This was the last week of the summer holidays, and I spent it riddled with Covid. What a nasty, pernicious virus. It was my first time getting it and I had a miserable time. Although I am still testing positive, I am almost back to normal, and last night I was able to sleep properly for the first time since I got it. Of course, just because I had Covid, I didn’t stop painting. It was pretty slow going, mostly just building upon what I did last week, in terms of figuring out the kind of detailing I want to use etc.
I’d like to say that I am faithfully nursing him back to health, but when he tested positive, I fled his house lickety-split and came back to the virus-free salt-air of Anam Cara. I did manage to buy him some Vicks VapoRub before fleeing, so I didn’t totally abandon my fiancée duties.
So now I am hold-up in the studio, waiting to see if I too have the dreaded lurgy. I did wake up with a sniffle this morning, but that might have been due to getting caught in a storm last night while romping around the Ayres. It was all fun and games on the way up there, with a tail wind and all, but I got battered on the way back, and was drenched by the time I got home.
Before my fella went to Seattle, we had the great pleasure of filming Hampton Creer for the Ann documentary. Hampton wrote the book “Never to Return”, about the Manx involvement in the penal Transportation system, which is where I first came across Ann’s story. It was wonderful to see him again, and listen to all his stories. He is so knowledgeable, not just about Transportation, but about Manx history in general. I could listen to him for hours.
I am pleased to say, I finally have a name for the Ann painting, Anileis – which is a Greek word meaning merciless. Not only is it very fitting in its meaning, it is also a beautiful sounding word, and when you say it, it sounds like the words Annie + lace together, which makes it the perfect title for the painting.
Here is a write-up about Anileis, that explains what the painting is about.
While I’ve been hold-up at Anam Cara, waiting to see if I too get Covid, I have been having a wonderful, undisturbed time painting away and enjoying my new satellite internet. What a difference it makes! Instead of waiting an hour or so for things to upload, it happens in an instant. This should definitely make my second year at art school easier.
Speaking of which, my second year starts in one week. I am looking forward to seeing everyone again, but am slightly terrified with how quickly the first year flew by and how much work I have yet to do on my research project. I have pretty much figured out what direction I am going in, which I did while on my long walks to the Point of Ayre this summer. It’s a wild, visually stunning landscape, which makes it perfect for thinking through creative projects.
I am not quite ready to share exactly what I have in mind, but here are a couple of the experiments I did this week for one of the paintings. One thing I have noticed since retuning to painting after drawing all summer, is how much my drawing has improved.
Well, it appears I didn’t flee my fella’s house soon enough, as I too have tested positive for Covid. Luckily, I haven’t got the nobody’s-ever-been-this-sick-and-lived man variety like my fella, just mild lady-Covid. Still, it’s early days, so I shouldn’t be too smug. One good thing is, I can now hang out with my fella, us both being diseased and all, that’s if he is able to prize himself out of his sick bed.
I am really starting to consolidate my thinking for my research project. After next week, I will start writing posts specifically about that. The project will be my main focus going forward. I am really excited about it, and am finding it very engaging. In the meantime, here are the painting experiments I did this week, again just trying different things and beginning to think about the elements I want in my project paintings.
This was my last week of the Anam Cara School of Drawing. To wrap up the experience, I drew a series of illustrations I’ve called “Lane & Mabel”. I think they are adorable, especially wee Mabel, and if I was going to pursue illustration, I think this is the direction I would go in. For now, though, I want to use my drawing for the paintings I have in mind for my CSM research project. I realise I am limited in my abilities and am by no means an excellent drawer. But I have learnt a lot in the past 3 months, and am nearing proficiency in some aspects of drawing, which I hope, when paired with my other artistic skills, will result in some effective paintings. Three wonderful things came out of my self-imposed drawing school.
An increase in my drawing skills.
The realisation that when it comes to drawing, the learning never stops.
This was my last week of the Anam Cara School of Drawing. To wrap up the experience, I drew a series of illustrations I’ve called “Lane & Mabel”. I think they are utterly adorable, especially wee Mabel, and if I was going to pursue illustration, I think this is the direction I would go in. For now, though, I want to use my drawing for the paintings I have in mind for my CSM research project. I realise I am limited in my abilities and am by no means an excellent drawer. But I have learnt a lot in the past 3 months, and am nearing proficiency in some aspects of drawing, which I hope, when paired with my other artistic skills, will result in some effective paintings. Three wonderful things came out of my self-imposed drawing school.
An increase in my drawing skills.
The realisation that when it comes to drawing, the learning never stops.
I had another week of drawing cats with hands, and now I am thoroughly sick of them. I don’t think I’ll be drawing any more in this style. However, drawing them has been invaluable, and has taught me a lot, and helped me develop my own style. What has been most surprising is the enjoyment I get from illustration.
Anyway, here are my last offering of this style of cats (I actually drew heaps more, but this six have taken me 1/2hour to upload because the internet out here is completely rubbish – more so than usual – so this six will have to do).
Another thing I worked on was a collage, which I have submitted for an exhibtion open-call. It is based on one i did some time ago called Ellan Vannin. I had the presence of mind at the time to scan the individual sections, which I was able to print, recut, and reassemble. This has allowed me not only to make it bigger, but also make it in such a way that it can be suspended away from the wall. I am really pleased with the results so far, and will continue to tweak it over the coming weeks. Again, I have more photos, but can’t upload them, so one will have to do.
Last week I had a driving lesson with my fella’s Pa, Mick. I actually got my licence when I was 18, back home in New Zealand, but made the monumentally stupid, inconvenient, and very expensive mistake of not getting it changed to a Manx licence within the first year of moving here, so I have to sit it again. Before my fella came along, I wandered the streets with my trusty, old-lady shopping trolley, and thought I’d shuffle around like that till I eventually shuffled off. But taking up with my fella altered the trajectory of my life (which looked set to include said trolley and several cats) and inspired me to big-pant-up and get my licence.
Before having lessons with Mick, my fella would take me driving. It soon became apparent however, that he was unable to iron out my bad habits, one of which was not listening to him, and the second, gesticulating at errant drivers. There was only one thing for it, he’d have to bring in the big gun, his Pa. So it was, I set off with Mick for the big smoke, under strict instructions to do what I was told, and keep my hands on the steering wheel when other drivers failed to abide by the road rules (which of course are fresh in my mind having recently passed my theory test), or, if I really couldn’t help myself, I could wave.
Mick and I had a great time. He kept me entertained with plant-hire and traffic-management stories, and I managed not to kill us. Most of the lesson went well, except for the tricks (i.e., reverse parking and emergency stop, both of which I messed up), and we were nearing the end of proceedings, when suddenly, the steering wheel seized as we were going around a roundabout. Technically the power-steering switched off, but it was such a marked difference I thought it had seized. Anyway, long story short, the car broke down and we had to be towed back to Ramsey. It was great fun riding in the big tow truck, and all in all it turned out to be the best driving lesson I have ever had.
The week in the studio was productive as usual, with lots of cats (including some naughty ones), which I am now thoroughly sick of drawing. I am going to be winding up my drawing school over the next few weeks, ready for my return to painting and resumption of my course in October. It’s been invaluable to take this time out of my usual studio activities, and I am excited to see what improving my drawing skills will bring to my painting.
Another thing I worked on was a collage. It is based on one I did some time ago called Ellan Vannin. I had the presence of mind at the time to scan the individual sections, which I was able to print, recut, and reassemble. This has allowed me not only to make it bigger, but also make it in such a way that it can be suspended away from the wall. I am really pleased with the results so far, and will continue to tweak it over the coming weeks.
I have more photos of the the results, but my internet is so painfully slow, one will have to do.
This week was all about birds. I love hybrid animal/people, and I like using them in my paintings. So I thought I’d add bird heads to the figures I’ve been drawing. I really enjoyed drawing/painting them. Birds are wonderful creatures, and come in a vast variety. I really like the results and think they make great stand alone illustrations.
My fella has exceptional taste. Although my brother would argue this does not include women, it is most certainly true when it comes to jewellery. So much so, that when he popped the question last week, while proffering a bedazzling spectacle in a little grey box, instead of answering the question, I replied with a wide-eyed gasp “Is that for me?!”
So it is that me and my true love are now engaged, and I am the proud wearer of an exquisite sapphire and diamond ring that is like toting around the sea and stars on my finger. To be honest, he could’ve given me a ring made out of a pewter spoon (as his will likely be if I don’t start selling my paintings to someone other than him), because he is the smartest, funniest, kindest man I ever did meet. Plus, he knows all my secrets, so I better keep him close.
The past two weeks in the studio have been very productive. I am still attending my self-imposed drawing school, and am turning out illustrations by the many 10s. My favourite thing to draw are people I know (mostly my fella and my mum and dad). I like the naturalness of the poses and capturing little moments.
They aren’t portraits as such, and don’t always look like the person I am drawing. This is especially true when I began drawing them with bird heads. I really like the results and had a lot of fun drawing them.
Next weekend I have a Open Studio here at Anam Cara as part of the Isle of Man Art Festival. I’ll be showing old work and new, including the large Ann painting. I am really looking forward to it, especially spending time with the folk that venture all this way out in the woop woops. There’ll be cups of tea and my fella’s scones for those who make the trek.
I feel like I went round in circles this week, and although I got a few good drawings out of it, I seem to have lost the thread of the of what I’m aiming for, especially how the drawings I am doing relate to the paintings I have in mind.
One of the things I focused on this week was drawing things in the back/foreground of my figures. Although I am not that keen on the drawings I produced when practicing this, it is still a good skill to hone.
I also drew a few contraptions. The Heath Robinson book arrived, but I didn’t find it as inspiring as I thought I would. I then tried some steampunk-type mechanics, but this too isn’t quite right for the paintings I have in mind. What I am after is water falling through different levels, rather than contraptions per se, so I’ll keep experimenting.
The drawings I really like, and enjoying doing the most, are little character studies of my friends and family. These are maybe something I can develop further down the road, as works in their own right. For now, I feel it’s important to not get too side-tracked by this type of drawing, as it’s somewhat of a departure from the figures I have in mind for the paintings. Still, all drawing is helpful, so I might keep doing these now and then.
bexODESSA 