ISOLATION ARTIST BLOG - DAY 26

At the risk of being very judgemental of myself, today has been a good day as I've achieved a lot. Every so often I feel extremely despondent about being a painter and once in a while I announce that I'm going to give it up. Without fail, after making these dramatic proclamations something really good happens in my painting world, as if to say "Oh no you're not giving up." At the weekend I was inspired to join the Artist's Support Pledge and began on the wrong foot by comparing myself to other people - something that's so easy to encourage other people not to do. Then in only four days I've sold four paintings and I'm half way to being able to buy a piece of art from another artist (when you've sold £1000 yourself, then you buy a piece for £200) so as to support each other. I'm really pleased that some of my buyers have never bought original art before and feel very excited to have ventured into this new territory. So as I am feeling more upbeat about my painting I finally got round to writing articles that I'd been putting off. This included painting colour charts to show how to modify colours - I'd forgotten what a calming and satisfying job this is.

Later on I read some of Robert Macfarlane's book "The Old ways", which is a beautiful book about following paths - whether they are pilgrims routes, foxes trails, sea paths, or ancient roads. He says that a walk is only a step away from a story, and every path tells. As a walker myself I relate to this very strongly and as I walk I'm sure my mind prepares my stories which are my paintings. I walked a coastal path this morning and could see Durlston Head, Corfe Castle, the Needles and the Isle of White. The horizon was clearing up my thoughts.