This one is for me, place to muse, share ideas and interesting images.
After my grand rant in the last post I have girded up something or other and begun a new project in my studio as the only way to start is to start.
Last year I took a series of photos looking up into the trees in Hotham Park and my aim is to produce a series of fresh work based on these. As Artist in Residence for the Park I’m always looking for new ways to represent it. Here is the first stage of the first painting and it was good to get going again.
2017 was a very barren year for me as my creativity seemed to dry up. This was partly due to a sick husband who had several crisis during the year whilst waiting for a major lung operation. Before you jump to the conclusion that it was the NHS’s fault I must say some of the delay was due to infection resulting in deferrals. Much to our relief the operation finally took place on the 30th October at the Royal Brompton and Harefiled Hospital in London.
Apart from the stress of my husband’s illness I felt discouraged about my work wondering what I should try to do with the limited time I have left to me.
Each year I take part in the annual Chichester Art Trail and in 2017, for the first time in the eight years I have been in the trail, I did not sell enough work to recover my entrance fees. Visitor numbers were low as I am on the fringes of a very large trail and will never be as high as those who are in the centre of things with other artists around. Its always good to cover expenses even if there is no profit involved and one doesn’t mind that so much if visitors take the trouble to come and have a look. I found myself wondering if it was worth all the effort of getting my stored paintings out, hanging them, turning my house into gallery and tidying my studio for people to see my working practice. I had almost decided to not to enter this year but my husband who has been through so much said how much he enjoyed the trail visitors coming so I will be doing the trail again this year.
This has made me try to reassess what I want to do. All my paintings are a result of something that I have seen or an event that has touched me and I don’t repeat myself. I have sold quite a number of paintings over the years but have generally resisted the temptation to ‘do it again’ because a particular thing has sold. Someone said that if you do that you are in danger of imitating yourself which seems a very wise saying.
I’m not sure where this is going to take me but I have made up my mind afresh that I must paint for me first resisting the afore temptation to paint for market
As my studio was becoming crowded I gave away a number of my larger works this year though I know I will soon fill the space with fresh work.
This has been a bit of a self indulgent rant, I don’t usually write so much and it will not be repeated.
Below is the last drawing in Hotham Park of 2017
I enjoy tangled roots, textures and random patterns , no excuse, I just like them.
I recently spent a weekend in a gazebo showing work at the Hotham Park Country Fair.Great fun but very hard work. Sold painting though.
Since the start of the year I have had a rather desert experience regarding my creativity. I feel the need to do something different but I’m not sure what. I had a discouraging Art Trail with few visitors and no sales. This has made me take stock and reassess what I want to do. An artist should paint for themselves but I guess we all like a little company and an audience but this can become a snare. Once one begins to look over ones shoulder at the commercial merit of work it has a deadening effect and it becomes stilted and repetitive. With this in mind I think I need to be a bit brave, not sure how yet so watch this space. Below is the only painting I have done this year based on a Hazel tree in Hotham Park where I am Artist In Residence. I am not sure what I will be posting next but I have a mind to try some pure abstract work.
I am yet again taking part in the annual Chichester Art Trail. I am right on the outer limits of what is a very large trail so tend to get fewer visitors than those venues clustered together in Chichester. I open my working studio to the public and unpack all my stored paintings to turn our house into a temporary gallery. Its a huge amount of work so I am glad to see visitors. This year my messy studio has the honour of featuring on the trail guide cover and the poster below. More details can be found on the trail website: http://www.chichesterarttrail.org
