Pick A Door

 Finally the two most recent paintings are up online everywhere, well not quite everywhere, I haven't even started tackling Saatchi Online yet. It seems like there is far too much admin to do, website tweaks, putting paintings up for sale on new galleries and wondering whether to join NuMonday. 

But I suppose better to have too much to do and ideas of how to progress rather than being stagnant. I have some new prints to put up on Etsy and some card packs too so I guess that should be the next thing to tackle, plus I want to order some limited edition prints of my most recent paintings of Cuba. Speaking of which, here is another one to add to the collection. This one is all about the building, its dilapidated state and its charm, and more importantly all the different windows and doors that go together to make up its whole. This was one thing I liked about Cuba, the uniformity of the original façade being taken over by individuals and tweaked until it worked for them. It made it all more human and possibly slightly post apocalyptic but in an endearing way. 

Cuba, is all about the people. 

Thunder and Lightning.....

 I just read that a successful artist I follow has been rejected from the Royal Academy Summer Exhibition 14 times, so I feel a bit more vindicated now that it isn't just me. 

After the previous blog post, the photoshoot was a success, my camera just about survived and I have a new one arriving on Friday ready to take pictures of my two latest artworks. I posted another reel that was successful, and one which very much wasn't so I am still learning on that front. I have also updated a few link errors both on here and my website as I deleted my DeviantArt and Society6 profiles but forgot to remove them from anywhere. So busy, busy. 

Other than that, not much to report, another painting trial to complete for an art company I freelance for and a large limited edition print sold but that is it for the moment. I need to order some Cuba prints and some Golden Temple ones as they keep selling out. I also have some card packs to put on Etsy, it seems easy to drown in the to-do list! 

But whilst I tread water, here is one of my latest paintings. This time inspiration came in the form of a thunderstorm, partly because I spent two evenings watching thunderstorms in Croatia a couple of weeks ago, and then returned to the UK to another one. So it seemed like they were on my mind, that and I tend to paint dramatic weather when I am unsettled, grumpy, frustrated or fed up (or all three). So here is my emotion purge that I still need to name....

 

Hell for Leather

 I was indeed happy to have my paintings back from the Beehive pub, much happier than I was expecting in fact - it was like being put back together. Fortunately I have been having a full flat clear out too so I had some spaces left for them to live, so I don't feel overloaded just yet. 

So, a lot is happening at the moment as I attempt to do art full time, which I haven't actually told anyone about. It has been an email writing day today, to English Heritage, Norden Farm and the National Trust to hope they will potentially collaborate with me, and/or display sell my work. I also finally made a reel, which is doing well with over 6,000 views so far and shared my Havana painting on a Cuba group so that also has over 350 likes and 70 + comments. I need a boost right now above anything else to feel like I am not making a horrendous decision trying to go full time. 

If only I didn't need money. But, I have a photography gig booked in, just helped with a kitchen redesign and I have a large puzzle order that has just arrived. It sounds like I am already doing well, but perhaps it never feels like it. I have a new painting on the go though and a new one finished that I need to share, reel ideas in the pipeline and I am thinking it might be time to write a newsletter. 

Its time to go hell for leather on this! 

The Beehive

 I realise I made a mistake earlier as I wrote my to do list in red pen, and for some reason I can't seem to read it properly. I am better writing in another colour and crossing it off in red. Perhaps a school throwback. But anyway, that isn't what I am here to talk about. Although perhaps I need to take a moment and rewrite it...

There, rewritten so I feel a bit better, although now I wish it wasn't on lined paper; it is obviously an OCD day. 

So I missed an important blog post about putting my work up in The Beehive in Maidenhead earlier this month, a well known and posh pub in the White Waltham area of town. I was lucky as the slot was meant to be for three weeks, but I got given six instead. I am currently surprised I haven't sold a few of the pieces, but perhaps bad timing, perhaps that will happen later, and equally there is still some time left to go, so I will hold firm to my belief that something will be finding a new home. It was strange to get ready for the show, a bit intense, a lot of work, last minute prepping and last minute painting. I didn't realise that taking the paintings from my house would feel like removing my forcefield. I felt vulnerable and bare, even after putting up other work on my empty walls. The last few years have been strange, wars, climate disaster, covid, and I hadn't noticed that I had painted myself some protection. Colour is my shield, and without it I felt lost, momentarily at least, then I was quite happy to have 17 paintings elsewhere and some more room in my flat. 

I did pop into The Beehive with some friends for a drink the other weekend though and it was good to see my painted friends, happily adorning the pub walls and feeling like home, so perhaps I will also be happy to have them back.     

Havana Good Time

 After the first painting of the year inevitably comes the second. I am well on the way to sorting out my paintings for 'The Beehive' display on Monday. It seems like there is a lot to do and not much to do. I suppose it doesn't help that I want to paint another picture to go up if I can, so that will be tomorrow and Saturdays job I suspect. 

In the meantime, painting number two is up on the website, my prices have been amended (on a piece of paper at least), frames have been ordered and sticky dots made ready for the name tags for all my work. I just need to write an artist blurb now which I am not looking forward to, well that and stick the stickers on the paintings backs, write the authentication certificates and sign all the ones going up on display. All while having a horrible cold. 

Hooray.

Not.

But this is a good warm up, I had a big birthday last week and all my friends and family clubbed together to buy me a two week exhibition space and opening night at my local gallery - Norden Farm, so I can't wait to get that in the diary! Hopefully I can have some more paintings of Cuba to show at it, which is the subject of my latest piece of work, and I have to say, even I am impressed with how this one turned out! 

Canopy Shyness

 Ironically after the last post, I did take a time out to sort out my health and clean out my house. My health is improving now, with the aid of a million vitamins and iron tablets, and the house is not only clean but decluttered, minus my bedroom which still needs doing. Going through clothes requires a different mindset to simply sorting out clutter. 

So this means, my mind is clear, I don't need to do any house admin things, and I found some more art cards and thing to post for sale on Etsy. Plus, more importantly I have finally done the first painting of the year. I went for a known quantity to start with as I feel so out of practice painting, that I needed something 'easy' to start with. The good news is, the painting went well, I have three commissions lined up to work on, and an 'exhibition' of sorts lined up in Maidenhead at the beginning of April. 

I say exhibition, it is an exaggeration; An exclusive pub/restaurant in White Waltham is showing my art on its walls for three weeks as part of a local artist showcase. Hopefully it can become a regular occurrence, but we shall see how it goes to start with. 

It sounds like my manifestations for the year are going well. Now if I could just paint a bit more regularly and sell a few paintings, I truly will be winning. Until then, here is the first painting of 2024 - 'Canopy Shyness' 

  

Happy New.....month?

 Happy February (and belated Happy New Year) Time flies when you get older. I miss the summers that felt like they stretched for years when you were a kid. 

Lots is getting underway this year, as 2024 signals me getting back on top of my game. I have big plans to get more disciplined and consistent. I am clearing some bad work vibes from my life and prioritising my creative side, because that is well overdue. I just need to work on my routine. Ironically it is easier for me to be creative with no routine, but I need some boundaries otherwise nothing ends up getting done. This is my manifestation for 2024, to find a pattern I can work with and stick to. I really need to make this work!

The last time I felt truly productive and organised was in lockdown 2020, but it would be good not to have to shutdown the entire world in order for me to have some peace I can work with. That isn't exactly sustainable! But maybe I can take some lessons from what I was doing then and try to reapply them now. 

The trouble with not being 20 is stamina. I used to be able to just do art related things in the evening and into the early hours, but I can't seem to do that now without needing a week to recover. I might have to teach myself to be an early bird! But we'll see. 

2024 is also about being kind. If I need a day off, or some sleep, or to concentrate on my health or tidy the house then that is ok. There is no rush to do everything all at once.

Consistency is key. If that is two hours a day, everyday then that is better than everything for a month and then nothing for 6 months. 

Fingers crossed.