Thursday 9 July 2020

Take a little pause.


As I sit here and begin this the radio is telling me that the music people are seeking out this year is more upbeat than in previous years. In my teens, I had a brief flirtation with the gothic indie style of music, I think it suited my wish to portray myself as the dark and moody teenager not the frightened unsure one I really was. But it was miserable sitting alone in my black bedroom so I soon switched back to my usual upbeat I can do anything hairy rock genre and have never looked back since. Yes I know its not high brow to admit to dancing around to ACDC but it makes me happy, my main point is music has the ability to lift the spirits and I think we could all do with a little bit of that right now.

The last few weeks have been a blur of trying and failing and not trying and succeeding I have had to have a long hard look at what I do well and what I try and do and fail at. In these uncertain times, I think panic can set in, the news cycle is a whirl of doom which if one is not careful can blow you off track. In my life, I have already graduated twice into a recession once in 1992 and then again in 2010 just as austerity kicked in. If I had paid attention to the news, then I would have thought there was no way that in 1992 I could start a career in fashion design and in 2010 launch an art business in the UK. I am about to graduate in a pandemic … I see a pattern here best-laid plans out the window!

I think we can only work with the circumstances we are given and must find ways of adapting our expectations without losing our dreams. There are new ways of working but first, we must accept that the old ways are on pause right now. I am very lucky I have been supported by my customers throughout lockdown and I have enjoyed creating some lovely work for them. I am not sure that I will be able to sell face to face for a while which is sad but new technology is making things easier.  





All walks of life are changing and some adaptations are going to make life better for some, here I am thinking of those that hate the daily commute and those whose physicality holds them back yet now can work remotely equal to others. Many are frustrated and just want life to fall back as it was but that will take some time. Overall I have been carrying on as normal getting up early working in my studio till around 4pm and not much has really changed but on the other hand, everything has changed I do miss the human interaction I  miss setting up art groups and workshops and meeting people and sharing my art. But patience is required, and this time will pass.

But I have not been listening to miserable music no I seek out the upbeat, now is not the time for self-imposed melancholy now is time to try and find something that brings a smile to your day even if that’s hard right now. Take time to reflect on what you can do within the confines of all these restrictions and it doesn’t have to be a big project, it can be silly like finally fixing that thing that drives you mad or watching trash TV, who cares. I am not here advocating that you start book writing and reading war and peace! I feel things are speeding up out there and before we know it, we will soon fill our days with other people's demands so take a little pause before that happens, if it hasn’t already!


These little works I painted to help me feel upbeat not my usual style but they did the trick at the time :)


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