Marnie Pitts – Artist, See more of my work at http://www.marniepitts.com

An interview with author Stevie Henden

If you have been following me on twitter (@marniepitts ) you may have already read the news that I was commissioned by Stevie Henden (@steviehenden) to create an image for his first book cover. It was such a fantastic experience working from his brief that I wanted to find out more about Stevie and his book. Described as a modern day fairy tale, on one level it is a murder-mystery, on another an allegorical tale of spiritual transformation, on a third, a complex tale of two gay men’s individual journeys into adulthood and on a fourth, a simple and beautiful love story. I put together a few questions to ask Stevie about his creative process and the background of this story. 

Q: How long did you carry the idea of “The Lost boy” around with you before you started to write it? Was there a particular moment when you knew you just had to do it?

Stevie: I had the core of the story in my head for 30 years. When I was rather lonely and living by myself in 1989, I used to tell myself a tale about meeting the man of my dreams in the most extraordinary circumstances through time travel. It was my way of consoling myself that there was someone and something better for me beyond what I was experiencing at that moment. The story stayed with me and eventually in 2009 I overcame my own self-imposed limitations and started to write the book. The trigger of this was a very sad time of my life as one of my dearest and most beloved friends Katy was diagnosed with Leukemia and passed away shortly afterwards. The book reflects much on great love and loss and although Katy’s character is not in the book her death greatly influenced my writing by putting me into a highly emotional state.

I’m Inside, Ring The Bell!

I am one of the 39 artists who have made a place setting for this installation piece. I chose to dedicate my place setting to one of the first Australians Truganini

15 – 17 March 2013

as part of International Women’s Day weekend at 47/49 for more information on the gallery click here

An installation by South London Women Artists, curated by Leonie Cronin, Julie Bennett, Laura Moreton-Griffiths and Lucy Soni.

I’m Inside, Ring The Bell! is a new collaborative work celebrating women of importance, and a contemporary interpretation of Judy Chicago’s The Dinner Party.

‘How many women had struggled into prominence or been able to make their ideas known – sometimes in the face of overwhelming obstacles – only to have their hard-earned achievements marginalized or erased’.  Judy Chicago

11am – 6pm
Free admission
47-49 Tanner Street, SE1 3PL

Women of the World

If you want to pick up a postcard of mine (for free) I will be giving them away from tomorrow 8/3/13 until Sunday 10/3/13 at the WOW festival at the Southbank Centre, London. You can find them on the SLWA stand in the market place. I will also be on the stall from 12 -2pm Friday 8/3/13. Come by and meet different members of SLWA all weekend.
Check out all the amazing talks and events that are on at WOW here and for more information about the SLWA postcard exhibition click here

Exhibition for the Stephen Lawrence Charitable Trust

South London Women Artists have put together a show to support the Stephen Lawrence Charitable Trust. All the artwork in this show are for sale at only £50 half of this money goes to the centre. My drawing titled “Fragile” is available. If you would like to purchase it or any of the other works in the show please email info@slwa.co.uk It is an original drawing 25 x 25cm.

You can see more photos here and find out more about the exhibition that runs until March 28th

Catapult Magazine

I am very excited to let you know that I have some paintings in issue #18 of Catapult Magazine. The cover image is by Charlie Immer other artists featured in this issue are GIGER: SURREAL INVASION (Vegas Show), Morpheus Fine Art, Robert Hardgrave, Stanislav, Christy Lee Rogers, ARKIV VILMANSA, David J Zaccagnini, Remo Dibujoporquenose and more. Click here to purchase or find out more.

While you are browsing through the back issues take a look at the Catapult Kids Special Edition My seven year old son Joel has a drawing in that issue.