Solstice

Post number four! In one day!

Yes, if you are joining this late, I do appreciate you don't know what I am talking about but never mind, it is enough to say I am just trying to empty my head a little because it is overflowing with stuff. Trying to juggle four jobs at the same time is not good for your mental capacity, especially when they are all different but kind of the same.

I need a holiday.

Speaking of jobs, I don't know how anyone manages to get a career off the ground doing something they love whilst they are working full time. As a freelancer I can pick and choose my work times (within reason) and sometimes I have long breaks in which I can just paint. It is this potential break that I am currently focusing on as I am not really getting any time to do anything at the moment other than work and sleep. That said, I did find the time this weekend previous to do another painting. Thank. God. Not being able to paint slowly builds up to utter catastrophic frustration, and nobody wants to sit with someone grumpy.

So, in celebration of the UK's longest day, we welcome 'Solstice' onto the scene. It seems to be popular, and I sold it instantly which is interesting as it is one of the quickest things I have ever done. Sometimes you just need to get one out.

'Solstice'   20" x 16"

Lost in Translation

Having previously said I was going to write lots of posts to schedule I have now totally forgotten what it was I wanted to say. Hmm, maybe I have a two post a day writing limit. I don't think it helps knowing I have more freelance work lined up for tomorrow and I need to head out for zumba in an hour or so. This means I now have deadlines to keep to and I am so used to having too much to do and no time that tight timelines make my brain explode slightly.

Under.

Pressure.

But anyway, one thing I wanted to mention was Lost in Translation. I watched it again having watched it the first time around when I was at University. I liked it then, but I found it strange. This time round I totally got it and I laughed. It is funny to think in these last few years I have experienced enough to empathise with both characters, to feel that sense of searching for yourself, just wanting a good time, feeling lost, feeling out of place in your own situation, not knowing what you are doing or where you are going, to not minding. It was a refreshing watch and reminded me of how good it is. So watch it, even if you have watched it before, I urge you to watch it again.

Collaboration

As I actually have some free time today and too many posts in my head to write about, I thought I would write them all this afternoon and then set them to publish to a schedule of some description. It will be interesting to see whether this is helpful/ successful or not. I have a feeling it may just result in me coming back here in a week not remembering anything I have written about. At least if that is the case I might find the posts interesting to read to rediscover what I have been up to.

I really need life to slow down a little.

So firstly, lets go with the Butcher's Dog magazine that used Plinth as its front cover (yes, I know I mention this all the time but I got my copy the other day, and I am excited so mnah :-P )

It is an A5 gem of a book, and I am so happy to be a part of it. Well made, well written and the cover just goes. I like the thought of contributing to an artistic item. It seems like a lot of artists are part of communes or groups attached to a time or a place in history. Being an artist is sometimes quite solitary, you do your own work, your own way on your own, or at least I do, so for once it is nice to feel part of something bigger and more collaborative. Fingers crossed I can do more things like this in the future. Nobody wants to be a Billy No Mates all the time.

Damnations

There is too much going on at the moment. I have that 'I really need to do a blog post' feeling as I haven't done one for ages - I don't even vaguely know where to start though.

This is the first time I have had an unexpected day off for ages so I have been doing some catching up. This mostly means, website updating, filing, message replying, tax returning, accounting.

Oh tax return, how you always hurt no matter what I do! Last year I got bitten as I didn't realise I had to pay Class 4 National Insurance Contributions. This year I built it into my spreadsheet and yes, I got the amount I needed to pay exactly right..... right except for the fact that you now have to pay half again in preparation for next year. WHAT!? In what way is that helpful. We are all working on a shoe string as it is without having to invest a lump of money a year in advance. I don't tend to think beyond next week, let alone next year.

DAMNATIONS! Just as well I have just had rather a bumper spell of work otherwise I would have been in serious trouble. I may be happier living this way but sometimes it is just too tough!  

GRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRR!

Blinkers

I feel weird this afternoon. This is mostly because I finished the work I needed to do today at about 4pm. 'Why is that strange' I hear you say? It is strange because I am more used to days like yesterday where I started work at about 10am and finished at midnight.

I feel like I have been in a cage and someone has forgotten to lock the door, I want to escape and celebrate, but I am not entirely convinced it isn't a trap...

It's a trap isn't it. Sigh.

I can't believe I have been so super busy for so long. I also can't believe I have been super busy with architecture work and art work. So much is going on at the moment I don't know what is going on and I can't sit and take stock of what is happening. I am very eager to get my copy of the Butcher's Dog Magazine that 'Plinth' is gracing the front cover of (you can order a copy here by the way) and to get feedback on the two paintings that should have been delivered today. I also want to sell some more. More more MORE! I also want to find some time to paint, which isn't currently looking hopeful.

There is so much to do and there really isn't time. I also seem to have gained some Twitter followers over the last few days, even though I have no idea how to use it. I set up an account ages ago and then got completely sidetracked. I guess maybe that is something I ought to put on my to do list as well.

The To do list.

Well I daren't even look at that.

Awesome

I am super excited today! So much so I just realised I have completely forgotten to have any dinner. I am guessing it is a bit late to have any now as it almost 10' o'clock. Just as well I had a late lunch and a giant breakfast then! Oops.

Anyway, I am excited because so much is happening at the moment. My charity painting auction was today and it did much better than I was expecting. It didn't raise a massive amount of money but it did proportionally. It was being auctioned alongside a signed photograph of Kate Winslet and Katy Perry and a goody bag of bits and pieces from Dani Harmer (of Tracy Beaker fame). My painting raised 94% of the profit. I personally think that is hilarious. I blew the other two completely out of the water and possibly into space!

AWESOME.

I also put the recent picture of the Royal Albert Hall that I painted on facebook and promptly sold it ten hours later.

AWESOME x2

Saturday is also the launch party of the fabulous Butcher's Dog Literary Magazine which for this issue is using 'Plinth' as its front cover.

AWESOME x3

I don't know how I am going to sleep tonight.

WoooOOOOOoooOOOOOoooooOOOOooooooooooOOOOOOOOooooooooOOoooooOOoo!

Lon-Done

I am having a proper weekend this weekend for the first time in ages. I took yesterday off to go to London and generally catch up on a selection of 'normal' things. This meant walking around Hyde Park in the sun and having an ice cream, having a jug of Gin and Rhubarb Cooler on the balcony of the Royal Festival Hall, having a late pub lunch and going to the cinema. Checking my emails on the train home I discovered that earlier in the day I had been paid by one of my online galleries, I had sold my first acrylic print to someone in Florida and I had won a mini photography competition. Now that is the way to have a relaxing day in style.

Rinse and repeat.

It is so nice to feel a bit more like a human again! Also, speaking of London, I watched an unusual documentary style film about the wonderful capital the other day called 'London - The Modern Babylon' It was fascinating to learn a bit more about the capitals history, influences, mob culture, immigration patterns and inhabitants. The film was illustrated throughout with excerpts from modern day London, historic London, comedy films, documentary films, art films, historic archives, personal stories from current occupants, basically you name it, it had it. If you are interested in how a city develops, or in the city of London this is an absolute must see. Don't do what I did though and watch it when you are over tired and overloaded. The sensory overload of images made me have rather an unusual selection of nightmares....