The top row were completed at the end of November, which means between visits to hospital and days of feeling too low to climb out of the chair I have managed 9 out of 20. One or two I am really pleased with, and will work towards framing them (mounts ordered today), the rest I think I will mount as a book. By attaching the mount to a larger piece of thin card I can punch holes in the backing sheet and put them in a file.
These are the ones I am most satisfied with and may qualify for full frames. I will look at them again after the mounts have arrived.
On another thread, Dorset Artists (a closed face book group I belong to) publishes an on line magazine to which a close friend (Andrea Jenkins) writes fairly regular articles. She asked me if I had a muse and would I write her a line or two about it. Here is the email I sent her:
Musings on a Muse.
Until you asked the question I hadn't much thought about having or not having a muse. Is there a goddess that watches over me and my work? - most definitely, but she is well aided on this earth by my beloved M. It is he who encouraged me to start painting again (with the promise that I could paint and he would cook and clean! It hasn't quite worked out that way, but I wouldn't have it any differently).
I think of the great painters of the nineteenth and twentieth century, the Impressionists, the Pre-Raphaelites and their muse/models and of Lucien Freud, whose models (I think his only real muse was male) were willing to spread their legs for the world to see. There has to be a bond of respect and trust between artist and muse. It really is very special and not always meant for sharing which is why my only portrait of M is of his beautiful hands caressing his guitar. Occasionally I see a particular turn of muscle of juxtaposition of plains and have an urge to draw/paint share, but these are precious moments and I hug them close.
As I read your questions Andrea I thought I had two muses. M and the landscape around where I live, but on thinking about it I realised that the landscape and the seasons are my inspiration, whilst my true muse is a facilitator. His actions and words encourage and support even when they are not directly concerned with my art.
I had hoped that the magazine would be published by now - but as always when dealing with artists time is a strange thing and I expect we will see the fall edition out next spring.
This is my portrait of M and one of my favourites - it hangs above his desk and we both see it all the time.
The magazine can be read at http://dorsetartists.com/2016/02/10/magazine-archives/
