It is finished!

Finally finished this commissioned piece for Big window Theatre Company today. It feels good to finish something. I'm afraid my current health problems have robbed me of motivation. I visited the Doctors again yesterday and after another ridiculously high Blood Pressure reading, I'm now on medication to control it.The main frustration as far as that is concerned is that I've been advised to stop my running for the time being. As you know I'm a regular runner and I love the freedom and challenge of the road...I'm still allowed to walk lots, which is what I am now doing. But I'm not happy.

My current priority is to look after myself and seek happy things! So apologies if my dotting does not occur for a while...when I'm feeling better, I'll be back at it!

Wot I woz doing today.

Today was another step along the road to producing this publicity material. The play won't be produced for another year, but marketing to theatres begins very soon. after many preparatory sketches, here's the basic inked design for the poster/ leaflet. At time of writing, I've begun the colouring process, then move onto adding text. I'm quite proud of the use of hands to represent the letters 'F' and 'B'...If you don't know by now, the title refers to the children's rhyme of the same name. The production is billed as : " Participatory theatre for the very young". I'm busy tomorrow, but should finish this on Thursday.

Phew!

What a week...! Do you ever find that things suddenly sweep past you and you find you're busier than a bee with an itch? Well that'll be me!. a roller coaster ride of dashing about and catching up on things that have been left dormant for too long. the whys will remain unsaid..but the wherefores are many seeing me trying desperately to thrust my work into the sight of those who might give me the benefit of their experience and even possibly a chance to sell.

Galleries, shops, tourist information centre and theatrical companies have had the pleasure of my presence, and in the case of the theatrical company and the Information Centre, I've been on the receiving end of some much needed wages!

the most surprising was The tourist Information Centre who having had a stock of my prints for a few years, came to my attention when a friend saw my work in their window. to cut a long story short I discovered they had sold a good amount of the prints and a nice sum of money was awaiting me. shame they'd never managed to inform me! Still...I have it now!

I've had a birthday...I've had health issues (seeing doctor about those)...and I've discovered that my life is very different than I had originally thought...( good and bad!).

I've taken to enjoying walks in the park..(see above photo)...I love sitting watching the trees...the seagulls ( perhaps that should be Land Gulls?) I'm still running, though I've decided not to push myself to achieve the half marathon I'd planned to do at the end of this month.

Wish i could tell you more...not dotted very much since last week...I need to...I will do....

Bye for now.

Viaducts - 11

Today, I actually did a bit of dotting. I also ran. I have also sent a request to a local organisation who offer coaching and business mentoring to artists. I think i could do with a little professional guidance. I'm also hoping to see a local artist at the suggestion of a friend. Jenny has walked the path I'm starting out on and has formed a successful career with her artwork....I hope to pick her brains!

So long for now :)

" Pud 'em up...pud 'em up!"

For reasons I'm not going to go into here, I've found myself , although having been producing my Hyperpointillist Artwork for well over 30 years, at the beginning again. Through self confidence issues..poor fitness and ignorance, I drifted away from the path that my talent was leading. Don't get me wrong...I've been as busy as a little bee in a hive dotting away..as you know! But I've become isolated by my own ...erm...isolation.

But in the last 18 months, I've lost weight...become a long distance runner and once again found the desire and the necessity to re-engage the gears for forward motion...( as opposed to standing...or sitting still!) ...the result being that it is true, body and mind are intrinsically related, and neglect of one over the other is bound to cause an imbalance...a dysfunction.

Having established the first tentative steps in selling my work once again, acquiring the abillity to mount and present my work thus saving lots of money I would otherwise have spent at the framers. I have now gone back on the trail to promote myself to Art dealers and Galleries.

today I loaded a bag and a portfolio with prints and a few original pieces and headed down into my own town to find places who would want to sell my work. I visited a Studio that once was a centre for contemporary art only to find the owner had retired some time ago. next I went to visit a fine art gallery and dealer I knew...only to find out they'd closed 3 years ago due to the downturn. The shop that opened in it's place however was now a gift shop and cafe. I spread my incredibly strange pictures on the cafe floor for the owner to see...she loved them but I need to speak to her sister who was the manager. I'd need to come back in an hour or so.

So I took myself off to 'Whitewall' a fine art dealer in the local Westfield mall. Whitewall is a chain of Art outlets specialising in British and European established and upcoming artists. the staff there loved my work and were impressed. But of course I'd have to apply to head office in Litchfield presenting them with jpegs and a resume. (this I did when I eventually got home!)

Next I had to 'waste' some time before returning to the gift shop after midday. I sat in the city's market place and unwrapped a small greaseproof paper parcel of digestive biscuits I'd brought from home and drank from a sports bottle of orange squash. A quizzical pigeon looked me over...hoping for a spare crumb. noticing the Quad Art Centre nearby. I popped in and sat in front of a video installation called 'Semiconductor' which was a 9 minute black and white film of flares on the surface of the sun ( must have been filmed in the 70's! ;) After seeing more wonderful installations and a giant swinging light bulb...I left.

I called in at the local Tourist Information who I noticed still had three of my prints boldly displayed in their window. Remembering that I'd left them for sale or return in 2008. In fact, I'd left quite a stack if I remember rightly! "I like these pictures" I said to the staff...but remarked on the fact that they'd been reduced in price." Aren't they selling very well?" I asked. I was surprised to hear them tell me that they'd once had quite few prints but they'd all been bought! Needless to say I've arranged to meet the manager and claim my earnings back!!!

I next found myself at the gift shop 'Mad Hares' where the manager showed interest in my small Derby Arboretum prints. I left a sample with her at her request and agreed to meet next week to discuss a possible deal for her to stock and sell them!

Next stop was the city museum...I'd exhibited there last in 1987! A new local artist's gallery/shop has opened...Sadly the manager was away today ...but I have her number and I'll be seeing her!

Quite a day you'll agree? I felt tired..achy from carrying all my stuff around but in a way elated and full of satisfaction that I'd taken a step towards doing what I should have done a long time ago. That and the exhibitions I've lined up next year..the appointment with a fine Art dealer/Gallery  later this month and my Face book page sales have brought a renewed sense of purpose and positivity to me.

Today was a good day!

Viaducts - 10

Viaducts - 9

Finished the Jeans after long and careful concentration. Added a couple more butterfly's and after this photo was taken, I began work on the bridge which is immediately behind me.

A challenging time for me at the moment. My new Face book page has been running for a couple of weeks featuring an ever growing display or mounted prints which are for sale. So far I've had three customers which is (to me) very humbling and quite moving. Two of the prints were dispatched today to America..the very act of going to the post office , selecting the correct packaging , addressing and then handing them to the Post master felt as if I was setting out on a new journey. Silly I know, because the journey began a while ago...

I have book a couple of weeks exhibition space next year and I'm attempting to arrange a visit to a Gallery here in Derbyshire well known for it's exhibitions of nationally and internationally renowned artists. I really, really need to make some money, we all know that things are difficult for many people and families right now...and mine is no exception. It's time I pulled my finger out and got working!

Viaducts - 8

Was quite surreal spending so long working on my own butt today! The jeans by the way have been patched up and mended for many many years and date back to the 1980's!

Viaducts - 7

Devil mood was absolutely right in her comment yesterday with her observation about the way cameras interpret colours. Red in abundance always seems to create problems for my little Olympus. If I was clever I'd be able to work out a way to compensate...I think the main problem is the fact that there is so much plain white paper reflecting back to the camera causing it to read contrasts differently...forget it...I'm boring myself reading what I'm writing. I'm sure it'll sort itself out when there's more on the page! you can wake up now...I'm off...see you tomorrow.

Viaducts - 6

Blimey..the colour reproduction here is garish! I must remember that I need to photograph this in the morning. I'm having to get used to alteration in my working routine. The clocks have gone back and it gets dark early around 5pm. working in colour is always difficult under electric light even though I have a daylight simulation bulb. another complication is I'm still running and training to run a half marathon later this month, I run at night, but it's so much nicer during the day, especially as the autumn colours are so gorgeous at the moment! This means my working time during daylight hours is reduced. So it's a constant balancing act....I'll let you know when and if I get the balance right!

Viaducts - 5

The lack of day light means the camera flash was needed, and this has highlighted the blue in the shadows of the waistcoat...they're not all that obvious in the day, it all blends in much better...still, you'll get to see that another time...I've yet to add some more green into the mix.

 I spent the day on the red here, building up layers of red and yellow...The butterfly turned out OK...I'm going to have to get used to them because there will be a lot of 'em!...I think I'll have to throw in a few bees and wasps, also some crows!

Viaducts - 4

If you've been paying attention to my work over the past couple of years, you'll know that the Peacock butterfly makes regular appearances...usually at the top of my girls stockings! In this piece I'm going to have them all over the place. Here's the first one.

Today I've worked on the basic layer of red for the waistcoat. I next need to add in yellow ochre and blue/green for the shading.

Viaducts - 3

An incredibly beautiful start to the day...the sun was shining bright setting the Autumnal colours ablaze. So I began my day with my regular 5 mile run. It's amazing how much more friendly people are when the sun shines! The highlight for me was running through a local park and seeing an elderly couple out with a small child...the man who I assume was the grandfather, was gathering fallen leaves into a pile before throwing them into the air to fall all about the small child who appeared rapturous with delight!

 

Here's a photo of work in progress this afternoon...here I've begun adding yellow and blue to the face with the beginnings of red on the waistcoat. It's odd having to think in colour again after so long...

Viaducts - 2

I've applied the first series of dots! I had a little practise prior to actually starting this...I've also been over all my previous colour pieces noting the density of and which colours are used for correct flesh tones. I do admit to feeling a little tentative at the beginning of this work.... but if I get a good long period of time tomorrow to work on it, I should be up to speed pretty soon.

Viaducts - 1

Well..here we go again! I've settled on my composition and spent some time today taking photos of myself for inclusion in the picture. You can't really see it here, but I've drawn out the basic geometry comprising of the main viaduct angles...tomorrow I'll pencil myself and hopefully begin dotting. I'm really looking forward to working in colour again!

The meaning behind the subject matter is fairly straight forward this time. I've been at a few cross roads recently regarding my personal and professional life...I do have various pathways which I could choose...it's all rather confusing sometimes...but there is time to stand and stare..the appreciate the view and wonder at the magnificence that which is laid before me...More on that front another time!