Anne Penman Sweet

Clarification

2010-12-01T12:59:00.000-08:00

Due to staff errors at the gallery, there has been some promotional material on various websites and in print that suggest I am currently showing new work in a solo (or two-person show) at the Architects Gallery, Teddington. This is not the case. The gallery presently has some older work of mine that I had agreed for them to show from time to time in mixed exhibitions. Apologies for any confusion this may have caused.

A great result

2010-10-06T02:33:00.000-07:00

A very relieved artist! The show is going well. So much is risked for a solo show like this - creatively, and of course financially, as earnings tend to plummet during the months and sometimes years of work and preparation. I'm almost faint with relief. Little time to rest however - the January London Art Fair is fast approaching and the new work will need to be ready.

Return to London

2010-09-28T23:19:00.000-07:00

Back in London! As fabulous and frustrating as always. Wonderful to see dear friends and much loved places. First visit to the gallery yesterday. Extraordinary to see the show finally come together - I've only seen the fragments until now, as the paintings were created and then sent off - after so long and so much (often embattled) work. The catalogue looks wonderful, and the hanging is very good I think in the somewhat awkward space. I am enormously relieved. And not a little exhausted. The opening is fast approaching, and I'm praying it all goes well. The next few days will be a study in hope and fear.

The Finish Line

2010-09-05T01:17:00.000-07:00

Buried in the studio these last few months completing work for the show. There are now 14 large-scale paintings in the U.K, and I will be taking the final two rolled up with me on the plane (hopefully dry!) in a couple of weeks' time. The studio is almost empty, and in truth so am I. Still a little way to go but the finish line is in sight.

Slow progress, beautiful weather

2010-05-17T14:43:00.000-07:00

The first six paintings for the solo show are leaving for London this week. Finally! They have all taken an enormous amount of work to bring to completion. Autumn here in the mountains has been extraordinary - endless days of clear skies and radiant colours - timeless perfection. The quality of timelessness has passed into the studio however, and has been experienced all too frequently as no movement in terms of progress. The gallery (Stephanie Hoppen) are in the early stages of preparing the catalogue, and the new paintings are underway, so I'm hoping 'progress' is now the order of the day. I feel very privileged to have Nicholas Usherwood - the well known and respected London writer/curator/critic contributing the introductory essay to the catalogue. I have admired and appreciated the sensitivity, authenticity, simplicity and depth with which he writes about art (a rarity!) for many years, and am thrilled to have his participation in the show.

London Art Fair

2010-01-13T16:31:00.000-08:00

The London Art Fair is now on in Islington. All the work arrived in time from Australia in spite of the holiday season (and my anxiety). Unfortunately all the frames have warped - possibly due to the extreme weather conditions in the U.K, and will have to be re-done (at my expense, unfortunately) after the show.

Here are a couple of links if interested:

http://www.londonartfair.co.uk/

http://www.contactmusic.com/photos.nsf/main/works_by_anne_penman_sweet_2709182

Galleries: Todays Picture Gallery

Pic caption: Works by Anne Penman Sweet. The 2010 London Art Fair - press view held at the Islington Design Centre.. London, England - 12.01.10

Two more

2010-01-04T02:14:00.001-08:00

Catching up

2009-12-03T15:41:00.000-08:00

Good to be back. Some health problems over the last few months (fine now), but still catching up. Have two new paintings ready for the London Art Fair in January (still two to complete), mostly painted in my pyjamas whenever I had enough energy. Still in discussion with the gallery in London re: the timing of the solo show next year. Have shown some work (and it sold!) at a super gallery here in the mountains. Very satisfying to participate in the local arts community. Christmas is looming - hope I'm not alone in being completely unprepared. Good wishes to all.

'Art London' - New work

2009-09-12T04:30:00.001-07:00

'Green Dragon' 100x210cm
'Sargasso Sea' 180x150cm

Flickr address

2009-09-07T17:23:00.000-07:00

I've just started uploading older works from the last ten years (some even earlier) onto Flickr. There are many threads and themes that I would like to return to at some point, especially some of the abstracts. Here's the address if you'd like to have a look.

http://www.flickr.com/people/anne_penman_sweet/

'The Great Circle'

2009-08-17T22:54:00.000-07:00

Beaux Art Bath have received the new work and are happy with it, which is great. The business of shipping work to the U.K from here is somewhat nerve wracking - by the time it finally arrives in the gallery (after three couriers, one plane ride from Australia, and studio time in London being framed) some two weeks (including a good few days with British Customs who have impounded every shipment so far) later, I have more or less given up hope. So far however every shipment has arrived safely and intact, in spite of the various delays.

I'm currently working towards the Art London Fair, and looking ahead to the solo show in May. I have a working title for the show which will again be based on the shipping industry : 'SUPERTANKERS: Beauty in the Beast'. I'm hoping to create a sense of the "Industrial Sublime" with this exhibition as well as bringing to light the enormous part these 'Beasts' play in our lives. Nearly 90% of all goods (including oil and gasses) are transported around the world by ship - literally the world would would stop without them, and yet most of us are barely aware of their existence. Their mysterious lives and their movements across 'The Great Circle Routes' of our planet continue to intrigue and inspire me.

New work and a new gallery

2009-07-26T19:48:00.000-07:00

The next twelve months are well and truly fully committed. Art London in October and the London Art Fair in January with Stephanie Hoppen Gallery, followed by a solo show in May 2010 (postponed from November this year to give me more time). I will soon be showing work with Beaux Art (Bath) as well - a gallery I have long admired, and who I'm really pleased to now be working with. I've just completed two new paintings for them, and am now starting on the series for Art London. Thankfully I can slip out of the studio and spend an hour or two in the mountain wilderness whenever I need to.

A Good Place

2009-06-15T21:36:00.000-07:00

Being up here in the mountains is everything and more than I'd hoped for. I feel I've finally landed after years of traveling and what seems like constant change and movement. Not a complaint, but it's great to be now standing still. These mountains are one of, if not the, oldest land masses in the world. And because they are so inaccessible they have (apart from a tiny populated strip running East to West) remained pristine, magical, magnificent, and hauntingly beautiful. They are of tremendous spiritual significance to the Aboriginal people and indeed there seems to be the constant presence of 'something' up here. It's now winter and very cold. The work seems to be flowing very easily (for now), and .. well here are some of them.

The Blue Mountains

2009-03-04T22:05:00.000-08:00

Another move soon, this time to the Blue Mountains, a World Heritage Area, wild and beautiful, and only two hours from Sydney. I'm thrilled. I'm finding more and more that what I'm attempting to do with my work is to try to create silence - peace, stillness and silence, regardless of the content of the painting. In Dr Angela Summerfield's (who kindly wrote the introduction to the catalogue of my last show) words "...the subject is not the subject of these works." That's exactly my experience. The subject (at the moment it's industrial freighters, tankers etc) is only a vehicle for the (hopefully) expression of silence. I remember reading some years ago Anish Kapoor talking about his attempt to create space with his sculptures. Not describe it, but actually create it. This morning on the way to the studio (I'm still in Sydney) I passed through a busy shopping area. A small quiet crowd had gathered and as I approached I heard the most beautiful music. Two Cherokee Indians were playing sacred music from their tradition. I stopped to listen, and I became aware that what struck me most was not the quality of the musicianship, or even the music itself, but the fact that they had actually created a field of silence and stillness in the midst of the mall. Quite an achievement. But I recognized it as something I am myself trying to create with my paintings. I guess that's why I'm so deeply pleased about this upcoming move to the mountains -it feels exactly right for what I'm trying to do.

Sea change

2009-01-02T13:53:00.000-08:00

It's been a long time! I'm writing this from the warm and sunny shores of beautiful Sydney where I'll be based for the time being. These last three months have been hectic to say the least. The show at Stephanie Hoppen Gallery - in spite of the difficult financial climate - thankfully went very well, and then it was off to Oz, a brief holiday and then a new studio and a new deadline for the London Art Fair in January (also with Stephanie Hoppen, Stand G9). Quite something to adjust to new materials (from a greatly reduced choice - London artists are so well supplied!), a new environment and the tricky logistics of transporting the work to the U.K without breaking the bank.

There's time now to start to really 'land' here. I want to use this time to develop new work without the pressures of the last few years' exhibition schedule. I don't know what direction the work will take - there's a sense of really not knowing what will come, but of needing space and time for it to emerge.

Meanwhile, here's a preview of the London Art Fair work, and very best wishes to all for the coming year.

2008-09-22T13:04:00.000-07:00

2008-09-22T13:02:00.000-07:00

Home Run

2008-09-22T12:46:00.000-07:00

Final leg of the preparation for the Stephanie Hoppen show 'Superstructures: moments of stillness'. The show opens on 18th October 12-4pm. www.stephaniehoppen.com. The catalogue looks fabulous and opens with an essay by Dr Angela Summerfield, art historian and critic.
Here are some of the latest works. Open studios this week! A big sale of all older work (paintings and drawings) at knockdown prices - mostly under £100. All details on www.axisweb.org/artist/annepenmansweet (events). All welcome to the PV Thursday 25th September 6-9pm.

One more!

2008-08-16T06:34:00.001-07:00

'The Quay' 130x200cm

New completed works

2008-08-11T11:21:00.000-07:00

New body of work forming

2008-07-24T03:53:00.000-07:00

Right in the midst of things at the moment. The studio is filling up with large partially finished paintings - tankers, industrial sites, railway sidings, oil rigs. Powerful images and seemingly quite harsh and brutal. I'm trying to depict the inherent beauty and majesty I see in them however, and am using a soft and at times almost pastel palette to convey the poetic nature of what I'm trying to depict. There's also a poignancy to these heavy industrial structures, which until recently have always seemed so powerful and durable, but which now, in the current oil climate, have a fragility and vulnerabilty to them. There's a deadline involved however, and I have to have a substantial body of work ready soon for the catalogue, and the show itself, 'Superstructures' will open October 18 at the Stephanie Hoppen Gallery in London. All systems go. Especially as our annual Open Studios takes place in September, and October is Art London month as well. No summer break this year, but a possible trip to Australia in November if all goes well.

One more

2008-07-15T01:50:00.000-07:00

New work - still in progress!

2008-07-09T12:37:00.000-07:00

Interlude

2008-06-17T05:52:00.000-07:00

The Northcote show has been beautifully hung and the catalogue looks great. I'm really pleased with the result. Such a huge amount of work is involved by both artist and gallery to bring these shows to fruition, and thankfully, the response so far has been very positive. I've been having a few days off to recover. The two large paintings for the Medici show are ready to go out this week and I know I need a bit of down time before really launching into the next show (the solo at Stephanie Hoppen Gallery in October). I have however done all the research and planning for the show and know pretty much what the content will be. It's not the time to start painting yet, but I'll slowly start preparing canvases, organising materials and so forth and at a certain moment it will be the right time and a headlong dive into a new body of work (with all the victories and defeats involved) will begin. But not just yet.

Work in progress

2008-05-04T12:32:00.000-07:00

So much happening! The Northcote show is delayed by three weeks (gallery re-schedule), but other deadlines are now urgent. Iona House and Medici summer shows are fast approaching and the solo show with Stephanie Hoppen Gallery in London has now been confirmed. This is a particularly interesting show for me to be planning - an exploration of industrial and man-made elements in the landscape. The image attached is a new work in progress, but there's so much more I want to do in this field and it's really wonderful to have a show to work towards and to focus on. Right now though it's time to make sure everything else is ready on time.

Industrial lanscape 120x150cm

2008-03-28T06:03:00.001-07:00

Stillness in the storm

2008-03-16T07:29:00.000-07:00

Pushing the limits of physical capability at the moment in order to have all the work ready for the upcoming shows, particularly the solo. Slightly complicated by the fact that the super smooth canvas I use (sourced from India) is not currently available and I'm struggling to achieve the same results on a different surface. That said the work seems to be flowing, if not effortlessly (very rare), then quite easily and smoothly.

I'm working on the landscape-based paintings at the moment, and am starting to notice new elements coming through. In previous years I've kept all man-made structures out of the image, preferring to use the purity of the landscape itself to convey the stillness, space and contemplativeness that I'm always trying to achieve. Lately however it's been thrilling to start to introduce roads, distant car headlights, and most recently, far-off industrial scenes, and to discover that far from disturbing my intentions for the painting, they are actually enhancing it. It seems to take this kind of intensity of production where you're simply drowned and drowning in the work - where really nothing else exists - to stumble into new areas and to make new discoveries.

Six months to complete

2008-03-01T12:33:00.000-08:00

This painting, 'The Fourth Valley' 120x150cm currently showing at FORM Olympia in London has had a long and varied journey to completion. I have worked and reworked it over the period of about six months - in man hours (hundreds) and materials it's now worth many times its price, and I should have abandoned it long ago - there was something about it though, that kept me hanging in there, unable to let go. I've posted photos of some of the stages along the way .

Crunch time

2008-02-15T01:32:00.000-08:00

After what seemed like a slow start to the year, things are now really, really busy. The work for 'Form' is ready to go out, and after a visit to Northcote Gallery last week to see the space and talk about the number of works/sizes (25-30!) for the solo show, it's crunch time. Medici Gallery in Cork Street (a new gallery for me) were in touch last week, asking for two large works for their Summer show and new work is also needed for Iona House gallery in Woodstock for their Summer show. Quite overwhelming, but I prefer to work under pressure ( otherwise I tend not to work at all!), and am really excited about it all. P is coming into the studio to help prepare boards and canvases - he's a photographer and we're planning to do some collaborative work at some stage, so this will be a good introduction to the studio processes, not to mention much needed help.

'Sea Wall' 130x180cm

2008-01-19T00:41:00.000-08:00

"Turning Point' 150x180cm

2008-01-19T00:38:00.000-08:00

'Episodes I' 150x150cm

2008-01-19T00:32:00.000-08:00

Been a while

2008-01-19T00:11:00.000-08:00

Long time no post! Major computer problems these last weeks, with first one and then the other packing it in. A relief in one way to be off the cyber wheel for a bit, but let's face it, not practical at this point.
London Art Fair on at the moment and the Four Square Fine Arts stand I'm showing with is looking great. Been something of a battle in the studio as well these last few weeks with a couple of large paintings abandoned and one canvas ending up in the bin. I 'm pleased with the work that did make it through and I hope it does well at the fair.
Work in progress for 'Form' at Olympia coming up soon at the end of February.

Here's the second pic!

2007-11-11T10:58:00.001-08:00

On time for once

2007-11-11T10:38:00.000-08:00

Work has gone out to the Smithfield Gallery for the Marsden charity show this week - I'll go down on Thursday evening for one of the Private Views. These two large paintings (just finished) are off to the Edinburgh Art Fair at the end of the week. I'm so enjoying doing these large lush landscapes - there's an ease and a flow which is a rare and hard-won experience. Mostly the process of painting feels more like a battleground than anything else. Work can now begin on the paintings for the London Art Fair in January and the solo show at Northcote next year.

Not a good idea

2007-10-22T11:00:00.000-07:00

We've had a bit of a squirrel invasion in the studio building of late. I guess from their point of view it's ideal accommodation and perfect for the winter. I was up on the storage platform last week trying to scare them off and momentarily forgot that the part of the ceiling I was on is made only of plasterboard. Before I knew it, the ceiling gave way and I fell to the floor in the concrete stairwell. I must have grabbed onto an old cable on the way down which helped to break my fall - miraculously I was unhurt. I will, however, be getting someone else to tackle the squirrel problem.

Art London and beyond

2007-10-16T01:12:00.000-07:00

Very reassuring! One of the new large landscape-based paintings sold at Art London. Great to get such an immediate response. This last week or two enjoying a bit of time away from the studio and relishing it. Sorting through hundreds of digital images of paintings from the last five years and getting it all into some kind of order. Now it's time to get work ready for the Edinburgh Art Fair and the London Art Fair in January. The Northcote solo show will be held at the Kings Road Gallery and will take place in April next year, so that's now a major focus. I'll go over to the gallery next week and look at the space (it's big!) and start planning the sizes and numbers of works needed. The Royal Marsden charity show at Smithfields Gallery in London with Cobalt Fine Art is coming up soon - I have work ready but will need to make decisions soon as to what to include.

New work

2007-09-25T04:17:00.000-07:00

Open Studios has come and gone - quieter than usual, which was a relief as I continued to work on the new paintings over the week-end. Really pleased with the new surfaces of the canvas - again, like the gesso panels I've been using for a number of years, it's quite a labour intensive process, but the results are stunning. Almost completely smooth, and without the absorbency of most prepared canvas. Feel I've been somehow waiting and preparing for this new work (large sizes on canvas) for a long time and now that I've finally begun, I'm really thrilled - I have several new series planned, and I want to take what I've already established so far with the smaller works onto a much looser and freer (and bigger!) level. I'm extremely pleased with the new work and with the possibilities that are emerging.

Lewes!

2007-08-30T22:40:00.000-07:00

The Lewes show opens tomorrow and I'll be going down with L for the PV. The main event in my mind though is the work for Art London which has to be completed by the last week of September. All going well, just that we also have our annual Open Studios later this month, which means some interruption to the painting schedule. Glad I spent weeks last year re-organising the studio and clearing out the non-essentials. It's coming in very handy. Had no idea this year would be so exceptionally busy.

Fast forward

2007-08-20T15:19:00.000-07:00

'Across the Divide' show all ok and ready to be sent out in a few days time. Will also be doing Art London with the same gallery (Four Square Fine Arts) in October and the London Art Fair in January. Friends at Cobalt Fine Art have invited me to be part of their charity show at Smithfield Gallery in London for the Royal Masden Hospital in November. Glad I managed a bit of time off this August, the rest of the year (and next) are looking packed, absolutely packed. It's how I function best, so no (or not many) complaints. I like the rhythm of working every day and the focus that pressure brings.

Speeding up

2007-07-31T15:23:00.000-07:00

The pace of life seems to be speeding up - the body of paintings for the show in Lewes is nearly ready after some long hours in the studio. Hard for me to be objective about them- I'm still too close, but I think (hope) it will work well. The gallery director will be coming in a week or so to see the work, so I guess I'll find out soon enough! The annual Open Studios (Acava) are coming up in September, so I need to start giving some thought to what I'll be showing. Still waiting to finalise dates for the various solo shows - I'm looking forward to working on large surfaces again for these shows - it's what I'm most interested in. I can imagine the smaller paintings which have been a large part of my output for a long time, will start to have less of a place in the scheme of things. I do need a break though, so a few days in Scotland (leaving tomorrow) to revive, and then back to work.

Taking shape

2007-07-17T03:36:00.000-07:00

Pressure to get as much done as possible before friends arrive from Oz - they're here now and it's great. Made final selection of work for Northcote Gallery in Battersea and called in to show some to Stephanie (Stephanie Hoppen Gallery) in Knightsbridge before dropping it off to Northcote. Stephanie liked the work very much (landscape-based series) and offered me a solo show next year as well as showing me at the London Art Fair in January. Terrific. Northcote Gallery were also very positive and would like to do a solo show as well - really pleased as I've been showing with them on and off for a number of years and this would be our first major exhibition together. Getting work ready now to be photographed for the invitation for 'Across the Divide', the show coming up (very) fast at Four Square Fine Arts in Lewes. Four Square have also just been confirmed for Art London this year so I'll need to have work available for that in time. With the show at Alan Kluckow Gallery also in the pipeline, it looks as though the next twelve months are taking shape incredibly well. Given the extremely insecure and unpredictable nature of this business it's very welcome news.

A good run

2007-06-24T13:33:00.000-07:00

Fairly storming ahead at the moment. Working on at least 8-10 paintings concurrently, some of which are older works that never quite made the grade. I had not been able to reslove the problems with them at the time - but in the last year I changed the type of surfaces I use, and the change forced me to develop new skills and ways of working. A real pain at the time as I was struggling to achieve the results I wanted, but paying off now. I'm finding those new skills are just what's needed to resolve the older works, and are also allowing me a lot more room to move on the new ones. It's exciting and deeply satisfying. Deadlines coming up, but it looks like it's going to be ok. Ploughing the recent income into materials - re-stocking the studio, starting a new cycle.

Nowhere

2007-06-18T12:30:00.000-07:00

Lost a few days this last week or so not being well - now slowly climbing back into gear. The only problem is, I never remember how to paint! I only have to be away from the studio for a relatively short period of time before some essential connection is broken. I spent hours today working and re-working a small piece, seemingly without any skills to draw on ( no pun intended). I knew I was still 'outside' the process and had no idea how to get 'back in'. At a certain point close to the end of the day, something (but what?) changed - I guess I kind of gave up trying to control the painting and began to let go. Things started to happen on their their own then - I knew where to go and what to do, without premeditatation. I think it's a good painting, I think it's going to work. I'll see tomorrow.

Untitled

2007-06-03T14:59:00.000-07:00

A few (too) short days off and now back to focussed work. 'Two Views' at the Stephanie Hoppen Gallery opens tomorrow. A new gallery for me, but a well-known collaboration with Alan Kluckow, the co-curator. Looking forward to seeing all the work shown together for the first time in one large space.

Coming up fast is the solo show at Four Square Fine Art 'Across the Divide' in early September (this is my busiest year ever), as well as the work for Northcote Gallery. The comissions are on hold for the moment - a good thing in fact. I'm pretty clear about my direction for both groups of paintings (some work has already been done). Under the mountain of paperwork on my desk, a plan was forming almost without my knowing it, and as I worked my way through the papers, the way forward became clear. The whole process of creating work remains a mystery to me - a kind of knowing blindness, over which I both do and don't have control.

Welcome break

2007-05-25T11:45:00.000-07:00

All the work (six large -120x150cm average size- and two smaller abstract works) went out this morning to the Stephanie Hoppen Gallery. The sense of relief to have met all the recent deadlines is huge, but I'm now pretty well exhausted. A dozen loose ends to sort out (deciding on sizes and ordering new boards, canvases and also materials; planning the sequence of work for the next 2/3 months; making headway with the paperwork mountain, and so on), but it will all have to wait for a day or two while I catch my breath, take a break from work, and catch up with friends.

Monday morning

2007-05-20T23:56:00.000-07:00

Monday morning after a whirlwind week-end. More than 100 people through the door, many more than expected. Lots of friends as well (and babies, children and pets), so good fun and good sales as well. Quite a bit of following up to do with various possible commissions for both L and me.

Today I need to finalise all the arrangements for the upcoming Stephanie Hoppen show in early June, and still one painting to finish. After what seems like weeks spent on organisation, travel and preparations, I'm longing to be back in the studio, simply painting. That's the core and centre of everything, and I can't wait to get back to that strange and solitary existence in a (mostly)silent, light-filled building on a large and busy industrial estate in north London.

Not ready!

2007-05-18T21:22:00.000-07:00

5:00am Saturday morning. Open Studios starts in a few hours, and thanks to a last minute problem with the lighting system, we still have quite a bit to do before we're ready. Great that D was over last night to help. It's all looking pretty good. L and I have hung both our work together in groups this time, and although very different, the work is suprisingly complementary. Hope the weekend goes well. There's been a lot of publicity in the local press, so we're expecting a good turnout. Last minute nerves as usual! Better get that coffee and start work.

Extraordinary weekend

2007-05-07T01:15:00.000-07:00

Just back from Sheffield and the opening of the show at Cupola Gallery. The response was extraordinary, with almost half the works shown now sold. The gallery has done a superb job, and the people who came to the show are some of the most passionate collectors of art (and delightful down-to-earth Northerns) I have ever met. I'm very, very pleased and relieved. It'a a high wire act financially to maintain a full-time art career (in my experience), and the edge was getting uncomfortably close . It's also very encouraging on a creative level that the newer and more experimental work has been well received. It's hard to let it all in, but wow, really great.

Time to get back to work, with the Open Studios coming up fast, a large commission to complete, and a new body of work in progress for the Northcote Gallery in London. The Stephanie Hoppen show opens in early June. L and A arrive in London in July from Australia for a few weeks, and I want to have a space created to spend as much time as possible with them.

Ready!

2007-04-29T05:00:00.000-07:00

All the work has now gone up to Sheffield for the show, notwithstanding the inevitable last minute rush, and is being hung this week by the gallery. The invites have been sent out and the catalogue is in production (will it be ready in time?). I'll be going up on Friday for the Private View and staying overnight with M. Some work has already pre-sold before the show - excellent! Still some apprehension though - you can never predict how things will go, and the costs for a solo show are high.

Not much respite from deadlines yet however. Work for "Small is Beautiful" at the Royal Academy School Gallery in Hornsey has to be delivered on Tuesday and all the preparations for Crouch End Open Studios (May 19th-20th) completed. Invitations for these two shows also went out this week. In early June I'm part of a group show at Stephanie Hoppen Gallery in London in association with Alan Kluckow Gallery. It's the first time I'll be showing the new large absract paintings I've been working on for the last 18 months. This is very important work to me personally as it's the start of a new direction, and one where I'm still finding my way.

Fine tuning

2007-04-12T01:45:00.000-07:00

Fine tuning now the work for the solo show, and finalisng what will be included. There are some last minute changes based on how the whole body of work looks together. Overall I'm pleased, but as always there's the sense of how much more is possible. It seems the nature of this work is the strivng to transcend what has gone before, and pushing against the edge of what is already known and understood.

A lot was achieved over Easter in terms of preparation for the Crouch End Open Studios with the painting and decorating work now complete. P and I also spent a day in Folkstone checking out the regeneration of the Old Town into what's being called the 'Creative Quarter'. The project is a couple of years in, and already a number of artists/galleries etc have moved ino the refurbished buildings. It set our minds to work about a possible future move out of London.

Reality dawns

2007-04-02T13:23:00.000-07:00

Finished the boards today, ready for painting. The reality dawned today just how full the exhibiting schedule is for the next three months. As well as the solo show, there's the Glasgow Art Fair anf the Newcastle Gateshead Art Fair to prepare for. Also in May is the third annual Crouch End Open Studios (www.crouchendopenstudios.co.uk), which this year includes a group show of participating artists at the Royal Academy Schools Gallery in Hornsey. This is my second year exhibiting with CEOS. We had a terrific time last year with dozens of visitors over the weekend, and (rare for London) a real sense of local community. Both L and my work was purchased for the NHS Trust.

First entry

2007-03-31T12:57:00.000-07:00

March 31/07

It's Saturday and I'm in the studio preparing boards for painting. It's a labour intensive and messy business. The solo show at Cupola is coming up in just over a month and there's still a lot I want to achieve. Images for the catalogue need to be sent in a few days time, so this is the last week for finishing work for inclusion. There are quite a few shows coming up and I have to keep the overall schedule in mind, and be planning accordingly. Feels good to be starting this blog.