Saved by a kiss

It's been a week. Of illness and sore throats and feeling like shit. I've no idea of where the spiteful virus came from, knocking me for six with its casual ease. To start with I thought it was just the first cold of the winter, but two days later when I felt I was swallowing razorblades, I felt the easiest option was to give in, rest totally, and recover slowly. Thursday was the low point. No energy, no appetite, no interest in anything, and no voice! Just a bare strained strangulated whisper of communication and the medicines mounting up in the bathroom, lined up as fervent hopes of soldierly battle against the lurgy attacking me. They rallied forth as valiantly as they could, and by Friday I felt amazingly a bit better, although still very weak. By Saturday, I was bad again, with a racking cough, and a lot less energy than normal - working at 70% of my normal busy and active self.

Which was a bit of a shame, as I'd got visitors.

One of them my fella's son on a rare visit from Australia and his delightful girlfriend who I'd not met so far who resides in Brighton. Their love affair is a difficult one due to the nature of financial rewards in one country, and not the other, for one of them, but not together, at the same time, on the same continent. It's a shame as they're such lovely young people, and very much in love. I apologised to her for my incapacity, and she brushed it off with her charm and good manners and was an excellent house guest for their brief overnight visit. When her man and my man went out to collect the Thai take-away that was deemed choice of favourite food for dinner, she asked to see my studio, which I gladly showed her, in my reduced state. She loved the "Tree of life" painting that I have hanging on my studio wall, as the reminder of that greatly complicated painting I did a few years ago for a client. And, surprisingly to me she didn't see that there was couple hidden in the landscape, and was astonished when I pointed it out to her. But, it was a few minutes later when her eyes fell on to a print of another painting I sold recently, that her mouth smiled, and she made the comment "I LOVE this ONE!!!" she said as she nodded towards it, and I grinned at her, and said that everyone always does. It causes a lot of smiling faces from both men and women. She nodded and said wasn't surprised "It's really cool!" she said in that way that I knew she meant it. And she added that she would happily buy a canvas print of it, when I can sort out the pricing for it. I said I'd let her know when I am able to fully price it and find a suitable printer to manufacture them for me . And the picture? The one that always makes people smile? It's my painting of "Kiss"  - the original I sold to a Lord in Sussex earlier this year, who was reported to be a fan of my work by his secretary after he had received it and had it hanging on his wall. I mentioned this to my young visitor, and she urged me to mention on my website how many people from around the world have sent me strongly positive messages regarding loving my artwork, or the way I portray things in my paintings, or just how much they admire my talent. I am touched by their affirmation of their love of my work, and after my visitors had left on Sunday, I spent three hours or so sourcing the best of the many comments, so that I can add them to the other Testimonials on my new website.

 

Its nearly ready to go live. And has had many hours of hard work from me, and my webmaster, to get it to that state.......

Cleaning up and not being Adam

Every so often I invite complete strangers into my house. Its not often, and there is always a reason.

The latest reason being that I wanted my stairs carpet cleaning.

The guy arrived, later than he had anticipated, well into the afternoon, and had another couple of appointments to do after me. So, he was running late, and wasn't due to be finished with his days work for a long time after. I expected him to do the job as fast as he could, and leave with equal abruptness.

But it didn't work out that way......

After efficiently bringing all his cleaning stuff in, parking his van, and peering at my carpet with a quizzical eye. He looked up. Then looked at me and stated with full assertion "This is an artists house!!!!" and I nodded and grinned at him, glad it was so obvious to someone who doesn't know me from Adam. (Hi Adam, if you're reading this!). 

And then he started asking questions, and I started answering them, brimming with excited confidence, as I explained about various pictures hanging on my walls, the ones I had painted, the reasons behind them, the subject matter, the methods of painting them, places I had exhibited, the studio I paint in, the latest artwork and the favoured older ones. He heard it all.

And he loved it all. Which just added to my telling him more as he was obviously fascinated by it and what I had painted.

So by then, he was running a further hour later as he had delayed doing my job because he was more interested in hearing about my art and my life as an artist!

And he couldn't wait to go home to look on the internet at my website and all the work on there too, and tell his wife about it!

He arrived late, and left as a fan, with a big grin on his face as if he had found a fabulous treasure. But, as he explained to me, he goes in many many houses, and a lot of people say "Oh, I paint you know" and he looks at their artwork and doesn't know what to say, because he has an eye for art and knows when its poor amateurish rubbish. But, as he said "I can tell that YOU can paint, and have a talent for it!"

He arrived late, and left as a fan.

YAY!   What a result!!! :)

Mothers, brothers, and tears

I had visitors over the weekend.

Well, technically, they weren't really coming to see me as such, as in a social visit to see how I was. They were actually coming to see themselves.

In paint.

David and Martyn came all the way from Bath to view the painting I'd done of them. They had made arrangements to stay in this area and brought along Martyn's parents who are also depicted in the painting.

They arrived full of good cheer, and it was a delight to see them all and welcome them in to my new house. They admired the paintings hanging on the walls of my hallway, which I count as my mini gallery, and then looked askance at me. Where was it?

 I smiled, and led the way to my studio, opened the door and was hit by an overpowering smell of oil, turps, and paint. And said that I was pleased that the painting had now been hung and was residing upright on the wall rather than horizontal on my workdesk. And nodded towards it, although I didn't really need to do that, since it was quite obvious where it was. "Oooh it's big, bigger than I thought!" was the first comment, and they stood looking at it in silence. Then the comments started as they took it in turns to stand away from it, to view it better. They asked for the piece of wallpaper they'd sent me to view the painting against it, and could see that it would be fine against the heavy patterning. They were surprised at how deep the canvas was at 3 inches which is a bit deeper than usual, but it added to the dramatic aspect of it, and their room was easily big enough to take it,  and it added to the viewing experience in that where ever you stood or sat within the room the painting would be in 3D because of the deep edges.

I showed them the working drawings, and the preliminary sketches I'd done. And described the painting process of the acrylic underpainting, the thicker coats of acrylic to give the oils depth, and then the oils themselves, the the silver paint of the jagged wind applied with palette knife. As were the thicker parts of the paint to give it more texture.

They loved it. All of them.

But, the best bit, for me, was the fact it caused tears and upset. Instant tears on the first viewing. The tears of a mother as she sees her first born depicted in paint, her first born who although a man died too young, way too young. That's something that no mother should have to experience and is tragic for any woman to have to contend with, and will probably never fully recover from. So, when she burst into tears at the first sight of it that was the best reaction there could have been for me. Because it meant I'd got it right, it meant I'd got the right feeling in the picture, it meant it was the right face, the right expression, the right depiction, and the tears were the best affirmation for me, to prove that. A mothers tears for her first born. And I'm sorry that it made her cry but pleased as well. Really pleased!

After that, the positive comments, the hugs of thanks, the smiles of wonder, the silence as they stared at it, and the words they spoke afterwards, added to the whole wonder of me making a painting for someone. A special painting, that means so very much to them, and always will because they designed it, picked the subject matter, colours, setting, that it would be in oils on a large block canvas, that it would have various family members in it, that it would be a happy painting celebrating their past, but looking towards the future too. They will spend many hours staring at the painting when it goes to hang on their wall, and will love it.

And I stood there, quietly pleased with myself that I'd done it for them, and that they had asked me to do it. But then, the mother said she knew I'd do a good job, and named the other paintings I'd done for the family in the past. Paintings that they still have on their walls, treasured paintings, bringing love and happy memories... I'd forgotten about some of them, since it was so long ago that I did some of them, but remembered them instantly when she named them of course, they are my creations, and well loved by me as much as them.

We had tea and biscuits after that, and sat chatting about many things, life, love, friendship, fun. And all of it was done with laughter, and an ease of jovial conversation when you know that everyone is on the same wavelength, and of a job well done. And they are convinced I will get more commissions through it, as various friends of theirs are intrigued to see it, and have heard so much about it. I hope so, that's always my desire.

They didn't take the painting with them, it stays with me a while longer whilst its still drying. So, I have the pleasure of it, before it goes to Bath to live. 

And maybe it'll be the spark of a new idea, a new painting, not yet painted, but just a thought, in someones head....

The end of the Royal and the beginning of a new one

Now I've finished the oil painting of the Royal Crescent at Bath I can get on with something that is long over due.... something as important as painting, and exhibiting, and promoting myself as an artist...

And that's updating my website. Its been long over due whilst I sort out my life and get sorted in my new home. I've been in discussions with my webmaster and he and I are in agreement of the best way forward for it. But it probably means finding a new template for my new website. He showed me one last night that seems to be ideal, although until its all set up and running I can't fully tell. But, it is only the basis of the website, and I can personalise it as much as I want or need. But I also know from past experience that it also takes a lot of time and effort to get it up and running. That's ok, I don't mind that, as its my advert for the world and to the world. And if it makes the art more accessible, and attractive, and sells more of it, then that's got to be a good thing, surely. I've not put my prices up in three years, but they will be going up in the very near future...... so, before that happens, and before I update my website, please take a good look at it, and if there is anything that catches your eye that you want to purchase, let me know as soon as possible!  www.jackieadshead.co.uk



Earlier this week I had an unexpected surprise in that the people I bought the house from called in to see me. I knew he was calling in to pick up something from me that he needed urgently, which had been delivered to this his old address as modern technology doesn't allow for some address changes to happen quickly for some daft administrative reason known only to them, but I hadn't expected both of them to come, and was delighted to see them, and delighted that they wanted to both come and see me. I welcomed them in with a hug, and a kiss, and over cups of tea and coffee, showed them my artwork hanging on the walls, and the new painting I've finished recently, and finally got to be hanging vertically on the wall whilst it dries. They admired my taste in art, and we talked of many things. It was good to show my new house (their old one!) to them, and to show what I've done so far. Still a lot more to do, but it'll get done in time.

...


I watched the Royal Wedding this morning and loved the pomp and ceremony of it, the sense of history that England is so good at. It made me smile, and feel proud to be English, and to celebrate the start of the marriage of Prince William to Catherine Middleton. I was very taken by her poise, her elegant looks, her relaxed demeanour, but her sense of duty for her acceptance into the Royal family, and being married to a future King. But, most of all, as I sat and watched her, I wanted to draw her, and put all of it into a painting of her. She is truly beautiful.