Wendy Denman gets the lowdown on month’s fabulous banner designer, Ian Bowden. Is he a sketchy character, an evil genius or simply an artist who loves to doodledoo cool stuff? Let us be his judge!
It was National Doodle day on Friday 2nd March. How did it go?
Incredibly well, what I remember of it… I actually started in the afternoon with a snarky doodled response to one of @tiger_tea’s (Amy Evans) tweets in Brewbar Espresso under the Art Gallery. Which went up on the wall within an hour, bless ‘em. (The wall of the coffee shop, not the gallery, you understand.) By the time we started in earnest in The White Swan, I was warmed up and sketching mad. One too many espressos…
Over thirty people turned up to draw silly things under the direction of the fragrant @gazpachodragon – my favourite challenge? “Draw yourself as a Mexican wrestler.”
About halfway through the night I took a small bunch of brave doodlers on a small crawl of the Alley Pubs, sketching people and selling them the results. We (unsteadily) returned with a bag of money to drop into the charity pot. The generosity and jovial nature of the good citizens of Leeds is an inspiration.
If your sketches were to come to life like in A-Ha’s classic 80’s video ‘Take On Me’, what song would they sing?
“Seven Drunken Nights” by the Dubliners. With the rude verses. Then they’d punch you, buy you a kebab and tell you’re their best friend.
How does Leeds’ arts scene differ from your home town of Liverpool?
I don’t really know. After over twenty years in God’s Own County I believe myself to be a naturalised Yorkshireman. Albeit one with a silly accent. I still love the galleries in Liverpool (many pretentious rainy teenage afternoons were spent in the Walker) and try to get over when I can, but Leeds is where I engage with culture on a daily basis – and what culture! From contemporary dance, ballet and opera to the LSx Digital Festival and grass roots photography and art groups we have such a broad spectrum of events and happenings. The range of talent in Leeds is breathtaking. There isn’t time to be bored.
Ian you’ve got four children. Be honest, which one is the best?
Evil question, but I can answer! Today, the handsome and talented Master Gabriel Jude Bowden is Number One Son for landing the part of Fleance in Macbeth – to be performed at the Bingley Little Theatre in the summer. It’s a pivotal role.
That said, Freya Poppy, Blaisey and Raffy might have done something equally amazing by the time the month is out. Blaise is working on a cure for cancer and a faster-than-light drive as we speak. There were some Tibetan Monks at the door the other day. I *think* they wanted to sell him a Llama.
You do a lot of your drawing whilst in pubs. Do different drinks produce different drawings?
Different amounts of drink produce different drawings! I find that there’s actually a sweet spot, a point where inhibitions disappear but the technique is unhampered. Given that I’m a bit of a lightweight these days, that’s about two pints in. Look at the first Art Crawl Experiment – that last one is *particularly* shoddy.
Too much coffee makes me tighten up and work small; too much beer and I start drawing off the page and onto the table. If shots are involved… the results are less than perfect.
Who in Leeds would you most like to sketch a portrait of?
Mik Artistik – “The Brown Paper Bag Man”. Leeds’ resident surrealist, pub character and Renaissance Man. A true Local Hero. He’s been knocking around Leeds sketching people in pubs since before I moved here as a student. He moves so damned quick though. I’ve never managed to get him.
The difference between me and Mik is a matter of bravery. He goes right up to people and asks to draw them. Sometimes (and I’m proud to say that this has happened to me) he just likes their face and wants to capture something, but mostly it’s about selling the drawings, seeding a little bit of Mik into the wider world. I sit in anonymity, a sketchbook voyeur, rarely interacting with my subjects (sometimes having to leave rapidly to avoid a kicking.)
Tell us about a cool project you’re involved in.
So much stuff, it’s difficult to know which to choose. I count myself as one of the fortunate few that has a day job that is creatively fulfilling, but I like to get involved with loopy, off-the-wall ideas. Probably the most exciting thing that I’m peripherally involved in is a project with Rita Marcalo’s Instant Dissidence performance company involving mobile technology, dance, public interaction and outright bonkersness. Rita’s probably the most inspiring person that I’ve ever met. Oh, but the hoops even the most inspiring person with the most incredible ideas has to jump through to get funding is astounding to me. Art is the thing that first truly defined us as human, expression through painting, music and story – why must it be about spreadsheets and accounting?
Art, Chocolate Tart or Mario Kart?
Trick question. Chocolate Tart, done well, is art. Mario is a cultural icon, a character in whom art, design and technology meet (to my shame I once almost headbutted Shigeru Miyamoto, Mario’s “father” at the BAFTAs.)
It’s ALL art. Life’s art… *if* you look at it the right way. Sometimes a pint will help.
Would you rather be a One Man Band or a Mime Artist?
Come on… given that you can only stop me talking by whacking me over the back of the head with a lump hammer, I think One Man Band is the way forward.
You can see Ian’s Sketchbook Project exhibition right now at The White Swan pub, follow him on Twitter @QualityLobster and check out his work online here.