Happy New Year from David
Let me take a moment of your time to wish all our readers and viewers a Happy New Year. I hope you have all got over the indulgence of Christmas and it was good for you all. I am more than relieved to put it behind me. Traditionally I normally hang up my pencils over the festive period as it comes as a well relieved natural break from the hard slog of autumn and the busy festive trading period.
It is always nice to come back fresh in the new year revitalized and ready to get going on new work. The reality is that getting together the motivation to kick start yourself back to work on a dark, gray, cold winters morning at the start of the year is a far from easy task. I don't know what that magic ingredient is, that ignites an artists drive but I know that I could certainly do with whatever it is come January each year.
After a terrifically busy season before Christmas I have faced a repeat question time and time again regarding my plans for 2010. The answer to be honest is that much of it is still undecided, I can definitely reassure many of you that there will be a couple of shows with new work spread throughout it (I guarantee the blog will be a good port of call for info on this). Other plans that might or might not happen include expeditions and a possible new edition to my book catalogs. For full details of all news and forthcoming releases keep checking in and we will try and regularly keep things posted.
Unfortunately due to a few technical problems the release of the new Sally print for Monkey World was delayed before Christmas and didn't get to the websites in time for many x mas shoppers. It has now been released and is available from the Monkey world shop and website at the same price and size as the previous release of Charlie. The print comes as a regular 595 limited edition litho and a luxury very large size giclee 199 edition. If due to some unknown reason it is still not on their website www.monkeyworld.org please feel free to give n the shop a ring who will happily deal with your order.
It is always nice to come back fresh in the new year revitalized and ready to get going on new work. The reality is that getting together the motivation to kick start yourself back to work on a dark, gray, cold winters morning at the start of the year is a far from easy task. I don't know what that magic ingredient is, that ignites an artists drive but I know that I could certainly do with whatever it is come January each year.
After a terrifically busy season before Christmas I have faced a repeat question time and time again regarding my plans for 2010. The answer to be honest is that much of it is still undecided, I can definitely reassure many of you that there will be a couple of shows with new work spread throughout it (I guarantee the blog will be a good port of call for info on this). Other plans that might or might not happen include expeditions and a possible new edition to my book catalogs. For full details of all news and forthcoming releases keep checking in and we will try and regularly keep things posted.
Unfortunately due to a few technical problems the release of the new Sally print for Monkey World was delayed before Christmas and didn't get to the websites in time for many x mas shoppers. It has now been released and is available from the Monkey world shop and website at the same price and size as the previous release of Charlie. The print comes as a regular 595 limited edition litho and a luxury very large size giclee 199 edition. If due to some unknown reason it is still not on their website www.monkeyworld.org please feel free to give n the shop a ring who will happily deal with your order.
Posted by David Dancey-Wood at Monday, January 11. 2010 
Categories: David's Blog
Tags: Happy New Year giclee 199 edition Sally Monkey World limited edition litho
Categories: David's Blog
Tags: Happy New Year giclee 199 edition Sally Monkey World limited edition litho
Great to start another year by reading the latest news from David and Vince. I'm sure that the new web site and articles will be as interesting as 2009. Congrats to David on two great exhibitions in the Autumn and thanks to the hosts of the two venues who put in so much work to make them so enjoyable. Role on the next exhibition in 2010. Can I, on behalf of lots of David's supporters, wish Simon Skuse a speedy recovery. I'm sure many of the readers have enjoyed his exhibitions and incisive comments on wildlife art and his enthusiasm and knowledge is sorely missed.
Two suggestions for the new website. Firstly, how about one of David's works of art as a picture of the month? One of David's many characteristics, that sets him above most wildlife artists, is that he'll draw unusual, interesting, animals such as the recent pangolin or earlier bat eared fox, not just the usual lion and elephant etc. I'm sure such subjects plus info on them would entertain and educate us.
Secondly, can we have a hit counter for the week/month rather than the graph which is hard to read?
Good wishes for a successful year and here's hoping more readers give their views and contribute to make Wildlife Sketches one of the best wildlife sites on the web.
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Thank you Jon for mentioning Simon Skuse. I was shocked and very sad to here about Simon from David recently. Simon has always been very friendly and has often left interesting and useful comments on this blog, and he sold me some of my first prints of David's. He has been very helpful in the past and like you Jon, I wish Simon a speedy recovery. Simon is a great character, and a really nice person.
I will look into getting your ideas into the new website too. They are very good. Especially, the monthly image idea.
Vince.
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Vince mate,
I've just read your wonderful comments.
Thank you so very much mate. You can have no idea how it helps to read things like that. I'm very very lucky.
Simon
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Great to hear from you Simon, I know Colin would be very happy to hear that your recovering. I only heard about David's work because Colin was collecting his prints which he always bought from you. So I have to thank you really for getting me hooked too! Thanks, I am really grateful. Hope to hear some more from you on the blog maybe?
Vince De Luca.
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Ha Ha Vince !
I've just read yourcomment re Colin which I had not noticed before ! Colin was one of our VERY first customers when we started up all those years ago.
If I recall correctly, he either called me or e mailed ! And even after all these years I can remember it because I think he asked for two Grey Wolves and two Cougars. Quite unusual !
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Jon,
Thank you so much for your kind wishes and lovely comment. It is kindness and support from people such as you and David, that has seen me through the darkest days mate.
I miss it all so much, hopefully some day soon it can all come back. I can say without hesitation that Vince is doing a fabulous job. This is a brilliant website, and the love , knowledge and respect for his subject is a mirror image of how it was for me.
And you know what ? After the many many years I've known David and his lovely family, I thought there was nothing he could do anymore that would impress or surprise me. And then along comes Mayan Monarch. Enough said....
You folks all stay well. And lets celebrate that fact that in the wonderful care of Vince, Davids wildlife art is more than safe.
Simon.
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What a *truly* breathtaking chimp picture. Wow, I wish I had a skill like that.
Richard
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Yes Richard,
I agree entirely mate. David Wood's primates are simply wonderful and technically breathtaking.I'm personally not a great fan of primates for a number of reasons, however there can be no doubt that his illustrations in this area of Natural History are probably the finest in the world. I've never seen anything vaguely close, and trust me, I've seen a bit.
One of my favourites has always been 'Contemplation', a truely jaw dropping drawing and David's first Chimpanzee illustration to come onto the market in a serious fashion many years ago. Regretably now 'sold out' at the publishers.
Try to view one in 'real time' if you can mate.
Whilst on the subject of 'Contemplation', unlike many of David's primate illustrations, 'Contemplation' is not a chimpsnzee from Monkey World. Although many folk assume quite naturally, that it is !
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Great to get comments from Simon again. Welcome back to the world of wildlife art! I was one of the people who thought the chimp drawing was a subject from Monkey World. It just shows you shouldn't assume anything. I always think one of the most intriging things about wildlife artists is how they come to choose their subjects and what they know about the subject that we don't. That's one of the reasons why going to exhibitions is such fun as you find out from artists like David much more about the individual creatures that have been drawn or painted. I never look at my drawing of the young jaguar, Mayan monarch, without remembering that David saw it with a badly mangled paw and that he had to reconstruct the healed paw in his drawing so that the picture looked right, and what a brilliant portrayal of a jaguar it is. Hopefully the young cat is now fully recovered.Perhaps sometime, David can spare the time to write a piece on what attracts him to drawing certain animals and how he manages to be so original in his portrayal.
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Great comment Jon, and very intresting mate.I never knew about the paw of the Jaguar and your comment made fascinating reading.
If it's any consolation there was a time when I too thought 'Contemplation' was a Monkey World chimp. Then one day in Bournemouth, either the late Jim Cronin or David put that theory firmly out of mind. !!
And to end, I think your idea on David telling us what motivates him to draw certain creatures is a great idea. I do know however, that when one does it as a serious business, as opposed to a 'relaxing' past time, generally speaking, one needs to give the public what they want or you'll go out of business.
However, once you reach the standard of David and have established yourself, you can probably be a little more adventurious in your subject matter. That's my take anyway !
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Hi Jon,
I was just re reading your comment mate, and I agree entirely with what you say. It's a real shame more people can't contribute by adding a comment. It's one way of getting a real taste for what people thing and feel.
This is such a great site and so interactive. It draws you in completely and seems to invite you to take part! I can honestly say that sites like this for wildlife art are few and far between.
Further to that, it is entertaining, amusing in the right places and often the contents are extremely educational without the reader realising it.
Any DDW collector, or for that matter anyone with a passing interest in Natural History who has not viewed this site, is missing out big time.
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Months have passed now, and I find myself returning once again to this illustration of Sally, above. There are no suitable words to describe it or explain its utter brillance.
Even after all these years,DDW can still create works of art that leave me utterly speechless. And that's no easy task.If there's anyone in the world who can illustrate primates like this artist can, please tell me.
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