The New Normal

I've realised that (at the risk of stating the obvious) trying to work when one has a new baby is somewhat different to the days when I had endless uninterrupted hours of painting bliss. My new normal is one day of painting a week if I'm lucky and a few hours squeezed in here and there around naps. Now if my son could just oblige me with a regular nap schedule we'll really be rolling but at the moment, when I put him down he might grant me 2 blissful hours of peace, or maybe just 30 minutes - it certainly keeps it interesting! Anyway, I've realised that a few changes to the way I work can make a big difference in terms of productivity. First and foremost I've ditched the oils (just for now) as its just too much mess and time consuming clean up not to mention the toxic chemicals which I can do without being exposed to right now. I've set myself up in a corner of our home office and am working off disposable palettes which I hate because of the waste but it certainly makes clean up quick and is much easier with acrylics as the paint dries so fast its a nightmare to scrape off of a glass or wood palette. I'm also, on the whole, working on a much smaller scale which is fun for a change and makes me feel more productive.

Here's a little study I just completed for a commission I'm doing. The commission is for several Jersey based paintings and this one is of La Rocco Tower on St Ouen's bay, a personal favourite spot of mine.

"La Rocco Tower" acrylic on board, 8x8"

Grouville Bay

So, we are up to our necks in the middle of renovating our apartment. The demolition phase which has been very exciting and completely eye opening is nearly over and we are looking forward to seeing all the dust and rubble cleared out and the new walls go up. I decided it would be great to have a record of the weekly developments to look back on so I have been recording these on another blog which you can see here. It's pretty all consuming at the moment but am still trying to squeeze in some painting here and there.

Here is a small piece I did a couple of weeks ago inspired by a photo my cousin posted on her facebook page, taken on a beach we grew up near and spent hours digging in the sand and paddling in the waves. She was out walking her dog and about to get soaked by the fast approaching rain but still took the time to snap a quick shot of the beautiful light and reflections.

"Raining in the East" oil on board, 6x6"

Uist House

I forgot to share a picture of this final piece that I did recently as a gift for some lovely friends who recently got married. I had previously posted the small sketch painting that I did on location and this is the resulting final piece that emerged in the studio. As usual it turned out much "tighter" than I had been planning but c'est la vie! The photos I was working from were really dark with the sun behind and the house in shadow as I just didn't get the weather to take a decent shot. So, back in the studio, I applied some artistic license to the light and colour situation but I'm pretty happy with the result.

"Uist House" oil on canvas, 24x24"

Hot Hot Summer

I have been so busy the last couple of weeks visitors and trips away I really haven't had much time to paint. New York is sizziling hot as well so its hard to stay inside when the sunshine is beckoning.  We recently had a weekend in Bermuda so I am full of inspiration so I really must pick the paint brushes up again now before we have more house guests arriving next week. This little painting I completed a few weeks ago:

6x6" oil on board

Also, thanks to magazines 64 West for featuring one of my pieces on their new facebook site. The magazine is all about connecting Bermuda to another 123 small islands in the Western Atlantic Ocean. Click HERE to see the post.