I wanted to do some work purely for myself, some art to hang on my walls that would bring joy into my rooms.
Laughter is great medicine and I get a lot of comfort from watching films or tv when I'm going through a bit of a depressed phase.
I started off with Jerry Stiller who plays George's dad in Seinfeld and Carries dad in The King Of Queens.
He never fails to make me laugh and just looking at his face makes me smile.
I enjoyed painting these so much that I was even more excited than usual when I woke up in the morning and knew I had a day of painting ahead of me.
My next one was of Titus Andromedon, a character from the show The Unbreakable Kimmy Schmidt. I love the Kimmy character because I love people with a totally positive attitude against all the odds, probably because it's the opposite of me.
I just had to paint Titus though because he doesn't have to do a thing and he makes me smile just looking at his face. I've not seen the actor in anything else, but his work in this was so brilliant and perfect, I love him.
The next person on my list Is Claudia O'Doherty an amazing comedy actress from Australia.
The first time I saw her was on Sam Simmons' show 'Problems' and it was a very small part but she stuck with me.
The next series where I loved her character was on the show 'Love'.
She was such a sweet character who has such a nuanced way of wording things that always makes me smile.
She has a great little web show on Youtube also where she plays a blogger after an apocalypse called Sarah's Channel.
Next another true comedy great.
Wayne Knight never fails to make me happy when I see his face.
I picked the character Officer Don from the show Third Rock From The Sun, rather that his more famous and more beloved character Newman from Seinfeld because I loved the Don character a whole lot more.
I started to add gold elements to these paintings, because I rediscovered some old gold icon paintings on wood that I'd bought in Greece and which I love very much and I wanted to make these paintings pop more and become more Iconic as these people are modern icons to me.
Next is Sue Heck, the character from the show The Middle, played by Eden Sher.
I only ever saw her on this and she was such a genius comedy actress even as a child.
Another character the opposite of me, who is always cheery and positive and doesn't let anything get her down against all the odds, and everything does go wrong for her constantly.
The Character is a Christian so I added that element. This painting really does bring me joy. Just that look of excitement about life in her face.
Speaking of faces, look at that face!!!
I grew up on Gene Wilder films and it was worth living life just because I got to see that face.
I could watch him all day.
Just like Jerry Stiller, he's a great shouter too, comedy shouting can only be pulled off by a very few people without it being annoying.
My favourite films of his are Stir Crazy, Young Frankenstein and Charlie and the Chocolate Factory.
It had to be Richard Pryor next. If you grew up watching Gene Wilder, you grew up watching Ricard Pryor.
Such a great funny warm actor who had me rolling with laughter as a child.
He had a tragic life but has a face that always makes me smile.
Interesting fact, his last film appearance was in the David Lynch film Lost Highway.
I'm a massive Lynch fan so I love this fact.
When I was little my dad wasn't around that much but I do remember his favourite film was Every Which Way But Loose with Clint Eastwood.
My dad was a drunk who liked fighting so that figures.
He got us that film on VHS and I must have watched it hundreds of times.
Ruth Gordon who played the Ma character really just filled me with joy.
As I child I'd never encountered anything like her, an old lady that was so rough and tough, her voice was absolutely amazing and she was such a great actress that she was unbelievable to watch.
Next up was Chunk from the film The Goonies.
This was one of my all time favourite childhood films.
It's still one of my favourite films now, I never get bored of it.
It fills my heart with warmth and nostalgia and that's what this painting does too.
During lockdown, someone had the great idea of opening up, pop up drive in cinemas, I saw Goonies was on and booked the ticket straight away.
It's one of my favourite openings to a film ever and I had it blasting through the car speakers, at my first ever drive in, just like in the movies, they brought great burgers to the car too.
He's another great child actor, so funny.
Last but not least, Steve Martin, need I say more.
Another person who made my childhood better.
The Three Amigos, The Man With Two Brains and here in The Jerk.
Such a funny guy. I've never painting skin tones with so much grey in before.
I may do some more of these some day for my own amusement but for now I have to leave this little project and move on to other things.
Hope you enjoyed this little insight into people from the screen who bring me joy!
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