dorky little things...

(final painting in my latest series... not quite finished)

This piece above is a lead in to my next series of works for July, which is about childhood friends, imaginary and otherwise...

Time management is an interesting thing... it is something I think I am ok at and do quite well.  I have these silly, dorky little things that I do to help me get things done, I am going to share them with you, but don't laugh...

Ok here goes... I tell myself "the more I do today, the happier Katherine of tomorrow will be"...  If I paint the last three arms, get the last few backgrounds ready or do a page of faces tonight then it will make the Katherine of tomorrow happier, that will be one less thing she will have to add to her to do list in the morning.  I often think of my future self and how I can help her out and it works for me... do I sounds crazy?

The other thing I do is to try to do at least one thing each day (apart from the weekend, unless I feel like it) towards my creative business.  Even if it is just a bit of filing, sorting out the ongoing mess on my kitchen table, a little online research or finishing off a little something on a painting etc... It is going to make less work for me tomorrow.   I like to be on top of what there is to be done, with a busy family life, work commitments, friends etc... I have got to really.

After I have finished this e-course I am thinking of doing a post on how I create my girls... if anyone is interested?

something creative

(two of the new paintings)

I have been a little obsessed with sewing the last week and it has been a struggle to get on with painting.  I really enjoy the feeling of something creative like that taking over my whole mind, so much fun.  I have made a few more moopies and a few new ones as well, will post them soon.

I feel I am in a bit of a painting block at the moment... could be my creative side is being taken up by other things?  But anyway, I think it is good to start with what I know (like these above) and often new things will come from this.  I have had an idea in mind for a while to do some New Zealand themed girls... the idea is still evolving, but hopefully I will have it sorted soon.

I have heard from the Livewires company and they said they found my work very interesting and will get back to me next week as not all their staff are back at work after their holidays yet.  So that is promising I think?  Will keep you updated.

I have had a few people late last year interested in purchasing an original, if you were one of these people please email me katherinequinn@xtra.co.nz and I can send you some images of what is available... thanks.

Art Deco Weekend

(the second finished piece from last week)

Well I found her missing arm... I think this is the first girl I have done with bare arms, usually they have long sleeves? I have also done a few more faces, but mucked them up when brushing on the gloss varnish. Was trying a new thing with the hair and got a bit heavy handed. The others were fine but then I was compelled to touch them before they were dry and now they all have finger marks in them! Luckily I have learnt from that wee exercise... TO BE MORE PATIENT!!!

(sorting through the rubble after the earthquake)

We are celebrating Art Deco Weekend this week, where a whole lot of people come to Napier for a big celebration of the Art Deconess of our town. On 3 February 1931 there was a large earthquake measuring 7.8 on the Richter scale (New Zealand's deadliest natural disaster). The ground heaved upwards, swayed and 30 seconds later, there was a downward movement and violent shaking. Most of the town was destroyed and some land was raised from the sea (our airport has been built on land that was under the sea before the quake). It was all rebuilt in art deco which was the style of the time. The wall around our house was built using bricks from the rubble left from the quake, the house itself was built in 1929.

Anyway there will be a lot of people visiting Napier this weekend so I am franticly getting work ready for the two galleries I supply in town. I was pleased with the amount of work I got done last night, being cooler it is a lot easier to work.