It’s September already, so where did August go? I feel like I’ve lost a month somehow. Despite the surreal nature of the times we're in, life does go on as we all struggle to create new routines to accommodate the ever-changing guidelines that endeavour to keep us all safe.
These past few weeks have been busy for me and I’m happy to say there is much to be grateful for. In July we welcomed baby Lochlan into our family and a happy contented little chap he is too: the perfect subject!
Some of us batten down the hatches and settle in at times of crisis and uncertainty, others move! Wisdom or madness, it’s hard to tell which applies to us but either way Ronnie and I have decided we're on the move. As an artist, I believe that it’s never a good idea to get too comfortable. To nurture and encourage creativity we need to feed it by stepping outside of our comfort zone and taking some risks. An open mind and an enthusiasm for new adventures is all that's required, or luck if you're a delusional fool.
Ireland's coast can be wild, beautiful and intoxicating. It’s also changing as it becomes increasingly clear that there is no escape from Global Warming. I don’t swim, I can’t sail and I don’t like the wind, yet I've lived near the sea for most of my adult life. I never felt this was intentional, mostly it seemed coincidental.In fact I had never given it much thought until recently. When trying to decide where we'd move to, we began to feel a growing sense of unease. It took some time to realise it was due in most part to thoughts of moving inland. Armed with this new discovery, we plan over the next few months to move to the south coast, in the no doubt misguided belief that the further south you go, the warmer it gets! As my daily painting practice becomes more unsettled in anticipation of our move, my work in the studio has begun to reflect the changes. So, in order to avoid total distraction and loss of focus, I have decided to use this time to try out some new ideas, while using up old materials and trying out some new ones. It’s been fun so far and I look forward to sharing some of these works with you over the next few months.
This month, I have put together a collection of small landscapes, scenes from various places I have been over the past year, images that may be all the more precious to us now that we can no longer travel so easily.(This collection is no longer available)
I would love to hear if any decision you have made during this time has led to positive change in your life.
For now, stay safe, stay positive and remember to feed your creativity.
Caroline
PS - If you know someone who'd like to share my art journey, please feel free to share. Thank you!
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