Bum Wipes and the flu?

The past week was truly awful, just when I felt that January blues had been conquered by a heady mixture of exercise and culture BAM the flu struck me down. I am left feeling really low, it seems like a mountain to climb today just to get myself into the studio. I feel sad and defeated and old!!
Mmmm not good.
I had some excitement however from my sick bed when watching daytime tv I spotted one of my paintings in the background of a tv ad...I was at first thinking how great that was then the reality that it was an ad for moist bum wipes struck me.
My next post will not be as depressing I promise!!!!

Dawn Porter in a still from the ad (painting to the left).

A Blast From The Past

January oh January you are a difficult animal to wrestle with, warm and grey or crisp and beautifully clear and cold I am trying to learn to like you!
I have in the last few months started to run...regularly I take a quick walk up to Backheath and then have a run and walk back. It is a really great way to start the day and especially at this time of year enjoy the fresh air and the precious light, I think I am not dramatic in saying it has changed my life and my body for that matter.
On the way back last week I dropped into the charity shop and came across a print by Rowland Hilder dated 1936. It bought some great childhood memories flooding back as I had the good fortune to have a friendship with one of his grand daughters and as a consequance got to spend alot of time with them all from the age of about eight. Rowland and his wife Edith who was a wonderful women lived next door so the huge gardens were joined by a gap in the wall at the bottom. We spent many a happy hour in this glorious garden and often wandered into Rowlands Studio which he was quite happy for us to do.
The painting I have made this week is a homage to Edith and Rowland as I am sure not only my own artistic home has had its influences so did that one.....

'Honesty'

This month you can see a collection of work shown with Catharine Miller at 'The Decorative Fair' in Battersea Park 24th-29th January

Including 'Honesty'

NOVEMBER

November is such a busy busy time, Open Studio stands in the two middle weeks and because the studio is at home now I invite people into my home. This in itself is an interesting experience that always brings surprises as I get to see old and new faces, catch up on news and meet some lovely people. I feel part of my community because it is so well supported by the neighbourhood. Thankyou to everybody who came, there were lots of you!!
On Tues this week paintings were picked up for one of my next shows, part of a mixed show 'Inside Life'
at Store Street Gallery in the heart of  Bloomsbury running from 29th November-15th January 2012. The private view is on Thursday 1st December 6.00-8.00.
Last but not least I have a selection of work showing with ArtDog at the Frameless Gallery Clerkenwell EC1 0PD 28th November-10th December. Private View Tuesday November 29th 6-9pm.

After all of that a bit of a rest I think.............

'Olives Lanturns' at Store Street Gallery

'Bedroom chair' Store Street Gallery

'Late Summer' Frameless Gallery

'It's That Time Of Year Again'

'It's That Time Of Year Again'

I am happy to say that Daisy and I are taking part in Lee Green Open again this year. For us it is a chance for us to get organised and you to see our work in the enviroment it was created, which after listening to our visitors comments gives some interesting insight.

The informal setting seems to encourage people to take their time and have a really good look!!

Daisy is going to make some cakes for the occasion which I must say is always a treat, I know as her mother I am biased but she has done some lovely work too.

I have got a mixture of new and older work which includes a studio sale which means there is some bargains to be had. Daisy and I would love to see you so please drop by.....

Stable Cottage

1 1/2 Micheldever Road

SE12 8LX

12th & 13th

19th & 20th November

12-7 Saturday

12-6 Sunday



Affordable Art Fair Hampstead Heath

The very successful Affordable Art Fair are launching a new North London Fair this week which is very exciting to be part of.

Hope

I have said before that I am continually amazed by this thing called 'the creative process'. Some years ago now I became bedazzled by the image of these skeletal seadheads growing up the sides of a beautiful blue beach hut and had so much energy to make the paintings that came from that encounter. It was late summer when the shadows start to elongate that I was struck. This year lo and behold late summer walking down the back of the beach huts I was struck again but this time Hollyhocks had seaded themselves and had had their summer glory and now although still holding onto a few flowers they were producing their seads.What hope this image conjures up for me, and this is the word I will go forward with into the autumn.

HOPE

Long Time No Blog

August I feel is not a time for blogging or infact if you can avoid it working at all!!! When you work as a full time artist you need to have time to stop and do something different.
Time to read, fish, bob about in a boat,cycle,walk,think and just look. It gives the internal reservoir a chance to refill itself.

Coming back to to the studio is really exciting....I love it in there today....my space...my work.....my ideas all ready to make some new work.....and I didnt have far to go...my garden.