LOOKING BACK
Lockdown diary
Here I am in the foggy time between Christmas and New Year, reflecting on the past few years. It’s been such unsettling times that I feel as if an entire year has been misplaced…lost somehow along the way.
Where to begin… I think how I coped during the pandemic with my art would be a good place to start as l saw lockdown as a challenge to get fit, eat properly and focus on me, except I kept avoiding the most important part; the thing that gives me joy and connects me – my art. It was the perfect time to be creative; no distractions, a lot of space and time to work on new ideas, but I just could not get motivated.
But then Lesley Samms of Pure stepped up to the Covid challenge and began motivating her artistic community with weekly Zoom and Crowdcast meetings. At last motivation in the form of an online virtual connection. These meetings blossomed into other creative areas and through on-line meetings with Kent Creatives, I produced a lockdown visual diary. It is 11 metres long comprising pages of various shapes and sizes in a concertina format.
I also enrolled in an online painting course and a textile course. Finally, and this was a major breakthrough, I began to paint on my own. I hadn’t painted on my own in my own space for many years and it was desperation that got me started - I ran out of avoidance activities. I started small with little drawings, then watercolours. The watercolours were then translated into mini oil paintings on paper which I mostly destroyed then reassembled into something more exciting. From these, I produced several small oils on boards that I was able to exhibit in real life between lockdowns. I had to apply everything I learned from all my various tutors and trust in my own decisions. I surprised myself with how much I had actually learned over the years.
Still looking back; I had a photo shoot in and around my studio, took part in a real life “artists salon” where I talked about my paintings to the public, and actually sold work as a consequence! I took part in a live Crowdcast broadcast from my studio, presenting my work to the world for a Christmas exhibition, and had this brand-new website designed and created which is fabulous. I undertook a large commission and took part in an hour long online live interview from my studio talking about my art practice. I had a painting accepted into the Mall Gallery Federation of British Artists exhibition in 2021, took part in an online and real-life exhibition and did another online interview from my studio chatting about my process of working. Finally, I sent a textile sculpture to Rome for Rome Art Week. That was a huge learning curve as I had to research delivery options and companies, tax forms, and how to get the work returned.
Whew, looking back I am actually quite proud of myself and grateful for the people who have supported and motivated me. I’ve also learned that I need artistic people in my life; a tribe of like-minded individuals with similar problems and ways of communicating.
Where will 2022 take me?
Lockdown diary