Home Is Where The Art Is

If you are an artist, a lover of art then I hope that I can inspire you to do what you love.

Thursday 31 March 2011

Peaks and Troughs

Tis the season to be busy. Well the students came for a week and now they have gone and they were very good house guests. I hope to see great things from them in their final exhibition in June.
It was an in between day as the show was taken down whilst I was putting a new one up. I have got a temporary show up with a mixture of old and new work. A gap filler before Andrew Piesleys' show next weekend.
I called this blog Peaks and Troughs because that's how it has been today. Lots of things going on combined very nicely with absolutely nothing. The weird thing is I was shut as I obviously could not open with a gallery full of plinths and the amount of people who wanted to come in was crazy. Much busier than usual.
Let's hope that it continues when I am actually open. 
Not much to report on the gallery front other than another fantastic donation for charity auction was given to me today. Thanks Felicity.

If there are any artists out there looking for somewhere to unleash their creativity please look at the image for today. These guys are part of an exciting new group that have set up some artists studio spaces in Bournemouth. If you are interested give them a call.
Coming back tomorrow.....

Tuesday 29 March 2011

All That Glitters........

Aaah, Not My Precious!

If every day is a battle then I'm on the winning side. I only wish the same could be said of the rest of the world. Sometimes you can question the decisions you make and wonder if you actually know what the Hell you are doing. Today made me 100% certain that happiness is worth more than gold. So it is with my gold free pockets I can continue happily on my way. How heavy is your gold? How shiny is it? You know what I am saying.
Well the work that has graced the gallery for the last few days is continuing to make a positive impression. Some great feedback yet again today. I had the pleasure of some old colleagues visiting today, Lynn and Martin. They also enjoyed the exhibition and thought the work was of a very high standard.
If you are planning to see this show your time is well and truly running out. It's only on for one more day   (I think).
I know I've mentioned before that I can monitor page views and my worldwide audience and I do this with an alarming frequency. Is it my ego? Or am I just terminally nosey? I am inclined to say it is a little of both. I found out yesterday who was contributing to my South African audience. Nice to have you on board, you know who you are.
A few more facts and figures for you since I started writing my blog in September I have had 8,200 page views. I'm averaging about 250 a week. I have now written 198 blogs. I am sure that there is enough content for me to collate them all and publish a book. But what with the window smudgers, my incessant drawing and putting up new exhibitions I'm not sure exactly when I'll get time to do that.
I am at the gallery for half a day tomorrow so if you are planning to come make sure that you do it before 1pm.
I would like to leave you with the following information that contrary to the advert in the Purbeck Gazette that says the artist Andrew Paisley (sic), Andrew Piesley is having a retrospective show starting on Saturday 9th April from 6.30 onwards. Check out my exhibitions page for the lovely poster advertising the show.
I am slightly concerned that a name can be misspelt and spelt correctly within five lines of each other. Sort it out P.G.
Oh yeah check out my other ad in the Purbeck Life magazine it's on page 14.

Monday 28 March 2011

Sexy Sex With A Dash of Sex

Oh dear, what is it with all you dirty birdys (sic) out there? My blog 'Sex, Sex and more Sex' has attracted 77 page views in the last few days. I can only laugh out loud at the disappointment on the faces of all the sneaky blog pervs expecting to find something raunchy but instead finding a picture of mannequins engaged in wooden coitus. To all you naughty people I hope that you have learnt a valuable lesson. First impressions can be deceiving.
I am struggling to lift my head off the desk today. I am rejoicing and bemoaning the loss of an hour and the addition of an hours daylight. I have been so conflicted that I have decided that the best way to deal with it is to do nothing. I am achieving that with flare and panache.
As I sit here looking at three clocks all telling different times, through my raccoon eyes. (big, dark circles round them). I'm thinking that I should stop trying to give myself fake energy by ever stronger cups of coffee. But just resign myself to the fact that it's Monday and why am I always trying to be an over achiever? I shall be graceful in my defeat. I shall resume head lolling and desk cuddling as soon as I finish writing this.
Plenty of people through the door though so that is always good.
Charity Auction people.....I'm waiting. Let's have your art for goodness sake or for the sake of goodness.

Saturday 26 March 2011

They Came, They Showed, They Rocked!


In just two days the gallery was transformed into a professional showcase of student work. From the feedback that I have been getting today I think the people think the work is outstanding. There are a few people that are attracting a lot of interest. All I'm going to say is that I could have sold a certain piece of blue glass twice over today. I have someone so interested that he is going to come back to see if the said artist has changed their mind. Enough said!
 It all went very smoothly and I have to thank the students for their great tidy up as they went along approach. There were just a couple of glasses and a quick nip round with the hoover (which I loved) and I was on my way to the pub. I should also thank them for the lovely card and bottle of wine. It has been my pleasure and I hope that I will be working with them again in the future.
My day has gone fairly quickly, considering the sun decided to take an early bath. The traffic through the door has been fairly constant. I have had my best greeting smile and banter head on and the general consensus has been that the work is of a very high standard, beautifully presented.
I have been filling my time drawing and watching highbrow art programmes that I'd like to thank my friend Dennis for putting me on to. Docuwatch.com, if you are an uber geek like me and like to watch mind stretching programmes you can fill your boots at this website.
The end of another work day is nigh and I have got to attend a Hen Night tonight, I have to be honest and admit that I'm not a huge fan of these grossly overrated events. Before you shake your head and think I'm a grumpy old cow it's more to do with an aversion to pink and large collections of women in a confined space screeching with alcohol induced laughter. Ok, it's true I'm a grumpy old cow! 
Go on, enjoy your Saturday night and I'll be back on Monday with the pictures that Murray is going to take of the show tomorrow!

Friday 25 March 2011

You Can Call Me Mrs Sheen.....No I'm Not married To Charlie!


Other people get excited about the possibility of getting something new, as do I. But something that also floats my boat is new cleaning products. If it says smear free, fresh fragrance or environmentally friendly I'm all over it like a rash. So you can imagine my joy when I get to put up a new show.
A new exhibition means plenty of opportunities to clean. You all know how I love to clean. Does it really do what it says on the label? The answer is yes and the gallery is like a shiny new pin.
I had a few hairy moments when I had to leave terra firma to clean and play with the lighting. Just a few minor palpitations later and it was all achieved without incident.
I have to say it looks great. I'll get some pictures up later. I'm excited to have my second show underway. There is always a nervous anticipation about how it will look and whether or not it will all work together and my mind is now at rest.
The Private View starts at 6.30 this evening and I am hoping that it will be well attended and well received. I have my eye on several of the exhibitors work with a view to showing work from them in the future.
I must also tell you all if you want to purchase an original piece of art at a reasonable price you should make it your absolute mission to come and see this show. You can reward your efforts with something beautiful for your home and have fish and chips for tea.

I have to say some thank yous' to the people who have already donated work for the Japan Charity Auction. The very talented photographer Milo Newman sent me a beautiful photograph, Michael Silvester has given me a gorgeous print and Wendy Wharam has donated six fantastic drawings.
To the others that have promised work, I am eagerly anticipating its arrival.
Well that's all I have got to say about today as this evening is the bit you will all want to read about I'm sure. Make sure you read tomorrow for a sneaky peek at the work.

Thursday 24 March 2011

Motivated and Organised Students Make Headlines!

It was empty and then they filled it. A very smoothly run operation took place this morning. Students that had their acts together and a firm plan about what they were going to achieve. Incase you are shaking your head in disbelief, you read it right they had a plan and they delivered the goods. So hats off to them. There were minimal hiccups like glue that was about as sticky as a wicket. Then the unfortunate incident of the work that wanted to and promptly did fall off the wall. It is in capable hands and I'm confident that it should be good to go by tomorrow.
The whole gallery looks pretty good. Some interesting stuff is on show so do yourself a favour and come and have a look.
My Hoover that gave up the ghost (I think maybe for Lent) changed it's mind and decided to get going again today. Spooky.
I'm knackered after my day at the museum yesterday. It's a really long day when you have to be up at 6am and you're not walking back through your door until 11pm. But it was fun and I think Lisa's interview at the Royal College of Art went well.
A busy couple of days ahead with lots to cram in.
Just incase you had forgotten I thought I'd take this opportunity to remind you AGAIN!

                                                  
Another thank you going out to all the new artists who have kindly offered to donate a piece of work.

Tuesday 22 March 2011

Round 2......Creative Showcase


Wow, that day flew past without so much as a few minutes to write my blog. I had to take down the opening show and leave a blank canvas for the new show that is coming on Thursday. The holes, the dust and the paint were all too reminiscent of the preparation for the launch party. I have managed to get it all done even if my brand new hoover gave up the ghost before I had to clear up the last of the dust. So I'm gutted about that.
But as of 3.45 this afternoon the gallery is ready for it's second exhibition. It's very exciting.
I am going to the Natural History Museum tomorrow so that will be me drawing more dead stuff. I am also accompanying Lisa to her Royal College of Art interview. So can you all send her some positive vibes tomorrow please.

I would like to thank all of the artists that have very generously donated work. You are all lovely people and you will all receive an invite to the event and if you're allowed to, I'll fill your glass with wine. It is finally looking like I can set a date very soon as I am near to having enough work. As always watch this blog for more details.
I still need more, the more money we can make the more good it can do. So please still think about donating a piece of your work.
Don't forget that if you are in Swanage at the weekend come and check out the new show. I'm pooped and have lost the will to write so I'm off.
See you Thursday!

Monday 21 March 2011

The Blog That Time Forgot!

Well is it a good thing that I totally forgot to write my blog on Saturday? It could mean that I was so absorbed in what I was doing I didn't give it a second thought? Or it could mean that I was sucked into an art programme that by the time it was finished it was 5.30 and way past closing time?
I'll let you work that one out for yourself.
I am back on track today. I have been full on busy, I actually was at the gallery early as I have to clear the current exhibition to make room for the new one. This means sorting out where to store everything. I'm going to hang a lot of the work in the studio and the office until it can be returned to it's rightful owners.
It's quite exciting to have a new show coming. It'll be my second  exhibition since I opened. Go me!
Ok so I know I put this horrible poster in my blog on Friday but as it's happening at the end of the week you should be able to understand that I am going to keep plugging it until then.
If you are in Swanage please do drop in and see the work. They have worked their socks off and I'm hoping you will agree it was worth the visit.



I heard from the Skull Man on Friday, he told me that the not quite so Fantastic Mr Fox has finished decomposing. There are also three cockerel skulls that are in the process of being less fantastic. How exciting.
It's been at least 36 hours since I last did a drawing so I think I'm going to sign off. To leave you on a positive note people have now very kindly started to respond to my requests for work. Thank you. For those of you who haven't, come on get a move on.

DONATE BEFORE IT'S TOO LATE!

Friday 18 March 2011

Window Smudging Postponed Due To Being Rained Off


Here is what is happening next at the gallery. Fresh new talent at the cutting edge of three disciplines, ceramics, glass and jewellery. This show will give you a snapshot of what todays designers are up to. Please do come along and have a look.
I'd like to thank Felicity for taking the time to drop the posters off to me this morning. If I'm honest I don't think the poster does the work justice. I could go on about the design etc but suffice to say that I would NEVER have used that font and those awful primary colours. I think that I am about to head into my busiest fortnight since I opened, with this show being swiftly followed by Andrew Piesleys' Retrospective show.

I have been doing the usual trying to drum up interest and think of more inventive ways to get the gallery name out there. I am currently brewing a few that I think I will probably run with. If you'd like to put a link to my website on your website then let me know. :)

I have contacted the N.H.M with a view to going and drawing some more of their collections that kept behind the scenes. I keep checking my emails but there has been no reply as yet. If you are interested in collections of things and are facsinated by the fact that they have over 20 milllion species there and a good proportion of them are pickled in jars, you should definitely check them out.

Yesterday I mentioned meeting Dave Taylor from the Swanage Comedy Festival, well he informs me that there are few tickets left for one of the shows and if you want to give your funny bone a tickle you could do worse than grab one before they're gone. They are available from www.swanagecomedy.com
I hope that if you do decide to go that you have a right laugh!

Even the window smudgers have stayed at home today and who can blame them. It has been horrible weather and who wants to trudge around a seaside town in the rain? Oh yeah, the british holiday makers.
I Tina Turnered the gallery earlier.....'Steamy Windows'. In an attempt to speed dry my handmade paper I cranked up all the heaters and directed them directly at my still rather damp paper. I managed to steam all the windows in the process. so no I dehumidifying to try and resolve the problem.
Ready for the weekend people? I'm sure you are, so have fun and be safe!


Once more with feeling..............  DONATIONS FOR CHARITY AUCTION PLEASE

Thursday 17 March 2011

A Double Whammy


Ok, I'll admit it I have a bee in my beret. (I thought that that sounded more artistic than my bonnet). I am committed to doing something other than donating a paltry amount of cash that I can afford. I hope that you will be too. I have had another person donate their work which means that we are up to five donations now, thanks Wendy Wharam. Now it's time for the rest of you to do something. I have put this as many places as I can feasibly put it and I will be getting posters made at my own expense as I believe in this cause. Unless I can magic up someone with printing facilities that may want to help for free. Hint, hint!!
I will keep bugging everyone until I have enough work to do this.

Other news, I had a very productive day at the Natural History Museum yesterday. Did some drawings, went on a behind the scenes tour of the pickled exhibits. I strongly recommend that. I am going to contact them to see if I can spend the day drawing some of their bird collection as it is vast.
I met Dave Taylor today from Rockahula, he is the guy behind all the Comedy Festival events that are going to be happening very soon. I understand that there are still some tickets left for at least one of the shows so if you are interested you should check out his web We had an interesting chat and I hope that we will be able to work together in the future to bring you some bespoke evening events. So if you are local to Swanage keep your ears open.

I have had some early interest in the text/words/type show which I now have a working title for. I think I'm going to call it 'For Letter Words'. I am going to get working on a poster and publicity for that very soon. The 'Abstract' show is definitely going ahead in June. I will need all entires for that at the end of May. You can drop them it the gallery whenever you are ready.

               DONATIONS OF ART WORK WOULD BE GRATEFULLY RECEIVED

Tuesday 15 March 2011

I've Never Met A Bed That I Didn't Like!

Pleased to Meet You

Lethargy, I think that's a good word don't you? Well I woke up this morning and the sun was peeping through the corner of the curtain. I would usually jump out of bed and start the day with a spring in my step. Not today. I had one of those 'just five more minutes' mornings. You all know exactly what I mean. Those days when your duvet feels like your second skin and your bed is the only place to be. You are able to fall back to sleep at will with no struggle at all. Well that was me.
I managed to squeeze in two coffees and a biscuit before hotfooting it to the gallery.
The window smudgers were all out in their greasy fingered glory today. As well as the muck from the endless traffic that passes by there's hair grease, hand grease, nose grease and multiple finger smears. I have the joy of removing far too regularly I might add.
I am now trying to remember if there have been any visitors at all today. They were not memorable if there were any.
I made my paper today and I think it's come out ok. I haven't made any for about twenty years. It's funny how it just came back to me. It's a wet business and having your hands immersed in cold sludgy pulp definitely flicks the wee switch on fairly regularly, I am sure you were all dying to know that! Not!!
I'm off to London early doors tomorrow. I am going to the Natural History Museum to spend the day drawing dead stuff. I am really looking forward to it.
A very busy day off for me.

Monday 14 March 2011

Death Of A Mouse



If you were thinking that I had disappeared into the ether or ethanol you would be wrong. After the infamous  coffee spillage of Thursday afternoon my mouse gave up the ghost. The clicking and flashing were definitely a sign that it's death was imminent. Then just because I am that lucky my broadband followed suit on Friday both at home and at the gallery.  So I've had a birthday weekend with limited internet connection. I'm glad to report that it all seems to be back to normal today. I should add that is at the gallery, at home I'm still enjoying the woefully inadequate 0.5 meg speed. British Telecom, I hate you! I think that it is fair to say they have earned my loathing. Richard who shall from now on be known as Dick, lied to me. He didn't ensure that my service would be fixed, he did not phone me to check as promised. Oh the treachery!
Anyway enough about that, on to gallery news. There are always exciting developments when new artists make themselves known to me and get excited about the possibility of having a show at the gallery. I'm just waiting to get some images so that I can share them with you.
Murray has bought me the images of the first show so I will be getting them to Neil (my website designer) to add them to my website. So just keep checking back as it should be uploaded very soon.
I am going to make some paper tomorrow as there is a need for paper to print my new work on and as I haven't got any I thought it was about time that I made some.
It is such a therapeutic thing to do I would definitely recommend it to any one who needs to de-stress a little.
Easter Holiday discounts will apply to all workshops booked to take place during the school holidays. So why not book in now and save yourself some cash.

Thursday 10 March 2011

Display It Again Sam!

Look at his smile, he's a happy chap.
I don't know if you noticed but I posted a mini blog yesterday, by mini I mean one line. This was because I thought I could look at ways of getting my blog read by a wider audience. Oh the vanity. Well if you happened upon my blog yesterday you will have realized that there was not one but five blogs. I wouldn't mind but I had only written it once and posted it once. Oh well, that is a system that I won't be using again. It's like having a blog stammer. I'm grateful that you take the time to read it as is there's no need for you to read the same thing five times. Unless you're some kind of blog sadist. You enjoy torturing yourself with the mindless witterings of a gallery owner.
Well there isn't much to report a few people through the door today. A few nice chats about ceramics. But the by far most interesting thing that happened today was me managing to spill a whole cup of coffee over my entire desk whilst on the phone. It has managed to give my mouse schizophrenia which I'm afraid might be terminal. It keeps clicking and flashing and locking me out of the blog that I am trying to write. A total pain.
I don't want to buy a new one but I might have to bury this one in a shoe box in the garden. As I spend so much time on the computer every day I can't really have a mouse that flashes and clicks like a sex offender with Tourettes.
I impressively finished my list of things to do within the first hour of arriving at the gallery. Get me! I wish every day could see me that focused. Don't we all?
Anyway it's my birthday tomorrow and I'm sure that I will be dragged kicking and screaming to the pub whether I want to or not. Watch out anyone coming to visit me on Saturday!

Wednesday 9 March 2011

Just Seeing If This Works

I am trying to maximise the amount of people who read my blog. So here goes nothing!

Tuesday 8 March 2011

It's Free To Look, To This I Swear!


I think they have a saying up North 'Owt's bettah en nowt' That's how I am going to choose to describe my day. There have been more people through the door today than yesterday and I have to say they were all very complimentary about the gallery. So gallery visitors, I thank you.
Window smudgers I beseech you to please stop putting your hands on the glass and peering in feel free to cross the threshold I promise that you won't be given the hard sell. You will be left to browse in peace and I will only speak when spoken to like the good not to mention well behaved curator that I am. I am willing to swear on the most holy of books the Thomson Directory or the weightier tome the Yellow Pages.
The other reason that I am beseeching on a Tuesday afternoon is because of the grease smears on the window as I am a woman of slender means and everything I want costs money ie. a window cleaner. I have to undertake this task myself. Those of you may recall from earlier blogs that I am not au fait with heights. Having to climb up to clean whole windows as you can't just remove the offending greasy handprint as it leaves a very telling clean patch. Please consider my beseeching over and have the human decency to come through the door, it's free to look.
There's always something that I forget to mention in my blog and yesterday it was meeting the artist Simon Close. He came into the gallery and had a very pleasant conversation about art etc. You should totally have a look at his website as I think you will like it. It's an easy one to remember simonclose.com
Anyway I am hoping in the future to get involved with him in some way at the gallery, an exhibition or a live art show? So I will fill you in on any developments.
As usual it's my day off tomorrow and I fear that the home choredom is shouting so loudly that I can hear it at the gallery. I may well be faced with being the first person to touch the Christmas Tree since Christmas and I'm hoping that the dead yellow grass it will reveal beneath it, will add an air of infinite beauty to the overall feel of the garden. Dream on.
My greenhouse looks like and experimental Hirst piece that could be called 'Beyond All Hope - an experiment in the length of decay and slovenliness'. So swapping paintbrushes for shears I bid you all a very happy tomorrow.

Monday 7 March 2011

The Last Eternal Optimist In Town!


Well I was glass half fulling this weekend with it being the Blues Weekend I anticipated those hipster types would definitely swing by my swanky establishment. Chickens, eggs, hatching etc...... Their loss!
If ever a day went quickly it was today. It's really easy to feel motivated when the sun's out. It just fires you up, literally. I really wanted to fire up my glass kiln today but I have to spend a little more time organising the space before I do. Health and Safety don't you know! Have put up a shelf for my wifi thingy and have cleared the decks around the kiln just need to tile the surface and I'll be good to go.
In light of not being able to do the one thing I had my mind set on doing I decided to continue exploring the different ways to draw/paint the same thing. So today saw me finger painting, holding a chinese calligraphy brush at the very end and draw and use running out pens. I have to say my experimental approach is now starting to pay off as I can see how I can develop the work through less traditional means. Everyone know that I always want to rewrite the rule book.
I actually stayed at the gallery for an extra 30 minutes as I was intent on completing the drawing I was working on.
Tomorrow will see more of the same no doubt. I have booked my tickets to London this Wednesday and the following Wednesday as I am going to spend the days drawing at the Natural History Museum as well as accompanying Lisa to her Royal College of Art interview for her Masters. how very exciting! I'm not jealous much.
Th th th that's all folks!!!!

Saturday 5 March 2011

The Blues Festival Gives Me The Blues!

She Never Could Give Me The Blues
In Swanage the cool Blues loving folk are pub crawling from venue to venue to listen to some homegrown talent! The problem for me is that they are all peering in the window and not venturing in. Me armed with my newly installed card machine and everything. I even put some music on but then thought I'd rather be selfish with my music choice and just listen to it in the office.
Luckily, I did not over celebrate the start of the weekend so I have been able to function properly and answer any questions that I have been asked.
I have had a thorough clear out today as I am aware that there were pockets of clutter developing in the corners of my office, and we all know that clutter is the work of the Devil. My horrorscope keeps telling me every day that I am brilliant and that I am currently shining so brightly that everything I touch should literally turn to gold. I'm not bloody Midas more likely Sidam everything gold I touch turns into something extraordinarily mundane. I don't really believe in all that celestial mumbo jumbo. But the voyeur in me can't resist sneaking a peek at what the planets etc have in store for me.
Well this time next week I will be 41 years old. I cannot quite believe that this last year has gone so quickly. It would seem that everyone is more intent on celebrating my birthday than I am. Having been bought up not to celebrate birthdays I find it difficult to summon up the enthusiasm now. Especially as all the sugar ladened food fests of childhood are so behind me, the only way I get the sugar is by having it distilled into alcohol first.
Anyway enough of that there are better things for both you and me to be doing so let's get on and do them.
Have a great weekend!

Friday 4 March 2011

Brain Ache


Yesterday you met my office buddies, needless to say they haven't got much going on in realms of office gossip. No-one majorly embarrassed themselves at the Christmas Do.
I love Fridays for numerous reasons, it heralds the weekend, I get to watch all of Thursday nights programmes on 4od and today I had the ultimate Friday treat. As you are all well aware that I have an ongoing saga with my broadband at home and it was with great regret that I had to phone them this morning to inform them that my broadband which had been reaching speeds of 7 meg was back down to 0.5 meg. I braced myself for the horribly scripted conversation that I was inevitably going to have with John in Mumbai or where ever else it might be. Imagine my surprise when after just two rings I got through to Richard who was in fact based up North. An unscripted conversation followed which did not include any inane, repetitive instructions. I don't know if it's appropriate but my heart did sing a little. He empathized, recognized the problem was going on  far too long and promised me to personally check on the progress of my case. Really! I was not dreaming! This actually happened. So we'll just have to wait and see what happens if anything.
Yesterday my friend Sue from A Great Escape Guesthouse www.agreatescapeguesthouse.co.uk
came to see me. She is going link up with me to provide accommodation for my weekend workshops. We are optimistic that this could benefit us both. If you fancy spoiling yourself and visiting Swanage for the weekend you should book in with Sue and she'll spoil you rotten.
My card machine came today which is a bloody relief it feels like it's been absolutely ages from filling in the paperwork for it. My faithful friend Procrastination is perched on my shoulder whispering in my ear 'Leave it until tomorrow to set up'. I'm trying to ignore him.
It befits a morgue to have skulls in it and as the gallery has been quiet as one, all is well with the world. I have been designing my adverts for the various publications that I hope to be in soon. To tell you it gives me brain ache is an understatement but they are finished and I think they look ok(ish)
I am thinking about October and I am seriously thinking about having an exhibition of work that incorporates text, type or just the written word. If your work includes any of the afore mentioned formats then let me have a look. Send me images to info@lartishe.co.uk
How quickly a week passes. I hope that Jesse Jones' family and friends are doing ok. I can't believe it's been a week already.
Weekends are for F.U.N so whatever you are up to I hope that it makes you happy and glad to be alive.

Thursday 3 March 2011

My Friends Are A Little On The Bony Side!

Introducing my office buddies.........

Henrietta
Pinky
Vernon
Cliff


You should know that sit here with four skulls for company, a kingfisher, a heron, a vole and a pink goose. Everyday they sit in the protective glow of my Mac. I set about drawing them in a variety of ways although I'm yet to draw Vernon (mole). Of course they all have names, I can't share my office with total strangers. Do you know what's interesting? He has very little in the way of eye sockets. Whilst Henrietta, Pinky and Cliff all have massive eye sockets. So there you go.
I am currently drawing Pinky with my left hand, I'm not sure that the drawing will win any prizes but it's an interesting experiment.
I have spent theoretical money on advertising so keep your eyes open as there will be some kind of advert in something you may read locally very soon.
The sun is out and the sky is blue and I feel like I should be outside looking for inspiration in all the wrong places. By that I mean potentially finding dead stuff to draw. I do wonder sometimes if I was ever written about whether they would call me a weirdo obsessed with death. It's ironic really as it's the exact opposite of that. It's the fragility of life that actually interests me far more. Oh well, I won't be chopping my ear off any time soon in frustration or mental anguish. If I did that how could I listen to my music annoyingly loud? Or maybe I could listen to it even louder? There's a thought.
Well I have no other news so I'm going to say ttfn.

Wednesday 2 March 2011

Update!

I apologise for no blog yesterday but I did my first twelve hour day in ages in terms of being busy I was out from 7am until 8pm and there was no way I could have written anything vaguely intelligible.
It was interesting to go back into the old work place yesterday. There is still an atmosphere of oppression in as much as people seem to be over stretched and under appreciated. Same old, same old! It did however remind me how much I love teaching. It is one of the best jobs in the world, seriously, it's all the other inconsistencies that make it a rubbish job. Poor management, too much paperwork, lack of resources, no support to name but a few things. That said, it was good to see that despite everything the staff are getting students to produce work of a good standard and I look forward to hosting the 'Create' exhibition at the end of the month.
I have redirected some finances to advertising the gallery and I am now trying to suss out exactly where to spend it. I am going to try and get as much exposure as I can before the Summer. Anyone who has any creative ideas as far as advertising goes please feel free to get in touch!

I have spoken in previous blogs about the fact that I'm planning a retrospective show of my own work, this meant that today I was up in the loft getting all my old work down. It is a bit like seeing a long lost friend. You forget what you've done with them but as soon as you see them memories come flooding back. There's definitely enough work for the show but there are a few bits that are going to need a little TLC to bring them back up to their former glory.
It was also a voyage of discovery of another kind, there are lots of books that I made which now I have the skills to book bind I am going to work on represent them. Who would have thought it, that now I have days on end to produce my own work I'm concerned that there is so much to do and so little time?
I find myself wondering how did I ever hold down a full time job that stopped me from being so productive and creative?
One word ABSTRACT! You know what I mean I have now got eight people signed up. Please get in touch if you are even remotely interested. Before it's too late.