|
With A New Year there is a New Start. As well as a Re-Vamp of this website You can now find me on Instagram/Facebook/Twitter at the All in One address of @LeeBradleyArt Exciting Year Ahead & I'm looking forwards to sharing it with You. :) #newyear #beginnings #newstart #newpage #newname #leebradley#art #leebradleyart #instagram #facebook #twitter #socialmedia#trilogy #artwork #fun #life #marvel #dc #comics #retro #cartoons#newwork #soon 
0 Comments
For those of you not in the know, just a Quick Reminder I will be at Northampton Comic-Con this coming weekend. Located at The County Ground I will be there to Sketch, Chat, maybe sell a few prints & overall have a good time. Other Guest include Chris Barrie, Colin Baker, Robert Llewellyn, Virginia Hey, plus many others. You only need to look below! Hope to see you there ;)  When I think about Auto Assembly it feels as though it has always been there. Something that always felt fresh & new and yet had been around for longer than even I knew. It most probably had that feel due to the ever changing nature of the show with the location shifts & ever growing and changing fan base. My association with the show goes far back even longer than most people probably realise. I used to be a toy dealer, Specifically 80's toys & Primarily Transformers. The 1st dedicated Transformers show for me was Transforce swiftly followed by Auto Assembly.  The Usual Suspects Back then I wanted to work in Comics, specifically Transformers. I fell into selling toys just how many do, by being a collector 1st. It was at this show I started drawing a Transformers The Movie Poster at which point Andrew Wildman came over to chat to me, & give me some Sage Advise. Fast Forward a few Years, with many bumps along the road & I was a now a Guest at the same AA. Yes at a different location, with new people, & new Experiences. I was working on The How to Draw Guide at the time alongside John Mccrea. It may even have been the 1st show I was actually a Guest at.  With several changes of location between shows & a growing fan base we finally reached AA 2015. This was to be the final show & I have to admit I was slightly relived. It had been a part of my Convention Experiences since the Beginning and always felt it was best to go out on a high. Which it most certainly did. For the Final Show I wasn't a Guest but I did appear in the Artists Alley. Hence wasn't around for many of the usual evening Hijinks due to other work commitments. In one way I was glad, I never did feel comfortable on Stage, which is one of the things that you have to do as a Guest at a show. I am fine one to one or in small groups, but when 500 people plus are watching you I tend to go blank & the only thing I can think of saying is 'Buy my Stuff'
I got asked for my usual Sketches at the show, and some of my Unusual ones, some of which I won't even post on here. The one thing I do seem to get is the slightly warped fanbase. Or the Sketches other Artists don't want to touch in case of reprisals. Me though, if I think it will be fun to draw I will give it a go.
Which Brings me Right to the Closing Ceremony. Unexpectedly the Artists Alley was called up to the Stage, I didn't really want to go. As Public Emotion is not really my thing. I save that for when I lock myself under the cupboard. I tagged along as it would have felt bad not to. First up was Jason Cardy with a microphone in hand talking to the crowd in front with enough emotion to make Sadam Hussein cry, even after his death. In short he expressed his love for AA the People involved & his time there. All I could think was 'oh god how do I follow that?' Anything I would have said would have look disinterested & uncaring. Not that I would be. It's just like I said, I save that for under the cupboard. Which then brings me on to that moment of Relief, where he turned his speech on its head and into a proposal live on stage for TFA's very own Kat Nicholson. Yes it was corny, it was slightly embarrassing, and of course Transformers Catchphrases were used. But most of all it was Sweet.
She said Yes by the way. There was lots of emotion as that show closed, which I'm not good at. The one think that stuck with me though was how nice everyone was. How nice they were to each other. Yes there is always exceptions. But more than 99% of the people there were fundamentally just really nice human beings. As I drove away it really hit me at how much it was a family & if I said I didn't shed a tear. I'd be a liar. Sometimes for things to move forward other things have to end. Its Evolution and nothing lasts forever. The most important thing is to make sure you have a good time along the way. & with Auto Assembly there were great times.  Another Weekend and another New Experience. I have to admit, the start of this one I did not enjoy. That's because it was a 6 hour Drive. After that though, it was All Gravy! I pulled up early at my old stomping ground, The English Rivera & I have got to say it lived up to it's name. The first thing I did was to re-trace some old steps & head for the beach. Hey who can blame me. It's not often you get to a con only a stones throw away from a Beach. Before I knew it time had passed & I was propped up the bar, in a purely professional manner of course. Catching up with me old matey Julian Seager as you do. We were then joined by a bevy of other great talents from James Cosmo to Paul Warren. Featuring Paul Warren, Ross Mullan, Nanette McLeod-Johnson, James Cosmo, Julian Seager Jimmy Vee, Phill Martin, & some other chap who's name escapes me.. 
On the Saturday Evening the Organisers put a buffet on for our hard work in the coalface, many Drinks were had Especially Coca Cola by my fellow Artistic attendees The Bove & Bradley. Not a Free house I assure you. Stronger stuff was had by others but always with a Slimline Tonic of Course, much to the annoyance of the nameless one.. It was a fun Evening, With much Capacity for laughter & jovial Hijinks with the ever lovely Virginia Hey & he of the Chris Barrie fame.  All in All it was an Extreamly fun & Friendly day out. From the reaction of most of the attendees it was also their 1st venture to a comiccon. Here's hoping they will be back next year, they did a great job this year so it can only get better!
I am pleased to let everyone Know if you didn't Already, I will be a Guest at OPTIMUS Thes 1st South West Film & TV Convention, If you didn't spot it on my TOUR List (It's Along the Top Bar Folks!) or Through my Posts on FACEBOOK, You most certainly see it here! With Guests Like Ernie Hudson, Chris Barrie, James Cosmo, Virginia Hey, Colin Baker & the ever elusive Julian Seager what more could you want!? Me! I hear you Scream! Maybe for the wrong reasons, Well Guess what, You can have me there too! Only in the most appropriate of ways of course! By the Seaside? In Torquay? YES, That as well! Full a FULL Run down of ALL The Guests, Displays, Events & Interactions, Go & Check Out their Website here: www.optimusconvention.com  
As Part of my Continually Busy Schedule heres where I will be next!  So wether you want High-End Prints, One off personalised Sketches, Sketch Covers, Framed Pieces or even just a chat about all things Superhero, Pop Along and see me!
So Long as it's not about the New Avengers, cause I ain't seen that yet! For More Information, Location & Details CLICK HERE! THIS WAS AWESOME! That's how The LEGO Song Went, It is also a great description of how this day was. The Final Day of my Exhibition was also the First Ever 'Comic Book Heroes & Villains Day' At Forge Mill Museum. It took a lot of time and Effort to put together & the Forge Mill Staff and Volunteers were fantastic. With an Event like this it is always tricky. After a week of Sunshine, this day wasn't. Windy, sometimes cold & Blowing a Gale, not located in a main centre and primarily outside. Yet we had Over 800 People Come through the Doors!  My Good Friend and Fellow Marvelite Julian Seager came down to join me, to sign photos & Drink beer. (Previous night only of course) We were Joined by the UK Garrison Chiefly among them, Darth Vader himself, with his troopers, Tie-Fighter Pilots & Sand People getting in the Mix. Batman & Cat-woman joined them in trying to break up the MARVEL Party & a Magical Spiderman to boot! No don't ask or I will have to explain..  There were loads of Goodies for the kids, Comic book stands, The Superhero LEGO Room, Play Area, Superhero Bouncy Castle. Even the Storm Troopers got in on the Act by Pushing one of The Monkeys from Planet of the Apes on the swing. I'm still waiting for that photo to be sent by the way!  What was great was to see so many kids dressed up as their favourite Superheroes having a blast. Although I was primarily located in the Museum amongst my Exhibition works, Sketching Chatting & Signing throughout the day. With plenty of helpers & volunteers at hand I got the chance to get out & speak to people & see what a great time everyone was having. The memory day will stay with me for a long time. to come, & the hot-dog. The hot-dog was great..  Last Year I was asked to put on an Exhibition. There were no Rules. They Just Wanted my Work on Display in their Gallery. This was to be my First Exhibition, doing what ever I Wanted. I Agreed. I Like to take on a challenge and I like to be put out of my Depth. It's Sink or Swim, & I am still swimming. Deciding on what to do was the 1st Step, After All I could do anything. I could take the Easy Route & Wheel out All the Work I have Previously done. Fantasy Art, Robots, Middle eastern Superheroes. But that would be too Easy. Again I Could just Wheel out All my Transformers Art. No, that would be far to Easy, what I wanted was a Catchy title & that would take some time to come up with.  Then one Day as the date was approaching, whilst I was driving home after a day of Scraping every aspect of my brain for a catchy title. It hit me. Retro Marvel NOW! What Better Describes what I love to do! So Okay, I had to relegate a lot of my work to stay in darkness of my back cupboard. I had to do new pieces as many of my Originals had gone. It meant producing a lot of new work. Sketch Cards, Sketch Covers, Head Shots, Characters in ways I have Always loved to see them. I got the Chance to Frame up some of my Favourite Pages, Finally Produce Canvases for Display, & I loved it. How did the Exhibition Go? Well other than All the Great Press. The local support & people literally coming from All Over the country just to see my work. The Museum More than Doubled their usual Attendance figures for the month. What Really struck me was all these People Actually came to see my work. I set myself a challenge and although I as per usual stressed at the outset, I gotta say was very proud at what I achieved I also felt very humbled with the response I received. I also got to do workshops with kids, meet and greet and experience everything from both sides of the coin. I Will do more of this. As for Retro Marvel? It's not just an Exhibition, This year for me is Retro Marvel NOW!  Before I have Time to Review the Last 5 weeks, My Exhibition, or The Comic Book Heroes & Villains day. I thought I should let you know about what was up next, especially as the event is twinned with my own. The Very First Birmingham Comics Festival is happening this Coming Saturday, April the 18th No Less. I will be there pen in hand, bright & early for the full 9 hours. Yes 9 hours I hear you Yell in disbelief! Open from 9.00am for the early birds of you, from this world. Until 6.00pm closing time. Who says I don't put the hours in! So come on by, Have a Chat, Get a Sketch, Pick up some Prints, and damn well have a good time! For more information about the Birmingham Comics Festival just click below: www.thecomicfestival.com/  |
LEE BRADLEY...
Join Us on Facebook
Follow Lee on Twitter
See Lee on Instagram
Archives
January 2018
Categories
All
|
RSS Feed
