Oooh Pretty Fireworks!!

Ok, a really late blog today and that is purely due to the fact that I was feeling very uninspired earlier but I have overcome my lethargy and have decided to write one now.
I have popped into the gallery on my way to the first night of Swanage Carnival. I have told you all about the fun that is the carnival. Well it kicks off tonight.
Having usually worked in Poole and not really knowing many local people I have to say that I have never been too involved in the whole build up to carnival. This year however I have been far more involved and so many of my friends have actually taken the whole week off work. I know that they will be annoying me at the gallery as they go off to enjoy themselves and rub my nose in the fact that I will be working.
As I read this back I realize that for some reason that today punctuation is absolutely not my friend.
Today has been busy with a steady flow of people coming in throughout the day.
I am going to open tomorrow from 12-3 as I'm guessing that Swanage might be busy.
In the past I have moaned abouth amount of window smudging that goes on. Nothing could have prepared me for 'What's Not My Line'. Wow, in the space of just a few hours the amount of smudges was impressive. They really were everywhere.
Anyway Carnival Club awaits me. I hope that you can find the time to come and join in as there really are loads of things to do and most of them are either free or very reasonably priced.
If you would like to you can join my Facebook page 'L'Artishe Gallery and Studio' or the group 'Friends of L'Artishe Gallery and Studio. It helps to spread the word to a broader audience.
Hope that you are having a great weekend.

Everything In Its Right Place

I really thought that today was going to be busy as it's been getting steadily busier all week. It would seem that I was wrong. In fact I would say that it's the quietest that it has been in months. I hope that it is because the weekend is going to be full on hectic.
I have carried on with my super organizing and have sorted out the studio today. Everything in its right place. I have to admit it does look a bit too tidy for a working studio I might have to make some mess just to make it look lived in. Or more importantly worked in.
So I have my  'What's not my line' sign in the window and I have hidden my object . This is a carnival activity that I will readily admit that I love. Local shop owners all put something in their shop window that they do not usually sell. You get a form and you have to identify every single thing to be entered for a prize. I have done it for the last four years and probably will again this year.
I think as I intend to open this weekend I will probably close early as there hasn't been anyone through the door for the last four hours and as patient as I am there's only so much door watching that you can do.
If the sun was out I think it would be a different story.
As always let's hope that the weekend brings the sunshine with it and that we can all enjoy the benefits.
The title to todays blog was inspired by one of my favourite bands. 10 points if you can name them.

Selling Is Good For The Soul/Bank Balance!

This was me earlier!

The story of my day off goes as follows........I did not have one. Here endeth the tale. I had every intention of spending the day participating in one of my many non gallery related hobbies. That was the plan until I sold a painting on Tuesday afternoon. Hooray!!! Not just any painting, my best sale since I opened the gallery. I am very happy about that, as is the artist.
Well as these things go I had to arrange for it to be delivered and hung yesterday hence my day off not really being much of a day off. But who cares because I sold a painting.
I have spent the majority of the day sorting out my 'shove and bung' filing system. I know I have mentioned before that I am an organized person and that is true but there's organization = knowing where everything is. Then there's organization = everything being in its right and proper place. I'm more of the former than the latter. Until today. I have a filing cabinet that is very organized and very tidy it only took me the best part of the day to do.
Owning your own business generates a fair amount of paperwork but thankfully nowhere near as much as teaching.
I hope that those of you who are local enough to visit Swanage are planning to over the week or so as I mentioned before Swanage Carnival gets underway this weekend. Come and hopefully have some fun in the sun by the sea.
My page views have dropped again, apparently there's only so much 'sex' you can look at in a week. I'm not worried. I know I have a faithful and loyal following.
My sister said to me a while ago that she does not phone me as often anymore as she just reads the blog to find out how I'm getting on. I think my Mum does the same.
So here's some news, my neighbour drove into the back of my Mini by accident on Monday. It looks bad and I haven't had time to get a quote I am hoping that the insurers don't want to right it off as I love my little car.
Anyway I've got to go and close the gallery now. Have a great evening!

How Rude!

Late blog today as I have been printing with a variable degree of success. I am like most artists I need to not look at what I have done for a while before I can make the decision about its worth. I may still hate it but who knows? I know that I don't.
The Indian contingent have sent my blog into overdrive again, I have already had 120 page views today and I have not posted a new blog yet.
I wish I could work out why it keeps happening. But it would seem that I have no way of knowing what is causing them to look at it other than the obvious use of the word 'sex'.
Today has been considerably busier than yesterday which is always a good thing. I have been up to my elbows in ink so maybe it's the fact that people can see me working that makes them want to come in.
I also think it is due to the fact that the sun has been out today and people seem to be strolling up and down the street.
I am looking forward to tomorrow as I fully intend to do nothing gallery related if I can possibly help it.
I would like to take this opportunity to remind you all that there is a new show starting on Saturday 6th August. It is the work of ceramacist Mary Jane Evans. It should be a spectacular display of a wide range of ceramics. Something for everyone. I hope that you can make the Private View which will start at 6.30 as usual.

I have just bought a book that has 300 papermaking recipes in it so next week I intend to start producing some new paper for the prints that I have been working on. How exciting!
Yesterday I had some bad news my next door neighbour drove in to the back of my car by accident. I will have to take it to get a quote for repair tomorrow. I have have had more damage done to my car whilst I haven't actually been it than when I have. That just seems a little unfair to me.
I hope that you are having a good week so far. I'm hoping that mine takes a turn for the better very soon.

With A Little Help From My Friends (In India)

I told you that the Indian contingent had gone away and that the blog which has had the most page views had slumped in the ratings. I was wrong they came back with a vengeance yesterday. I am totally uncertain about what and how that happens. I generally don't post a blog on a Sunday so I have no idea how it registers on  their radar!
I have been happy with the amount of page views I get until I read that there are bloggers who get up to 500,000 a day. Wow! I suppose a little ol' gallery in Swanage  is not exactly going to get that kind of traffic. Unless I start to expose the dark under belly of the Purbecks. Spill all the gossip and scandal. I suppose that might generate a couple more page views.
Or I could just use my blog top keep people informed about what is happening and when so that they can book dates into their diaries and plan to visit the beautiful Isle of Purbeck.
Fist things first, The Swanage Carnival starts next weekend and whilst it is no Notting Hill it is definitely worth a trip over the water. There are fireworks, bands, stalls and loads of family based activities to get involved with. The fantastic procession on Sunday afternoon is great to watch. All the galleries will be open as well so you can have a good browse before that starts. (Hint, Hint).

I will be part of the 'What's Not My Line' Competition this year so I hope that to see lots of people looking in the gallery window trying to spot the thing that I do not normally sell. I wonder if anyone would get it if I just put a really bad painting in the window? A bit too tenuous I guess. I will not be telling anyone that knows me the answer so don't even bother asking.
I hope that you are all enjoying the sunshine. I'm freezing, got the heater on full blast. I really must sort my heating.
That's what happens when you do not live on the sunny side of the street.
I should tell you that your chances to see the very talented Maria Jirats exhibition are slipping away. Please come and check it out, I'd love to see you.

Twice In One Week!

I'm not sure whether I've put this on before

I know you might find it hard to believe but I was really too busy again yesterday to write my blog! I know twice in one week. I've told you before when there is a heightened degree of focus going on in my life I have to ride the wave of it. Next week I will be back to watching my thrillers and producing numerous bits of art. Although I have decided to spend the afternoon printing because I can. I was sorting out all the work that the people in my Monoprint workshop produced last week and I thought I should do some of that.
As usual the weather has gone off it's meds and is currently having what I think they call in mental health circles an 'episode'. I'm sure the majority of you who live down south woke up to a beautiful morning, as did I. It has done a disappearing trick. David Blaine eat your heart out!
I have sorted all the cover for my holiday and if you pop over whilst I'm away please be nice to my friends. If you come over on Monday 22nd you will have the pleasure of meeting the artist whose work will be on show. So if you're a fan of ceramics and beautifully crafted work I would suggest that you definitely come and visit.
So it's official schools out for Summer!! I am going to miss my long summer holiday. For those of you who regularly read my blog I wanted to let you know it's been exactly a year since I was made redundant. That time has absolutely flown. I can't say that I miss it because I don't. I miss working with the students that bit was very rewarding. I just hope that they are all following their dreams and have stuck with education.
I am hoping that today I am going to make a sale. I have a feeling that it could happen today. I won't be disappointed it would just be nice.
For those of you lucky enough to be on holiday now I hope that if you visit Swanage you will pop in and say hello. For the rest of you enjoy your weekend and let's hope that the weather gets its act together and lets us enjoy some lovely sunshine.
P.S
The Indian contingent have stopped reading my blog so the blog of whose name we shall not speak has dipped in the ratings. I am back to my normal 40-60 page views a day.

Beats Working For A Living

I cannot quite believe the time. I have been working absolutely flat out today. I have taken another booking today for November. So it is looking good for having my own show in December. I have had PAW confirm the booking for next year. I can't divulge anything more about it at the moment but what I will say if Jim Hunter was fantastic this year, next year will be off the chart. How exciting is that? The answer is very!!
I am having day of admin and I like to keep it to a minimum but there are days when that is an impossibility. You will see the fruits of my labour very soon and I promise you it will not be apples, oranges or bananas.
I'm going to have to keep it short as I have quite literally run out of time.
It has been a day of two halves, the first half was deader than Tutankamen and the second half was considerably better. I don't think the weather is helping matters at all. I think if I had to describe it as a medical condition I would definitely think that schizophrenia would be apt.
Let's all cross our fingers and hope that the gloom will lift for the weekend. If I don't start working on my base tan I fear that I will be joining the other lobsters on the beach in Egypt. So here's hoping that our joint wishes will be granted.