Leaving the Tower

Sunday 29th September 2019 I packed up the last of my painting materials, and moved out of the Tower.

I’ve felt totally depressed since.

What a fantastic 3 weeks ( well 13 days really) of intense focus, sketching, reading and painting.

I have absolutely loved being the artist in residence at Oriel y Parc and now it’s over I feel lost, and tired.

I put the paintings from the residency in storage ready for hanging this week, before the exhibition opening on Friday evening of the Contemporary Welsh Painters exhibition. I’m excited by this also but terribly sad about the end of this intense time of focus and creativity.

I have my studio at home, and will continue to work as I did before, but this was such a change, a boost to my practise, a jump back into being totally consumed by research and painting.

I am totally happy when I am so driven and totally prioritise my painting. Unfortunately, my daily life doesn’t allow that level of focus on a continuous basis. However, I have enough canvas and stretchers to keep me going for some time. So when the grieving period is over, I shall resume painting in my humble  square shed. And remember fondly the round wonderful big Tower which was mine for 3 weeks!