Drawing: Ding Junhui

Posted on May 6, 2016 by Mark Winter / Chicane

Ding Junhui

Chinese snooker star Ding Junhui became the first Asian player to reach the final of the World Snooker Championships at the Crucible Theatre in Sheffield last week. The former world number 1 had slipped outside the world’s top 16 and had to qualify for the tournament’s main drew. He won his three matches, conceding only seven frames and then went on to win all his matches to play Mark Selby, losing 18-14 in a thrilling finale. Ding became the first qualifier to reach the final since Judd Trump in 2011. Nicknamed ‘Enter the Dragon’ the final attracted an television audience of over 42 million in his home country. The most successful Asian professional snooker player in the history of the sport has scored over 400 century breaks, securing the maximum 147 on six occasions. When beating Alan McManus in the semi-final, Ding set a new record for the highest number of century breaks made by a single player at the Crucible.

I sent this drawing to Ding at the Crucible and he kindly signed it for me.

Drawing: Sarah Lamb

Posted on May 5, 2016 by Mark Winter / Chicane

sarah lamb

In early 2015 I drew American ballerina Sarah Lamb in the title role of Christopher Wheeldon’s Royal Ballet production of ALICE IN WONDERLAND, which she kindly signed and I duly posted on this site. Sarah was born in Boston and became Principal of the City’s Ballet company in 2003. She received the Gold Medal from US President Bill Clinton in 1998, being named Presidential Scholar in the Arts. Sarah moved to London and joined the Royal Ballet because it ” offered more visibility and a wider repertoire.” After becoming First Soloist in 2004 she become Principal two years later with leading roles in all the classical, dramatic and contemporary repertoires.

I drew this montage at the same time I did the initial sketch and dropped it into the Royal Opera House, which she also signed and returned to me.

Sarah is currently performing at Covent Garden in the World Premiere of Liam Scarlett’s FRANKENSTEIN, inspired by Mary Shelley’s Gothic masterpiece.

Drawing: Lewis Hamilton

Posted on May 4, 2016 by Mark Winter / Chicane

Lewis Hamilton

I can draw cartoons. Cars are more difficult, so I avoid them. But occasionally I try. I did this quick sketch of the current Formula One World Champion Lewis Hamilton in his 2015 title-winning Mercedes AWG Petronas car in my small sketch book. It was in preparation for my usual A4 renderings which I intended including his portrait. That’s him under the helmet. Traditionally, in the days of the Masters, (artists not golf) cartoons were prelim drawings, so in a sense it is a cartoon. Enough of the art history lesson. It also seems appropriate since the Broadway musical HAMILTON just collected a record 16 Tony Nominations, not that there’s any connection other than motor racing can be a bit theatrical. Many F1 fans probably look at the title and draw the wrong conclusions. Bless ’em.

For some reason I left the drawing in the pad. I have a lot of pads, and for obvious reasons do not carry them with me at the same time. I also use the pure white, acid-free 140gsm paper to collect sigs – perfect for the purpose. I just happened to have this one in my bag last November when I managed to grab a front row spot on the red carpet at the British Fashion Awards at the London Coliseum. I’m no fashion aficionado, but the industry does attract celebs from other realms and on this particular evening Lewis was amongst the gathering. It’s fashionable being a world champion. He arrived quickly, as you would expect for a speed merchant and I got the sketch book out to get his autograph, suddenly realising his sketch was still in it and got it graphed.

Drawing: Clare Holman in The Master And Margarita

Posted on May 3, 2016 by Mark Winter / Chicane

British actress Clare Holman’s prolific career includes both a wide variety of stage and screen appearances, but she is probably best known as the forensic anthologist Dr Laura Hobson in the ITV crime dramas INSPECTOR MORSE and its spin-off LEWIS, spanning twenty years from 1995 to 2015.

On stage Clare was nominated for an Olivier Award for her supporting role as Honey in WHO’S AFRAID OF VIRGINA WOOLF? in 1996 at the Aldwych Theatre in London’s West End. She received unanimous critical acclaim as the passionate heroine in the Faustian tragicomedy THE MASTER AND MARGARITA alongside Samuel West. The production, which premiered in 2004 at the Chichester Festival Theatre is based on Russian writer Mikhail Bulgarkov’s epic novel about the devil making an unscheduled visit to Stalinist Moscow as an expert in black magic. The astute stage adaption by Edward Kemp was directed by Steven Pimlott. Paul Taylor in his Independent review described Clare’s performance as “wonderfully ardent”.

In a recent interview Clare said she receives ‘masses’ of fan mail so I added this drawing to the pile and thankfully it was returned signed and dedicated.

Drawing: Lauren Herley from Circa

Posted on May 1, 2016 by Mark Winter / Chicane

Lauren Herley

“I enjoy risk and the beauty of pain,” said ‘corde lisse’ (vertical rope) artist, contortionist, hand-balancer, acrobat… in short, circus artiste Lauren Herley, a member of the Internationally acclaimed Australian contemporary circus company CIRCA, which has returned to London this month with Its latest show, CLOSER as part of the infamous Udderbelly Festival.

Seattle-born Lauren trained at the National Circus School of Montreal. After graduating she become an original cast and creation member of Cirkopolis by Cirque Eloize, touring Europe, North America and Mexico. Since then she has worked with a number of universal circus groups including Nord Nord Est, Les7 Doights de la Main and Circque de Soleil and has taken part in large events such as the opening ceremony of the Vancouver Winter Olympics. In 2014 she was part of the Broadway cast of PIPPIN THE MUSICAL.

Last year she joined Circa at their training centre and studio in Brisbane under the direction of Yaron Lifschitz. Described as “The rock stars of the circus world” who push the boundary of circus art, blurring the lines between movement, dance, theatre and circus, with different casts performing simultaneously around the world. Last night they not only played London but also Santa Monica and Bologna.

CLOSER was commissioned for Udderbelly’s distinctive upside-down purple cow is an exhilarating journey to reveal the extremes and limitations of the human body in intimate encounter and runs until 12 June.

I left this drawing at the inverted iconic plastic plum ungulate and Lauren retuned it signed with a nice note.

Drawing: F. Murray Abraham in The Merchant of Venice and Galileo

Posted on April 29, 2016 by Mark Winter / Chicane

F Murray Abraham

F. Murray Abraham grew up in El Paso, Texas and was a gang member before becoming one of the most respected character actors of his generation, after his high school teacher introduced him to acting.

Since winning Hollywood’s piece de resistance, the Academy Award for his career-defining portrayal of Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart’s bitter rival Antonio Salieri, in Milos Forman’s 1984 Best Picture, AMADEUS, he has mainly focused on classical theatre and some TV, including the award-winning series HOMELAND, collecting Emmy and SAG Award nominations.

Two of his acclaimed stage roles have been Shylock in an Off Broadway production of Shakespeare’s MERCHANT OF VENICE in 2011 and the title character in Bertolt Brecht’s GALILEO at the Classic Stage Company the following year. He reprised his Shylock role replacing Al Pacino in the Public Theatre production.

F. Murray returned to the Classic Theatre Company in New York this month in NATHAN THE WISE, which gave me the perfect opportunity to send this sketch for signing.

Drawing: Hugh Bonneville in An Enemy of the People

Posted on April 28, 2016 by Mark Winter / Chicane

Hugh Bonneville

BAFTA nominee Hugh Bonneville has made a welcome return to the stage in Henrick Ibsen’s AN ENEMY OF THE PEOPLE at the Chichester Festival Theatre this month. He plays the brilliant scientist Dr Stockmann, standing against an entire town when he discovers that their popular local spa is polluted. Written in 1882, the play is a response to the Norwegian playwright’s public outcry against his earlier work GHOSTS, which was considered indecent because of its vague references to syphillis, while challenging the hypocrisy of Victorian morality. In a note to his publisher, Ibsen wasn’t sure if ENEMY was a comedy or a straight drama… or both.

Best known as Robert, Earl of Grantham in the ITV hit series DOWNTON ABBEY, Hugh was part of the ensemble cast that received Emmy, Golden Globe and SAG Award nominations, winning the latter twice. His extensive theatre career includes work with both the National and the Royal Shakespearean Company.

I sent this portrait to Hugh at Chichester and he retuned it, signed, lickety split. AN ENEMY OF THE PEOPLE is directed by Howard Davies and runs until 21 May.

Drawing: Gemma Arterton in Nell Gwynn

Posted on April 27, 2016 by Mark Winter / Chicane

Gemma Arterton Nell Gwyn

The World premiere of Jessica Swale’s NELL GWYNNE at the Shakespeare’s Globe transferred to the West End’s Apollo Theatre earlier this year with Gemma Arterton in the title role as the exuberant Nell Gwynn, who rose from lowly orange-seller to England’s favourite actress and mistress of King Charles ll in this hilarious, heart warming production, directed by Christopher Luscombe.

“Gemma Arterton is a sparkling stage presence,” wrote Charlotte Marshall in her London Theatre review.

I did attempt to catch Gemma in person after a couple of Saturday matinee performances, but the stage door management said she didn’t usually leave the theatre between shows, so I left this sketch with them and if came back signed.

Drawing: Yasmine Naghdi

Posted on April 26, 2016 by Mark Winter / Chicane

Yasmine Naghdi

Young ballet star Yasmine Naghdi is a born and bred Londoner, with an exotic name and an exotic look, courtesy of the genes from her Iranian father and Belgian mother.

Her association with the capital’s prestigious Royal Ballet began at a young age.
She was selected to represent the Royal Ballet in an exchange programme with the Vaganova Academy in St Petersburg, the school of the Marinsky Ballet Company.

Yasmine graduated from the Royal Ballet School in 2009, winning ‘The Young British Dancer of the Year’ and was offered a contact with the company at the age of 17, becoming First Artist a year later. In 2014 she became a soloist. She has established a truly International following, performing all over the globe including China, the Bolshoi in Moscow, Taiwan Japan, Barcelona, Monaco, Milan and Columbia.

During the 2015/16 season she made her principal debut as Juliet in ROMEO & JULIET as part of the Royal Ballet’s celebration to mark 50 years since Sir Kenneth MacMillian’s production premiered at Covent Garden in 1965 with Margot Fonteyn in the lead role.

I left this drawing at the Royal Opera House last October, where Yasmine signed and dedicated it for me.

Drawing: Rob Beckett in Mouth of the South

Posted on April 25, 2016 by Mark Winter / Chicane

Rob Beckett

I caught up with one of the rising stars of British Comedy, Rob Beckett on Saturday night when he arrived at the Leicester Square Theatre for his final performance of MOUTH OF THE SOUTH after a week long residency. He started stand-up in 2009, appearing in MOCK THE WEEK, LIVE AT THE APOLLO and CELEBRITY SQUARES, making his Edinburgh Festival three years later with his solo show ROB BECKETT’S SUMMER HOLIDAY.

The Guardian described Rob as “A likeable high tempo comic”. Not only is he a likeable comic, but a likeable guy, who happily signed my sketch. Catch Rob over the next few months as he tours the UK with MOUTH OF THE SOUTH.