The first half of this year was a difficult time for me, particularly because it seemed to be impossible to get on with any useful or satisfying art project. I’ve emerged from that recently, and have been pleased by the work I have managed to do recently. This afternoon I photographed my latest piece, for my log-book, and was astonished to realise how long that barren period had been. I recorded the completion of my “Green Man” series back in January. The next item recorded in the log is dated June. It is hardly surprising that I was beginning to wonder whether I would ever paint again.
My little “art retreat” to Derbyshire (which I think was in May) does seem to have delivered the required shock to the system, as the next completed item in the log is dated June. Since then I have finished half a dozen pieces of which I am reasonably pleased.
As I don’t have a very clear idea where we go from here, I’m afraid, there is no assurance that this productive spell will continue. My grandson will be visiting us next week, however, and he loves painting along with me. Inspired by the last exhibition at the South Square Centre, however, I have decided that we might attempt to come collage together. This is a medium I’ve not attempted since I was in school. It did occur to me that a little experimentation might possibly start something moving. In that spirit I’ve been looking back over the series of boxed constructions I did many years ago. (See the “gallery” labelled Recollections of time past.)