Self Portrait with a Man

Lots of thoughts going through my head at the moment - not surprising I suppose. So as I was thinking of Spain I put in a photo which i took on my last trip. It's nice and arty and also shows you some of the impossibly steep and narrow streets that we have in Alhaurin. Streets that necessitate many of these funny little convex mirrors all over the place.

I am packing today - well I have more or less finished now actually, which is why I am sitting at my computer. As you know it is not in my nature to procrastinate. If a job needs doing then spit spot I do it! Of course my tongue is well and truly in my cheek!

But seriously I have finished my packing organisation. There was still quite a lot to organise even though we have already shipped out a lot of stuff (that is my stuff carried out in 20kg quotas by my poor long suffering Victor). I still had my watercolours, pencils, various bits and all my electronic stuff to sort through and decide what needs keeping and what I can let go. To be honest most of that stuff has to come with me, it was really only papers and things that have been jettisoned.

I am amazed at the amount of paper one little household can generate. Even though I have got really good at throwing out - or recycling - paper and storing things electronically rather than in hard copy I still find myself drowning beneath printouts and documents from time to time. In fact I am trying to remember how many reams of paper I have bought since being here. i think i am on my third - admittedly that is quite new, so still mainly full, but still it does give you pause for thought. But then I am an artist and there is no point keeping all those images just on the computer - they do not make sense the same way.

However, i am pretty good at recycling. When I am finished with any printouts they are turned over and put into a scratch pile. This is great for thinking with a pen and doing sketches or when you suddenly get an idea that you want to jot down. Some of the sheets are also torn into four pieces and recycled as shopping lists. And of course once the sheet of paper has been printed and/or drawn on both sides it is either used to light the fire or sent to the paper recycle bin to be turned into something else.

I do try to do my little bit for the planet!

So, Christmas is on my mind too of course - Turkey and Mistletoe, Panto and Sleighs. I do like all the blitz and bling. Here I really like the decorations to be honest - they are very low key compared to Ireland and England, but the simple stars and wreaths hung in the windows entice you to look into the cosy little houses and imagine the smell of cinnamon and apples and woodsmoke. Mmmmmm!

Things on my mind then are, in no particular order: Christmas, moving, Spain, England, Ireland, On-line check-in, paper, packing, socks, Snow, bare trees, the smell of winter, old friends, christmas cards getting places, candles, houses, tapas, children, dogs with wet noses (but i think about them all of the time) and so on and so forth.

Right now though I must nip out to the shops to get a few little bits that need to be got to keep the wheels of this household moving on!

Hope you like the photo

Winter Heartbeat

This is my first 'real' painting. it is a watercolour painting on a canvas dimensions 80x60cm. i realise that this is an untraditional method of working, but i like the way the paint responds on the canvas - it is a bit easier than watercolour on paper but has its own challenges. This painting is finished and just awaiting a varnishing which should enrich the colours.

I began a series of 12 paintings in November with this one, which is representative of the month of December. My initial idea was to do a full series of paintings each one depicting a narrative about the particular month. I had three of these completed and then went off on a bit of a tangent. However, this does not worry me unduly as i know that really it was just a stepping off point. I have diversified into, illustration, linocuts (which i cannot print at the moment because i am lacking basic equipment and materials - but this is coming soon), various smaller watercolour paintings on paper, two medals which i have submitted to the British Art Medal Society for approval for one or both as a commissioned medal in the next few months and also one little sculpture of 'metamoth'.

there will be more about Metamoth in subsequent postings.

and i will endeavour to finish the series of 'the year in months' as well. But for now this is December or Winter's Heartbeat. I do not think it needs much explanation and leave it up to the viewer to find things about it that are intriguing and beautiful as they may wish.