Being an artist has major rewards. Working from home, picking the kids up from school, not owning a suit. All good. With the rewards comes obvious disadvantages, like rarely having money and having to put up with the landlord periodically coming round to say he’s selling the house. Again.
So as I type this I am waiting for an estate agent to come and value the house. Again. Same thing happened this time last year…
So to the appeals:
Anybody want to buy a three bed semi with sitting tenants?
Anyone know of studio space going really really cheap?
Anyone want to buy some paintings so there’s less to move?
I know it sounds a bit desperate but I still wouldn’t have it any other way. I’m not getting a job…
Getting up to London, checking a few galleries, being inspired by new and exciting artists, enjoying the cosmopolitan before embarking on the train home, head full of ideas and notions. Never happens. I’m far too scared to leave the studio.
On the rare occasions when it has, the best bit is always walking across Hungerford Bridge out of Waterloo and looking at the view. Problem is my SLR has always been too big to take to the big L, so this image comes from my mobile phone, as ever used on travels. Reason enough I think to purchase that lovely pocketable new camera with the tasty red badge.
I’m getting a bit twitchy just thinking about it. Wonder what’s on at the Serpentine…
In other news: There’s still time to go down to the Ashgate and vote for your favourite artist of Surrey. Warning: Neck pain may be experienced when looking for my work.
Happy New Year! Summer is over. The kids have all gone back to school and it always feels like resolutions should be made. So I’m giving up beer in favour of smoking, (better for the liver).
Text from Natalie on way to school reads ‘Just imagining u, a big sigh of relief, a cup of coffee n Frasier :-)’
Normally as my resolutions dramatically subside that would be the case, but this week I must be the professional artist. I am expecting a student for work experience at any minute so I have to pretend for three whole days that work can be experienced. Then at the end of the week it’s the private view at the Ashgate for the Surrey Artist of the year show, where I’ll have to pretend to know what I’m talking about…
This photo was taken in Barmouth about thirty years ago on the way to a two week holiday in a static caravan. Very posh holiday. My Uncle is seen in the car behind presumably marvelling at the splendour. I don’t get it. Yes the holiday goes down as a great one in my memory, but on a recent return, it goes fairly high on our list of ‘mouths’ to not want to visit again, (including Yarmouth, Portsmouth, Weymouth, Swanagemouth and Whitbymouth).
Having probably offended a few people, (sorry Uncle Pete), I should go and find some jobs for my student to do. I wonder if we won’t mind a spot of weeding…
Soup’s on. How depressing is that? Shouldn’t be even thinking about putting carrots with coriander for atleast another month but this morning was really quite chilly!
It’s been ages since my last post. Having spent the holidays working our way down one side of the country, looking for future 99ers, we’re left wondering what happened to the summer. Not one single barbeque…
Still, we’ve been outside, regardless of the weather, enjoying the lottery that is the English campsite. (More on that later, when the scars have healed).
This image was taken last year during the London to Brighton bike ride. 26,000 people all stopped on the first hill out of London. It was a nice natural break that meant I didn’t have to stop again until the seaside. Since that day my bike has been fairly sadly negleted due to all this 99 effort. Looking forward to getting it muddy in the winter. Winter. :-(
Tackling the ocean waves has been challenging enough, but for my latest commission, to be delivered on Friday, having to come up with the title is what has slowed the blogging process. ‘Sir Francis Chichester Gets The Horn’, (oops – I mean ‘Gets TO…’), is one possible…
Ready to go at the end of the week, I have no excuses but to crack on with the 99.
Despite predictions of a barbecue summer, last year was another wash out, particularly if you chose Wales for your holiday, but that didn’t stop one little girl from refusing to remove her much loved shades and sunhat. It was a look that worked especially well with Gap fleece and wellies.
