Bits and Bobs...

http://vimeo.com/79179138
enjoyed this clip...inspiring...been a busy week with meetings, exhibitions and working to produce stock....
Off to the Gallery this morning to restock sales area and add more work in the run up to xmas....
One commission this week plus work sold , all helps and some solid networking for the future...

The last few weeks have had me pondering volume verse fewer works with more time spent on them...not sure of the answer, as works taking weeks to complete have often stood for a year before being sold, and daily works sometimes move in 2 weeks and less?? Also subject matter seems complete pot luck..I see no thread in theme or genre...but just random sells . with no link to theme...so painting only one genre not the answer to regular sales as I have sold abstract through to very commercial xmas themes...and then trees? So not decided on only following one type or strain of depiction...will have to ponder this further..next week I will start with seascapes again, as my stocks in this area are low...

Staincliffe...a few sold..Gallery Sales.

Sold one medium size painting last night and some smaller Snowy Landscapes. And one of my tree paintings at the main Gallery. Also one new commission lined up.

Recognition by SAATCHI GALLERY, LONDON.

Had a great email telling me that I had a piece selected for the Pop Art Collection at SAATCHI. Very pleased, some recognition for all the long hours I've put in over the last few months...which is more than I can say about 10 years given to education , with no recognition or appreciation ...hmmm...wish I had seen the reality of being in an' invisible occupation' earlier...

Anyway really happy...I've added the screenshot below.

The Demons Return...

Had great news re sales news yesterday, 12 works sold in a day, which is an all time record for me...and that includes one man exhibitions over the years...so something must be coming right in pricing and volume...but still woke up at 4am with dark thoughts and nightmares concerning the last few months in the transition from teacher to a being a full time artist...certain people close to me have given me their full support while others, have been negative and sceptical..a pity when I'm working so hard to make this work...
I still am irritated that the smallest action by one situation, a one sided action, turned my life inside out and cost me so much time and stress, has not or will never be resolved...yes, I'm free of a dark situation and away from those who sought to control my life, but fighting a large organisation with hidden agendas has left me very dubious of teaching and the power players at the top of that food chain. Mental scarring I can now fully relate to , much like shell shock suffered by soldiers in conflict, it never goes away, but returns in waves of anxiety and self doubt , when least expected.

Would I ever want to work for someone else again, probably not, as have now realised I need to trust in myself and my own skills to take my career forward , without the meddling of others who hold to ransom one's labour over a salary that we as worker drones simply comply with as we believe we have no other option due to that awful thing called financial obligation....bills and like keep most of us in situations that no matter how bad and often degrading, we simply accept...believing there to be no other option for our lives..

Life is too short to challenge bad management and corrupt systems of employment, it is now in my opinion better to walk away and be the master of one's own fate and destiny...

Sure the smallest unknowns can ruin a life in minutes..but I guess one can never predict the actions of others, when they have planned a negative outcome without your knowledge...I guess I was ambushed and just never saw it coming...life can do this to us, the unexpected and sudden attack on one's security I must confess has been very draining emotionally , and still haunts me , at times like now at 4am in the morning...and that is the outcome of being ambushed and attacked....you are left alone to fight inner thoughts and dark demons....

For me, I have to remain focussed and try to forget the last 10 years as if they never existed, as there are too many demons embedded into my time given to helping others with nothing received....my time given to educating others has been challenging, draining and stressful, something which teaching should never be..

The hours in preparing lessons, marking and trying to 'perform' some magical act to convince others you are doing a great job are over for me...it's a stage show at most and means nothing when the audience has been non-receptive...sitting in the Gallery I watch my new audience look and discuss my art...never a negative comment, never a swear word uttered...the work I produce is appreciated , the time understood, and the labour carries a value....that is never up for debate....what a change after months of haggling over what my life is 'worth' , as a value....in pounds....hmmm, definite food for thought...

Now I just need to get back to sleep....that problem still needs to be resolved...somehow.

New Work Today.

32/28. £300.00.

Past and Thanks...

Just bumped into a lovely comment on a site for past pupils and staff of Oakhill, a fabulous school that I started my teaching career...how wonderful to see an appreciative student give praise to her time and tuition...(thankyou) makes me think at least the first 4 years were at least appreciated..can't say the last 10 were as wonderful....hmmm , must have been an enormous generation shift...and I got lost in the 'system' somehow...

Still Life Today...

Worked 10 hours today , painting still life compositions for the Witham Gallery in January. So three more wet paintings to find drying space for...

Press Release....recent newspaper article on my art...

New Work...

Back re-visiting seascapes again,,,rather pleased with the one on the easel..`have two other works in stages of progress ..sold one painting last week which gets shipped to a company collection. Small steps...have an exhibition at the Staincliffe Hotel on the 28th November. This week will see a focus on marinescapes and some still life genre.

                                          Sold...above. work below in progress.

Thoughts and things...Time will tell......

I have worked on floral designs and depictions this week, one more sale has been encouraging too. I can see the benefit of having online art for sale in a virtual gallery and real time work in a gallery for live viewing. January will see my work placed in another gallery in the North East, so two live galleries should help my sales further.I have created a range of work now , with prices to suit all budgets. I have noticed that keep work at £50 and lower , works move, so have created work for that market too. Means a little mass production and speed work, but that is a far better option than returning to teaching.....
Still reflecting a lot on the past 4 years , all the good times, all the bad , achievements and recognition....kind of puts things into perspective....I still marvel how one persons actions can set off a change of events that become magnanimous in outcome.....so much has changed in four years....I also realise how easy it is too be consumed by the wants of others in a role , merely for the sake of power play....and being dependant on a monthly wage...it is so sad that we as human beings set so much against the monthly wage....and compromise ourselves and our values just for security...sad but so true..being alone now in my own world...I marvel at how much I can do in a day art wise, without trying to just fit it in between marking and planning....or working during a holiday...at least full time now I can work in 8-9 hour runs of work without interruption.

I am certainly grateful for the time I have had to date working on building my portfolio and developing my art sales into a proper business model that actually pays all the bills...as someone once said to me...time will tell !!! I guess time has allowed me to move forwards, thankyou my dear friend !!

Ticking Time....

It has taken all of 7 months to realise that it is no good to simply ''do something'' because it is a job...its a waste of one,s time and life too...but so easy to do something that simply pays a wage...and then get trapped in that position...but sometimes we follow the easy route and simply just ...do the job because it is safe and secure...and there are those ever present financial obligations etc..most of us have them...

...however just having the time to be me again and to do/create what I enjoy....has been a blessing in the pursuit of balance and control. Control was taken away when I joined a large organisation some 11 years ago...and its only now that I have been able to throw off those chains of ''restriction and compromise'' , and take control of my own time again...at least I have now an 'appreciation' of what I achieve now...not simply being perceived as a pawn in a giant chess game that I had no control/influence of, but was merely a piece to be pushed in multiple directions without consultation...

Others were always playing games with my life, believing they somehow where superior in apparently knowing what was right or best , without even discussing topics/situations with me....that now has been wiped away...and as a result of that process...and having time to reflect on how people meddled with my career over the last 12 years , has brought me to the conclusion that I don't ever want to be a pawn again..
being free has allowed me to re focus on what is important to me and has allowed me to choose my own path....being away from those negative forces that sought to make my life difficult for their own pleasure....is a further blessing and makes me loathe to ever want to work for a large organisation again...self employed is perhaps the only logical path to follow...I guess I am just wary now of the ''gift bearers'' who had knives hidden behind presents!!!

This week will see me forge ahead with floral work, in the run up to Xmas...hope sales go well...love art , love life...freedom is good too.
https://www.artgallery.co.uk/work/130529

New Week

Have reshuffled my display at the Gallery, added some semi-commercial Xmas work , to offer a broader price range, to cater for all budgets.

Will be building work for the exhibition at the Staincliffe, over the next two weeks. Sold a small work yesterday...a sale is a sale...so that is a good start to the week...work in progress below...

As ''Time'' goes by...

THE LAST FEW DAYS HAVE REALLY MADE NE LOOK CAREFULLY AT WHAT IS IMPORTANT TO ME ....Art is where I want to be and working on new creative projects and ideas, is for me, extremely important and keeps me motivated moving forward, also being away from outside controlling forces, that push and pull me away from what is important to me career wise, is something I want to avoid at all costs. I guess I'll have to increase my work rate even further to stay away from negative influences  , that could pull me back into the world of ''sheepdom'', just working for a cheque, with no real intellectual reward or stimulation...did that for too long, wasted too many years just working to pay bills....can't go back down that road...have to make art sell and really need to  expand network faster and more effectively...its like a race right now..in my head I have a cut off date and have to be realistic about the income side of things...the last few months have allowed me to be who I want to be and what I'm most interested in pursuing as a career. Now its the time to pull all the hours of work together and generate some new sales in the run up to Xmas. I enjoy my own work space and controlling my own life, returning to work for something else or someone else would be contrary to all the sacrifice over the last few months...here is hoping to good sales over the next few months.
Links to new work are : https://www.artgallery.co.uk/work/130538
                                     https://www.artgallery.co.uk/work/

Negative Energy keeps me awake...

Woke up early this morning as could not sleep, so it seemed pointless staying in bed staring at the ceiling...I always wonder at the power of thought to redress issues that play upon our inner conciousness. Its thoughts pertaining to the last few months that keep coming back and getting me riled at 1am , 3am etc...

'A moss that gathers nothing, a bird singing a gib and a cold wind from the east....' funny , I wonder if those elements know what it is like to have a life disjointed and turned on its head....the fallout has been costly in terms of balance in my life , and walking down the art route now , constantly reinforces my belief in following a career now that is best for one as an individual, and not just pandering to what pays the most....also being free from the sheep syndrome of having to follow directives by default, because of being employed and following the party line creates less 'conflict'....nothing worse in life to have to work under the yoke of poor management that thinks 'its' power is absolute....power corrupts, absolute power corrupts completely.Seen it, been there, witnessed it first hand...

Can say one thing for certain, being free of elements that seek to repress or control, has been a blessing pover the last few months, it has allowed me to focus on what I want to do, what I want to avoid and how I wish to spend my life doing what I want to do and knot pandering to some else's ego...met too many of those over the last few years...art has been a great levelling tool of late...its allowed me just time to focus and think what I want from life and a career...I have moved away from the idea of simply joining a line of sheep and turning me life into a series of repetitive cycles just doing the same thing, over and over again...also tired of being judged ...as some sort of mark of ability....especially by those who just play the power game...

Being free from that now makes me realise how negative a process is employed and how subjective observations are...if you are a marked for extermination, the powers that be will make it near impossible to pass those so called tests of ones ability to do a dance....you can dance the jig of a life time, but if the
audience is disinterested, your efforts will go in vain...and the judge will castigate you...for their lack of involvement....something not right in that outcome...

We watch a film, and are there because we are interested in the story line , the genre etc, but its a choice nevertheless, yet in a classroom one is expected to find a totally engaged audience in what essentially is a show, attended without free will ...so of course there will be a level of disengagement..how can an individual be judged on others engagement to a topic? Something not right in that....I suppose education is moving down a very treacherous road with systems employed internally that are so subjective as to make the outcomes geared to favouritism and nepotism ......and certainly swing in favour of the latter...especially if you are in the circle.....artists by their nature on generally not in the circle, because they question....and one should never question in a system that is power absolute...however power absolute is not permanent... it allows sheep mentality to prevail , for a while, but then like Libya, the sheep get restless eventually...and the rest becomes is history...Gadaffi was power absolute, but we know today how redress was eventually achieved...and balance restored .

Time is a great healer they say, but I know that negative events that litter my life come back periodically to haunt my inner self and play upon my mind, normally twisting my thought pattern , just like it is happening all over again, making the past somehow feel its here and now...but in fact its old unresolved issues that return to dance and prod me..almost mocking...I hate those flashbacks...they create too much negativity in my mind..I think today I will walk on the beach, paint like there is no tomorrow and try and bury that jester that is keeping me from my sleep...rambling over and back to reality.....got to try shake the demons...some work from yesterday...