Baron Hill Mansion

I've completed another painting about the old mansion house near where my parents live and thought it was about time I put some of the history of the place down.  There are more photo's on this website which has some amazing shots of the inside not long after it was abandoned. I would credit the author of the pages, but they are anonymous.

The original house was built in 1612 and underwent various changes, some of the dates around the gutterings are from 1835 and most of the architecture is from the early 19th Century.  It was requistioned during the WW2 as accomodation for the polish army (tales of polish soldiers bumping into the Stalin moustachioued local look alike caused much amusement). Fire destroyed the building and it has remained empty and decaying ever since, but has become a valuable source for artists and photographers alike.

I spent many hours running around this old mansion frightening myself with anticipation of coming across a ghost (or the very real gamekeeper) and the place still holds a fascination to me.  I once spent a good 30 minutes nervously pacing as my sister and our friend bravely (studpidly?) explored the cellars and basement.  I was far too sensible and timid to join them, although in hindsight I wish I'd been braver.

Rumours about restoring the old house and converting it into flats have been circulating for the past few years.

Above is my latest painting, which is the view from the opposite side of the first photo (above).  It is much more overgrown now,  this is done using dyes, acrylics, collage and pen & ink drawing. There is a lot more to follow!

SketchBook Project

I have totally neglected my sketchbook project sketchbook.

It has sat in the bottom of my bag while I have been favouring my moleskin book of nicer thicker paper,elastic band and pure loveliness.

I think I need to start taking it out of my bag and drawing in it or the Brooklyn library will have an empty book from me or perhaps I should just write an IOU and stick it on the front cover.

Its hard to get enthusiastic about a thin little book with flimsy leaves, but feel it is time to give the malnutritioned little thing some creative food.

If you want to read more about The Sketchbook Project its all here.  I am going to make a concerted effort to get on with my book...

Work Time

Working in the Studio means life is easier and more fluid.  It means no travelling and no childcare costs, it means being close to school and on hand if anyone is poorly.  It means being able to go and see Gold Badge Awards and going on local walks with 30 children.

It also means being very disciplined.  Saying No to a cup of coffee at the school gates, not agreeing to pop into town for a browse of the charity shops but taking yourself seriously and valueing the time between the demands of being a mother.  I'm still learning this discipline.

My main struggle is when the children are home, the ideas flow and the dreaming about the next painting or the next bit of creative writing, or the next mosaic dance around my brain with letters, colours and pictures and I'm usually well organised enough to scribble these ideas down....

However, when the week begins and school uniforms are washed and dried, homework is done, and stories read, I often just collapse in a heap.  I spend a lot of time thinking and not doing.

This leads to me feeling rather miserable and frustrated which leads to a non productive day such as yesterday, which in turn leads to the circle of depression which is enhanced by being unmotivated.  I then find myself in a spiral which can just get worse throughout the day, I speak less and become very introspective.

On the other hand, being in control of my work time means I can just grab the dog lead and head out over the fields, lifting my mood in time for the school run and before you know it, I'm laughing on the school yard with other parents and cheerful children are coming out to meet me, demanding to be fed.  We can then skip off happily home to play a game and I can let my imagination dream and plan my next time the house is silent of shouts, laughter and distraction.

Quick Catch Up...

Just a quick catch up, I love it when I'm busy but find I don't have time to do posts or updates. 

I now have work in the Muse Gallery & Art Studio in Heage, a lovely little gallery, full of yummy things all arty & crafty, I would thoroughly recommend a trip out there, I particularly liked Mandy's personalised hearts and they have gone on my christmas list, just got to figure out who to give one to!

The same week, I was accepted as an associate member of Bank's Mill in Derby, which is a studio's owned by the University of Derby, and last week I submitted four paintings for their open studios.  So that feels very exciting and a bit of a milestone achievement for me personally.  I'm doing more paintings with texture and collage, and finding the confidence to put them out there.

Then this weekend, two events, Compassionate Derby on Saturday which was highlighting how to live ethically, sustainably and cruelty free.  I try my best but often fail at this, even though I don't eat meat and try to live economically, next to some of the issues being raised, I look as bad as someone who eats at McDonalds every night, which is a hard lesson on self reflection. I know I could do more.

But all this was counter balanced by the Mad Hatters Tea Pary and the eating of lots of cake today.  This was in aid of Leukaemia and Lymphona Cancer research so all the cake eating and calories was for a good cause...

I am having a very, very full on week.  Last Thursday, my daughter and I went to pick up her french exchange student, who is already a very elegant young lady even at 13.  So the weekend was spent showing her the Derbyshire Countryside and we caught the train to Matlock and walked back over the tors to Matlock Bath.  I took lots of photos of the most stunning views, that I have only driven past, which will provide the inspiration for some new landscape mixed media pieces.  Also found a bonus lovely old door...

I managed to get to a life drawing class last friday and immersed myself back in the flow of drawing.  I haven't done any life drawing for about 8 years, so my first attempt was very small as I had forgotten how to scale up when measuring.  Luckily, my friend who had taken me, hadn't forgotten and was able to show me how to do it properly.  Although the results weren't brilliant, they weren't too bad considering my lack of practice!  Not sure the models leg was really that shape... or that foreshortened, but I really enjoyed loosing myself in the practice of learning to draw again.  I used to be quite good at life drawing so hopefully I can relearn that skill again.

Open For Business 2011

This was my first time at an event like this, I've done art fairs, open weekends and art trails, exhibitions and projects, but never an event that was more of a trade show for new businesses. For me it was a chance to show how I have developed my practice over the last year, I have worked hard and taken advantage of as much information on offer, attended workshops, done emotional intelligence tests, got a business plan, and can now stand in front of anybody and talk about the selling points of my artwork. It has been a very valuable year for me in developing the confidence to believe in my own abilities.

At lunchtime, we had our own glamorous Mrs Overall serving us sandwiches, needless to say, in a room which had several stands of artists, she was mobbed. We know how to fulfill the stereotype of the starving genius's...

I had a wander round after lunch and chatted to a few other businesses, but felt I needed to be at my own stand more, during my walk, I managed to totally miss the Mayor of Derby so he didn't get to speak to me.

By 2.30, Andrew had arrived to take over from me, so I quickly changed my hat from artist business woman to school run yummy mummy, and picked up the freshly educated children. In response to my chirpy questions of 'So what have you done today' I was treated to the usual grumbles of 'nothing, can we have some food?'

So back to the Enterprise Centre, where I instructed the twins to look hungry and go and stare at people with cakes on their stands. It worked and they came back with cupcakes, lollies and sweets. I'm so proud of them. I just need to work on their blagging at the off license skills.

We were home by half 6 and following tea, homework and bedtime stories, packed lunch making, more homework (this time learning french for the exchange student coming on Thursday with my 12 year old), I eventually collapsed into a bottle of red medicinal wine.

I thoroughly enjoyed Monday, I got to catch up with fellow artists I hadn't seen for a couple of years, make new friends, join a life drawing class, eat lots of yummy food and best of all, my ego has had a massive boost from all the compliments. I love Jayne Sanders for saying my work was John Piper-ish nowadays.

Busy doing nothing...

I could put a song on about this... but I posted it to facebook instead. I started my sketchbook for the sketchbook project this week, only done one drawing so far, but it is started. I've also done some painting, not happy with one of them, so I've done my usual thing, put it away for about a year then I'll get it out and think its not so bad and redo it. I've also transferred my website domain to a new provider which I've been meaning to do for at least six months, so I'm very pleased with that. I can now have a much more intuitive site to use, I've found google sites hard to navigate and clunky to use, so I am heading over to wordpress. I've also finished another mixed media painting. I'm enjoying applying myself to old buildings, I wanted to go up to Wingfield Manor and do some preliminary sketches, but they are only open for guided tours nowadays. I'm wondering whether to contact them and see if I can gain some access.

I now have to go and put all lovely art materials away, they may be too tempting for the hoards of children coming home for a birthday tea tonight!