it's all go go go .........

I must admit that, when it comes to time management, I am not a disciplined artist. I tend to work in feverish bursts, when I just pour out ideas and energy onto the canvas. These bursts are followed by periods of distraction and procrastination, where it seems as if I just can't motivate myself to pick up a brush.


However, over the years, I have recognised that this is just the pattern of my energy, and not something to fret over or try to change. If I try and plug away a bit every day, I dilute the creativity, and it becomes lacklustre. And luckily there is usually a balance, the creative bursts do not last so long that I burn out, and the recovery periods do not last so long that productivity is compromised! And I am apparently working busily sub-consciously during the recovery phases, because with no apparent thought I launch into the next creative phase, and all the new ideas are ready and neatly lined up waiting for expression.


The other day, Imperfect Nerd commented:
Paint, dear one, paint! I know what distractions are like, because I write and have just begun a new tale, "Michelle in Hell". So far the hellish part is trying to stay at it!....


For me distractions are very welcome during a recovery phase, but where I find it hellish is when they happen in the middle of a creative outburst.... I literally chafe to get to work, and find any interruptions incredibly frustrating.


At the moment I am having a wonderful time exploring mixed media, and the painting is on a roll, but I also have builders crawling all over the place, creating the usual revolting mess, choas and endless interruptions and demands for this or that. I have mixed feelings about all this.


Usually I would be having a bit of a humour failure over being pulled out of my "zone" every few minutes, but the end result of this project is making it easier to bear. Because they are building an extension to a tiny storeroom we have in our back courtyard, and creating a wonderful light airy studio for me, YAY yippee yay!!


So, soon I will be out there, splashing the walls and floor with gay abandon, and no longer cluttering up (and splashing paint on) every surface in our little cottage! I will have to repaint the study and lounge/dining room, which have borne the brunt of the work over the last few years, and remove the study carpet, which has gone from cream to multicoloured speckles and blobs in one corner. But it is going to be amazing being able to sit at the dining room table for a meal without getting blue or red blobs on one's clothes, and ingesting the food through a haze of turpentine fumes.


Anyway, to the results of the latest energy burst........... as well as a few I did recently for but did not get a chance to post.
Starting with the new ones, I am exploring mixed media, using sculptors wax and silver leaf on canvas with oils, I adore the transparency and layering that can be achieved.

landscape 6 900x900mm

in the lake 1100x900mm

SOLD

seascape 8 700x900mm

seascape 4 900x900mm

SOLD

whale tale 900x800mm

landscape 7 and 8 600x500mm

SOLD

heather blushed hills 900x1100mm

Seascape 5 and 6, 500x500mm

SOLD

Seascape 7 400x400mm

These are two which I forgot to photograph before sending them off for an exhibition.

Contemplation 2 Martie's Garden

The others of the Historic PE ones will be posted after I have had a chance to go to the gallery and confirm which have sold.

In full swing....

Well the exhibition is up and running, and the opening was wonderful. The press commented the next day that they have never seen the gallery so crammed at an opening. Huge thanks are due to Grizel Hart of the museum at 7 Castle Hill, who did a wonderful job of publicising and catering. The speech by Bryan Wintermeyer of the Heritage foundation was great too, reminding those in attendance of how vital it is to preserve our heritage areas, not just because of sentiment, but because it is these areas which give character to to what would, without them, be just another ugly industrial city, and are therefore vital for tourism. Ironically, later in the evening, who should pitch up but Irish Slumlord Ken Denton! He has bought up 70% of the buildings in Central, and let them go to ruin, renting them out mostly to Nigerian pimps and drug dealers, and hugely contributing to the degradation and escalating crime in the area. With him was his very pregnant "fiance", cousin of Nelson Mandela's ex wife Winnie. (This despite the fact that his wife, to whom he is still married, is living back in Dublin, unaware of what has been going on, until informed recently by our local press.) I was tempted to ask him to leave, but did not want to ruin the evening with a confrontation.

The following day I popped in to see Tossie, from the other gallery I told you about, only to discover that the exhibition she offered me is starting on the 4th March, eeeeeeeeeeeeeeek!
Anyway it has been a good motivator, and I have been painting like a madwoman! Will have lots of new work to show you soon.... (but not much time for posting or visiting!)

Forthcoming Exhibition

My group exhibition looms just around the corner.... still frantically trying to complete a few more paintings, and get them dry enough to frame! Will post some of the new ones when I come up for air again.

Between us, we have about 90 pictures, but Bob the photographer also has boxes of old prints that he is going to lay out on tables to sell. I have already got dibbs on some of then, they are fascinating. Pictures of trams going up narrow streets which are now 6 lane main roads, some very interesting harbour and aerial shots etc. All 3 of us are passionate about our historic areas, and it shows in our work.

My daughter K has been doing a lot of research into the area, and is going to write notes on as many of the buildings featured in pictures as possible, so that whoever buys one not only gets a painting, but a sense of the history of the place as well.

In the meantime, here is your personal invitation to the opening!

Anyone in PE who sees this and is interested is very welcome to attend. The exhibition runs from 12th to 23rd February.