Aint what cha do....it's the way that you do it!

I have now uploaded a picture of my most recent painting for the series,' My Baby's Got a Secret' onto my website! You can see 'Parfait Amour' here!: www.gemmaparker.co.uk
I have also been researching nautical tattoos for some time now and have begun a series of paintings inspired by the old school pin-ups that decorated many a well travelled sailor's arms. If anyone has any interesting info to pass on or a sailor inspired tattoo please get in touch!

On other news:

Last week I was lucky enough to go and see the 'Blonde Bombshells of 1943' at The Lowry. This nostalgic musical is the story of an all girl swing band run by band leader Betty. The only trouble is her band members keep disappearing every time they play a GI camp, and with the chance to play live on the BBC tonight, Betty is pushed to find new recruits and fast! Cue the entrance of a naive school girl, a singing nun, an upper class army toff with an eye for the boys, and a male drummer doing everything he can to avoid being drafted into the army.

The story focuses on Liz, the young schoolgirl, who in one day, learns about love, betrayal and death, oh and also the saxophone. All the girls (and guy) are tremedous musicians and each in turn gets the opportunity to show off their talents. But I have to say that it was Lilly the nun's oblivious rendition of a George Formby classic full of inuendos that made me giggle the most. Another high point that stuck fast in my memory is when Miranda, the curvacious army toff decides to put her 'posh frock' on for that nights performance, in front of the other girls, and the auidence. It was mesmorising to behold a 1940's hottie reveal her silk undies (not army issue, you wouldn't believe how they chafe!) and nylons. Rosie Jenkins who played Miranda was obviously having a ball with her character and was very sexy to boot.

The music was brilliant with such classics by Glenn Miller, Fats Waller and The Andrews Sisters and I left the theatre singing the tunes for a long time afterwards. The finale where the most glamourous girl band of all time don blonde wigs and red sparkly numbers proved beyond doubt that it don't mean a thing if it aint got that swing!