A fresh start for 2023
It’s that time of year again when the long winter and short dark days thankfully begin to get brighter, and our thoughts turn towards what we want for our lives and our art. I have come to realise that rather than fighting to create in the low months of winter it is a better time to plan a fresh start for 2023.
I’ve had so many good ideas rolling around in my head lately that I decided to take the time this year to make some space, both physically and mentally, for realising these dreams and encouraging those creative promises to come true. I want to be able to make the most of the long summer days ahead, bringing with it that fabulous daylight which floods my Glasgow studio and makes a fabulous environment for making paintings. I also look forward to being able to invite actual live people into the space for some mentoring and mini-workshops, which I’ve been intending to organise for quite a while! I am naturally a bit of a hoarder (my excuse is that anything can be used for artistic inspiration…) and, until my recent early spring clean, there really hasn’t been enough space in my studio for me to work comfortably alone. let alone with other people. However, during the dark days of winter I have been busy.
The first thing I really wanted to do was to make physical space in my studio for the new work that is brewing in my soul. It was tough for me, as a self confessed hoarder of strange treasures, but I have been strong in my resolve and removed furniture and unused materials from the space. I even fixed my book shelves. Now everything has a place and there is more room for moving around and making a creative mess.
It feels so good to make a fresh start for 2023!
I also have a fine collection of my own paintings that I find highly inspirational to have around me. Although I obviously created all of my own pieces there are always a few that are, for whatever reason, especially pleasing for me. I like to keep those ones for a little while, having them in my house and studio and living with them for a while until I have managed to decipher what it is about them that makes them so special for me.
I have so enjoyed learning from every piece, but now, I feel it is time to release my vice-like grip on three them and let them fly away to new and happy homes, where they can be admired by fresh and appreciative eyes. Each week I will be adding a few of these pieces to my online sales gallery and you can view what is already on there.
Studio Sale
If you are local to Glasgow, you may be interested in my city studio sale which I am planning for late March/ early April. It will be a great way of picking up a larger statement piece for your collection. If you’d like to be guaranteed an invite then just sign up to my monthly newsletter on the website. It would be lovely to meet you!
Of course, if you live too far away, I am more than happy post artworks within the UK and Worldwide. I have sent artworks to my collectors in Europe, Switzerland, The USA and even as far as Australia.
ART2LIFE free painting workshop 2023
As well as Konmari-ing the studio, I’ll be joining the free Art2Life workshop which starts on February 13th for a bit of fun. I was lucky enough to do the full course in 2019 and found it to be an amazing experience. It encouraged me to take more risks and think of art making more of a process of play, rather than a finished project. This has led to me getting really excited about getting into the studio to experiment with images with complete gusto and freedom.
Sign up to the free Art2Life Painting Workshop here.
Although the course focuses mainly on abstract art, I found the principles of value, colour and design easy to apply to all aspects of my figurative work. It would be lovely to see what you learn as I think everyone takes something different away from the short but insightful lessons.