After writing my post on gratitude on Friday I was able to enjoy a really lovely swim, where for most of the session I had a lane to myself. I thought it was worth a quick doodle.
Art
Taking the rail replacement bus
This morning I went swimming with my sister for the first proper training session in preparation for swimming in the Great North Swim in June. I have signed up to swim 5k (which is just over 3 miles), which is the furthest distance I will have swam. Eventually I want to work up to swimming a 10k, which is a marathon style length for swimmers. We swam a mile, and it was pretty tough going. I think it will take 2 swim sessions a week, and an additional session in the gym a week to build my stamina between now and then. So we have work to do. I will try to keep track here I think.
On my journey there this morning, one of my trains was replaced by a rail replacement bus. I normally travel on the train, and which is a relatively direct route. The bus takes a less direct route, and as a consequence I was able to see parts of London that I do not normally see. London is a huge city that has developed and evolved over time, slowly swallowing up towns and villages as it expand outwards. This process has left a patchwork of buildings of different styles, sizes and ages, with different parts of the outer edges of the city having distinct atmospheres and styles of their own. While it took me longer than i expected to get to the pool, I was great to spend some time looking at these bits of this city that I do not always feel at home in.
It got me thinking a bit about doing things differently, or what I may try to do differently last year. Over that last year and a half I have been working on just trying to finish things, which has been helpful in getting me to a place where I feel my creative work has purpose. I have also begun to really appreciate that doing things slowly, and building things over time, is actually the better way for me. I can be comfortable with this. However some of the work has felt, if not trivial, at least a bit light, or thin. In the last few months I have begun working on some pieces that are emotionally more close to home. I’ve been avoiding finishing bits of work like this in the past, as putting it out there is a bit anxiety provoking. When you already have anxiety, adding in more sources of anxiety is a bit of thing. So this year, I will be trying, gently, to push my self a bit more in that direction. Stay tuned to see how that goes…
Is there anything you’ll be having a go at doing differently this year?
I’m ill, hopefully back up to speed next week…
I’ve not posted very much for the last few weeks as it was Christmas and since then I’ve been ill at home. On the run up to Christmas I was actually being quite careful to take care of my self, going to the gym and eating well, but I think it was a bit a a too little too late situation – for lots of us last year was quite a slog. At the moment I’m concentrating in just doing what my body seems to want – lots of sleep, watching trashy telly and eating good food. I have been very fortunate to have my boyfriend looking after me.
However, I did manage to finish the Christmas presents I was making before Christmas in time to hand them out at the appropriate time. Here is one of them below, minus it’s frame as the reflection off the glass made it difficult to take a photo. What do you think?
Weekend work on paper-cut presents
I’ve been working on a little project as a gift for my parents this Christmas. This time last year they bought themselves a little dog, who they fuss over elaborately. I don’t think I’ve ever seen such a loved little dog. Other than my sisters little dog, that is. Lucky little dogs!
What do you think?
Animation, finally finished
I have been working on this little animation for what feels like forever. It is a short excerpt from a documentary that I am working on which will eventually feature animated sequences alongside filmed footage.
I’ve had to re-start it several times because of mistakes I made when I set it up, and through getting my head round how to combine my paper cut art work with digital animation and film making soft ware. It has been a real trial and error journey to get to this.
If you have time please have a look and let me know what you think. The film is just over 30 seconds long so short enough for a quick peek. I would love to know what people think about this.
New work: Time to get wobbly.
I’ve just added a new work to Redbubble. I was trying for something irreverent and funny. Possibly suitable for festive times. At the same time I tried to keep it simple.
What do you think? I had made the paper-cut champaign bottle and glasses some time ago for an animation I did that really didn’t work that well. It’s nice to see them have a bit of a new life in this design. It’s a tangible reminder that things can go wrong, or not work out, but in creative work none of those efforts are really a waste. Some part of that experience, sometimes even the bits of work them selves that didn’t quite work the first time, can be useful in some other project later down the line.
Things with this thing on available here.
Wednesday work in progress
Nearly there with this one. Just a few bells and whistles to finish off.
Friday Finisher
I finished off this design this week. Magpies made of moonlight flowers. I finished this one off by using the silhouette of the magpies I finished off earlier in the year as the as an outline to cut the moonlight flowers I completed a couple of weeks ago. All completed in photoshop.
So far I have it on a white background. What do you think? Would something darker be better?
Things with magpies on here at Redbubble.
Work in progress
I’ve been working on this one for a while now, and I’m still not quite there yet. It’s already involved hundreds of flowers, and I’ve had to cut 30-40 more today. Then each flower is placed by hand. So a real study in patience, this one. Patience.
Weekend work in progress
Spending Sunday hanging out with the telly and my blades…
The Magpie at Midnight 