The past week has been frustrating in many ways. Although I have been busy in one way or another there has not been a feeling of forward motion. (Let’s face it: the stuff with Scrabble was largely to fill in time.) Today it does feel as if I am resuming progress.
After an annoying and difficult struggle in the attempt to organise an on-line courier for my entry, I finally managed today to fix up the despatch of my pieces for a competitive exhibition. I’ve heard that I am a “finalist” (although I’m not sure exactly what that means) in a competition for “emerging artists” organised by a gallery in Wales. I’m really pleased about this, because up until now I have found it very difficult to secure a toe-hold in the commercial galleries. It certainly does feel like a step forward.
Two days ago I had a curious experience, discovering a picture I believe that I did in about 2004. It depicts my climbing partner of that time in action. Somehow I had not only mislaid it but also forgotten that I had ever done it. It doesn’t figure in my log-book. Anyway, it strikes me as one of the best things I ever did, of climbers in action, and I’m rather proud of it. So I contacted the subject of the picture and he has expressed an interest in buying it, which is very gratifying indeed.
Life as an artist is rather like that of actors. We have to resign ourselves to periods in which we are “resting”, and that always means that in the back of our minds there is the niggling fear that it might be all over. There is almost an element of surprise when it turns out that this is not the case.