I've been working all the daylight hours on a family commission, a dinner table portrait, for a dining room, people happily eating, being together around a table. It's been a pleasure to work on so far, there are several people in it and one dog. Then at night when the light has gone, I've not wanted to stop, so I've been working in my sketchbook, which has been all consuming too. I'll start again on that in a bit, I have a hunger for it. I want to get more into different coloured inks, it's been black ink mainly so far, I need more glitter & more coloured tissue paper too.
'Sketchbook p21', ink & watercolour on paper, 2014.
'Sketchbook p23', ink & watercolour on paper, 2014.
'Sketchbook p24', ink & watercolour on paper, 2014.
It must have been the swimming that has kicked me back into gear. I wake up and jump out of bed, then can't wait to get back here to work on the painting. Please muddy brain fog, stay far away from me, I need a break from you!
Tomorrow I am going to a birthday party and have found quite a nice dress to wear, with big pink roses and a pretty blue trim. My hair is okay-ish, there was a slight disaster with a trainee colourist, I think she forgot about me and my highlights! With some lippy, heels and a hairslide, I should be able to scrub up okay.
I've been looking around for a space to work in, and I now have a place in mind, very light, it will be good to be able to paint in oils again, and have the drying space. Also I'm keen to make some music again, so it will be nice to have space for different things, and maybe try to find a couple of other musicians to work with too.
I've hardly seen my sister, niece or the dogs, I've been hidden away up here, working all the hours. Food has diminished on my mind, and I don't seem to be craving anything too, it will be nice to be able to fit into some old clothes again.
I have my eye on a space to put an exhibition or two on in, up north, so that's bubbling away at the back of my mind. A wonderful artist said she would like to do a show there too, so that's encouraging news. If another girl I know, who is sailing around the world at the moment, would like to make one also, then along with myself that will be a lovely trio of shows.
It was interesting watchingVera on the TV the other night, as so much of it was set around Alnmouth, a place I have spent a lot time in, I shall have to head back there soon, to see granny and have some long walks. I am very keen to get out to the foothills of the Cheviots, and see some places we often visited when I was a child, I have an urge to make some oil paintings of these. That lovely feeling of paddling through rivers, the iron ore colouring the water, moss on the banks, deep pools, shallow pools, stepping stones, that beautiful feeling of it all.
Alnmouth, 2013.