Boats and beaches

I was asked to do a couple of paintings on a nautical theme for a new gallery a few weeks ago. Lots of ideas popped into my head but were firmly squashed when one of the other artists displaying her own work there, requested that I not use black outlines in my work as this would clash with her own style. Hmmm... It's not that I can't paint in different styles but somehow this request bothered me somewhat and stifled my creativity for a while. Anyway, I have come up with two collages which I am pleased with, only to find that my work is no longer required. Bit of a sour taste in the mouth all round.

Anyway, these two will shortly be up on Etsy... where my native style is neither stifled nor banned... thank goodness.

The summer slump is firmly under way. Historically this is always the worst month of the year for sales and thus I tend to live on a diet of beans on toast... probably do me the world of good. So if anyone is in the mood for adding some original art to their walls, you can buy in the knowledge that you are literally putting food on the table.. Ho Ho.

Head down... back to work

Well despite my best intentions of a busy week painting, I was thwarted on several levels. Firstly by a serious bout of gastro-something-or-other which knocked me for six last Sunday and had me writhing around the bathroom floor fading in and out of consciousness and making me believe that my time had come. 'Don't fret' said Steve, my beloved one, 'Think how much your paintings will be worth when you are gone!' Yes, thanks for that. Very comforting.

And then having spent most of Monday asleep, the next three days were spent with a good friend of mine who came up this way to visit. It's strange but when you live in a place, you never seem to visit any of the attractions that the locality offers. Having a friend to show around galvanized me into actually visiting two of those attractions that I have been meaning to see for years. The first was a trip on the Ffestiniog Light Railway which is a beautiful stretch of narrow guage track between Porthmadog and Blaenau Ffestiong. Ah the joys and nostalgia of steam.


The second trip was to the Centre for Alternative Technology just outside Machynlleth. Fascinating place and it renewed my interest in straw bale buildings... just need to find a suitable patch of land. Lots of chickens and geese running around and so many working exhibits.. it was thrilling.
So today was a case of head down and paint, paint, paint. Not a hardship though... I always love it.