The 'Friday' Report

I've noticed that the more I paint the less I blog. I don't know if it is the total absorption of making work or whether I am only capable of output in one medium at a time.

This week I've had loads of time in the studio listening to music (hence the post below) and painting. I've managed to finish one work, create a new one which has since been deemed a dud and make progress on a third work.

I have been wondering why I am not happy with one work. At first I thought that it was just too strong and serious and lacking in the luminosity I try to create but, this afternoon I realised (yes realised with an 's' spellcheck)that the image was too static and I have always wanted to make shifting images to lead the eye on a bit of a dance.

Now I will sand and gesso the canvas and start again. I have also discovered that I prefer to paint on surfaces with a few extra coats of gesso. This new body of work  is providing an opportunity to explore materials again and I'm enjoying that.

I have also attended to matters practical, rescheduling my Sydney exhibition to December 2010 and ordering a load of stretched linen surfaces from Fitzroy Stretches. It's a major financial outlay but I have decided that the linen will give me a finer work surface and my works 'deserves' a beautiful surface.

On Thursday I had a visit fro Brisbane Artist Candice Herne who is currently traveling around Australia with her family. It was great to catch up and to show her my beautiful new studio. She was suitably impressed. We both have work in a group show about weather at Logan City Gallery in 2011 so we talked about that project and what we were planning to show there.

Last night we went to drinks and open studio at Cloud Farm where I showed great restraint and didn't buy more of Celeste Coucke's beautiful ceramics. The thought of the bill for the streches must have been foremost in the back of my mind. It was a great evening and I have decided I must have open studio in the New Year.