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.

It's Oh So Quiet!

Methinks thou dost protest too much!

All I'm going to say is  'To think I thought yesterday was quiet'. I have had two people through the door today and it is now 2pm. I am convinced that this is the day that I should be closed.
I have spent the morning satisfying my OCD tendencies by transferring all the information that has been scrawled on bits of paper into my diary using an array of different coloured pens. Yes, I am that tragic. I followed that up with a drawing session with my new Bamboo/Wacom stylus for the iPad. It is lovely. It allows you to draw that little bit more accurately but without becoming too precious. I have produced about five drawings that I am quite happy with.
I have discovered an online art newspaper which is quite an interesting read. Click on the link and see what you think.

http://www.artdaily.com/index.asp

I think it's quite interesting and I like to read about what's going on in the art world.
Now, what I would like to find out if any of you have some creative ways to get people to stop hovering outside the open door, yes open door and come through it to look at the art. I am contemplating getting some window decals that say 'come inside, it's free to look'. What do you think?
I definitely get more people through the door when it's open but the hesitance in stepping through it needs to be counteracted.
How about free sweets inside? I would welcome any suggestions and for those of you have given me ideas in the past can I assure you that I have taken them all on board and are now in place.
Day off tomorrow, and I intend to finish deconstructing my studio at home as I no longer need it. The cats already think it is their safe haven. So may as well move all my art equipment down to my work studio.

Too Busy To Write My Blog

Monoprint Workshop

I'm sorry that I didn't get around to writing a blog on Saturday but I was busy doing my first printmaking workshop. It was fantastic, I think every one who attended had a good time and they all produced a huge amount of work and it was all really good. So I've already arranged the next one.
The dates are Saturday 13th August and Saturday 27th August if you want to come email me at info@lartishe.co.uk. I'll send you the details.
It's been another quiet day in Swanage but I'm guessing that's due to the weather being fairly dreadful.
I am looking forward to Swanage Carnival in a couple of weeks, I hope the weather improves for then.
I have finally booked my holiday and I am very fortunate to have good friends who are willing to lend a helping hand. So I've got cover and in four weeks time I'll be swimming in the Red Sea. I can't wait.
Just when you think the day is going to be total washout 11 people come through the door. It has been fairly busy since I started writing this. Considering it is chucking it down with rain.
There is a new app for the iPhone which is called Herston Lime. It is full of local information and now I've finally sent Ben the gallery information I will be on it. It is my favourite price free. So if you are planning a trip to Swanage and you want to get some ideas about what to see and where to go it was worth taking a look. It is definitely worth a look.
If you are local to the area and are interested in being listed just let me know and I can pass you details on to Ben.
That's all for now folks.

Where Have All The People Gone? Long Time Passing.

I took this picture and I want to take some more!

It has been a weirdly quiet week. The quietest it's been in months. I DO NOT LIKE IT! The sun has been out a bit so I'm guessing that the masses are heading for the beautiful beaches in Swanage. Lucky them. The more people through the door generally means the quicker the day goes. I make myself busy with other things because that is what I do. I am rearing to go for tomorrows workshop I have spent time rearranging the studio. I am still babysitting the work of a few artists and I am hoping that they come and pick it up soon as I have no room for it. I'll have start charging them storage space fees.
If you could win prizes for staring into space I would like to enter myself for those competitions. I have become semi professional at it of late. It's not that I haven't got enough to do because I really do. I blame the Astrology. It has been preordained that I am going to live a life of incessant daydreaming, and that I will spend more time with my head in the clouds than with my feet on the ground. I've told you before that I don't really buy into all that stuff but there are definitely certain things that ring true.
It is looking like my fortnight away is going to be whittled down to a week away. I just really want to go swimming in the nice warm sea. Do you think I could Jim to fix it for me? I wish.
I'm tempted to return to Egypt because the Red Sea is so fantastic. But the truth is I'm not sure whether I can be bothered with the stomach troubles it brings with it.
As always I hope that you have got something really good to do this weekend that is not too weather dependent. Have fun and wish me luck for my workshop!

Riddle Me This!

The Riddler

I have just completed two online quizzes about how creative I may or may not be. One says I am uber creative whilst the other says that I would not succeed in any creativity based role. I will not be putting a link to either of those quizzes. The one thing I did like was that I scored very highly as a fantasy thinker. I have no real idea what that means but I love the sound of it.
I had lots of messages about the autism/spectrum quiz. I'm glad so many of you took it. It would seem that the majority of my friends are not on the spectrum at all. I am not quite sure how to interpret that information. If I find any other links that help you to find out about yourself I will make sure that I put them on.
I found out today that the ad that is in Evolver says that my email contact is info@lartishe.com. It wasn't but I have now updated it to work with either .com or .co.uk. I am sorry if you have been trying to send me images for the Colour Open Exhibition and your emails keep being bounced back. I have sorted the problem.
Gallery news, I have had even more interest in hiring the gallery this week. I am so pleased. I am really convinced that everything is going to be ok. I can't say that I ever really had any doubt but it pays not be overly confident and humility is an attractive trait in anyone.
I have had a major tidy up today as I am having a printmaking workshop on Saturday. I like it to be nice and tidy for my clients. It also allows me to have a legitimate reason to clean, not that I need one.
It's been very quiet today. I have been procrastinating about putting my Summer opening times up as I am totally indecisive about what day to close.
I intend to make the decision today. So watch this space for the update.
I am going to spend the afternoon reading my book. If you like thrillers and have read the Steig Larsen trilogy. 'The Girl With The Dragon Tattoo' etc you should definitely try Jo Nesbo. He's an awesome writer and his books are every bit as thrilling and captivating. They always make me stay up too late.

Spectrum = Rainbow

Tuesday is turning the tables on Monday. If Monday was full of exuberance and potential largely down to the sun and the blue skies. Tuesday is void of all of that. I have every light on and to be honest it's still a bit dull. I think the people mooching around Swanage today are feeling the gloom. I really hope that the shy summer stops hiding behind grey cloudy curtains.
All that being said I don't need to tell you that there have not been very many people through the door today. I am feeding my passion for art documentaries today. It is fascinating learning about the whys behind the paintings. It never ceases to amaze me what drives artists and also what art historians like to say about them. Obsession seems to be the word that I find echoed throughout most programmes when they talk about artists.
Having taught very gifted artists who have been on the autistic spectrum I would definitely wager that many artists sit comfortably on the spectrum too. I have tested myself and I am on the spectrum. I scored 25 the average score for a woman is between 11-15.
Try it for yourself. It's not science and is probably inherently flawed but it's interesting nevertheless.


http://glennrowe.net/BaronCohen/AutismSpectrumQuotient/AutismSpectrumQuotient.aspx

I'm going to go for a late lunch as it has been so quiet at the gallery I may as well get my other chores done.
My day off tomorrow and it's as busy as they ever are. But the thing I am most determined to do is book a holiday as I have arranged (I hope) someone to cover me at the gallery. Sunshine and swimming here I come.