Jack Vettriano

One of the things that I really enjoy buying at the end of each year is a calendar. I usually buy 2–a wall calendar and a journal type one. I normally get them at Fully Booked or Powerbooks because these two places don’t just sell the generic kind but rather they also have the prettier & fancier ones which are imported abroad.

This year’s journal (from Fully Booked) I absolutely love!  It’s a journal published by teNeuse and it features the gorgeous artworks of Jack Vettriano.  “Who?” you might ask.  Well, I pretty much said the same thing when I first picked up the journal.  I flipped through it’s pages and…I was floored!

Title: Right Time, Right Place by Jack Vettriano

According to the short biography written at the beginning of the journal:

“Born in Fife in 1951, Jack Vettriano has emerged from the unlikely background of an early working life in the Scottish coal-fields to become one of Britain’s best known contemporary artists; he is entirely self taught. His work first came to public prominence at the Royal Scottish Academy open exhibition in 1988. Since then there have been sell out exhibitions in Edinburgh, London, Hong Kong, Johannesburg and New York.

Vettriano’s images are a gateway to an alluring yet sinister world; a timeless place where past and present intertwine. It is a world heavy on atmosphere evoking the great noir movies and novels of our time; the drama of men and women is played out in each canvas against a backdrop of bars and clubs, seaside and racetracks, ballrooms and bedrooms. Vettriano sets the scene and invites the viewer to develop the narrative. 

 

Jack Vettriano has studios in Scotland and in London.”

I’m no art critic but I really do love the darkness of his art.  Even if there’s only one figure or person there (I love the the solo women portraits), you know that there’s still a story behind it.  And the best part is that you do get the feeling of creating your own story.

Here are some of the paintings which I loved:

I know I chose mostly the female portraits.  I find them very seductive, alluring and mysterious.  Absolutely beautiful!  I’d really love it if I could have one of these hanging on my bedroom wall but I know there’s probably no chance in hell that I would be able to afford it haha!

But for now I have my journal to enjoy.  If you would like to know more about Jack Vettriano, check out his website at www.jackvettriano.com and if you’d like to check out more awesome calendars and journals, go to www.teneues.com

 

photos credited to the artist and the publishing company