Martin took this photo of our local postbox - I don't know what birds were nesting in there but I suppose it makes an ideal home for them. He also took this one of the cygnets which are now rather large, but I like the swan family image:
The garden looks glorious but I haven’t taken any more pictures as today is wet and cold and I’ve been holed up with Open Studio.
It was quite a success. I had about 25 visitors and sold 5 paintings. I suppose you have to get used to things going but I was sorry to see one of my favourite little green oils go and some of my watercolour eggs:
It was rewarding to get so much appreciation from people even if they did’t actually buy anything. I had lots of positive comments about my use of colour in particular. So now I think I can claim to be an artist!
I was reading about imposter syndrome yesterday; I wonder if it’s even more common amongst artists especially as very few actually make a living from it. Apparently imposter syndrome affects lots of people in their work who are afraid of being 'found out' as not actually being any good. Perhaps it's because most workplaces are male dominated and work cultures develop around bloke-ish machismo which is all about posture and power rather than talent. I think I always had a sense of blagging my way through too.
Although I keep being reminded of Van Gogh who never sold a painting of course. I can hear myself saying ‘well I do a bit of painting’ rather than stating that ‘I’m an artist’. Enough, I am an artist!
There never seems enough time for everything; I'd like to do some drawing but spend all my time painting so I'll have to make time.
I like these sculptures and the line drawings of these flowers by an American sculptor Ruth Asawa:
Nothing very exciting happening this week apart from the dentist. I am going to think about making a website for my painting (or I may actually make one). It feels a bit of an anti-climax as Open Studios was a sort of landmark in the diary for ages. I had also been rather low key about promoting it as I thought I might get whisked off to Papworth and not be able to do it. So I guess that’s another disappointment of sorts. That simultaneous wanting the transplant but also relief that I don’t have to go through it quite yet.
I would like to now look forward to the rest of the summer but it is so grey and cold it’s not like summer at all. I remember last year we moved in May and had a straight run of sun for months.
I’ve put some dahlias in which I’m really looking forward to; they are all pinks and creams. That won’t be this week though as I don’t think they’ll flower until August.
I’m off to the art group this afternoon to do some more watercolours. I don’t know why I feel that painting more eggs is futilel! I really enjoy painting them but think that I need to be more creative. I have done some more abstract ones; I’ll leave you with this blue one:
