David Tolley, SELF PORTAIT, 2011, 1550h X 1110w acrylic on canvas
ABOUT THE BLOG
Just recently I decided that a blog would be an interesting format for gathering and publishing a range of stuff that had to do with my life and work. I’ll soon hit 75 and the spectre of mortality hovers. I realize as I write that I haven’t discussed this issue with others similarly confronted but my experience mainly concerns the obvious… time, specifically, time left relative to my relationship with art and music and time left to organise my stuff, the things I have amassed in my daily life.
Amongst these issues the idea of a blog insinuated itself. Up till now blogs have not been part of my life but suddenly the format seemed interesting as a way to gather a range of references to my work, perhaps with some little things specific to the medium and the interface/structure of the software.
Naivety perhaps but the ‘blog’ seems to have developed into a real-time, real-world document as distinct from the, static, indelible forms – audio recording, video and DVD, film and the literary and photographic tomb…… just a thought.
So over time I’ll post various aspects of my work hopefully striking a balance between the needs of my current work and working processes and the documentation of past and present as creatively as this blog format permits.
ABOUT MY WORK:
For many years image, object, and sound making have all competed for a fair share of attention. Among these, interactive improvisation with other performance composers has been particularly insistent. All these elements have supported each other, and sustained me, throughout my life and there has been no conflict, just limited time.
My considerations and decision-making in painting, my current favoured art process, are indistinguishable from those in sounding or anything else in fact. Regardless of media, methodology and style, I am always concerned with the dynamic and interactive, with processes of inter-relationship and inter-dependence. Media and procedure are inter-determined and all of it is an expression of mind energy interactions and of the frailty and impermanence of everything.
Teaching has reflected my concerns as an artist in these realms, functioning as another art process and I have been blessed with a number of very special individuals as students. Many have been at a basic level of art and music investigation – none the less stimulating for me – and many have been at the ‘turning point’, that indecipherable stage where ‘student’ becomes ‘artist’ and ‘teacher’ or ‘guru’ becomes colleague. Suffice to say it is a difficult period, if not an illusion, often sticky with emotive confusion. I won’t discuss them in this context though I am often blessed with their declarations of my place in their creative energy and often feel pride in their achievements. This blog is dedicated to them all.
This is one very interesting and absorbing site. What a pleasure to be able to see the vast range of your work!
As always you set the standard of dedication in an artist: one completely devoted to authentic self expression in a pure stream of creativity. By the way, who’s your cook? Your site is most erudite, colouful and informative. I particularly enjoyed Geoffrey Smith’s opening speech for the MARS gallery solo show. What a joyous tribute in rollicking laugh form!
I look forward to watching your site unRAAP as time goes by……if you can…we haven’t seen you for days!
David, I think the blog is great! It seems to me to be an elegant and effective way to introduce yourself as a person to those who perhaps know you only through your work, whether painting or music. Love, Bruce.
This is some enjoyable stuff. It took me a while to locate this website but it was worth the time. I noticed this page was buried in google and not the number one spot. This web site has a ton of nice stuff and it does not deserve to be burried in the search engines like that. By the way Im going to save this website to my favorites.
You are very kind. Thank you.
Can I just say what a relief to find someone who actually knows what theyre talking about on the internet. You definitely know how to bring an issue to light and make it important. More people need to read this and understand this side of the story. I cant believe youre not more popular because you definitely have the gift. <a href=//legosforgirls.info/
Thank you
I usually don’t post in Blogs but your blog forced me to, amazing work.. beautiful
You are very kind.
This design is spectacular! You most certainly know how to keep a reader amused. Between your wit and your videos, I was almost moved to start my own blog (well, almost…HaHa!) Fantastic job. I really loved what you had to say, and more than that, how you presented it. Too cool!
Hello David,
I want to know more about your record “you know you know” from 1981.
Can you tell me something specific and interesting about that record production?
For example how many copies had been pressed.
Dear C Solo
Sorry I can’t help a lot re You Know You Know. I’ve got no idea how many were pressed. Can you explain how come you’re interested?
regards DT
David, lovely site. Fantastic way to bring together your work, and an elegant (nice word for this site) way of displaying/sharing/acknowledging yr multiple creative stuff. I hope that you fill up this site with an abundance of historical and current outpourings. x
photography in pennsylvania I’ve been surfing online greater than 3 hrs these days, nonetheless I never identified any fascinating write-up like yours. It’s quite really worth adequate for me. For my part, if all webmasters and bloggers produced very good content material as you did, the net might be substantially additional helpful than ever previous to. Northampton Photography
Thank you for your interest and encouragement
DT
Well written post with many great points. I’ve got to say, very well done and all the very best in the future
Thank you for your interest
of course like your website however you need to check the spelling on several of your posts. Several of them are rife with spelling problems and I find it very troublesome to inform the truth on the other hand I’ll definitely come back again.
Thank you for your interests and your comments on the inundation of spelling errors. I would be most grateful if you could be more specific and also tell me what version of English on which you are basing your assessment. I’m also interested to know your fields of interest and endeavour.
Kind regards DT