I’m back in Glasgow for ‘Bite Me’, my upcoming exhibition at the Lansdowne Bar & Kitchen starting at 7pm Thursday April 5th and running to the end of April.  The paintings on display are the result of a 2-month stint of solitude in a cabin in rural Pennsylvania; I’m looking forward to sharing them with the public and any excuse for a party is always welcome. Here is a sneak-peak of what to expect.

I feel a mixture of relief and shock to be back in city-life in Glasgow.  It’s great to see friends and loved ones again and to have so much activity, culture, and most importantly good food within easy walking distance.  However I’ve had to make an effort to readjust to a hectic urban environment.  Nearly being flattened by a big truck on Great Western Road was a reminder that some care should be taken when crossing busy roads.

‘Bite Me: New Paintings by Zach Sell’ opens at 7pm on Thursday April 5th at the Lansdowne Bar & Kitchen (7a Lansdowne Cresent, Glasgow) and runs until the end of April.  I will be on hand at the opening to answer any questions about my work.  Come along, all are welcome.

Last night I shifted toward a new direction in my painting–the latest is above. It seems a natural progression of what already attracts me to still life; vesting inanimate everyday objects with human qualities.

I have now been living in solitude at my family cabin in rural Pennsylvania for 2 weeks. I split my time between painting (some recent culinary creations can be seen above) and rambling through the forest in search of adventure. I was more than a little disappointed when in my pre-cabin preparations I read somewhere that black bears hibernate through the winter, especially when I had been relating to folk in Glasgow all about the exciting wild things that would be on my doorstep.

Luckily I won’t have to eat my words, because sure enough while out walking in my first week I managed to bump into a small bear (maybe 250 lbs). It was about 30 yards distant downhill and on seeing me it ambled off in the opposite direction; no hello, no hug, nothing.

Here are some recent paintings I’ve done, with a culinary focus (All are  oil on board, 12cm by 14cm).

The folks at Happy/Sad invited a select few to the private screening of LOVER BOY on Saturday (28.5.11) in Cinema Two of the GFT.  We were lucky to have an intimate and enthusiastic crowd.  The screening was immediately followed by an informal Q&A style discussion led by director Max Swinton and me.  I took up a position in front of the screen and Max took to the seats, fielding questions with the roving mic.

The questions were numerous and well thought out, covering wide ranging topics from the practicalities of independent film-making to developing ideas through a creative process.  Even edible props were discussed to some laughter.

Whilst seeing myself on the big screen is not exactly the most comfortable experience, I felt an overwhelming sense of accomplishment and pride.  Months of hard work have paid off.  Time to get the next Happy/Sad film under way.  http://www.happysadpictures.com/

For all those eagerly awaiting LOVER BOY, at last the teaser trailer is here.

LOVER BOY – Teaser from Max Swinton on Vimeo.

Jack and Chlo fell in love. They love each other very much. But Chlo can be cruel, her behaviour erratic. As Jack’s increasingly fragile state of mind begins to rapidly degrade, he will have to choose between facing up to the fatal flaw in his and Chlo’s relationship, or exploring his own potential for cruelty to it’s fullest potential.

LOVER BOY is the latest short from Happy/Sad/Pictures.

written and directed by Max Swinton

produced by Max Swinton and Zach Sell

starring Zach Sell, Hannah Wilder, and Callum Fuller

original score and sound design by Stuart Torrance

http://www.happysadpictures.com/lover-boy/

I finally finished ADR for my role in LOVER BOY and am looking forward to the finished product.  The ADR was challenging and tedious work but very rewarding and satisfying; an odd marriage of exacting rhythms and pitch in speech to sliding back into character.  Giving these last aural contributions has given me a sense of closure.  I feel like I’ve really laid my character Jack to rest and can now move forward.

The wait for the completed film is not long now.  In the very near future we will be unleashing some production stills and the teaser trailer on the public, so keep an eye out.

Watch this space for my latest film updates, snippets of new written material, or just to catch a glimpse of my pretty face.