In my last post I mentioned a couple of exciting things still to come in terms of the We all Cast Shadows body of work – and here we are!

The first is that a book is right now being professionally printed and will be delivered to me later this week! I have been wanting to create a book for a long time and it made sense that the first one be of the inspiration, development and artwork for We all Cast Shadows. The aim is to do a book for every body of future work so that over time they make a nice wee collection. Not everyone has room for art on their walls but most folks I know love a book.

There are two versions – the soft cover version with the above image on the cover and the special collectors edition cloth bound hardcover book. (the image of that will be available when I receive delivery of the books later this week).

The book contains images of sketches, drawings, journal pages and the paintings for the exhibition along with some of my thoughts about this body of work and what inspired me to create it. The special edition will also come with a signed small fine art print of the image below which is exclusively available with this version of the book and will not be available as a separate print.

Each book has 64 pages with 32 colour images and my own writing about my work.

All books and prints will be signed and one of the most exciting things is that the book will be officially launched at Heart Gallery next Saturday 29th November. I will be there signing copies and chatting to folks who visit. Any visitors are in for a real treat as there will also be live music too! I have been collaborating with Fiona from Happy 4 pr and some wonderful folks musicians who have been writing and rehearsing some songs inspired by the artwork and my writing. I am so excited about this! I have had a sneak peek of the music that will be performed and it brought me to tears. With titles such as Oh to be a sailors wife and My boy Archie went off to see (one a title from a previous painting of mine and one from the work for the current exhibition) they have taken my thoughts on the work, my storytelling and created lyrics and music that are so moving – I just cannot wait to have some for you to listen to! The plan is to get into a recording studio at some point in the future and create an EP which will of course will also be available – so stay tuned for news on that!

It is just amazing to me that since my initial ideas for this body of work it has become something so much more than I ever could have imagined. I feel my own vision of what my art can be has grown and transformed this past year and with the addition of the book and collaborations with musicians it just feels so right that it can grow and develop in the way it has.

So – if you would like a copy of the We all Cast Shadows book then you can pre-order it here. All copies will be signed by me. *

Here is the soft copy book – you can pre-order it here.

Here is the special collectors hardback edition with exclusive fine art print – you can order that book here.  I am afraid I don’t have a photo of the cover of this but it will be beautifully bound in grey cloth with silver embossed silver title and logo and I will have an image of that by next weekend.

All pre-ordered books will be mailed out December 8th at the latest and likely before that.

If you live anywhere near Yorkshire and would like to attend the book launch then it will from 12 midday till 4pm at Heart Gallery in Hebden Bridge on Saturday 29th November 2104. Would love to see you there!

* Just to confirm – this is not an instructional book on how to create art. (perhaps that will come some day in the future!) But it is a book on the artwork for the We all Cast Shadows group of artwork and paintings.