Cuba Tones

 As usual, my good habits didn't last very long, but there is s blog post happening now so that will do, I was meant to be doing one a week, but...! Not much has happened art wise recently, I have sold a few of my sale items, managed to stick to my social media schedule and painted a new picture! I had planned to start a new painting this weekend, but Milly Molly Migraine had other plans for me, but perhaps I will get a chance to this weekend instead. I have been organised today though, my two new paintings are online everywhere except my website, I have chased a potential sale and earlier in the week I applied to Cookham Art Trail, so I have been doing my job. 

It would be nice to have an unexpected painting sell though, those are the boosts that help keep me on focus. Here is to wishing, my birthday is soon, so perhaps the universe will give me a sale as a birthday present. 

Starts manifesting. 

 In the meantime, here is the new painting. It is another one of Cuba. I already feel like there will be more of these! I half wish I still had Havana Good Time too so I could have seen the three paintings together, but I guess that is what photoshop is for. So here, enjoy....

And just because I can, the three of them together...

Sale

 I thought I may as well jump on here straight away whilst I am having good habits and trying to be organised. 

As promised, the article about my interview is up and you can read it here

I have also just released a few items for sale. Some older paintings, mugs and puzzles are all available with a 10 - 25% discount for the next month. Please head to Etsy for more information! Etsy Store

That will do for now. Those of you subscribed to my newsletter, keep an eye out as there should be one landing in your inbox tonight!

Setting down some roots....

 I feel like it is probably too late to say Happy New Year now, I am usually good at doing the first blog post of the year, but obviously not this time. 

So what has been happening? As usual, lots and not much at the same time. I have had some steady sales of mugs, puzzles and cushions as well as the odd belated calendar. 'Barbados' has also gone on holiday for a trial at a potential new owners house. I am assuming they won't be able to say no once it has been in their house for a while, so that should be off the market at the end of the month. I have also been interviewed for an art blog in New York (!) so I will share that article once it is up. 

Painting wise it has been a bit slow this year so far, I made the decision to finally overpaint 6 works I have never been satisfied with. Two are complete already and I had intended to do the next one this weekend just gone but it didn't quite happen. In the pipeline I have a new painting of Cuba to do and some sunsets from my beginning of the year trip to Gran Canaria. So lots of potential. I have also just been reviewing my accounts. I realised I have signed up to lots of art things with annual bills and I need to make them work a bit better. If there is anything I can cancel, amalgamate or lose if it isn't working then that is all good. It is also a time to double check my stock, what is selling reliably, what is too much and maybe to sell out the current stock and refresh the merchandise. I am working on making my website more 'exclusive' and thinking of maybe using Folksy or Etsy as a kind of outlet store. The trouble with that is then making sure my website is 'seen' so that is still a thought in progress.   

I am finding it difficult at the moment to grasp the direction and list of things I need to sort out. It seems like there are too many things and they are all over the place. I want it to be more organised and easy for 2025. As part of this I have just set up a habit tracker for the month. Theoretically this should encourage me to keep an eye on my schedule and tasks. For example, blogging once a week and sharing a reel, completing a painting once a week and getting up early everyday, drinking water, eating well etc. It feels like I shouldn't have to do this really, but somehow it feels like it is easier to maintain and manage if it is written down and fixed. The trouble with being self employed is time management, as you never really have to do anything, so then sometimes by the time you have thought about what you need to do the day is over. I am hoping this way, with fixed weekly deadlines and tasks I will start to be more productive and more importantly consistent. Let's see how it goes, either way it will be worth a try. 

So after all those updates, I had better share the first painting of the year! So please watch below and see 'Fall' become 'Roots' as it was the first one I felt like I needed to alter. 

  I feel like it was quite a big improvement, so I hope you do too. 

Havana Good Time Somewhere Else

 The other main bit of news that I needed to share was that I sold the star of the show at the weekend! Not at the art fair, randomly this weekend. So 'Havana Good Time' is off and has found its new home with a local interior designer. 

This is very exciting, not only because the money was well timed, but also because it is my biggest painting sale to date! I, for once, will be sad to see this painting go as it was a strong memory, I have already saved myself a framed print of it though. It seems like a good excuse to paint another picture of Cuba soon as well. This topic seems to be doing well for me! I am keeping my fingers crossed that I can sell another painting before the year is out. I could do with a cash injection and the promise that the sales won't end once the festive season is out of the way. I keep swinging between the thrill of really pushing this and trying to sell some things and make it work, and the fear that it is impossible and I am making a terrible mistake. But I guess that is probably standard with these things. I think I will only truly worry when I have run out of ideas to explore as then it will feel like there is nowhere else to go or look. Well that and when I can't stand only eating baked beans....

So anyway, Goodbye and Good Luck Havana, I will miss you! 

Marlow Art Fair

 Gosh, well that has all flown by in a blur! I have even more news now, but I may need to share it across a few blog posts....

Lets start first with an update on the Marlow Art Fair, which was both good and disappointing in equal measure. The footfall was much less than expected and I hardly sold anything on the Saturday. Fortunately Sunday was much more successful and it made it monetarily seem more worthwhile. 

The best thing about the event was the feedback from some of the customers and the other artists. It was great to meet some like minded people and receive some wisdom from them as most had been 'arting' for much longer than me. Interestingly the organiser of the show said Havana Good Time was the best thing in the room which was a good boost.  I also received a couple of good leads for future painting sales, so I am keeping those contacts up my sleeve! 

They are already signing people up for the next art fairs, but as yet I am undecided about whether to join in. It is a good way to get my work out in the local area, but art fairs are not really my kind of thing.... but watch this space. My stall this year, was definitely hard to miss! 

It's calendar time!

 I am not sure where to start with this blog post. There is a lot going on at the moment, from all angles and I have a lot to do. 

I have joined Marlow Art Fair for the last weekend in November to showcase some of my merchandise so I need to get ready for that. I have also prepped and ordered my calendars and Christmas cards which have arrived today. I am yet to take a look at them as they are my bribe for after I have finished my work for the day. My new prints have also arrived so I need to make them and deliver the ones that have already been purchased post Norden Farm. Which reminds me I need to order some more mounting supplies. I have also entered a cushion competition, started work on a newsletter and signed up for online gallery representation with a gallery in New York. 

As well as having to buy more stickers, and think about which cushions to get for Marlow and whether to get any at all. 

And finally putting my remaining two paintings up for sale online and completed a card order for a hospital to use as condolence cards.

So possibly too much to think about, but all good things. incidentally if you would like to purchase a calendar, please click on the link here stock is limited so the sooner you buy the better!

 I think that will probable do as an update for now, it is Friday evening and I can feel my brain starting to melt. It may well be time to start the weekend.....

Living Life in colour

 How has it been a week now since I took down my exhibition from Norden Farm? It seems to have taken me that long to recover and get back on top of things.

What an experience! From the stress of getting ready, to the excitement of set up day, the pressure of opening night and the anti-climax of take down day. It’s been a rollercoaster and a privilege. I hoped it was going to be a good morale booster. The employees at Norden Farm started the ball rolling telling me how good the work looked in the space, that it was made to be there and struck with a boom of colourful energy. Everyone had a favourite, ‘Havana’ ‘Rum Punch’ ‘Barbados’ or ‘Wishing’ ruled the weeks, the prints rushed out the door, and now I am addicted. When will the next show be?

I can truthfully say I was not expecting to feel like this. Everyone that knows me, knows I am a behind the scenes person, more comfortable online, or via email, at least when it comes to my artwork. My paintings are my shield, my forcefield, my interpretation of everyday life, and I wasn’t sure how I felt about everybody seeing that. The paintings I did when I was cross, when I had really bad pmt, the raw ones that were processing something. Do I want someone to comment on them? But it was interesting, one particularly stormy, rain driven sea struck a chord - A thunderstorm felt exactly like someone’s week, so ironically, I didn’t feel vulnerable or judged, I felt like I wasn’t alone. Everyone understood my language, and that was something beautiful and strangely empowering. I struggle sometimes, wondering why I do this, well, not why I do it, I have to, but why I want to share it, but this exhibition made it make sense. I could see first-hand, especially with people new to my work that it did something; Reminded them of home, helped them focus their emotions, reminded them of a favourite vacation, made them want to visit a new place, gave them something to fall into, talk about, like.

Lightbulb.

I feel hard - good or bad, translate it into colour and leave space for you to connect with what you need or how you feel. It is a unique collaboration and I was grateful to be able to witness that.

It was still difficult at times, I don’t particularly like talking about myself or letting people in, but it was also nice to have a chance to do both those things. To answer questions and look at what I do through someone else’s perspective. Painting is something I just do and have always done so I don’t really ever think about it or what it means.

I also need to point out that this experience was also completely made by the amount of support I have had from all my friends, acquaintances, people of Maidenhead and everyone that left feedback, bought something, told their friends, helped me prepare, or stepped up in the Gallery. That was overwhelming. A friend from school, past work colleagues, current work clients, Zumba friends, new fitness holiday friends, neighbours, and many more besides. I couldn’t ask for more than that, or the belief everyone had in my work. It was just what I needed to wipe away some doubt.

So THANK YOU everyone for getting behind me and taking the time to come and have a look at my life in colour. (And a huge shout out to Lucile for her unwavering support throughout even when she was dying on her feet and to Chrissie for helping me take down the work on Thursday morning).