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).  

       

Come September

 I am not entirely sure where September has gone. Wherever it has gone, it has made it there far too quickly. 

It is almost time for the exhibition, and I can't really pretend I am ready yet. I have been being busy and sorted some things out, but I guess it is impossible not to have a last minute rush however much you try to avoid it. The most crucial outstanding things currently, are; sorting the labels, deciding on the prices, actually working out the layout of the paintings to go up and I need to paint two more ideally. 

I have 5 days left. 1 of which is out for a Zumba event, and then possibly the day after when I am worn out and stiff. So realistically 3 days left. I am not sure how I feel about this. It should be fine, assuming I can paint this evening and possibly on Sunday if I need to, although really Sunday needs to be a painting preparation day, checking all labels, fixing the mirror plates on the back etc. 

Lets just pretend I am on it. 

So exciting times, and daunting times! 

You can read about the exhibition and find more info about the opening times here, and here is the flyer advertising the event, which is coming just in time on Monday! 

If I can borrow some luck, productivity and efficiency for the next few days I will be grateful! 
   

Tennyson Down

 I am not sure where the last couple of weeks have gone. It still seems to be impossible to stay on top of everything. I also realised that somewhere along the line my 'paintings for sale' page had disappeared. I hope not for too long otherwise I have been keeping that updated to no avail! 

I feel like I need an energy injection today and some 48 hour days, although it is Sunday so I should probably give myself a break. But I guess everything I manage to do is something I don't need to do tomorrow so...

I am frustrated as well as I made my friend a diary last year full of my paintings. She loved it and needs another one for next year. It came out really well so I thought I could have one and possibly make some to sell, but obviously now my printer no longer makes them! Nothing seems to be smooth or easy anymore. 

But before I get consumed talking about all these pitfalls and then about my upcoming exhibition at Norden Farm - more about that later - here is another new painting! A much safer thing to talk about. This one is of the Isle of Wight and more specifically Freshwater Bay after an amazing picnic and hike across the downs with my best friend. There were storms circling the Island all day that day but somehow we always managed to be in the right place at the right time and miss them all. I wanted the painting to have some of that electric sky drama, which is why the colours are more true to feeling than actuality. I was disappointed with this painting originally, but it has steadily grown on me day by day, and more and more is turning out to be just what I needed. 

Tennyson Down 40" x 30"

   

Paris 2024

 I am a bit confused today, I feel like everything is out of sync. Paintings are posted online in some places and not others, new paintings need to be done, stock needs to be checked and reordered, a new painting needs to be put up for sale, real life admin needs to be taken care of. I guess the problem with deciding to just paint is that then a backlog of the other stuff grows.

I do however have a useful list I need to do this week, it has 40 things on it so far but I have ticked off 14 items already, 15 once this has been written, and if I check my print mounting supplies and finish a new Instagram reel that will be 17 things, so almost halfway there (lemon on a pear).  

But back to the main reason for writing this reel, which is another new painting! This one is Olympic inspired as recently everything has been about Paris 2024. It has been difficult not to get sucked in one way or another - starting with the build up and the opening ceremony, a lot of which centred around the Eiffel Tower and the Olympic rings on the tower lining up with the moon. I have never actually painted the Eiffel Tower before so now seemed like as good a time as any. I had in mind a painting I have created previously of the Leaning Tower of Pisa which had the flag of Italy in the background, so surprise, surprise, here is the Eiffel Tower with the flag of France in the background.

I was quite pleased with how this one turned out, as whilst a bit quirky, wonky and not entirely accurate it has the perfect feel to it, so in that respect, mission accomplished! Tom Dean, the swimmer who won gold for the 4 x 200m freestyle relay in Paris for Team GB lives just up the road from me, perhaps he would like it as a souvenir! 

  

 

Flower Rangers

 Obviously you will have noticed I have had a bit of a break since I last posted. I was getting seriously bogged down with trying to work out what I was meant to be doing and what to do first. I half started so many things that it seemed a bit of a mess. (Most of those things are actually still half done).

Instead, I took a moment. 

I took the bestie to visit my hometown on the Isle of Wight and introduce her to my parents which was a well timed perfect break. I did some work for an art company that occasionally commission me to do random things sometimes, like spray-paint plastic squirrels and make plaster of Paris circles. I took the pressure off and took each day as it came, and finally reached the conclusion that to start with, I just need to paint. I need to remember how to art, remind myself that it is a big part of my being and stop worrying about social media, making money, updating this, updating that. 

Breathe first, re-artist myself, promote later. 

So that is what I am beginning to do. 

My card packs are now up for sale on Etsy, some sold out already, the date for my Solo Exhibition is almost booked in, I have painted two pictures and I have an idea for a third which I will start tomorrow. That feels better, and importantly I have been pleased with the last two paintings. A confidence boost is always appreciated. The first painting is a purely organic one, I picked some colours, I painted a background, I decided I wanted to paint some white lines on it, and found some inspiration in a flower tattoo online, and so this was born, and I don't know why but I feel better every time I look at it. So lets thank this painting for grounding me a little, and bringing me back some roots. 

'Flower Rangers' - 40" x 30" Acrylic on Canvas 

  

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.