Les Bateliers

Been watching a magpie lady outside the back of the house for the last few weeks- had a feeling she was feeding babies, and today two lovely 'kids' are out and about with mum causing havoc and driving Twig nuts. I love the way corvus birds only bring out the babies when they are pretty much adult; they must have some discipline! They are so garrulous and clumsy and are following mum around crying to be fed, despite being as big as her.

Having talked about donkeys the other day I developed one on those 'stuck record' moments in my head where I kept whistling 'little donkey' all day; really apt in June. What happens today - told someone else about it and off it goes again; still haven't shaken it off the turntable...

Spent some comedy time late last night looking up words in the translation website for possible use as painting titles; thinking around swans and angels, fishermen and laments. Actually quite productive for once and some lovely words in both French and Italian - I have a disconcerting habit of picking words that are the same in both languages, but luckily not this time. 'Il cigno, Le Batelier, il traghettatore, l'angelo... all great. Started up a pic of my boatman with a swan doing a 'Pai mei' on his oar - this a reference to the guy in Kill Bill balancing on Uma's sword. Twig does it to Mads too; jumps over her and pauses tantalisingly with feet resting on her head as she does so - its straight out of martial arts and she can only do it for the fun of it!

So boatmen all over the place just now; the swan picture is a little one and I'm whipping through it as its such fun; also half way through a 'darker' portrait of a rather traumatised boatman, and planning a big one of an annunciation hallucination confronting a marooned mariner. Looking at Blake in relation to that one as no-one (arguably) does 'tortured bibical' like him; watched the film Red Dragon by chance last night which prominently features titular painting among others, so of course the co-incidence bells went off again...

Read some great advice in a friend/mentor's blog that has been on a slow boil in my head ever since and its only now that I am seeing how significant it may be. His suggestion was not to waste money on overheads in a new business; don't take on the swanky office just to haemorrage money on utilities and rent when a spare room would suffice. Translated to my scenario it means that I shall hold off all plans to rent a studio for the foreseeable future; it would be madness to do so when I have my own in the house which I am finally so happy with and find so condusive to creation. It's easy to set goals without asking 'why?'. Sure, working in a studio complex will give me contacts and exhibition possiblities on tap, but using a bit of legwork and imagination there is no reason why it is the only way to do so. I would also essentially have to gear out two studios as I could hardly lug everything back and forward, and there is no way I would stop working at home. All round genius already, and that's only the half of it; taking this thought to its logical conclusion I realised that I had been worrying at the back of my mind about the need to move house at some point into a more 'suitable', scenic location. Take away that need and realise that I am perfectly happy where I am and another niggling background track is removed and I can focus on what I am doing in the here and now - which is creating some really positive attitude in myself and some great feedback from others. You go girl!

Last note; made some money from prints and what do I want to spend it on? Paint. Sod the wish list full of makeup, clothes and books - they can wait - bring on the new tubes...