It's happened!
It's been a week and a half and I am officially a full-time artist, which has been a dream of mine for a very long time and I couldn't be happier!
I took the plunge and quit my job as manager of a jewellery retail store, to focus on painting. It's taking a bit of getting used to. In retail, you talk to people all day, and now I have my own company most of the day and I can come and go as I please. It's a bit of a strange feeling, actually!
So this is my day. Wake up, make coffee, check emails and social media, get ready, have breakfast, and walk across to my studio, which is close to my house but separate, I paint and do research, and work on my website. So grateful that I can close the door and go home at the end of the day. I have no actual need to get out of my pj's but I do, I don't want to get them full of paint! Actually the truth is, I need to to get into work clothes so that I'm in work mode.
There is a huge temptation to do other quite noble and necessary things when you work for yourself, so I have had to put time and priority management schedules in place. It's a necessity, otherwise I would be working in the garden and doing other little jobs around the house which I need to be doing at other times.
Kimberley Art Prize
The painting above, titled 'Critters of the Kimberley' is my entry into the Kimberley Art Prize. I haven't entered this competition before, so wish me luck! The first prize is $10 000. Wouldn't that come in handy? Judging is Wednesday this week and the winners will be announced at the opening on the 2nd of July.
My favourite stuff! Gold leaf.
Gold leaf adds a bit of luxury to paintings, and I use it in most of my works, as well as silver and copper leaf. It is so versatile and has so many possibilities and I'm sure there are more techniques to uncover. It must stem from my previous career as a jeweller, I still love gold and silver and all things sparkly!
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