I can't believe it's March already. The passing of time is a scary business. March is going to be quite a busy month, lots to do and and lots to try and get done. I seem to be busy all the time but not as productive as I'd like. I'll also be 31 at the end of the month which is mildly alarming. Anyhoo, I was rummaging about and found this doodle in an old sketch book - 'How to Make Friends'. I was meant to draw this up from this original quick sketch and do something with it (not entirely sure what) as I quite like the idea of literally making a little sock puppety friend, but as usual never got round to it. Click more info to see the rest of the doodle.

Draw is a new exhibition starting soon at Stolenspace gallery in London and yet another exhibition I would love to get to see. It has a drool-some list of contributing artists including: Moby, Barry McGee, HR Giger, EINE, Clive Barker, Gibby Haynes, D* Face, Ron English, Kat Von D, Tim Biskup, Ben Cho, Mark Gonzales, Derek Hess, Rich Jacobs, KAWS, Neck Face, Rick Griffin, Hank Williams III, Kerry King, WK Interact, Aurel Schmidt, Louis Molloy and Phil Kyle of London Ink, Doze Green, Chris Johanson and Dalek.

There are 300 artists contributing in total, including 25 UK artists. The artists are from the tattoo, literature, design, illustration, animation, skateboard, music, urban and contemporary art worlds and the exhibition's aim is to pay "tribute to the often-underrated but fundamental building-block of visual and graphic art: the drawing". The show starts on the 7th March and is on until 23rd, after that it takes off on a 6 country world tour.

For More details check out Stolenspace's website HERE

{image yoinked from the Stolenspace webpage}

Last Friday artist and skater Phlegm came down from Sheffield to set up his show at Spine Skate Shop, where I help to organise new exhibitions every eight weeks. We were super stoked on the show, Phlegm's work is great. Here are photos from the show, click more info for the rest of the pics:

Show overview:

Fernando let me know today that he has a brand spanking new website up and running, new design and lots of lovely new photos of his work. Check it out at www.cocobula.com

I'm currently holed up in rural France visiting my Folks who relocated here over three years ago. Lots of wildlife all around, but a bit sparse on the arts front. It's very nice here all the same, and I have taken lots of photos which I can't upload until after my return on Sunday.

I tried to befriend a hedgehog last night but he wasn't keen, and today I saw one of these very exotic looking Hoopoe birds in the garden. I've pinched this pic from google but it looked exactly the same as this fancy fellow:

Here's a selection of photos from my jaunt to France, starting with these pigeons in peril I saw at a big market. As well as all kinds of food items and clothes and other bits and pieces, there were lots of animals for sale; which is most unsettling for a vegan-type person such as myself. The sight of goats, rabbits, guinea pigs, chickens and pigeons caged up ready to be sold for food wasn't too pleasant. I wanted to buy a pigeon for €20 and set it free:

Just before I went to France I did a phone interview with Dave the Chimp for another magazine. He told me about his new solo show that's opening on Friday called Pastures New at Extrabold in Luxembourg. The title of the show is very fitting as he also told me he'll soon be leaving London and moving to Berlin.

The show runs from 28th March to 3rd May. Check the website for more info and photos of the shop/gallery space.

Some more pics from my adventures in France. The nearest big town to where I was staying is Niort. On the way there I saw quite a bit of graffiti along the main road. I took some photos while zipping past in the car and this is the only one that came out semi-visible: