Sonnez les matines

Ah, the answer... Painting is all about finding how to let out what is within; how to fit the outlet of creativity into the rest of the mundanity of life. For me this means working at certain times and designated places where I know my annoying chattering mind will relax and allow the work to flow. Morning is the best of all; wake, drink tea, enter studio; no clumsy slights from co-workers and bruised egos to dwell upon - all washed away by sleep. There is something wonderfully single minded about the morning hours, preferably starting as the light rises and rising with it to grow into the day in a thoughtful state free of interferance.

And it happens again; the serendipity thing; whenever I am thinking around and about something I seem to bump into the perfect quote to fill the space in my insufficient writing ability. Tift Merritt is one of my super-fave 'Americana' singer-songwriters (although the label thing doesn't really fit as is so often the case); just read a piece in the Wall Street Journal about the creative process that nails it for me:

'Some of her songs have filled entire notebooks (lately she prefers unlined, 120 page Moleskins with soft covers). The notion of ever being expected to write hits, or even to write with someone else in the room, "makes my stomach hurt", she says.

That relationship with your creation as a personal and private one is something I can relate to; no matter that she goes on to perform her creations in front of thousands, the creative act is an intimate one. I am happy to show my paintings now that my confidence is growing, but I am still very defensive and private about the process that brings them into being; it is a kind of superstition, a kind of o.c.d.

And it's not even nine o'clock yet; two paintings on the go and a blog post underway; I like working like this - who knows, next year I may get to do it all the time... we are beginning to make plans for life after the year of poverty. I'll say no more for fear of cursing it.

Spent a happy day driving around the city again watching the chaos unfold; wondering whether my greetings cards were on their stand in one of the marquees at the Edinburgh Book Festival on Charlotte Square as I passed, popping in to the framers in the middle of the Old Town and not only finding a space but finding one right opposite the gallery. Another massive coincidence struck me there; I was after a favour as Stu is interested in learning to frame so he can help out with potential hand painted frames and the like for me. I was a little concerned that it was cheeky asking a framer how to frame as in effect it will be removing work that she would have carried out. No need for caution; turns out that she is looking for someone to babysit the shop for a week while a long overdue holiday is taken, and framing lessons would be a fair swap for such services; couldn't be better actually as Stu is rubbish at taking holidays when he is not actually going anywhere and he has one that - spooky - coincides with the week at issue. My copy of Umberto Eco's 'Serendipities' arrived today, as if to remind me how often we stumble on such happy accidents of fate.

Feeling a bit smug tonight, think that's the only word for it; pleased with the two pics I have on the go at the moment, two potential sales on the burner and new foxy glasses to help me actually see what I am doing! Maybe the success of tonight's painting is due to the unfamiliar feeling of clear resolution.. Played with some blue paint and my super large potato print as well, for what may well be its last use; a split has already appeared across the base and it was warped to a degree that I had to stand on it to print with it this morning. Great result though and I have used it on three paintings, two t-shirts and myself; that is one value for money spud. Next up I am hoping to carve an elephant to use on dresses of angels, and no doubt t-shirts; the house walls are in mortal danger too as the urge was nearly too strong with the last one and I don't know if I will hold out with an elephant in hand. I'm sure we need to decorate soon anyway.

Oh and here's a thing about colour perception that will probably make no sense to

man nor beast but it means things to me:)

"What am I seeing?"

"It's the blue of chocolate

And the ocre sky."

"Qu-est-ce que je vois?"

"C'est le bleu de chocolat

Et le ciel d'ocre."