All the Devils are here.

36″ x 48″

Oil on canvas

Painted this, one-month last year.

Here’s the obligatory wank I wrote at the time:

“If the inherent meanings attributed with the up-right turn of the Devil tarot, are those of bondage, addiction, materialism, sexuality then how do these external forces translate in a contemporary sense?

With this piece, I wanted to take a traditional, almost secular avatar and revise it to a set of recognizable boundary’s in a culturally and politically relevant sense.

So I used the moment a first term president, stood on the literal flagship,representing an iconographic and establishment figure head-U.S.S Lincoln-to pronounce “Mission Accomplished”
What was accomplished exactly?
Was it a pronouncement to something far more sinister, made as it was on May 1st- or May day- a sacred Beltane date in the Illuminati calendar and also coincidentally, the same date of the Gulf oil spill , the death of Bin Laden, and a decade to the day that I completed this painting.

History has catalogued the subsequent fallout and the measure of swaggering, corporate, militarized, imperial arrogance of that speech far more adroitly than I ever can in paint, but in regards to the framework of the Tarot and its meaning, how do we navigate these murky waters to understand our own complicity to inevitable destruction, and the Cthulu-like tendrils that tumult and take root beneath the surface?

We do so because we are beholden to established power structures, to our acquisitions, our narcissism, to the illusionary deception of fear through the media, the physical bondage of materialism, to superficial totems, to our endless distractions, our disconnection of each other through a wifi connection, our addiction to fossil fuels for the plundering of our Online Articles.

Who are the real Devils then?  Are we the Luciferian aspect-the idolators that impose a hell of our own making upon Earth? And do we have it within our power to break the bonds of enslavement?
Or do we leave  the chance to the turn of a card?”

It’s never seemed more prevalent.

It’s also going to be on display at Gregorio Escalante’s gallery for Chet Zar’s Dark Realism / Dark Surrealism show from December 3rd.

I’ll post more details soon.

The Devil Tarot

Currently on my easel, is a commissioned work that will eventually be part of a Tarot deck, comprising 78 artists from around the globe.

 It's their second such deck-this time with a nautical theme, and for whatever reason, they thought I'd be a good fit for El Diablo himself, so armed and mustered and stoked with fire, brimstone,shock and awe, here for your viewing pleasure is a sneak peak of me in Satan's service.

I look like I have a tail in this picture.

Faith and Formulas show at Thumbprint gallery, by David Gough

1. Tonight is the Faith and Formulas show at Thumbprint gallery, here in San Diego. Having seen the artists installed, I think this show promises to be the best one yet. Doors open at 7pm and runs until midnight-driving directions here: 3925 Ohio St, San Diego, CA 92104
Hope to see some of you there.

2. I had the real pleasure of seeing the demo for the online video game for the first time yesterday. The game elevates the genre from a standard shoot em up, by placing the universe in a series of rotating galleries, all represented by the cream of 'San Diego surrealists'. Its a very exciting project to be involved with, and already has marked interest from art periodicals such as Juxtapoz. Much credit and thanks should go to Producer- the incomparable Dark Vomit-whose work deserves a post all of its own. General release isn't until October 1st from- www.interactiveartshow.com but you can see a short reel demo, in the youtube link below. My dungeon gallery (with decapitation,) shows up at around the 2.02 mark.

Something for the weekend part one

After ten wonderfully hectic days, traveling up and down the coast to enjoy the best sights and company,that California has to offer, my daughter-Emma and her boyfriend, sadly returned to the UK yesterday.
A great time was had by all, and I'll be adding a selection of pics to my Flickr account, as soon as the moment presents itself. In the meantime,there is much to catch up on, starting with my weekly roundup of forthcoming events-Eyes down.

The Hive Show September

1. Whilst we had company, I was delighted to attend this months Hive showing, and proudly introduce my little girl to the work on display,which-alongside the cream of pop surreal bazaar-was a daubing by her old man.

The show runs until September 26th-729 S.Spring St, CA 90014, LA.

The Hive Show October-Tarot Group Show

2. Next months Hive showing will be a Tarot themed show, and will include a selection of the deck, by all of the artists involved. I missed the boat on picking the minor arcana card I wanted, opting instead for the seven of swords.The card itself is fairly innocuous visually, so instead I'll be working from the premise of a few of the keywords pertaining to the cards meaning, such as irrational, duplicity,instability and juxtaposition.

Looking Forward-The Alternative Cafe-October 2010

3.Alongside the featured Hive showing in October 2010, I received confirmation that I shall be a featured artist at The Alternative Cafe later that same month. The gallery is one of California's most prestigious Art hot spots, and regularly advertised in Juxtapoz magazine, so it is a great honor to be showing there.Currently exhibiting for instance, are works by the eminent Eric Joyner, and Gabe Leonard.


Losing my head over a Virtual Show.

4.Having mentioned in a previous post that my work is to be included in the 'Dark Vomit' video game project, and I can now reveal some of the first screen caps, portraying the dungeon room that my art is on display. I'm delighted with the results, and will post further details as they come.

I'll make a second posting shortly.

Artifact-tales of an Antiquarian-Gods and Monsters

Completed in the fall of 2004, Gods and Monsters was very much informed by more than a dabble with dark magiks and having read too many Dennis Wheatley novels as a teenager. Still living in the UK at the time, and having dallied briefly with a coven in places called Thornton Hough, I was immersed in the Crowley Tarot, John Fowles the Magus, Colin Wilson,The Mysteries, Eastern mysticism, occasional headonistic weekends in Amsterdam and a late night tryst that led me down a very solipsistic, self destructive path indeed.

In all manner of ways, Gods and Monsters was trying to make sense of it all, examining if their were pre-ordained forces and wisdoms at play, such as astrological motifs, religious rites and the Arcana, or if it was merely arcane, and influenced by ones own psychosis,the dirge and the vampires, we surround ourself with during the unravelling of daily existence.

Elicited as part of my 'Dream Orphans' series, and like most of my works of the period-sold on Ebay for a song-the piece has since become notable for its inclusion on the cover of Peter J Carrols 'The Apophenian' as well as being the theme and title for my retrospective book.


Painted in a week with Acrylics, I'm still very proud of it, its an important work, and continues to be one of my most sought after pieces at shows.

Signed reproduction prints of Gods and Monsters are available from my website HERE.