Prosperous and Creative Soul Year 5

savingholmes

Thanks Jwil, Beanie, Blackcats, TG, Powers, Humdinger, GlassHalfFull, OpalGirl and Merlin.

In a very ADHD way - (I am by the way it's not a slur) - I have 4 large paintings on the go that I only started this week. 3 x 90 by 70 and 100 x 76. They all have an underwater, surrealist theme and I'm very excited by them. I'm trying to do my base plotting out colours and forms layer and then refine as I go. I feel I have finally 'got' how little info you have to provide on the face to suggest features - providing you get tone and value right. I hadn't realised how much I'd been struggling with that until it suddenly came together.

I'm hoping the hardest decision was what to paint - and that it will be more plain sailing from here on out. Time will tell. I also have lots of ideas for my book - my biggest issue is time. I was part of an exhibition opening yesterday so that felt good. I have three pieces in it for the next 6-8 weeks.

Money wise - I need to return some things that were broken or not-fit-for purpose to a shop. Possibly some other frames - as I found others that were good but cheaper. 

Tomorrow I'm going to see DD. She's not having the best time currently - and needs to borrow some money so my savings will take a hit. She has traditionally always paid back though so hopefully it will be okay. In better news she's now fully qualified - and should get offered a perm job soon with a 50% uplift in salary. They've also given her a work's van. I'm going to see her for lunch tomorrow.
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DS emigrates within a couple of week's or so - so I've swapped my day off next week. I will stay at my Mum's on the way and catch up with her - and then see him the next day. Ideally I should sort a cat sitter. I need to work the day after I see him though - so need to see how to balance everything. I need to check if I have enough leave left to take any. He also wants to see me the following week when he's due to be closer to me - when he goes to see wider family on his Dad's side. Then I may not get to see him for close to a year... 

So not likely to have that much time over the next week to work on art or writing which is a shame - as I am currently in hyper-focus mode and have loads of ideas and don't want to lose flow.

My dryer is currently broken - so still need to sort that.

The art side of things is keeping me sane and reasonably happy. Best get to bed now though!! Just seen the time! 

debtfreeoneday

Happy new diary. 

AgathaSquirrel

Happy new diary!

It’s lovely to hear your plans.

Where is your son emigrating to? Half my family live in Australia. FaceTime helps.

savingholmes

Thanks Agatha and DebtFreeOneDay

Agatha - He's going to Oz. But he has new family through marriage in the US - so will be going there first plus a couple of other trips of a lifetime thrown in. They're a busy couple.

I've got a washing load on - and will then hopefully be able to take it to DD to dry. If my dryer isn't fixed by then - I can do the same when I go to my Mum's - although I'd probably take washing powder and wash it there too as she has a separate washer dryer while DD's is combined.

I really need to look for a handyman again and an electrician - as the 'weight' of odd jobs waiting for help is getting me down a little. Either that - or as a minimum I need to learn to drill so I can put up some ledges for my many art works. My house also seemed to have deteriorated into a 'bombsite' as my Mum always called it growing up. I'm always surprised how I can go from relatively tidy 2 weeks ago to out of control -but somehow I manage it frequently. TBH there are too many things I'd rather be doing like art and writing. It wasn't helped last weekend either as I turned my foot over and sprained it so have been limping all week. I know daily chores are the answer but not got there consistently yet. 

I'll do the dishwasher again and then tidy up in the back L-shape enough to hoover. That will make things feel better when I get back from DD's and then hopefully I can do a bit more. I still need to get dressed and take my ADHD med too. 

I bought some little Xmas gifts yesterday - along with some more canvases - but it all came to more than I thought - so I need to check what I bought and consider if I should return any. I'll put the earlier returns by the door too - and hopefully that way I can make myself do them. 

I have lots in flower in my garden which is nice - some winter flowering things like my two fatsia japonicas with balls of white flowers, a spiky mahonia with upward thrusts of yellow flowers, a yellow flowering winter jasmine on a climber, lots of Christmas rose / white flowering hellebores. Plus some winter flowers that haven't given up the ghost yet like some spikes of periscaria orientalis cerise and pink and white fuscia. Even my tall campanulas started reflowering recently.

Some potatoes that I never got around to harvesting are going great guns - so I'm wondering if I need to move them inside as it's due to freeze at some point next week? I also need to check some onions which I also planted and forgot about it. Initially they didn't come up as it was too dry - and surprise- I don't consistently water. But then they did all sprout a few months ago - and then I forgot them again... 

beanielou

Exciting times ahead for DS. Hope DD is ok. 

Merlin's_Beard

Exciting times for DS, I think this is definitely a time to prioritise those connections while they're easily in reach (although annoying that your creativity has decided that now is the time 😂)

savingholmes

Thanks Beanie and Merlin.

Just had a TopC payout of £63 towards carveries with DD. Always nice. A £44 item I'd given up on finally paid out which helped - the rest is mostly giftcard cashback on groceries. I need to update my money as I'm overspending in general compared with desired budget. I'm hoping things settle after Xmas although it's mostly art so I can't really blame that. I am making huge strides forward in my art - and refining the 4 pieces I started a week ago. If I can get to at least a collection of 6 - I am hoping I can launch prints on my social media and launch my website. I've videoed my process too so could be a multi-channel launch. I still need to edit my videos though.

Saw DD two days on the run at the end of last week and start of this. I think things are settling down for her. She's due to get a big pay rise soon and then should be in a better position to pay me back. Lent her £420 so far - with money towards a flat deposit and an owing bill to follow - probably another £1200.

Saw DS too and his partner. I stayed at my Mum's on the way down which was good. I took a car load of stuff home with me that now needs distributing to a sis and DD. DS is coming up this week to see his Dad's side of the family - and then I'll pick him up from there (an hour to an hour and half away and drive him home (several hours). I'll then help with flat clearing - including bringing more stuff back for DD and Sis. Ideally, I then need to get them to come and collect it. I may also return via my Mum's next weekend and help her put up Xmas stuff as it is her first year without my Dad and she's in her 80s. It will add at least an hour to my journey over all - but still easier than making a special trip from here which is typically 2-2.5 hours but has on bad days taken 3.5 hours. I may stay overnight - depending on how long I spend with DS and then my Mum.

I'm due to speak at conference soon which is daunting. First time I've done that since my 20s!! Hopefully it will all work out. Could be good for my career - and give me future consultancy options. You never know where things can lead. My Mum is still doing consultancy work in her 80s after being forced to retire at 65. Who knows what the future holds. 

All the extra travel will hammer my fuel budget - but I will be able to reclaim for the conference travel which may even things out. I got paid £125 expenses this month that I'd been owed since July which was a relief. I need to make sure my expenses don't go into a similar black hole. I won't get them until January as I'll have just missed the Dec pay run - however - I'm due my last increment in the salary band in December which should help a little. I'm hoping it will give me about £60-70 net extra a month. Although I'm worried about the nat budget and what that will do to my pension plans and take home pay.

savingholmes

Some photos of E Black's art from the gallery - in some ways it was confronting, in others releasing - as we face up to what is life, death, existence - and how to extract more meaning and purpose from our lives and our infinite connection with others and the universe.

While many of the forms seemed simplistic aka as 'I could do them' - I found that freeing - as it is a reminder to not let perfectionism hold me back as an artist. Plus that my voice is valid and I should allow it to be heard and 'seen'. In allowing myself to be seen - I give others permission to reveal their true selves too. Most of her art was shown on large scale material - possibly silk - with some sculptures thrown in. 





There were also animations. It was cool - and a lovely experience to share with my son. Neither of us are shown here. 

KajiKita

Thanks for sharing those photos. When I see my friend’s art I am always aware that she is still critiquing what she’s done, thinking should I just …. (do this or that to it). I think there is a distance between the art viewer and a piece or art that is very hard for the artist themselves to ‘get into’ iyswim (I’m not expressing myself very well here … 😉) so the original artist is always far too close to their own work and so doesn’t get the impact that a fresh viewer does. The viewer can’t see the ‘mechanics’ and the structure of the art that the artist can, the viewer gets an overall impression and can lose themselves in the emotional impact in a way the artist often can’t. 

In my long winded way, I’m trying to back up your instinct to give yourself permission and stop doubting quite so much 😊

You’ve mentioned the video editing several times now. Is this something you enjoy doing and have made a start on, or is it becoming a blocker? Would it be sensible to get someone else who you trust to do it for you? DS, DD, a contact from art group(s)? 

KK

beanielou

Hope all goes well with the travelling and the presentation.