Can I do Both?

For my regular and loyal readers I apologise for the absence of any regular posting activity! In October last year we took our second road trip around New Zealand. Regular writing and posting recommenced on a daily basis – who couldn’t find the words faced with the beauty of our surroundings and such wonderful photography from the ‘man behind the lens’!

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After three months travelling we arrived home in January 2020 and the first rumblings of a serious virus were becoming known. Throughout what was to come I was determined to keep a regular blogging habit and for a while I did just that.

In February I started art classes to try and continue to improve my watercolours and then lockdown happened. I was on lockdown for two weeks before I realised working outside I could safely continue to tend my Clients gardens.

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Almost throughout lockdown and beyond albeit the latter more time limited I did try and sketch/paint often even if only for a few minutes and keep up with regular writing of posts. For us life continued nearly normal with the exception Long-suffering now worked from home.

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To start with all was well and then the dreaded dip in mood started to manifest itself. I know the signs of this now my alter ego for the last eight years – as does Long-suffering! My sleep becomes even more erratic than usual, self doubt rears its ugly head, settling to anything is sporadic or non existent.

Like many others the constant change in restrictions, daily news of doom and gloom, separation anxiety from loved ones sent me into a muffled state of panic and unease where at times I felt not in the present.

Eventually writing and most other pursuits fell by the wayside, I had the words in my head and even wrote notes but couldn’t seem to make sense of them, I tried but gave up and then berated myself for giving up, guilt at my own ineptitude, frustration at my own weakness when others sufferings and circumstance were so much worse than my own.

In July I was allowed to resume Friday childcare of my youngest granddaughter, at least once a week the precious joy that is grandchildren lifted the mood. In August things improved again with restrictions relaxed enough for the arrival of the family from Mole Towers for a wonderful, happy two weeks – with young grandchildren in the house I dare anyone to be miserable for long!

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And then they left and like the flick of a switch the mood changed once again, I felt like a child bereft of his comfort blanket as I wandered around empty tidy rooms, although Friday nana duties continued thankfully.

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Come mid September I was back on the up again back in the exercise routine and managed to write one post. And now well since that post the new art studio has finally happened and we are back in lockdown once again! However this time I have my special place …….

On a rain soaked few days in October the new fully insulated Art studio from Poultons Dorset arrived and over a period of a week was erected, insulated, wired and painted to perfection.

Having a dedicated art space has meant that my oil painting journey has begun in earnest. I was too afraid to paint in this medium in the house for fear of transferring to all things fabric or otherwise!

I have invested in an additional book ‘Daily Painting by Carol Marine’ and currently am to be found when not working, painting in oils and watercolours – my usual medium – daily in ‘The Studio’. When I am in there I literally lose myself completely and feel a renewed sense of freedom within the bright airy space, unlike the restrictions outside.

In the above book Carol recommends starting a blog and posting daily on your painting development. I already have a blog and often write long sometimes laborious posts – like this one which leads me to my original question, can I do both? I find I can certainly make time to paint daily….

Well I am going to try both, but maybe focus more on my art and ‘The man behind the lens’ photography as we find new places to explore with the click of his button and the flick of the paintbrush from his ‘Creative Muse’.

For now closer to home in beautiful Dorset where we are lucky to live… but the future…..well who knows watch this space!

Keep safe everyone