Tales from Paradise Heights
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Apart from storyboards and a botched attempt at a graphic novel (free to download elsewhere on this site by the way) I've never really indulged my passion for art since school.  I love it but never really found the time with all the writing, filming and stage stuff found elsewhere on this site.  

However in August of 2016 I thought I'd have a go at my first canvas, and I really got into it, loved the escape of it all - tunes on, acrylics out and then getting lost in a canvas.  

They are all large pieces and I'm working on quite a lot of them now, learning loads as I go and the plan is to have my first exhibition by the end of the year with a view to selling a few on, though I have no idea how to go about that.  I've set this page up with a view to show progression from blank to complete canvas - as much as for me as for anyone else, and to log my own progress.  


The main point is I'm enjoying it, and it takes me away from the overly real world, and today that's a pretty good thing...


I now have a website dedicated to my splashings...

www.sinfuljoe.com/ 

I'm happy to say I've sold a few too! Onwards and upwards...Jx

THIS IS WHAT IT SOUNDS LIKE...

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I SHOOK UP THE WORLD...

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The loss of the world's greatest boxer triggered my inspiration to capture him on canvas.  A man who made his name in early life putting people on the canvas.  But this man was so much more than the greatest boxer, he was a huge historical figure with monumental soul.  I chose to make this one my biggest canvas so far.  I also chose the night that introduced the then Cassius Clay to the world, February 25th, 1964.  The night Cassius Clay beat Sonny Liston in Florida, and the night Caly repeatedly shouted that phrase 'I Shook Up The World...'  He'd shake it up a lot more.  

It was a black and white moment in history, filmed in black and white, I wanted to do something with it colour wise and introduce those camera flashes behind, I like this one.  

PURPLE FAME

2016 has been a horrible year thus far for losing our legends, and arguably some of the fabric of what holds our universe together.  

Started off as a tribute to David Bowie,  and then came the devastating blow of the loss of Prince.  Still have a ways to go on the likeness's here and therefore this is very much a work in progress...it's all practice though, right? :D
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CANCER 

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The second of my Zodiac series, Cancer, another nightmare Lovecraftian version.  Somehow influenced by Conor McGregor, the UFC fighter...don't ask me why...

DEVIL INSIDE 

Light vs Dark, Day vs Night, Good vs Evil...a Lovecraftian nightmare GEMINI.  This is my first in a series of zodiac signs done my way.  

You can choose to hang it either way up...
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PITBULL

Corny 'Pitbull' McGeehan appears in two of the Tales from Paradise Heights, THE BENCH and RANK, and is referred to in a further two plays, STRAWBERRY JACK and DIANE'S DELI.  

An ex boxer struck down with Parkinson's disease,  he initially appeared as a ghost in THE BENCH.  Audiences really responded well to him, so the play RANK told the tale of how Corny met his end.  

By painting him in Diane's Deli it kind of fused the work and world together a little more.  There is more information on all the above plays throughout the site.  

THE BEAT THAT DREADED SUNDOWN 

Started off as a doodle that I liked and then to a concept sketch - the first image above. ​ It's moved on a touch from there though it is about to get a radical makeover, something more in keeping with the name I've given it.  

I'd first called it Mistah E but decided to keep that as the character's name, the painting is now called THE BEAT THAT DREADED SUNDOWN...tell you more on why I've called it that when I do some more work on it...:P x

FRANK-EN-JOE 

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TORCH

Perverse egotistical need of artist to portray self on canvas...nothing more to be said really...this was my first attempt at a canvas too - which tells you everything you need to know about my ego I suppose.

I was painting Frank Morgan at the time, that's my excuse - so it didn't really feel like I was painting me...there's more of him in that botched graphic novel attempt - free elsewhere on the site :D 
This is Femme Fatale NULA CHRISTIE, The Queen of Clubs.  She is the tragic torch singer that sings in Frank Morgan's seedy den, The Ace of Spades - she was heard but not seen in the play STRAWBERRY JACK, more on that on the page on this site.  

There is a play to come, some time in the future - TORCH - will tell Nula's tale.   So yes, more ART FROM PARADISE HEIGHTS...



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TOM WAITS FOR NO MAN 

This one has completely done my head in.  I'm a big Tom Waits fan so thought I'd have a go, but it's got too big and out of hand now in my opinion.
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So I'm thinking about stripping it back, painting out most of it and keeping the three Tom's and the keyboard and a one colour background - probably black...thoughts welcome though...:D 

​UPDATE: And that's just what I did...can't get a decent shot of the canvas though, looks much sharper than this pic up close.  
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TITLE FIGHT 

This is for my 7 year old grandson, Lucas.   A large canvas for his bedroom wall, only I keep getting stuck, I should have sketched it ALL out first, not just the small concept sketch you can see below.  

I wanted something above the lamp post on the building on the right and opted for - yes - The Joker...without thinking that this would freak the hell out of him.  It actually freaked the hell out of his mum...lol

So I've finally finished it, changed it quite radically and really enjoyed doing it, hope he likes it :D 
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ELVIS DEATHLY: HEARTBREAK HOTEL      
A study on loneliness, influenced by the opening titles of JESSICA JONES...
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LAST NIGHT I DREAMT...

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​My version of Morrissey almost morphing into Elvis.  I started with just the head in the first pic above and then set about making everything else up, including his body which gives it a kind of cartoony feel...and yes, he's very influenced by The Joker...can't think why :P 

'SOTELL ME' being a take on Heartbreak Hotel.  And for some reason those angels needed to be dropping daffodils on the rainy streets of Manchester, and on the heads of three Earth bound Angels on a good time Saturday night out...:D

And that track?  It's my favourite Smiths tune ever; Dark, lonely but beautiful...

ALL ARTWORK ON THIS PAGE IS BY, AND BELONGS TO, JOE O'BYRNE.
​CREATED FOM AUGUST 2015 TO PRESENT.

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