It was 2006. I had interest for some new publicly funded artwork projects, some portrait commissions; I had a new exhibition planned but the short of it was I needed a break; it is now eighteen months into a year off. But I carried on oil painting and painted anything; perhaps sometimes you have to get it wrong here. I've also let exhibition deadlines slip by. Nearly every image has ended in the skip, metaphysicially, digitally - the sculpture, paintings, photos, except for a selection of the poems. Many of these have not been worth keeping either but for the lighter ones, and ones that have been read at the monthly Charters' Pint of Poetry. Since I have lived in Peterborough, I have been fortunate enough to witness the inner life of the city grow year on year, I have never believed that Peterborough lacked a cultural life as has been widely and often mooted, it just hasn't been looked after or well treated. Some of it I have been able to be a part of, initially through paintings, art projects and tutorials, but by far the most exciting development recently has been the blossoming of poetry events in the city and this year looks to have a growing number which I am looking forward to attending. For myself I have written some poetry to help the subject matter of my artwork. And so I would announce with great fanfare a new working period !!! but this would be a falsehood. I can't claim poet status from a few pub readings and it is more that I have gradually stopped cutting the canvases from their frames as my thoughts have distilled and the ideas grown more exciting.. There is no remorse from the hours of work thrown away. The paintings now feel close to the work I was producing around 1996-97. A time when my wife and I were expecting our first child whilst living in Devon. A time when I was ideologically and creatively relatively free and in good painterly spirits. So the outlook more positive. New work is in production, in the meantime Steve has put a selection of the poems up here for you to read if you'd like to. So have a great summer, we're going to be doing some sailing. Jim

 

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JGC Tovey, 29 Stocks Hill, Castor, Peterborough, PE5 7AZ

Telephone: 07896062961
01733 380617
Email:jimtovey@btconnect.com