January blues...

I haven't been in the studio for a few weeks, I have been busy at other things. With the year end figures to tie up and paperwork to organise I just didn't find the time to paint. We had to cancel two trips abroad this month due to unforseen events so we are not in Oslo this week, nor will we visit Madrid.
However, I've booked a trip to Barcelona/Salou for March instead, and we still have the visit to Nice (France) booked alongside two short day trips to Edinburg and Liverpool, (to visit galleries etc.). We are trying to get into the city center to see the annual Turner exhibition (in the national gallery)before the end of the month too, they only display the watercolours in January when the light conditions are most suitable (least damaging) for the works.

I am currently trying to tie down a gallery owner to do a stock check, but they seem to be totally disorganised as to what stock they have where. I have emailed my access printout to show what works they should have belonging to me, so they can see what they owe me for. There seems to be problems (caused by part-time staff not dealing with paperwork for sold items properly I'm told) with exactly what has been sold and what has not.

It is mildly irritating, though it would be worse if I needed the money at the moment, but I can afford to wait for a few weeks as my bank balance is relatively healthy at the moment. It is just another job that is taking far more effort and time than it should. I need to get it sorted out so I can do my end-of-year figures.

Meanwhile, it is great to see the stretch in the evenings, spring is on it's way. The lenght of the daylight hours seem to have taken a sudden spurt in the last two weeks, or maybe I was just too busy to notice.

I still haven't finished any paintings this year. I have been busy with other things though. The weather has been very (unusually) cold here recently. Today we have high winds too, but the sky has clouded up so it should start getting a little warmer.
I need to spend more time in my studio. I have the daylight simulation bulbs there, I am suffering a little from lack of daylight. I don't need an excuse to work in the studio, but if I did this is a good one....

It's 2009

Happy New Year everyone. I ended 2008 by destroying my mobile phone. They are not designed to be driven over.... So I had to buy a new one. I then spent most of today acessing my contacts from the phone's memory by computer and transferring them over to the new phone. Not an easy job when you don't have a screen on the phone to see what you are doing while trying to connect.

I also discovered that while using Nokia suite, you cannot have two phones listed at once, one just overwrites the other. The good news is I did manage to retrieve all my contacts. I have them backed up now too.

I am hoping to get back to work next week, I have had a good break, but as yet I have not felt the need to start painting. I will post as soon as I get work coming along.

A Prosperous new year

Here's wishing all my regular viewers a prosperous and happy 2009. I know Mine will be. :)
I am looking forward to the year ahead.
I will try to get lots of work done early on, with show offers in Greece, Malta, and a group show in Portugal I'll have plenty of opportunities to show and sell.

I amtaking a few days break until after New years day, so have a good time over the holidays and drop back soon.

Christmas is coming, sales are soaring, mark II

I haven't been working (painting) in the studio since my last post. I have been busy with other things, like tidying up for a studio visit by a client. Getting my van serviced and certified (road worthiness) which has to be done annually. Then other odds and jobs took up quite a bit of time, a fishing competition last weekend.

With everything going on I am just not able to get down to painting. Although sales of work are going well, surprisingly considering the economy. I think it has a lot to do with the fact that at the moment investment in art is one of the safest options. Buying sensibly means that your investment should not lose value, as art is not as volatile as stocks and shares. The newspapers and journals have been full of articles saying as much for the last few weeks. Mainly driven by the major art auction houses I suppose, but it has had a good effect on my sales.

I may get some painting done next week, but it is getting close to the silly season, and I may find myself otherwise occupied.

Home again,

I am just back home from Malta. We spent a week in the sun, complete with camera, sketchbook, pencils, etc. I also visited an artist friend over there too, and it was a very enjoyable trip.
I have come back with lots of reference material for some paintings, and the offer of a one man show next year. At this time I already have two offers of exhibitions abroad next year, the one in Malta and in Athens, Greece, that was offered just before I left for Malta.
I will probably not start work until next week though, as I am tired at the moment. I also need to get organised for a couple of visitors to my studio. Judge an Art competition tomorrow, and a few other jobs that are overdue. In short I'm going to be busy this week, I have a party on the 12th, a lunch engagement on thursday, and my usual night out with the boys......

......as I've said many times.....it's a hard life, but somebody's got to do it...

I didn't get to photograph the 2nd Venitian painting yet. I have been too busy. Last nights' group show opening seemed to go well, I had already sold two before I left, so it is looking good, even without more sales. A sell rate of 33% is a good result for a large group show opening anyway.

I am hoping for more sales before the exhibition closes, but either way I will be happy. Getting that first sale when you don't have your own buyers list at a show is always important. Red dots (sold signs) encourage others to invest. It is great to be doing well at the moment, I am feeling energised painting wise and will be in a position to splash out in the Art supplies shop after Christmas. There will be too much gift set stocks and too little room in the shops to browse for my liking between now and the new year. I have enough of everything until January anyway.

I find it easier to get good deals on canvas, brushes etc. in January too, so I don't really want to brave the Christmas shoppers and the city traffic.

muddy yellows.....

I have finally finished (sort of) my latest work. It is an atmospheric rendering of a Venitian canal scene. I will endeavour to upload a photo later.

Before I do that I have to send two works by courier tomorrow, deliver another six for an exhibition tomorrow evening, on thursday evening I have to be at an art sale I am taking part in, and I have another opening on Friday for another group show in which I am included (the six works I'm delivering tomorrow evening).

With all this going on I also need to arrange a studio viewing for a patron and arrange delivery or collection for two other works that need framing for Christmas.
I am told by one of my Galleries that there is a deposit paid on another work also, to be collected before Christmas.

With all the talk of World recession, it's very nice to be so busy. It just goes to prove, quality art will always sell, and in turbid times it is a realistic investment opportunity. I have however refrained from increasing my prices this year. Mainly because I feel in the current economic climate holding values is almost as good as increasing them. Although I absolutely refused to reduce them earlier on when some Galleries thought the economic downturn warranted lower prices. I believe I owe it to my collectors to protect their investments. Sadly I noticed recently some artists resorting to "half price sales" at an art fair, to the detriment of all the participants.
I am glad I was not taking part in the fair, for I feel all the participants, including high end galleries were tarred with the same brush, ie. Bargain basement art-works.

I am going to climb down off my soap-box now, and get back to work, I have been scrutinising the latest masterpiece, knowing there was a little something I wasn't happy with and I have just seen it. I need to adjust the tone slightly on the yellow, it is looking a little dirty/muddy, I overworked it during the mixing I think.

Venitian painting........

I have been busy in the studio. I eventually finished the commissions, and after I was looking through some photographs from our trips earlier this year. Amongst them were some from venice,
This one in particular reminded me of the patterns formed by the boats, moorings and buildings along the canals. I started sketching away and after awhile I came up with the idea for this painting of the waterbus stop. I have called it 'Ghost of Venice'

This is partly due to the fact that it is an impression left by City and it's environs. It also alludes to the hazy figure within the bus station. I kept the painting very geometric in nature, relying on the shapes and patterns to make the painting, more than trying to create a representational work from a photograph.

I enjoyed the painting, and I am very happy with the result. I am now thinking of creating a small series based on my memories. I shall keep you informed.....

2nd Biennial Ex Libris - Lighthouse

The 2nd Biennal Ex Libris opened in Gallerie Archive, Nemanjina 7, Pancevo, Serbia last night. I have a couple of linocuts showing in it. I would have liked to get over for the exhibition, but I couldn't really justify it at the moment with all the travelling I have been doing. I will be in Malta next month too.

I am looking forward to the trip, and I have arranged to meet up with an Artist friend, Francis Gallea while I am there. In the meantime it's back to work for me, paintings to paint (and finish) before I go....