Friday 22 January 2016

Cards, cards, cards.

I am not sure right now is the best time to start a blog post, it is almost midnight and I have had a long and emotional day, and got through a lot of work. 

As normal then.

So although I am not really feeling at my chirpiest, I am doing a good job of sticking to my resolutions; Specifically the 'try and do some things off of my never ending to-do list' resolution. My first order of 2016 was a couple of weeks ago and an order for some handmade cards. My stock has been pretty low for a while, I think making some more has been on my list for about the last three or so months. Needless to say, I wasn't lucky enough to have ready made ones of all the ones ordered. Half where ready to go, and half sold out. I guess I really should make some more then. I had actually been though my stock, worked out what I needed and printed off new pictures a while ago.

A long while ago.

Well lets get to it then! First make the cards to complete my order and then just keep on going and going. I have made a lot, but I still have a lot left to make, this is going to be an ongoing process for a while, but a good one to get underway. So if you were thinking about getting some cards, now would be a good time to order. The stock pile is looking pretty good!!
  

Wednesday 13 January 2016

Hold Fast

So. Another blog post. I am not going to let my resolutions slip before I have even started. Things are looking half promising. I did make some cards at the weekend and I plan to make some more this coming weekend. I have been posting on facebook and I have scheduled a couple of posts to come in over the next few days. I have also entered, or at least booked my entry for the Royal Academy's Summer Exhibition. I am also going to an exhibition tomorrow in London. So that is all sounding very arty.

The downside is that I am not currently feeling very inclined to paint. I do have a few commission requests to do and I am sure there are some more Prague paintings lurking around in my mind somewhere, but no inclination to do any of them as yet. This is probably a good thing as the first time I could even vaguely entertain having enough time to paint is probably a week tomorrow.

Too. Busy.

I also know I have A LOT of architecture work to keep me deadlined up until mid February. I need my head to be in a slower gear to paint, not on turbo charge in order to meet all my deadlines. I am pretty sure 2016 painting number two will be on the way within a week or so though. I can rarely hold off for long. I have also been into Reading twice this week, and London three times. Next week should be far more local and easy.

Painting is always easier when life is a bit more steady. Hold fast, for just one more week.....


Saturday 9 January 2016

I'm alive!

So. The last time I blogged was at the end of October.

A lot has happened since then, the first point being that I didn't die, I just got very busy. Friends came to stay, I went to Prague, I had Christmas shopping to do, 3 commissions to paint and I tore rather an important muscle in my shoulder. Oh, and I had a ton of normal work to do, with endless too tight deadlines.

I think that must be enough excuses?

Annoyingly my shoulder is a lot better but still hurts quite a lot when I paint, or do the vacuuming as I found out earlier today. I am still managing to do some art but working in shifts. Gone, for the moment, are my abilities to finish a painting in one sitting. I am sure it will fully heal at some point, or it better do so - I am threatening it daily with a trip to a physiotherapist.

But anyway. A new year has started. Good evening 2016, and how are you? I have some resolutions set up already to try and stop my art falling by the wayside. 1 day a week entirely devoted to art. A blog post at least every 3 days, or failing that 1 post a week; Knocking off some of my terminal art 'to-do' lists - updating my website, setting up some more society 6 items, making some more cards, making more magnets, more calendars, more tweets, more posts, more interactions, more competitions, more exposure, more everything.

It seems like a tall order, but one thing at a time. For today - everything is online. Card making is happening tomorrow, especially as I have a card order to fulfil. I have done the first painting of the year, and now the first blog post. So I won't beat myself up, that seems like enough for now.