Robert Olliver-Jones: Bodies in space

"I am a figure painter who is inspired by the arrangement of bodies in space, their relations to it and to one another providing a language to explore a diverse range of experiences and emotions including fear, hope, loss, vulnerability and compassion. I aim to make tender, sensuous and at times provocative paintings, rich in metaphor, symbolism and layered meanings with heightened emotional depth.

Light and shadow are extremely important in my work. I use my own photographic studies to work from and the subjects are often lit with just a 200W bulb thus creating not only starkly illuminated figures but also a quality and continuity of light throughout my work.

 
Wish, Oil on Board, 50cm x 50cm

( more pics )

I allow myself the freedom to trust my instincts when it comes to subject and composition and I take many of my references and influences from contemporary dance and theatre.

There is a strong sense of narrative and performance that runs though the work telling the viewer a multiple layered story that is incomplete without input from their own life experience.

Since completing my degree in Fine Art and Related Arts in 1991 I have taught and exhibited widely both in West Sussex and London." --Robert Olliver-Jones

http://www.robertolliverjones.co.uk

More Artists at my website: http://www.elisarolle.com/, My Ramblings/Art

Force of Law by Jez Morrow

I like Jez Morrow’s books, even if her characters are far from being realistic. Force of Law in particular is like one of those old category romances, the spicier lines of the serials, those little romances where first comes sex and then love, but the reader knows that is only a turn of the tables and in the end, both elements, love and sex, will be in the story.

Even Jez Morrow’s main character, Lawrence “Law” Castille, is like one of those serial romance heroes, big and wealthy tycoon, a man who has never to ask, since everyone and everything is ready at his feet. But there is one thing that Law seems unable to find, true love. Not that he is letting understand it to Tom, the object of his affection; no, like it’s to be expected from a tycoon, Law tries to win Tom over with expensive gifts, travels in private jets, picnic on private islands (or similar location)… but in the end Tom is not a bitch, even if Law calls him that, not exactly a good strategy to win if Tom was a woman, but Tom is not a woman, and so Law plays his ace, his Lamborghini Diablo, and of course, Tom who is a mechanic, where he didn’t fall for money, his head over heels for a sporty powerful car… the old motto that what you drive represents what you are. BTW, Tom rides an Harley.

I like the story, really, it was almost funny, and Tom’s struggle to not fall prey of Law was clearly a lost one, but it was good to see him try; I have the feeling that it was more a woman’s intake on how we think men behave than a really representation of reality, but as I said at the beginning, I don’t think the aim of this story was to be real. It was more to tell a funny romp, with two sexy men having fun; Law was almost a caricature: multibillionaire, handsome, tycoon but at the same time voluntary army officer, just so he could kill the bad man being from the right side of justice… a man who goes out at night to talk with a street band with only his pants on, barefoot and with sunglasses on (remember it was night…). And Tom? A gay man who is still half in the closet, who has some idea of what it means to be gay, but has not yet found the right man to go full ninety, and when Law forces a bit his hand, he goes from being a virgin (at least in one way) to having sex three times in a row! There were so much of these situations, that in the end I’m really convinced that the author was having fun, she was trying to demolish of the romance myths using them all together in a story, and the result is a big melting pot, that win the reader over if you stop to find a logical flow and only enjoy the ride, in the Lamborghini or on the Harley, your choice.

http://www.torquerebooks.com/index.php?main_page=product_info&products_id=2492

Amazon Kindle: Force of Law

Reading List:

http://www.librarything.com/catalog_bottom.php?tag=reading+list&view=elisa.rolle

Force of Law by Jez Morrow

I like Jez Morrow’s books, even if her characters are far from being realistic. Force of Law in particular is like one of those old category romances, the spicier lines of the serials, those little romances where first comes sex and then love, but the reader knows that is only a turn of the tables and in the end, both elements, love and sex, will be in the story.

Even Jez Morrow’s main character, Lawrence “Law” Castille, is like one of those serial romance heroes, big and wealthy tycoon, a man who has never to ask, since everyone and everything is ready at his feet. But there is one thing that Law seems unable to find, true love. Not that he is letting understand it to Tom, the object of his affection; no, like it’s to be expected from a tycoon, Law tries to win Tom over with expensive gifts, travels in private jets, picnic on private islands (or similar location)… but in the end Tom is not a bitch, even if Law calls him that, not exactly a good strategy to win if Tom was a woman, but Tom is not a woman, and so Law plays his ace, his Lamborghini Diablo, and of course, Tom who is a mechanic, where he didn’t fall for money, his head over heels for a sporty powerful car… the old motto that what you drive represents what you are. BTW, Tom rides an Harley.

I like the story, really, it was almost funny, and Tom’s struggle to not fall prey of Law was clearly a lost one, but it was good to see him try; I have the feeling that it was more a woman’s intake on how we think men behave than a really representation of reality, but as I said at the beginning, I don’t think the aim of this story was to be real. It was more to tell a funny romp, with two sexy men having fun; Law was almost a caricature: multibillionaire, handsome, tycoon but at the same time voluntary army officer, just so he could kill the bad man being from the right side of justice… a man who goes out at night to talk with a street band with only his pants on, barefoot and with sunglasses on (remember it was night…). And Tom? A gay man who is still half in the closet, who has some idea of what it means to be gay, but has not yet found the right man to go full ninety, and when Law forces a bit his hand, he goes from being a virgin (at least in one way) to having sex three times in a row! There were so much of these situations, that in the end I’m really convinced that the author was having fun, she was trying to demolish of the romance myths using them all together in a story, and the result is a big melting pot, that win the reader over if you stop to find a logical flow and only enjoy the ride, in the Lamborghini or on the Harley, your choice.

http://www.torquerebooks.com/index.php?main_page=product_info&products_id=2492

Amazon Kindle: Force of Law

Reading List:

http://www.librarything.com/catalog_bottom.php?tag=reading+list&view=elisa.rolle