I like to think this painting found me. It appeared one day over my regular table at E5 Bakehouse in Hackney. It was early on in the gestation phase of Fixing for strangers so it was particularly pertinent. I was still figuring out what this project was all about, indeed I still am, but this painting, this statement, this provocation excited me. You know when something just clicks, you find it reassuring, somehow it reaffirms your thoughts, well this painting did just that, it emboldened me.

Tony’s message is so vast in its scope, the moment, possible events, implications, outcomes, interactions and trajectories are infinite and unknowable. It’s an invitation as much as it is a suggestion to pause and imagine. It’s like Tony captured the vastness of the universe and the potential of humanity in just seven words. 

Fixing for strangers is an unplanned accident, a passion project that I find both confronting and exhilarating in equal measures. I like to fix stuff but doing it for strangers, that was the rogue element that I haven’t quite figured out yet and this painting captured it perfectly. The thing is, what it “captured perfectly” is still elusive, I can’t explain it but it is evoked when I look at this painting and I just knew I had to live with it.

Order a print.

I contacted Submit to Love Studios to order a print and they offered to send it to me or the altogether more compelling alternative to come and collect it and meet the artist. There was no way I was going to let that opportunity pass. 

At this point however, things got a bit complicated. This was the first circular painting Tony had ever made and the studio didn’t have a solution for producing a circular print and the original wasn’t for sale. The thing is, Tony doesn’t sell his original paintings, because of his stroke he has poor short term memory and likes to keep his originals as a record of his work so he can revisit them as often as he likes or needs to. As a workaround, I proposed that Tony produce a new version of the same painting for me on the basis that it be round and composed of the same seven words, this way he could keep the original and I could have a circular painting with the same compelling message. Tony loved the idea. Yay.

Your painting is ready.

After a few weeks I got an email to tell me my painting was ready. I drove to Headway East London and was met with an amazing surprise, Tony wanted me to have the original as he was happy with his own copy. Wow. I was blown away. This was unnecessarily generous and I was thrilled. I will now live with an original Tony Allen work of art with all his original markings and energy. I couldn’t believe it.

More people need to live with this.

As I drove away, I was confronted by the challenge the studio had to sell this amazing artwork. I felt a responsibility to Tony and to the artwork, it felt wrong that I be the only person to have it, I felt that many more people should be able to live with this too. If the studio don’t have a means to reproduce a circular artwork, well damn it I would develop a way for them to do it. Hahaaa, this is what happens when you do things for other people 🙂

The 3 stages of reproduction. 

There are three key stages I need to complete in order for Tony to be able to sell circular prints of his painting:

1: Create a high resolution scan. I did some googling and found a local Fine art trade guild-accredited photographic and fine art printer called Point 101. These guys specalise in fine art reproductions. Fantastic. I brought the original painting straight to them.

2: Chose a printing substrate. Once the painting was professionally photographed and edited for printing, we discussed different substrate options. Tony’s painting was painted on a heavy grade board and I wanted to match that as closely as possible. They suggested a 1130gsm Gallerybaord (photocopying paper is usually around 80gsm). This is a very heavy stock of board and it’s amazing that they can do a high quality print onto this, it was perfect.

3: Cut out the circle. This was the tricky part. There are a lot of circle cutters available online but this print is a massive (relatively speaking) 48cm in diameter, there was nothing I could find that would cut this. I needed to devise a solution that was reliable, easy to use and not too big for the studio to store and use. Not a small order. I figure that modifying an existing product would be the best way to go, in theory I would just have to make a great working solution a bit bigger.

After a lot of searching and deliberation I settled on the OLFA CMP-2 Circle Cuter, it seemed perfect for my needs. Firstly, OLFA is an excellent company that makes great scalpels, I use them all the time. Secondly and most importantly, it was made from three key components; a centring pin handle, an adjustable plate and a cutting tool. What made this product perfect for the task was that I was pretty sure I could create a new longer version of the adjustable plate at the length I needed it so I bought one and waited patiently for it to arrive.

Customised circle cutter.

I took the tool apart to take detailed measurements of the adjustable plate and started to 3D model the new longer version. I decided to reduce the adjustability of the cutter to just cut Ton’y painting, this way I could make the plate solid thus improving it’s strength and rigidity and because it would be used to cut a fine art print, I added some recesses for felt pads so that it would glide over the surface without marking it. Even for me, this was pretty easy to model.

I had the part 3D printed on 3D Hubs, the Airbnb for 3D printers, as my printer is too small for something this size. I’ve also uploaded the 3D file onto Thingiverse so anyone can download the part and have it 3D printed for themselves. A few days later the print arrived and everything fitted perfectly first time which is unusual for me 😉 Finally I popped on the felt pads and was ready to go.

Because I had made the adjustable plate solid with a structural wall there was a shallow recessed rectangle on top, it made me think that I could put a personal message in there for Tony, so I did. I wanted to let him know what his painting means to me so even though he won’t be the one cutting his prints into perfect circles, I like to think that this message gives the tool more meaning and beauty. The circle cutter is more than a tool to me, it’s a celebration of Tony’s work and was made so it could be enjoyed by many more people. I loved making this tool but I love this personal note even more.

Cutting time.

I was nervous about how well the tool would work but I needn’t have, it worked a flippin’ treat, or as Tony would say, a “f*****g” treat 😉 It took a bit of time and care but the result was great. I can’t wait to give these two prints and the cutter to Tony.

One for me. Two for you.

I am the proud owner of the original painting and it hangs prominently in our kitchen where I can see it everyday. I’ve also produced two beautiful prints for Tony, this way he can keep one for his records and the studio can exhibit the other and hopefully secure loads of sales 🙂

I was pretty giddy about bringing everything I’d made to Tony and arranged a visit. Now I find I have to expel any expectations I might have, this was completely unsolicited and may even be unwelcome! The thing is, I’d like to think that what I’m doing is good but I’m also trying to be mindful of my motivations. If I was seeking approval or gratitude then that would be bad but I think my conscience is clear, I’m simply excited by Tony’s work and am keen to help him reach more people. If nothing comes of it that would be a shame but I am very very happy to have made the effort. I settle my nerves, pack everything up and make my way to see Tony for a second time.

At Headway Laura brought me over to the studio where Tony was busy painting. Michelle reminds him that I bought one of his paintings, he beams when he hears that, he clearly loves that his work is appreciated by others, a feeling I can certainly relate to. I tell him that he actually sold me an original painting, something he never does and that I had brought him a customised circle cutter and a set of archival grade art prints for him so that more people can enjoy his work too. He’s delighted and I’m delighted that he’s delighted. I’m also a little emotional.

After the big reveal we sit down to chat and he shows me more of his paintings, he’s particularly proud of the work that challenges people to think which is precisely what drew me to his work, that unexpected confrontation lurking in the cacophony of joyous colour and casual mayhem. I explained how his painting drew me in, it’s particular relevance for me and how it bolstered me as I was working on Fixing for strangers, I took out my laptop to read through this blog post for him and it was just wonderful to be able to share my work with Tony too. Thank you Tony.

Now you can order your own print.

Submit to Love Studios now have a fantastic print solution to offer to anyone that wants to buy a copy of this wonderful work. The quality is excellent, it’s a 48cm diameter Giclée print on 1130gsm Galleryboard and it looks amazing. You can order a print for yourself here. Tell your friends, share this post and help get Tony’s great work out there.

Tony Allen spends two days a week at Headway East London, a charitable organisation supporting people affected by brain injury, where he can be found in the studio painting and making art, you can see more of his work here at Submit to love studios. or check out Submit to Love Studios on Instagram, @submittolovestudios, hell, why not follow them, getting updates of the beautiful work they do here on your feed can only be a good thing right?

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Thank you for reading.

James