I worked with the studio doors open for the first time today…..with just the screen mesh door between me and the welcome warmer winds…. and the thrush has returned to her nest above the door and laid her first egg.
This winter has been long and the wood stove in the corner though cosy most days, wasn’t hot enough to prevent the flooding… Luckily all my water colour papers and rolls of canvas were hoisted high enough up off of my studio floor to stay dry. The de-humidifier has earned its keep and played a great role in drying my paintings too. So the air flow through is especially welcome as I have recently returned to oil painting after over a year of working with acrylics. I had forgotten how buttery and luminous oils are working a la prima. Covid I know was so awful for most people but for me the past two years of being quieter and less social has been gorgeous. Playing, exploring and experimenting. Zoom calls across the globe with other artists I never would have met if not of the explosion of online communications that have replaced the face to face. I have discovered Disrupted realism which suits me so well being somewhat uncomfortable sitting in representational realism or abstract genres. I’m excited with what is coming, what is warming in my art practice right now.