Tuesday, July 28, 2009

A fab invitation!

I have been invited to participate in a group exhibition in 2011 (sounds sooo far away!) at a very serious art institute. I am almost speechless, and very thrilled, if not a bit nervous. I have plenty of time to consider the proposal, collect my thoughts and prepare the work. It is a huge honour, and I just wanted to share the news!

Wednesday, July 22, 2009

A post for nSm!

Dearest nSm,

A posting as requested! I suspect you may be the only person who reads my blog anyway, so here is all the goss!

I would like to say I have been too busy with an exciting life and a million great dates, but mostly not! I have had a stream of visitors from out of town who request the spare bed. The only male who's even seen my bed lately is the cat.

The teenager is alive and well, and having a great time. Life has not entirely relaxed at this end however as there are still frequent texts and calls for help with anything from posting excess luggage back home, to finding train tickets... The house is a LOT tidier, and it feels very grown-up!

Oddly, the ex has been very sweet lately and makes a point of ringing daily to make sure I am ok. We have caught up over a couple of meals, including one at an old favourite, where they were so happy to see us together they were practically arranging our second mariage! Probably wouldn't go down well with his girlfriend, especially as they know her as well! Anyway, I have NO desire to go there again.

I have had a steady trickle of enquiries about my work since the show finished, a couple of commissions and a few more potential sales, with several people coming to the studio shortly. It all helps, I'm keen to go to Italy to see the Biennale. I have just heard that my work from the last prize I was short-listed for was voted 'viewers' choice', and there is a bit more magazine coverage coming up, which is great.

I have been procrastinating over my thesis, but have made it a mission to write for at least two hours a day now. Ha, so here I am procrastinating again! I justify it as a coffee break.

I have a 'blind date' of sorts this evening! Friends have someone they think might fit the bill, so they're bringing him to the studio under the pretext of seeing my work, then we are all going out for dinner. Awkward! I have no idea what to wear. Thank God the teenager is not here! You know the routine, 'you're not wearing THAT are you', sort of advice.

I hear occasionally from the psychiatrist who enjoys me paying for dinner, but he is wrapped up in finalising his divorce, and I just don't know about whether he's worth continuing with or not. There is a bit of financial clarification required there, I think!

On another front, and feeling brazen, I dropped in to see the old Potential Boyfriend. As usual he was really happy to see me, is going away for a week, but suggested we get together when he gets back. It is soooo frustrating as we still seem to connect, and have so much in common. Maybe he is in a better place now, as he was still recovering from his divorce when we last saw each other. What is with all these men?

So there you go - how are the renovations going? I did laugh at your recent supermarket experience, but I'm afraid I can top it. I was at a very cool bakery the other morning, and standing behind me, waiting to pay, were several extremely hot (fit!) men. I reached into my bag to pull out my wallet and the clippers bit that the 'waxologist' (sort of gardening!) makes you keep with you came flying out of my bag, hit the floor, flew out of it's little bag and landed at the feet of one of the men behind. Possibly the most handsome of all of them. I went scarlet, and can't remember if I even paid I was in such a hurry to get out of there!

I will respond to your tag (thank you!) soon!

X Sunday

Sunday, July 12, 2009

Show over

The exhibition went reasonably well given the current state of the economy, I suspect my dealer was slightly surprised as I don't think she was that sure about the work. It wasn't a sell-out as in past years, but it will keep the bailiffs away for a few months at least! The opening was well attended, despite the teenager and I still coughing and wheezing in a very unsociable and unglamorous way - incredibly very bad timing to be sick!

Through being reviewed on another blog, the new work has attracted a lot of interest with interior designers who were previously unaware of my work, and there has been some great flow-on from there, which may well lead to more sales.

So now back to an almost empty studio, and teenager-free home, and some serious knuckling down to the thesis.

A strange quietude

The teenager is alive and well, and loving travelling. Already regretting taking so many clothes - I did wonder how she would go with that as her case only just closed with my careful folding, and having been witness for years to her preference for the 'floordrobe' technique, I did wonder how she'd manage. Her solution? Less than a week into it and she is already posting clothes home.

I was surprised with how gutted I felt to say goodbye, after quietly counting the days until I could come home to a tidy house, less trips to the supermarket, and all those late night pick-up/drop-offs. It is quiet, and she leaves an enormous hole, but she does email and text regularly, and I am happy for her. I have stayed incredibly busy, and suspect it hasn't fully sunk in yet, but I am enjoying the tidier house, and look forward to having a bit more time for myself - and maybe even a bit of a love-life again!

Wednesday, July 8, 2009

On letting go

A short time ago I watched my daughter's plane take off. She is off on a big adventure, away maybe for up to five months, and I am a mess. I keep thinking about nineteen years ago, to the day she was born, and I cannot believe we are here already.

A longer post when I am more collected.

Xx Sunday