Toubkal

I have returned from my holiday! When, I say 'holiday' it may be an exaggeration, or at least not what you would typically expect from a holiday. I went on a proper intense, inspiration collection trip this time, hiking through the Atlas Mountains for a week;

 Hike 1 involved trekking up to the summit of Mount Toubkal - the highest point in North Africa at 4,167m high. It was much tougher than I was expecting to get to the top. I needed more to eat, and not to be wearing hired boots and crampons. But enormous blisters aside, it felt like a great achievement to beat the snow underfoot, the snow in the air, the biting wind and freezing -15 degrees wind chill factor and reach the top. There may have been a few exalted tears. (But not as many as when I reached the refuge at the bottom - I struggled going down in the snow, and crashed out from a huge sugar low after hours of walking) But what a spectacular sight on the way up, on the way down! It was undoubtedly worth it.

Hike 2 was much easier - not so much stuff needed to be carried as we hired a mule, a chef and a guide to take us from Imlil to Tacchedirt onto Timichi and then onto Setti Fatma followed by a taxi back to Marrakesh. We ate well this time, really well, I had at least 3 plates of food per lunchtime. I wasn't joking when I said I needed to eat more when we climbed Toubkal. The walking was less intense this time although we still hit a mountain peak at 3200m stayed in a Gite in the highest village in North Africa and enjoyed remoteness and views like I have never experienced. I have already noticed that photographs capture nothing of the feeling of where we have been, so my paintings will have a lot to deliver this time.

At the moment though, it is nice to rest my completely split heels, sleep in my own bed, and reminisce. I am looking forward to sharing these paintings with you, when I feel that they are ready to come...

Out of Studio.

I was meant to write a couple of posts before this one, but it is too late - I have run out of time.

So this one it is!

I have escaped the studio until the 27th of April so I apologise that in the meantime I will not be fulfilling any orders! Please feel free to contact me during my time away, I will try to respond but I will be somewhere high up in the Atlas Mountains climbing Mount Toubkal and collecting inspiration, and I'm unlikely to have a mobile signal. Please bear with me and I will answer your request as soon as I return. Have a good couple of weeks!

Notre-Dame

So I have discovered that I can still paint whilst putting up with rather a large wine induced headache, and seemingly still have inspiration through the throbbing temples. I have no idea where the thought to do this came from, but I suddenly had quite a strong urge to paint a washed out background with the Notre-Dame in Paris painted (well, inked) over the top, so this is what I did!

It seems to hit the spot for me so I consider that a success, even-though it did take quite a long time to produce - headaches certainly dampen your ability to concentrate for long periods of time. That and I kept stopping to eat Easter Eggs which I am sure I am not meant to be doing.

Either way it has been nice to manage to find some time to paint - time has been a bit thin on the ground recently and with a few trips coming up in April, I need to get them out whilst I can! I also have another commission to do before the 24th of April so watch this space...

Happy Easter!

I have been a bit art distracted recently as my birthday has been coming up. That said, print is being printed, painting was delivered and lots of cake has been eaten!

Seems like a successful few days! Speaking of desserts, I hope you have all managed to make the most of today and eat a chocolate egg or two, or failing that, enjoyed a Sunday Roast. Or, if neither of those things has happened, I still hope you have had a good Sunday! Happy Easter everyone!