I am very aware that over the years my art has undergone many changes, transitions and even name changes. Talk about confusing people! But my thoughts, my attitudes, my beliefs and my spiritual connectivity, shall we say, to my art have shifted over time. But one thing that remains essentially a constant is the general philosophy and ethos behind my art. The idea that alternative dimensions, spaces, even Universes might exist beyond our current level of understanding. And that is pretty much the driving force behind my creations. However, there is one aspect that has pretty much eluded me over the years. And that is my deeper understanding of what makes my art tick. What is it really all about?  What does it all mean? I would say that my art is pretty much hard to define as I don't fit into any box. But why should I? I don't conform to any "rules" in how I go about creating my art. I am not a traditional artist by any means, I don't do social commentary etc and I am not motivated by current trends in the art world. This could of course have a detrimental effect on any attempt to bring my art to a wider audience. I am aware that many people won't "understand" my art. But that's fine. I am not worried by that. Therefore I guess you could describe my art as esoteric.  But that's merely a label. If I were to think of more labels to put on my art (for promotional purposes) then I could say something like: "mystical", "magical", "psychedelic", "other-worldly" etc. Perhaps these terms make it easier for people to relate to my art. So in that sense, I relate more to "visionary" or even "metaphysical". Perhaps visionary is easier to define. People will more likely understand that term. But in truth, I am just an artist. I create what comes naturally to me. I am not a label person! Earlier I used the term "metaphysical". This word is hard to define. Complex even. But one very nice descriptive term I found while researching the meaning is: "Of or relating to the transcendent or to a reality beyond what is perceptible to the senses".  Eureka! Have I found a great descriptive term for my art? Does it hint at what I am all about? Could I rephrase that and say: 'My art transcends to a pseudo-reality, creating worlds that might exist beyond our normal senses and our current level of understanding'? 

So with all of that in mind......
Visionary or metaphysical - meaning a bold idea, dream, vision, above, beyond, transcend. So my visionary (or metaphysical) worlds could be described as a space, dimension or dimensions, a Universe that exists or may exist beyond our reality or physical plane of current existence.  Perhaps even beyond space time as we know it. This is all speculation of course but an idea that I have long held a fascination for. Therefore in all of this speculation and mystery, it is most probable that, given their existence, the laws of physics and nature operate on a completely different level.  One can only imagine what these worlds could look like. This is where I come in. In my work, I don't lay claim that what I create really exists, but my imagination and visionary attitudes are guided by these ideas and beliefs, guided by the metaphysical universe. 

Ans so the journey continues. There is much to left to explore. I will keep looking beyond. And once I have "discovered a new world", you'll see it here.  I am just an artist......

 I am thrilled to be featured in this directory of small Cornish businesses.  Promoting my art - and for any artist - is an essential part of the marketing process. The listing will help to showcase my art to a wider audience - at least that is the plan!  Head over to the listing by clicking the image or here:   https://www.cornwallshopsmall.co.uk/directory/ian-david-spencer

The listing will also increase the opportunity for me to take part in our local trade markets in Truro and Newquay. As ever, an announcement will be made in my "events and exhibitions" page on my site.

Every year around autumn / winter time, I re-release my best selling seasonal work "Winter Moorland Moon". Created in 2015, this image was originally shot at the Merry Maidens stone circle in West Cornwall. You might be forgiven for thinking that this image was shot in the winter - but it wasn't! As with all my work, I create with an open mind and allow things to flow naturally - organically if you like - and so with this, a wintery theme started emerging. A composite image was created with the moon and layers of wintery colours and frosty / snowy effects that give it a truly wintery feel. Just how I like my favourite season! It has remained a popular image in my portfolio and is once again available as prints and greetings cards. ​https://www.iandavidspencer-artist.co.uk/store/p45/Winter-Moorland-Moon-By-Ian-David-Spencer.html

The greetings card - a birthday or any other celebratory essential. One of the most amazing inventions in all of our history. Like sliced bread. Or electricity. But the greetings card, now taken for granted, can be traced right back to ancient times when the early Egyptians amongst others sent greetings to each other on papyrus scrolls. In Europe, handmade greetings cards were exchanged as early as the 1400's and were made of paper. In 1843, Sir Henry Cole invented the first commercial greetings card for the Victorian Christmas. The rest of course is history. These days our modern greetings cards are a plethora of subjects, designs, humour, age-related - you name it, it may well adorn the cover of a greetings card. And not to mention that it is of course now possible to send a card electronically, thereby helping to save resources and hence the environment. But, I am still a champion of an actual card. Nice to receive, good to hold a tangible thing that has been handled by a friend or loved one who has written a special greeting in their own handwriting, who has bothered to think about you and sent you their good wishes. Like receiving a handwritten letter or a postcard. There is nothing quite like that when it comes to sending a greeting. More personal even than a greeting via social media. There is now so much choice when it comes to choosing a greetings card, and the majority of them are pre-printed and mass produced unless you purchase them direct from an artist.

Which is where my cards come in. All of my greetings cards are handmade. I guess it's that desire to slow down the process of creativity, like our ancestors would have done before commercial printing was invented or perhaps even like you might have done when you were a child. I remember making my parents the occasional "greetings card" - more like a drawing and a message scribbled on a piece of paper. But the principle is the same. I believe a handmade art greetings card is just as beautiful as a top quality pre-printed art card. I make my cards from an actual small print - size of 6 x 4 inches - mounted onto a nice thick blank white card that is size 5 x 7 inches and at least 300gsm in weight. By doing this, the print sits within its own space where it has room to breathe. Yes, the image on pre-printed cards are mostly printed right to the edges of the board and can look great. However, I like to give my art room to breathe. Where my images are cropped during their creation, the actual print may be smaller than 6 x 4 inches, otherwise if I printed to fill the paper, the image would be cropped. I now use the same semi-gloss archival paper to print my card images on as I do for my prints, which means a higher quality card! And they are mounted on the card with acid-free adhesive to prevent degradation of the print over time. There are no pre-printed words inside the card - they are completely blank for you to add your own greeting for whatever occasion you have in mind. I use a rubber stamp to stamp my details on the back of the card where you will also find the handwritten title of the work. Your card/s will be wrapped in a biodegradable and compostable sleeve to help protect them. They are made of cornstarch (at the time of writing) and will break down harmlessly. Great for the planet! 

I love making my own cards. Yes, it can be time consuming but therapeutic as well. And is a relaxed part of my work process enjoyed with some music in the background. I take great care over the creation of my cards and for the most part they are made to order. I use high quality materials so you will receive a quality handmade card that some of my customers collect and keep or of course to send a special piece of miniature art to make someone else's day with!  You can of course place your card directly into a 5 x 7 inch frame, so they are great as an entry point into my artwork. 

To order, just select the card option from the drop down menu for each of the images in my collections. Very soon, I will be offering packs of greetings cards offering more value per card. In the meantime I have tried keep the cost of my individual cards as competitive as possible. My current prices include postage too.