The Next Best Thing

Little bit of a dilemma tonight as I realise that the pic on my blog's front page is 'advertising' Angels for Christmas. Do I just go with the shops and start advertising for Easter? Think I will simply add a reminder that the Number Four gallery in St Abbs has extended its Christmas/winter show until the end of January due to the fact that pretty much no-one got to see it as the gallery was embedded in a wall of snow.

Back to the dayjob with a mix of feelings today; partly a heavy heart after a couple of days reminding myself what life could be like in an ideal world when Stu and I actually see each other when awake and get to play with creative stuff... Partly feeling very optimistic that this will soon be the case; I have long given up trying to predict the ways of the world so can only keep bashing away.

Got around to lots of drawing and idea spinning over the two days of Christmas and enjoyed having someone to bounce things off; plenty studio time too with waiter service tea and chocolates. Could definately get used to this, especially if a beach was outside the window and the temperature was in the eighties... getting ahead of myself now, but I can dream. Settle for less if I have to..

The painting I have been working on is now complete after a very exuberant days painting yesterday and a late burst of surrealism; I had a feeling that show (at the Dean Gallery last week) would come out in some way or other. The original sketch is of an angel 'bust' sitting atop a table with another small angel beside it. As it progressed the angel came to life and so her cropped body looked more interesting/odd as it has progressed. Now the hands are on and she is left armless it is slightly stranger still; comic when I started this month convinced that I would have to start painting something more 'commercial' and more likely to sell. Fat chance; it just doesn't work that way.

This is the first time I have done a canvas of any size (as opposed to board) and already I am in love with the 'boingy' nature of the surface and the bobbly texture; both characteristics which I have previously quoted as to why I don't like working on canvas. Contrary is many an artists' middle name... The only thing I had to alter in the end was the fact that I wanted to potato print on it and frame it as I have the paintings on board, so tonight I cut it off the stretcher and PVAd it to a board for the final bits and pieces of pattern and varnishing. This definately falls into the category of things that I will only allow myself to do; Stu won't cut the boards for me once I have finished a painting so if I need to trim up with a saw or a Stanley that is always my job; that way if I go wrong and cut right through something crucial it is no-one's fault but my own. Has a way of focusing the mind, that. Thus the task of Stanley-ing a canvas and sticking it to a piece of wood was automatically my territory; went fine though, despite Twig's attempts to stick herself or some of her hair to the board along with the canvas.

Hoping to get this one framed up and put it in for the SSA open show; my submissions have been consistently unsuccessful for three or four years now so my hopes are somewhat limited; however, I am pleased with this piece so in it goes. As I have commented before, the last painting I have done is always my favourite, and for a few weeks I am always content that I have at last progressed in some major way. Then in week four I look at it suddenly with fresh eyes and I know that it is back to the easel again in search of the next great thing. I've liked this one for a while now, though, so maybe I am onto something at last; catch me next week and see how I feel...

Now. I am sure there are still chocolates in the house and it is my duty to finish them all as quickly as possible so as to remove the temptation from my kitchen. And we all know that chocolate consumed fast within two days of Christmas doesn't count. Or contain calories.