Finished my Painting. No Longer Grumpy

I think I'm pleased. Have lived with it for a couple of days. Will try to give more context to the circle, pebble obsession later.... but right now can smell my dinner burning.....

My beautiful, beautiful Holderness

I was born and brought up in an area of East Yorkshire called Holderness, next to the Humber Estury. It is flat. Completely and utterly pancake-ified. Massive, endless skies. Cloud formations to die for. Consequently I have spent a lot of time out there, at first (as a teenager) my Dad and I would go out on our bikes on warm summer's evenings. Cycling the 10 miles or so to a place called 'Stoneycreek', where we could sit and look at both the river and the changing skies whilst we put the world to rights. Then, after hundreds of driving lessons, I finally passed my test, and would disappear in my Mum's white Metro for hours (I'm sure they thought I was up to no good!). I would love to be able to look back on my 'wild and rebellious' youth with a certain sense of 'ha' ness. But the reality is actually several hours sat by myself in an Austin Metro (is that the make? Can't quite remember...) staring at the landscape. Sometimes sketching with an inky pen. Sometimes taking photographs. Always thinking. Pondering. Mulling. Hence why 10 ish years on most of work is of my memories of Holderness. It's where everything that is right in my world exists. Dad took me back there last week. He always used to take me if I was upset or something bad had happened (like when I failed 2 of my A levels). Anyway, I was staying at their house for one night, back in my childhood bedroom (sadly now redecorated), and following a recent run of 'bad times' he took me there. And for that hour everything was perfect (apart from my dreadful photography- the horizons were honestly straight!). Dad was chasing the sunset and I was chasing green. Between us we got some cool snaps that I will definately use...

Nooks and crannies....

Perfect little corners and hiddens bits. That suit me down to the ground...

Argh...

Have just thrown my stupid painting across the room

(am SHOUTING!). Grrrrrrr...so close to being finished...have overworked it and ruined it....

(a snippet of the offending painting...in progress...)

Other people's studios...

I have a fascination with other people's work spaces. Their studios. It's like a little glimpse inside the clutter of their minds. Especially poignant as I am currently without a proper workspace (long, long story... for another time...)

This is my Dad's studio (big time studio envy happening here). He paints and makes and tinkers in this little hideaway.