What Have You Done Today To Make You Feel Proud?

A very wrong picture!

I have spent the day with hot knees and cold fingers. I'm going to have to look into my under the desk heating as it does not seem to be warming me up sufficiently. I met an acquaintance yesterday who runs an antique jewellery store in Swanage, he insisted that I try his gloves on. I know you're probably thinking what a random request. Needless to say, so did I, but he was insistent so I obliged. They were heated and ran on 9 volt batteries. If I thought I could successfully wield a scalpel, pencil or pen in them I may well have demanded the suppliers details. As it was my fingers were fatter that fat sausages and I could barely make a fist. So if there are any budding inventors out there...........
It is hard to spend days waiting for gallery visitors, or is it? Today was the first day that I actually took advantage of the fact that I have a studio. I've produced 12 prints, monoprints, drypoints and I have made a collagraph plate that will need varnishing. I have been developing an idea that I have for a fairly big piece of work. I'm quite excited as it is quite a departure from my usual way of working. You'll have to wait and see what happens as will I.
I should clarify that was what I did today that made me feel proud. If you watch Miranda on television the title of this blog should make you smile.
I am all about gallery promotion at the moment hence the ever growing blog. This seems to be a far more immediate way to publicize what's currently happening at the gallery. I'm in the middle of thinking about a themed show that I would like to take place later on this year.
I'm off to see Andrew Piesley tomorrow to discuss his solo exhibition and start to select the work that he might want to show. How exciting!
It has been a very quiet day I've had five visitors, yes just five. Good job that I have other things to keep me occupied.
Feel free to pop in anytime.

One Week In Exactly!

There are all kinds of things that go through your mind when you are sat door watching. Part of you wants people to walk through the door whilst the other part of you thinks that means being sociable. I am fighting a constant battle and you will all be pleased to know that on the whole my sociable side is winning.
I am also successfully fighting the urge to gossip. It's truly hard, loose lips do indeed sink ships!
I've had an interesting day so far plenty of visitors and lots of chatting. There are some really interesting people in Swanage and I'm very glad to have made their acquaintance.
I have to say working on a Saturday is really not what I had in mind though. You try telling a body that has been programmed to 'lie in' until silly o'clock on a Saturday that it not only has to get up but then has to go to work. I'm sure if I had multiple personalities there could actually have been a mutiny and my sullen, moody personality would be at the gallery instead of me!
I will endeavor to make the most of my lie in tomorrow. Roll on the summer is what I say so that we can leave this freezing, grey miserable existence firmly in the past.
I am going to attempt to do some work so I can guarantee that as soon as I start the door will go.
But I am going to have a little brag, if you will indulge me. I had 127 page views yesterday my most ever so I thank you for that. I also have slammed past 6,000 page views. I am so impressed that you all read me still. Long may you continue is all that I'll  say.
I can't actually believe that this time last week I had butterflies in my stomach, I was elbow deep in canapes and excitement. How time flies. Those of you that made it,  if you're wondering I would love to do it again this week. Apparently one Launch Party is about as many as you can have, shame. I'll have to organize my own show then I can have another big party.
Have a great weekend!

Workshops

It would seem that many of you that read the blog also want to know about the workshops. So here is a summary of what intend to run. If you are interested in attending any of them please let me know. My contact email is info@lartishe.co.uk   I hope to hear from you soon and then we can make some art of our own.   

 WORKSHOPS

1 DAY PRINTMAKING WORKSHOP

2 DAY PRINTMAKING WORKSHOP

PAINTING

DRAWING

PAPERMAKING

GLASS JEWELLERY

CREATIVE EMBROIDERY

FLOWER ARRANGING

SATURDAY ART SCHOOL

SKETCHBOOK DEVELOPMENT

PORTFOLIO SURGERY

ONE TO ONE TUITION

ALTERED BOOKS

FOR MORE INDEPTH INFORMATION AND PRICES VISIT lartishe.co.uk

Apologies for earlier first line spelling mistake.

Pictures....Better Late Than Never!

I would have written a second blog yesterday but my Internet connection has been up and down more times than a person with bipolar disorder, OCD on an escalator. I hope that you get the picture. After they fixed it (eventually) it promptly broke again. So I'm writing this at the gallery where I hope to be able to upload the pictures from Saturday night.

Me giving Matt his Thank You present!

Here goes nothing!

Well as always there has to be something that doesn't work and today it would seem that it's PSD picture files. So I could only upload a few pictures. I will get Murray on the case to convert them back to jpegs.
I'm being interviewed this afternoon by a new magazine called Purbeck for their art section which is quite exciting.
Until then I am going to work my way through my 179th To Do list. Which will include adding a page to my blog about upcoming events and dates for workshops. Keep your eyes peeled, well at least open.

And I'm Still Waiting..............

I will start with an apology for lack of blog yesterday. If I could give you three guesses as to why I didn't post one.....I'm sure many of you would be shouting at your computer screen "No Broadband connection!". Without using up your other two guesses and you would be right. I am sat here waiting for the BT engineer who I was told would come as early as possible as I politely informed BT that I am a business owner and I need to open my gallery. If you're wondering, yes it did feel good to say it and it feels even better to be it.
I did minimal admin yesterday due to the afore mentioned problem. It seems to be working today but that does not mean that it will continue working throughout the day. It may not even last until the end of this blog!
I have been going through my own work and I am starting to get excited about the prospect of my own show. It will be a retrospective covering the last twenty years that I have been a printmaker. All I can say is expect frivolity with a healthy splash of intense.
It is actually time for me to think about heading to the gallery but as yet there is no sign of the BT engineer. I'm not entirely sure what to do as I don't want the opening times on my front door to make a liar out of me.  But I am also desperate to get it sorted as my business depends on me having access both at work and at home.
I would like to urge any local artists to get in touch so that we can look at perhaps putting your work in the gallery. Go on, take a chance, make an exhibition of yourself!!!
I may be back later if I have news and if I have Internet connection. Have a good day!

Day Two in The Big Brother Gallery!

Apparently when you have a Launch Party it is obligatory to find the remnants of alcohol spills up to three days after the event. Thank God for antibacterial wipes, I've been scrubbing red wine ring marks of every conceivable surface and a few cupcake marks were thrown into the mix for good measure. But other than that there have been no nasty things waiting for me to discover. It was fairly quiet  this morning so I did my first bit of one to one tuition with my friend Lisa (In Picture Above). I taught her how to do a drypoint and she did some great prints which I will take pictures of tomorrow. So the workshop/studio has been christened and it felt good.
From a quiet morning a busy afternoon came, I had lots of lovely visitors and they were all full of compliments and were very interested in the workshops that I intend to run. I'm going to have to talk to Neil @ Deshok as I think I need people to know to read the blog for up to the minute information on workshops etc as this gets updated daily.
I think I am going to have to censor myself far more severely than before as I know that more people are reading and more importantly the community that I live in, are picking up their mice (is that the correct plural for a computer mouse?) and clicking on my blog. So welcome to you all.
There are a few funny things that have happened, I have been verbally abused on my own doorstep for failing to send and I quote 'The biggest art buyer in Swanage an invite to the Launch Party'. I have been invited to a complete strangers home to look at his work. To name but a few.
But the most important thing that I need to tell you is that I GOT PAID for the two of the four pieces of art I sold on Saturday. Wooohoooo!! Thank you ladies for your prompt payment and your impeccable taste in art.
BT are sending an engineer on Thursday who I will try really hard to be civil to as a year later I am having them try to rectify a 13 month old problem. Wish be bucketfuls of luck I'm going to need them.
Murray my official and unofficial photographer showed me the pictures of Saturday evening, they look really good. I will try and upload them tomorrow. Try being the operative word.
Day of rest tomorrow so admin at home it is.

Oh What A Night!!

I'm back, just about recovered from the Launch Party. My very generous friends bought me champagne which I drank with gay abandon. (After the Watershed of 9pm when all my potential clients had gone (ish). Although I should probably mention here that I made four sales and one of them was at 1.30am. It's amazing what a few glasses of wine will achieve. It was great!! So those of you who couldn't make it want details. It started at 6pm and by 6.30 it was absolutely heaving. I had spent the whole day cooking and preparing the canapes, so let's just say I was slightly tired. But so high on adrenaline I think I came down at about 5am. The feedback was lovely and very positive I'm glad to say it seems to be a hit in terms of the refurb. I have had a lot of initial interest about workshops so fingers crossed someone will book in soon and I can get going. I have got pictures but my troublesome broadband is still troublesome as soon as I have written this I will be getting on to BT AGAIN!!!
The Launch Party validated every decision that I have made in the past six months and I am glad that I gave up my old job for my new one. If you're reading this and contemplating a change in direction, do your homework and see if you can make your dream become your reality. Money is just paper and metal, happiness is a cigar called Hamlet. Just kidding, it's priceless.
I would like to thank all my new readers for their lovely comments about both my blog and the gallery. It was nice to meet you.
I would also like to thank everyone who helped out on Saturday night, Liz Nash, Lisa Bate, Matt Suttle (of course), Simon Rogers, Simon Creed, Magic Mike, Murray for documenting the event, Michelle Nash and Mike Bonfield for doing a lovely job of my windows. If I've missed you out and you helped thank you very much.
I very much hope that I will be able to supply you with some pictures very soon as I know you will be keen to see it finished in all it's glory.
I had 12 visitors to the gallery today, but as at least 1/3 shops in Swanage were closed it was very quiet in town so I'm not worried. Tomorrow I will start to produce some of my own art and get myself in the productive/creative zone so that I can have my own show later on this year.

Well I've Spent Four Months Becoming A Gallery Owner Now I Am!

I said to Matt earlier that you would be lucky if you got a blog out of me today. I worked for twelve hours straight today. But I'm glad to say that the gallery is finished, a few eleventh hour disasters but we snatched them out of the jaws of doom.
I am paranoid that far too many people are coming tomorrow. The word of mouth invites that I have done are getting scary high. I have never bought so much booze ever in one week, not even when I was a student. Tomorrow I'll be making nibbles and washing my hair in that order. I am tired and I am struggling to type this as I have spent several hours on the computer already today.
Tomorrow I will be a gallery owner but I will continue to keep you updated. This is far from the end it is just the beginning!
I have to say there will be no blog tomorrow for obvious reasons! But I will upload pictures if my less than perfect broadband lets me, on Sunday. Have a great weekend!

Oh Yes I Did!!

Because life is meant to be interesting, I think that must be why ten minute jobs mutate into hours worth of hard labour. Anyone else out there experience this? If there is one person who shakes his/her head and says no that never happens to me....you should find out exactly why/how and sell your secret for all the money in the world. (Can I be your agent please?).
Today was a little like that for me. I hit the ground running and was at the gallery nice and early. It was all pristine and lovely. I decided on Sunday evening that I wanted to give everyone who attends a goody something. It's going to be an envelope. I thought I'd run off a print, photograph it and get it printed. I perceived that would take about an hour. So two hours later I had finally achieved something I was happy with. Then began the 'To Do List'. Regular readers will know that I am a huge fan of these, well this week has warranted one written at home, one written at the gallery and one written on my phone. They don't necessarily have the same things on which also makes it all interesting. I worked my way down, mostly it was paint that little bit in the window, then that bit on the door etc. Very dull. My aim was to be back at home by two o'clock. That ship well and truly sailed. I have to tell you the genius thing that I did today.
I had to touch up the studio floor as it had been badly abused by me, Matt and well just me and Matt really. It was scuffed and scarred and looking a little worse for wear. So I moved all my stuff from the office to the gallery, carefully making sure or so I thought that I'd got everything. Then started painting, took me about one hour, I was just getting ready to leave when I spy my keys halfway on a table in the studio. I spend minutes deliberating how I'm going to cross the floor without spoiling my new paint. Luckily I was just touching up so decided it was best if I did it in my socks because if I put my shoes on straight away all the paint would be straight in my shoes. Clever I thought...... It worked out just fine. Until I realised that the light was on at the other side of the room and I'd already put my shoes back on. Doh!!! I did the sock thing again and I'm guessing that when I take my shoes off the socks may well be stuck to the inside.
So then to the video, all done and looking good, my broadband is currently working 580 meg which means that if I want to upload a video, a new technology would have been invented to do it by the time I actually managed to upload it my blog. Apologies for that when I have a bit more time I will phone Mumbai and see if they can help me with my problem back in Swanage. Brilliant!!!
One more day to go and I have got to get off this laptop and get cooking.

A Pain in My Left Arm and Also My Right!

In my exhausted state yesterday I managed to forget to mention the heart attack inducing event that happened on my arrival to the gallery. Since having taken over the premises all my mail is either for Bikeabout or bills. Yesterday was no exception. Those of you who have been following my blog since the beginning will know all about my ongoing saga regarding my electricity suppliers. Well yesterday they outdid themselves. They sent me a bill for two months worth of electricity and I wish I could have an interactive guessometer right now. So you could play along and try and guess how much they were charging me. Bare in mind that I was pretty much closed for at least three weeks of that two months.
Well as I know you can't play along, £599.99 was the bill that I received in the post. Yes you have read it right. So I obviously got on the phone and tried to sort it out. They asked for a meter reading which I duly gave. An hour later they phoned back saying that my reading was incorrect as it was lower than my opening meter reading. Go figure! What a bunch of total idiots. I toned that down considerably as I don't want to offend any of you. She suggested that I pay and that they will refund me if necessary. What a bunch of jokers. If I had £600 lying around would I keep bemoaning the fact that I'm totally skint.
That was plenty enough rant for one day I think don't you?
On a more positive note today I worked crazy hard, only stopping to take a slug of flat Pepsi. Oh, the life I lead I can see your green from here. Remember envy is one of the seven deadly ones.
I painted the front doors inside and out, then the 3d stage, then touched up the walls. They were very appreciative of the attention. I dusted and hoovered and dumped a whole heap of stuff. The gallery is very nearly ready for the opening. A few little tidying up jobs to do tomorrow. Then doing all the paperwork and starting on preparing my canapes.
Another busy one so I'm going to go now. For those of you expecting a video I apologise but I forgot my video camera at home and I was far too busy to come back home to get it. It's already in my bag for tomorrow.

I'm Well Hung!

Another eventful day and sadly for me it started at 6.30 am. I was at Asda in Bournemouth by 7.45am. Is anyone else mentally screaming at the thought of that? As I was asleep my shopping took me three times as long as it should have. I dread to think exactly how many circuits I did but I had to reward myself with Macdonalds. For those of you who are shaking your heads right about now, I have a particular fondness for sausage and egg mcmuffins that I will never give up. I love them! So there!
I then went to Boscombe to return my new drill which was actually four months old. It gave up the ghost in November when it was a mere two months old. I managed to get around the 28 day return policy and walked out with a brand new drill. Yay!!
If I was reading this I would be wondering why the Hell I was shopping so early? Ok, my car was in Bournemouth and the only time I could get a lift was early o'clock. I was doing all my shopping for the opening. I bought booze and food and it only just fit into my tiny car every available space had stuff in it.
I came back and did the monumental unpacking.
Then to my day job I went. Matt came down and we hung the rest of the work. It looks frickin' (sic) awesome!!!!
All the artists that have contributed can rest assured their work looks great. Totally great. As I am absolutely knackered I'm going to call it a day as the mental capacity to write is leeching out of me at an alarming rate.
The big tidy up tomorrow and I will attach a video.

Crazy Horse Just Loved Middle of the Road!

Much later than planned I can fill you in on the gossip. First things first though.....I often feel that life is a series of random events that sometimes appear organised more due to luck than good management. Today was no exception. I woke up the first time at 8.00 with a headache and thought one more hour would make it go away. I was wrong two Nurofen were to take the credit. More importantly after taking them, I realised that the rain which has been falling for what seems like an eternity had stopped. Way before the Nurofen kicked in I had to get a bloody move on as I had my front doors to paint whilst the rain wasn't falling. A coffee, a biscuit and a shower later I was jogging down the road in my thermals (plus other proper clothes). By the time I reached the gallery I think I had generated my own personal clothing sauna. It was not special. But no time to be hot and bothered there were two doors in urgent need of undercoat. I shed some layers and started painting at a leisurely pace, with one eye on the brooding sky. I had painted less than a 1/16th of the first door when the brooding sky looked like it was going to throw a huge rain tantrum. I then had to paint like a woman possessed. I slapped it on the wood I slapped on the glass I just wanted to seal them from the impending rain. Many and I mean many, men walked past whilst I was doing this and I could tell by the look in their eye that they were thinking 'Good God what is she doing?'. One man even stopped shook his head before shuffling off. Luck was on my side, the rain didn't come and the doors were sealed albeit shoddily at first. If you're wondering, which you are probably not I went from boiling to freezing in approximately one hour and thirty seven minutes. It took me two and a half hours to paint the doors.

Then the IKEA hour(s) began. I bought so much assemble it yourself stuff that all I needed was an assemble it yourself person to assemble it all for you. When are the snazzy IKEA designers going to package one of those?  Far too late for me I fear.
I then managed to do bad ferry maths. I arranged to pick up art work tonight from two incredibly talented artists. I have had no reason to get the ferry so my ferry maths was all wrong. I left the house at 4.50 and expected to be in Sandbanks at 4.50??? Yep it's true. I needed to leave at 4.30 to be in Sandbanks at 4.50. The Basement Jaxx song springs to mind 'Where's your head at?' So I was running late. Luckily Mark was cool and it all worked out. He took me to his house and introduced me to his babies (paintings). All I can say is Wow! They are great and I'm very excited about hanging them in the gallery. I had to hot foot it from there to Christchurch to get the work of Andrew Piesley. This was very exciting as I knew he had work that I would like as I'd had a sneak preview. The jpegs do not do them justice, what an amazing body of work he has amassed. Those of you who know me will know why I chose the paintings that I did. It was nice to catch up with Andrew and Liz as I haven't seen them in a while.
Now to my journey home.....all was going fine for nearly the whole way home until I saw hazard lights on the horizon. We stopped the car and got out to see what was going on, it was only a white horse who had developed a passion for the middle of the road. In the pouring rain we tried to cajole it back from whence it came. Oh no this horse was not for turning. An hour later in heavy rain, we were still trying to get it to go home, having near death experiences ourselves as cars came hurtling towards us whilst we tried to stop the horse from running out in front of the cars. All this with a car full of paintings to unload at the gallery before even heading home. A guardian angel sent us a woman with a bridle and a way with horses and a manky apple. That was a winning combination and the horse was led calmly away home. I've written a long 'un (sic) today to make up for lack of blog for last couple of days.
I'm hanging tomorrow so this may well be.......just kidding. Arnie said it best 'I'll be back!'.

Fancy A Quickie!

I have a lot to get through today so I am going to keep it short but sweet. Ok, there was more gallery news yesterday but life so got in the way of telling you.
I went to the gallery to do a few 'Quick' jobs and half an hour later I found myself still standing on the pavement outside. Why was I doing that I hear you ask yourself? Because my new doors had swollen in the rain and made the lock go queer. Several frantic phone calls to Matt later he arrived like a Knight in filthy building clothes and saved the day. He managed to squeeze his 'big ass' man hand through the letter box and with a tool that was made out of necessity and what was in the boot of his car he managed to get us in.
I had visions of huge expense and breaking in to my new doors but no all was saved. So thanks for that Matt.
He has now rectified the problem and I let myself in with the minimum of fuss and in record time.
I have braved this inclement weather we've been having, rain, rain, rain with just a splash of rain added for good measure. I've posted a few more invites and also done some unpacking of the goodies that have been arriving all week.
I also started to put the 3D work out. it does look fantastic if I do say so myself.
I have to visit Ikea again as it is now time to buy the last few bit for the gallery. I am going to be doing that this weekend.
I must dash as I'm off to get my haircut. Have a great weekend.

Put Your Hands Up!

Hands up, if you lie awake worrying instead of sleeping?
Hands up, if you put off until tomorrow something which should have been done last week?
Hands up, if you have convinced yourself that you work well under pressure so leave everything to the last minute?
Hands up, if you just put your hands up?
If you put your hands up or answered yes to any of the above questions you have already passed the screening test for my new club. P.A.W.A = Procrastinators and Worriers Anonymous. Your membership cards will be put in the post as soon as you can be bothered to send me your address, after you've lain awake thinking that you really should do that but will get round to it next week at some point.
But as I've got a gallery to open I may not get round to sending them out for a while. If at all, we may well have to just rely on a secret handshake.
Hands up, if your palms get sweaty at the thought of shaking someones hand?
I'm just kidding of course. It may surprise you to know that I lie awake wondering what I'm going to write in my blog. I've mentioned before that it is quite a big responsibility as I want to make sure that I write something that is remotely entertaining. I've had over 5,000 page views so I must be doing something right as people keep coming back.
So I have news, hence the early blog. For some of you this will mean something for the rest of you just bask in my glory. My first booking for gallery hire is going to be for Jim Hunter he runs the Art Department at the Arts University College. He interviewed me for a job once and told me I should stick with teaching as opposed to becoming a technician. Thanks Jim you were right. So why is this a big deal?, he's the featured artist for the Purbeck Arts Week and he is very influential in the whole art scene in the South. I get to be involved without spending £200 and the publicity will be priceless. Yay for me!!
I'm really pleased as this came to me as a result of the advert in my local paper.
Posting invites and a little painting for me today so I best stop writing my blog and get in the shower. I'll be back later if I have any news to add.

Keeping Abreast of New Technology!

I feel like Christopher Columbus. Well not quite as dead as him. Having just looked at pictures of him I have to say that there are no facial similarities either. He did however rock the flat black cap with big hair look. I have discovered a new bit to blogging. You can find it too if you click on 'What's Happening At The Gallery' next to the home button. I can also guarantee that it won't take you as long as it took me. There you will find a really long list of all the workshops that I intend to run at the gallery. You might want to take a look. I am going to add a price list too when I have finished writing this.
I have spent the morning playing with my blog. I have to ask that if you do take the time to read it there is also an opportunity to donate money FREE OF CHARGE to a charity by clicking on the Help Me Support button. It will take no more than two minutes of your time. It is to support breast cancer charities and I hope you feel that it is worthy cause. I promise you it is free. I have resolved this year to do as much as I can to support as many charities as possible. If you could help too that would be awesome. Let's make 2011 a year that we help someone that we don't even know.
I am waiting for my delivery of my relief press. This is allowing me to catch up with all the admin stuff.
I am also allowing myself to be partially entertained by 'Murder She Wrote'. I am fairly sure that partial entertainment is all that that (seems odd) particular programme can offer anyone. If anyone ever stumbles across some daytime television actually worth watching can I suggest you shout it from the rooftops/Facebook for those people who have no choice but to watch it. Consider it your civic duty and I can promise you that your reward will be in Devon, or somewhere else nice.

Saw Dust and Wanted To Clean it Up Immediately!

This Looks Very Familiar

For those of you who know me I'm guessing you would say that I am quite a sociable person. I would say that it is true. Of late I seem to have been embracing my inner introvert. I am telling you this because I am at the stage that I should be embracing my outer extrovert and networking up a storm. I am not sure why there has been this perverse turn around but I know it is something that I have to remedy asap. It is just wrong that I can't be bothered, I blame the dark times of being ill in bed at the most sociable time of the year.
I picked up my invites this morning and I have done a very poor job of getting them out there. I may do it under cover of darkness through peoples letterboxes. This is to avoid the inevitable social interaction that takes place. Or I might grow a pair and stop whingeing and just get on with  it.
I was greeted at the gallery with a ton of sawdust and dust and a door. Just the one but it was mine and it was nicer than the old one. I have to say that it did not fill me with joy (well it kind of did actually) the prospect of clearing up the huge amount of mess that was being created. But it did mean that my new doors would finally be fitted.
I've mentioned before about my OCD tendencies and my need to clean, well today tested my resolve big time. I was itching to get the hoover out and Matt merely laughed at me and promptly made some more mess. It's a good job that I have sense of humour and some self control. I had to stay in the office as I couldn't actually stand it.
I have good news, I think I have my first booking for hiring out the gallery space. It's a big deal too. I can't say too much right now but it is exactly the kind of thing that will put me well and truly on everybody's radar. I should find out it in a couple of days so I will let you know.
There are some things that I have yet to fine tune, one of them is answering the phone at the gallery. Hello is not sufficient I have to get into the habit of saying L'Artishe Gallery and Studio in a perky and smily voice. The second one is bigging (sic) myself/gallery up, I am fairly good at self promotion providing I can do it through the medium of writing no problem, ask me to verbalise it and I have one eye fixed firmly on the exit or my watch. I HATE it and at the moment it's all about the bigging myself up. I am going to work on that.
There are some things that you just don't need try hard at and there's others that you just have grit your teeth and try really bloody hard.
I'm at home tomorrow waiting for my relief press to be delivered, then it's out delivering my invites.

' I DON"T WANNA GET UP YET '

Waking up is never easy to do! That was me this morning. The more I thought about getting up, the more I pulled the duvet over my head in denial of waking up. I knew that I had a very full day ahead of me and I think my subconscious thought it would be much better for me if I slept for the entire day. After several failed attempts I finally dragged myself out of my bed only to jump back in it for another hour. I did manage it eventually, a shower, a strong coffee and bagel later (how cosmopolitan am I?) I was in the newly fixed Mini and heading towards town.

Today was all about the Launch party, I took the invites to the printers and sorted the advert in the paper. Then to Poole to pick up some more ceramics and another glass piece from Rob Marshall.

I have started to look into the refreshments side of things for the opening and I am happy to report that it doesn't look like it's going to break the bank. I am sure that there are going to be lots of thirsty people so several bottles of wine will be needed. I am now thinking about canapes which I will probably make myself as I am quite good at that kind of thing. If anyone else feels like helping me out I won't say no.

Matt has started on the front doors and I think he will be putting them in place tomorrow after he has Fort Knoxed them. Bring on that big ole bunch of keys. 

I'm going to spend the day at the gallery tomorrow putting the work out and seeing what looks good where. I'll take my new video camera with me and try and share it with you all in my blog.

Until then.......

V is for Visitors

I went from nought to ninety today and I didn't spare the horses. I had my first full(ish) day at the gallery since the dark times which I will cease to talk about. I have to say it was positively balmy down there, I stripped down to a mere three layers. First time since the beginning of November. What was nice was I just pottered and didn't really do anything in particular just got lots of little jobs done.
I had the pleasure of lots of visitors today which was really nice as I feel like I've been a bit of a recluse. Firstly, my friend and artist Maria came and spent the morning with me. She had to do a little bit of touching up as a couple of her paintings had got a bit grubby through transportation etc. Her entire family then descended on us, parents, uncles and aunts. It was lovely to have company. Then Matt the man that can came to look at the new front doors which he has to hang.
I have a sneaking suspicion that he has gone all hardcore security on my ass. He made me buy a plethora of locking devices and I am going to have a set of keys that would make Vineagar Tits envious. (That was a bit of Prisoner Cell Block H humour incase you were wondering). My gallery is going to be impervious which has to be a good thing.
So he left then K, Pea, text and said they were on their way and they bought even more people with them. It was great to catch up with everyone. I am getting such lovely feedback from everyone about the gallery. I just hope the public at large love it too.
My glass fusing kiln has arrived! It's sat in the spare room at the moment, can't wait to get it set up. Every day I get the lovely packages all for the gallery. I have redirected my shopaholic tendencies into only spending money on the gallery. It's just as well as there really isn't any money left to spend on anything else.
I may steal away to the gallery at some point this weekend and put a cheeky coat of paint on my doors before they are hung.
I thought you might also like to know that my car is officially fixed. There was a tiny hole in the tyre which has now been patched. I was really pleased when Claire from Swanage Tyres rang me to tell me it was going to cost me the princely sum of £12.50. Thanks very much for that. On that note, have a great weekend.

Here Comes The Rain Again...........

I'm sitting here watching the rain hit the window knowing that there are things that need to be done. There is always a but.......my car has still got a flat tyre. The grease monkeys who put my new tyre on many moons ago tightened the wheel nuts to a degree that they could only be loosened by a junkie high on crystal meth. Everyone has had a go men and women and no one has managed to loosen my nuts. There is a point to this story. I am waiting for Swanage Tyres to come and rectify the problem. I'm guessing the torrential rain is the reason I am still waiting. I have no desire to get soaked as I am just getting over the horrendous 'just for the holidays' illness. So the wait will continue and I will just worry about the things that I should be doing.
The good news is that my Hotmail is working today! Hooray!!!! In just one day I had amassed 75 emails which once I deleted all the Spam, I whittled down to just 10. Of course there was an email in there that needed replying to yesterday. That is the nature of email.
I am just going to grin and bear it today. Make some wishes about getting the rain to stop and the tyre people to come and fix my car. Feel free to add a few wishes of your own, I have no power to grant them but the more the merrier.
On a gallery note I have bought a relief press today so that I will be able to teach lino and relief print. I just need to get down there and get making. To some of you, that will mean something and to everyone else I apologise.
My current mantra is 'Patience is a virtue'. How I love waiting.

It Could Drive Me To Drink!

Having spent the best part of the day trying to access my Hotmail account I now have to admit defeat. I have no idea why the Internet Superhighway wants to deny me access to my emails. Other than to frustrate me and ensure that I cannot finish the work to meet the deadline that I have been set. Brilliant!
Subsequently, I have very little to report on the gallery front I have been doing some admin stuff. I am eagerly awaiting my glass fusing kiln which should arrive any day now.
I am looking forward to having a proper play with all my new toys in the studio. I just wish that I was feeling a lot better.
Could somebody please tell Hotmail to work properly as I hate to be behind schedule and not finish my choredom? I did say please.
There's absolutely no point me writing endless lists of jobs to do if I cannot actually do them. I also know that there is another imminent battle with BT as my broadband speed has slowed to a stumbling pace which means that downloading anything takes about three weeks.
I am determined that 2011 is going to be a better year than 2010 but I am concerned that it has had a very shaky start.

It Started With a Sniff, I Never Knew It Would Come to This!

Happy New Year!
From little coughs giant infections are grown! I apologize for my absence from my Blog but the reality is that I have been struck down by the worst kind of illness. If you don't know what that is I'll explain. It is an illness that disrupts your New Years Eve plans, ages you 25 years, ensures you don't enjoy any of your Christmas presents, fills will you with a years supply of self pity, drains you of any optimism and means that you are the worst possible company for anyone who is unfortunate enough to be around you. In my last Blog I wrote that I had a bad cough, well that was just the start. I am starting to come out the other end of it now and I only sound like I smoke 40 a day as opposed to the 120 a day I sounded like two days ago.
If any of the people who read this have been ill over Christmas I empathize whole heartedly. I hope that you have or are making a speedy recovery.
No one deserves to be ill when the television just spewed out the worst viewing ever. I resorted to watching repeats of programmes I had recently watched, it was dire.
I have not set foot in the gallery as I have been bed ridden for the past week. I will have my second Christmas down there as I have to unwrap and put out all of the fabulous work for the first exhibition.
I have dipped my toe in the real world today and I have to say that it feels pretty good and that I can feel my optimism levels gradually returning back to normal.
I have finished designing my invites for the launch which will be on the 22nd January. I am excited about that. I have sent various emails and today I even had my first proper gallery enquiry.
For those of you who enjoy reading my Blog you'll be happy to know that I am back and you can look forward to daily updates again.