge Ure or even Phil Collins.. the one who got sacked just as they went stella.
This picture reminds me of an impressionist (not to be confused with Monet etc) I used to know and who later went on to become quite famous over here. He was fantastic in live performance and the audience was quite literally reduced to tears by his ability to caricature famous people. In my opinion he was the most naturally gifted impressionist of his generation. He used to perform in the local pubs on a regular basis and I got to know him and had the odd beer or three with him. I was amazed to discover off stage he was the complete opposite of his on stage persona.. serious, quite quiet, even withdrawn… you struggled to get more than a couple of words out of him. The transformation happened literally the second he walked away from the mic… the lights in his eyes switched off.. the curtains of uproarious laughter were drawn and he reverted to his mundane real world personality.
Although he had his own show on national TV he was never comfortable in front of the camera and his appearances on TV are rare these days. I suspect the reason for this is partly because he was an outsider and also ruthlessly took the “p-ss” out of the trendy M25 alternative comedy hierarchy… and they may not be very funny but they are powerful people.
I don’t expect he is either skint or that bothered to be honest.. every now and then he pops up locally doing a tour. In those early days he used to travel to his gigs in a noddy car. We would travel to some dingy pub on the edge of an industrial estate to be a part of his audience.. in fact sometimes we were his audience.. so he had to acknowledge us in the end.
There’s a strong tradition of performers in the area..John Lennon was married to a local girl and drank in a pub locally.. and of course Peter Kay and Dave Spikey are examples of more recent local performers. There’s somut in the water I reckon. Almost everyone has a beer mat doodled on by John Lennon.. but most them were drawn by notable artists* of the Chorley Movement.
For every great performer there were a 100 terrible bands, bit part actors and singers.. not that it seemed to put them off.
An example that springs to mind was the comedy magician and fire eater who was performing in front of a deathly silent room.. before accidentally (?) setting fire to the plastic grapes in the ceiling .. dare I say.. after that he went down like a house on fire.
So maybe I should dedicate this picture to all those folks who get up on stage.. and don’t ever get much recognition because we are a long way from London but do it to earn a few extra bob and because they love it.
Visual artists were almost unheard of.. and most artists did their best to keep their strange ways secret and pretended to be other things. “Don’t be daft I’m not an artist.. I work at Leyland Motors. Even L.S. Lowry pretended to be a rent collector.
But in these days when its safe if not lucrative to be an artist.. I also wanted to show my bubble chums that I know which end of a coloured pencil to use..
Suspect this picture dates from around 1990… yikes.. almost 20 years old. Pretty damned good considering I was 5 years old* at the time.
(Disclaimer-at least one claim made in the above statement may not be 100% factually accurate)

Red Head.jpg

andrew.mercer3@gmail.com (Andy Mercer) — Tue, 07 Sep 2010 00:00:00 GMT

How to make NOT art ?

andrew.mercer3@gmail.com (Andy Mercer) — Tue, 07 Sep 2010 00:00:00 GMT

Urban Meditation

andrew.mercer3@gmail.com (Andy Mercer) — Tue, 07 Sep 2010 00:00:00 GMT

Space Station2b.jpg

andrew.mercer3@gmail.com (Andy Mercer) — Tue, 07 Sep 2010 00:00:00 GMT

In the Dog House

andrew.mercer3@gmail.com (Andy Mercer) — Tue, 07 Sep 2010 00:00:00 GMT

Reflections1a

andrew.mercer3@gmail.com (Andy Mercer) — Tue, 07 Sep 2010 00:00:00 GMT

Morecambe Sculpture 4

andrew.mercer3@gmail.com (Andy Mercer) — Tue, 07 Sep 2010 00:00:00 GMT

This is a concept design for a Morecambe sculpture.

Portrait of MMargot

andrew.mercer3@gmail.com (Andy Mercer) — Tue, 07 Sep 2010 00:00:00 GMT

Nicola

andrew.mercer3@gmail.com (Andy Mercer) — Tue, 07 Sep 2010 00:00:00 GMT

Art2

andrew.mercer3@gmail.com (Andy Mercer) — Tue, 07 Sep 2010 00:00:00 GMT

Space Station2b

andrew.mercer3@gmail.com (Andy Mercer) — Tue, 07 Sep 2010 00:00:00 GMT

Random1

andrew.mercer3@gmail.com (Andy Mercer) — Tue, 07 Sep 2010 00:00:00 GMT