ISOLATION ARTIST - DAY 54

There has been a lot of clearing out today. In clearing out I've discovered things that I thought I'd lost, things that I thought I needed but now realise I don't and unearthed a lot of memories in the process. I've been clearing out a lot during lockdown and this means that there is usually a lot of rubbish when the bins are emptied each Thursday. 

Today the clearing out began as I was searching high and low for my staple gun. Eventually Chris found it in a box in the garage (and the garage definitely needs a clear out but not today.) This stapler is 40 years old and served me very well when I was at art school in the early eighties. We had a brilliant workshop where we made our own stretchers and then bought the canvas from the extremely patient person (who I think was called Chris) who ran the art shop. I would stand there full of indecision each time I visited the shop. This must of been a hangover from when I was about 5 and my Nana (the one with the brass collection) would give me 6 pence to spend on sweets at Mr Corlett's shop across the road. It would take me forever to decide what to buy and I remember feeling very guilty about taking up so much of Mr Corlett's time. This was in the day when people opened shops in the front room of their houses. Back to the staple gun which I'm very fond of. I really thought I'd lost it or thrown it out. I've used it to stretch 4 canvas's today and will do some more tomorrow. Next I will be using the rabbit skin glue, the size, to protect the canvas before I begin painting. This reminds me of the preparations I would make when I decided to master watercolour in the 90's. The practical tasks somehow helped me learn the new techniques. When I teach I often say that it's good to go back to basics - I need to listen to my good advice. It's easy to get slap dash if you're not watching.

One of the other things I found during today's clear out was a very small bear called Mogul. He is very bald and I had crocheted him a hat when I was about 11 but this hat has definitely gone missing now. Mogul is about 80 years old and used to belong to my Mum. I instated him as my special bear after I had got rid of mine. My special bear was called Kojak and he wore a nice red dress with a felt "K" stitched on the front - I'd also made this dress. I still feel sad that I got rid of him, especially as it was when I was very poorly indeed and not in the best frame of mind to make a decision like that. Anyway, it's brilliant news that Mogul has turned up as he's been missing for 3 years - lost in transit when we moved to this great house in 2017.

Todays painting is Bird Girl.