House bound

Injuries sustained while painting number seventy-seven (it is surprisingly easy you know); the brush swallow. Simple to accomplish, easy for beginners; walk around house with long handled brush in mouth, not concentrating on surroundings and spacial limitations. Pass through doorway with head not entirely turned straight on and hit brush end-on off doorway. Brush shoots into throat causing momentary panic and lack of understanding as to cause of injury.

This time I was lucky and brush stopped on back of palette with a thud; not sure how pleasant it would have been if brush found windpipe. Ouch.

Similar to the feeling I had in London when I walked full face into a plate glass door in the days before health and safety got wind of that one and made everyone put stickers or frosted panels on plain glass doors. Blood, tears... messy, I can assure you. And yes, it was a 'dead posh' shop in Covent Garden that I smeared my nose blood upon and whose immaculate shop assistants had to patch me up again. Ha ha at least that made it kind of funny.

Just finished what is 'officially' the last of my angel paintings; I say official as I had a mental number in my head that I hoped to achieve. The inverted commas are because I went and bought some new board today which I am about to gesso in preparation for new work, and I have a feeling there might be wings involved. Latest one had veered east again, probably due to the lovely pictures I was sent of former colleague Ujjwala's wedding in India; amazing colours, patterns and textiles that have come out in my new angel. Used the 'cake slice' potato print as well which prints up like a wheel (or cake..) to produce a larger scale pattern than is possible with any potatoes I have come across to date. I suppose I could take to hanging out at county shows and nabbing prize winning vegetables for my art; or maybe the growers would be willing to donate? Does make you wonder what they get up to with their mammoth carrots when the show is over.

Twig has been a pesky kitten today showing off her new 'look at me on your easel mummy!' pose, which is not exactly helpful when she is between you and a wet painting; she is also fascinated by the potatoes which I keep in a tupperware box. You can hear her in the studio rolling them around when you are in the kitchen; at least the lid has stayed on so far...

So, we are now into Angel extra time; still quite a while to go before the show so I may end up editing the final cut, or at least keeping some on the reserve bench in case something sells. No idea why I launched into football metaphor there as, for the record, I hate the sport and all associated with it. The show is called 'Angel Haven', reflecting the harbour/port link with Leith harbour and the idea of the angels sheltering in a sanctuary; a gathering or flock.

The Pope is out and about in Edinburgh today so I have been gleefully holed up avoiding the predicted road chaos; although you never know how the public at large will react. As an excuse for a day off it might attract some crowds, but I'm not sure it will be up there with the Festival Cavalcade. Time for tea, and some board preparation for the next pictures.