sweet sixteen...

(Hannah 4 years)

How did 16 come around so fast? It has really snuck up on me and I am not sure I am prepared. I guess it is too bad whether I am prepared or not it has happened and it is here. It is a funny age 16, I seem to go from happily watching her make her way into the world and then frantically trying to reel her back in again. And this yo yo-ing from one to the other can happen within minutes.

Hannah's 16 year old world is far different to the one I was living in 1987. The world is a much smaller place for her, so many more things are easier to access (good and bad) and life is way faster then when I was 16.

But I guess that constant underlying worry that's always at the back of my mind is probably the same my mother felt in 1987 and her mother in 1956.

This is the final piece for the second commission I have been working on. I am very excited also to be working on something else that I will reveal next week sometime, when they are finished.

I have been thinking of getting some uniform branding for when I send my work out to buyers. I think my biggest problem is that I keep changing my mind about what images to use, it is so frustrating! Anyway I think I have come up with something and will hopefully stick with it for longer then a week. I have also tried to get some moo mini cards but I can't seem to upload my images it keeps coming up with a 407 error? If anyone knows what that is about I will be glad to hear from you.

Talk is her passion...

potential title: (talk is her passion and her chief delight)

(I have no idea what this will be called as yet)

Two pieces that I have been working on this week, they are not quite finished yet... I just stuck their caps on last night and haven't really done anything with them yet, the bird on the second one needs a bit of tweaking and a few other things. I have quite enjoyed working on these this week, I had been planning to follow through with some more ideas on thoughts and speech and the person that commissioned these is a speech therapist so it came at just the right time. The fabric from the dress in the first picture reminds me of something I would have worn in the late 70's, like a pinafore or something.

The whole of New Zealand was waiting last night to see if they had won the biggest lottery prize ever... 36 million. I am sad to say it wasn't me, but it was fun to think what if... You know if I did win I think I would still come to work today, I would just be a jolly happy worker!

Anyway back to reality... thanks for all your comments and emails about messy studios, it seems I am quite normal. I have started relocating a few things into the vague places they belong with the intention of a proper sort out in a few weeks. It is just a matter of deciding what works best for me, and this seems to change as my work has changed over the last few years. I am not using some of the same materials I used a year ago so some of those things I can probably get rid of or swap.

Well it is a lovely sunny day here in the bay so I might just have to go outside and enjoy the rest of my coffee, I feel like talking to someone.

the shortest day

(I worked on this piece over the weekend, and it is finished and listed in my Etsy shop)

My studio space is a mess! and not just a top layer of mess but there are layers and layers of mess and muddle. I wonder whether it is just me or do other people's studios get into such a state? I don't have a big space (that might actually be a blessing) but I found last night that the whole of my table was covered with clutter and the space I was actually working in was no bigger then a piece of photocopy paper, if that! I get so involved in what I am doing and get things, tools, paper etc... out, use them and then leave them where I've discarded them. I am lucky enough to have a storeroom cupboard and lately I have been using that as a dumping ground for stuff. I have towers of papers and bits and pieces piled precariously on top of one another. These towers are nearly taller then me!

I am planning on a big huge clean up and sort out in the holidays, in two weeks time (which will be good as my friends and I have just started this thing called a 'crap swap'... where we bring along a load of stuff we no longer use or need, it can be anything clothes, books, art supplies, nick nacks, anything and then we take turns to pick something off the table. It is actually a lot of fun and everyone is pleased at the end of the night with their haul.

Anyway I am wondering if this is a really bad habit, to be so messy and lazy or do other people work this way too...? I would be interested to know how other people deal with the clutter and keeping it under control when it comes to making art work.

A list of 5 things for today

1... I have been accepted into the affordable art auction and have got two paintings done and framed and are all ready to be posted off tomorrow afternoon.

2... the shortest day today!

3... Everyone in our house has some kind of bug, I even heard the cat sneeze yesterday.

4... I got my very own scanner at work!!!

5... am looking forward to the holidays.

Thoughts at the time of making

a recent page from my workbook...
(click image to get a readable view)

When I forgot I left my bag by the car one morning and ran over it as I backed down the driveway, dragging it along with the car out onto the street and then drove off to work leaving it lying on the road... The thing I was upset about loosing most was my workbook. The other things like credit card, bank card etc... although annoying could be replaced. But my precious workbook I could never replace.

I have about 5 of them now since I was told at art school we had to have one. I was reluctant at first as I didn't know what to write or draw and felt very self conscious about the whole thing. But as time has gone by I have become fond of my workbooks and quite reliant on them. They have all my experiments, good and bad, my findings, and my thoughts at the time of making. I love flicking back through old ones and often get ideas for new works from them and it is good to see how my girls have developed over the years.

I think the process of this blog has been the same really, when I first started a year ago I was a bit unsure of what to write exactly... but now it has become easier. Although a few days ago I had someone say they had just discovered my blog and had read through the posts. I suddenly thought oh how embarrassing... but I think it is all part of the process, I need those first posts (workbooks) as a measure of how far I have grown creatively. A bit like photo albums and height charts... (although my height charts aren't that interesting as I don't think I grew much after 13)?

p.s For those that were wondering, a kind neighbour rescued my bag from the road and returned it that afternoon.

Both my children

I have been working on a mother and child series the last few weeks, this is the first one (it isn't quite finished yet). The water level is at a different height in these ones, the idea was that even though it can be the worry our children cause us, that makes us feel like we are sinking, at times they can also be our wings. As both my children are about to turn a year older I realise there is no going back. They will always be my children but they wont be children for long.


5 things I am looking forward to this weekend

1... A monthly Friday night get together with 6 fellow artists for dinner a few drinks and lots and lots of talking.

2... A sleep in and maybe a morning to myself on Saturday.

3... Doing some more painting.

4... Watching Stuart win his game of football on Saturday afternoon (as long as it's not raining).

5... Maybe a nice big pot of vege soup for lunch on Sunday.

The winner is...

TARA

Congratulations... Ben picked the winner out again, but he wanted to put Tara's name back in the bag and choose another one because it didn't have a B in it. So anyway Tara if you send me an email with your address I will get her sent off to you asap.

Thank you to all that entered, and thanks for all your lovely comments... I wish you could all win. I will have another one in a few months so stayed tuned.

She is blue...

I have done a few of these sinking girls for The Gilded Leaf in Napier, the others were similar to ones I have done before but this one was a bit different, she is blue. I am enjoying playing with different colours for the girls outfits and their swimming caps. I am also thinking of a new series of super hero girls...? I have just listed this and another green one in my Etsy shop.

The things that have made me feel like I was living on a constant roller coaster over the last wee while have now become semi normal (I have heard that it takes around two weeks to get used to something new). Routines are so very important to me, I think it has something to do with the changaphobia I have. If I know what is coming up I am fine, but when something happens, and it might only be a little something, I get the feeling I'm back on that blasted roller coaster again and a sense of anxiety creeps in. But I am not a complete freak as I have coped with a few sudden medical mishaps in the past and the whole trip to the UK was fine (Mind you my lists helped me with this one). I also think talking to my mother helps a lot, she is often the voice of reason.

As someone commented a few posts ago, often our fears and worries are unwarranted. But I think it is good to be prepared for these things and better to be pleasantly surprised then a great disaster smack you in the face with no warning.

A lits of 5 things today...

1... I guess life is just like that, all the ups and downs otherwise it wouldn't be life.

2... I have two interesting commissions to get on with this week.

3... There was no frost this morning, and we are only a few weeks away from the shortest day!

4... I am sure I grew a little bit taller in the night?

5... I am excited as Ben said this morning he wants a monster cake for his birthday... and then I can make invites to match the cake in the monster theme!!!

P.s... Don't forget to enter the giveaway in my last post, it finishes tomorrow (Tuesday) at midnight!!!

Giveaway

As of today, June 3rd I have been selling on Etsy for a whole year!!! So to celebrate this I am going to giveaway this original painting 130mm x 300mm (5" x 12") and a few extra goodies as well.


To win her all you have to do is leave a comment by the end of the day on the 9th June (NZ time) and I will announce the winner on the 10th... good luck.