I was caught looking through a book at images of earth patterns and was accused of being a geek, well! I didnt think that the title was appropriate to me and said so. However on reflection I gues I am, when I consider that I have been looking into and researching the same topic for the last 3-4 years. It all began when I was at Sunderland studying for my MA and became interested in colour in relation to landscape and became interested in our emotional responce to nature and colour for example a sunset. This gradually became an interest in such stuff as fibonatti and his mathematical codes in nature, this led to universal patterns within natural forms, and then onto patterns of the earth when created by formation such as erosion, impact, eruption, and so on, so I suppose that I am obsessed. I cant help but be facinated by the sometimes amazing shapes that are formed, over such vast distances, like a mountain range for instance, and through the eyes of modern technology like satellites we get a chance to view these earthscapes from a view point never possible a few years ago. How amazing, and of course good reason for obsession, no apologies given for being A GEEK

Back to work after a long summer lay off, and it began with cleaning out my studio and getting it ready for work again, hoovered, and  scrubbed down. I tend to start off tidy, and then as the creative juices start to flow it gradually decends into a jumble of tools, equipment, notes, and work in various stages of completion, depending of course on process. Very quickly every surface becomes loaded and various pieces of work precariously stacked, whilst drying, or setting. I have intensely enjoyable periods of creative roduction, followed by harrowing periods of paperwork. I know I havesuch a period well overdue and I would rather clean the bowels of hell, but unfortunately I have no such option at present. However, this week I am going to be good to myself, and have a paperwork week free.

I have been organising publicity/promo literature and bumf, for myself for a coming art show,which I have to say does concentrate the mind, what images do I want, what do I want to say, how do I want to portray myself and my work. Good questions? They are a necessary evil, another job to be done that isnt doing your work. This is a task where a dual personality is a definate bonus, one that looks from a business point of view and the other looks from an easthetic viewpoint. When gathering together this material a few calculated judgements have to be made, for example, a leaflet with images, with titles, prices? , and/or do I need to put an artists ‘statement’? The latter is a bone of contention with many “creative’s”, some like to have one with their work, whereas others absolutely hate them with a passion. I suppose I stand in the middle on this one, as I really loathe some of the really pretensious drivel that some people write, but sometimes find a few well chosen words can give an in, to some possibly complex works. I digress, I must continue with my own beautifully formed drive, so that I can get back in my shed!!! sorry, I meant studio, of course.

sorry no blog, all extra time dedicated to travel, not boring,  and other stuff too boring to mention. This week in the studio,painting panels. I just love the way that colour alters our interpretations. For example, wave forms in the hue of earth tones, the mind automatically assumes sand dunes, same wave form with blue or oceanic tones then we see sea. Colour also stimulates emotional responces, most people have favourite colours , and people decorate their homes in hues to promote feelings such as blue/violet for a peaceful, calm ambiance. Colour is a very powerful code used in nature as warnings, but can also be used to conceal.

I was having a conversation with a colleague about creativity and the creative process, about how there can be a long gestation period before ideas come to fruition, and in some cases it seem to be a time when nothing happens. A lot of creatives call this “the blank page”, I sometimes feel it as a brick wall, because when it breaks down, it really feels like a breakthrough. I am lucky enough to be working through a period of breakthrough, and work, and concepts seems to flow freely and easily. That is not to say that everything else to do with work goes the same way, admin etc etc. Depending on the field in which you work, eg, visual arts, music, film, it occurs to me that the creative process is pretty similar, just different outcomes, but, is it the same for both sexes?Hmmmmmmmmmm I suppose that one thing nearly all people working within the arts have in common is usually being alone whilst working, and thats probably on the whole a good thing given the artistic temperament

The panels I have been working on are appro 4′ X 3′, and so are quite unwieldy to move around, especially when finished, as the layers of gesso add a substantial amount to the overall weight. This is especially apparent when moving them around as I did today delivering to the Usher gallery. Also obviously they take up a lot of wall space, which I would imagine dosnt make me very popular when space is in short supply as at a group exhibition, however I dont think anyone chooses the size of their work it is the subject matter that dictates. Oh how I wish at these times that I was a water colourist.

I am back at work with all heaters blasting away.I have just delighted my local diy store by buying copious amounts of varnish and primers and other necessary materials, woops there goes my bank balance again.I have 4 more panels to prep and then I can get started once more. My sphere’s are still experimental, and I want to push the prototypes as far as I can, I cant see them being ready for exhibition for quite a long time.I will take some photos and probably post some of them as they emerge from their embrionic stages. They vary in size, the smallest is tennis ball size and the largest so far large gym ball size. The largest size brings problems of management and weight.Interesting times!

I had a great xmas, but now its back to work. I am checking all my panels, making sure they all are finished, varnished, and labled ready for exhibiting. It is quite a quandry putting a title to a piece of work, and each one could have any number of titles,  I am fairly positive that I err on the side of boring but safe, I have a mind to rename them, although some would say “a rose by any other name…….” I have some new panels I want to start, but before I can begin comes the mind numbing prep, sanding, priming, batoning etc, however I can put on some very loud music and stomp around whilst going through the motions.

sometimes you just have to stand back to get the long view, (strange I should feel like that considering that my work is about exactly that) and I feel that that is where I am at present with my current work. Ive been so up close and personal that I feel I cant see it, so with advice from my earstwhile colleague it goes in the naughty corner until such time that I feel freed from my current proximity. I know that yuletide is upon us, and I am so looking forward to seeing much more of family and friends, however it does mean disruption to usual workflow, but maybe that is what all this is about, so hey nonny no, deck the halls etc……..

So, it is art on the map this coming weekend, and that of necessity means clean up the studio, grrrrrrrrrrrrrrr. Whilst in the midst of work my studio is generally a chaotic mess, as it is at the moment. I have buckets, and jugs that have been used as recepticalls for all manner of things, plaster, sand, water, gesso, paper,et al. and my bench is a litter of paint tubes metal flakes, vinegar, and various instruments brushes and sticks. However I will grit my teeth and try to bring some sort of order into my chaos. To most people it would just like a mess, but to me it is creative bliss. How am I getting on with my sphere’s?, well all I can say at present is that is 2as to pear through a glass darkly”. More than that I cannot say, nor even if this work will see the light of day.