Sadly, the closest I have come so far, was a stab at sitting on the beach in my winter clothes – with a hot  flask. On the big day, the sky was only a little cloudy,  but in the time it took me to pin down the tartan blanket with shoes,  the heavens opened with torrential rain.  The shoes filled instantly with wet sand, our chips got  soaked and the coffee wasted.   Myself and my companion, who just happened to be on crutches (very hard work on sand)  had to make a run  for it along with all the other defeated fools off Tynemouth beach.   Bah.

Anyway, before I become too involved with this rant,  I must offer thanks to anyone who made the effort to visit me at Artique Galleries during July  (unfairly, it was really hot in the South East)  It’s always humbling to think I’m worth a couple of hours of your precious time and I appreciate it very much.

I’ve never been to Tunbridge Wells before  and thought it was extremely nice.  I stayed in a Wild West themed hotel in which my bedside lamp was a cowboy boot with a shade.  A total lack of air conditioning certainly gave the room an authentic Arizona Desert experience.  However, not wanting to seem un-grateful, I have to say that the complimentary string bag of boiled sweets on the pillow was a nice,  if very un- wild westish touch.

I am still working on various projects at the moment,  including the refurbishment of 3 dementia wards at Bradford Royal Infirmary.  It is a fascinating personal journey but also an insight into the patient/relative experience and how the NHS operates in this area.

As a carer for my own mother,  dementia is a huge part of my life and for the moment,  takes away most of my painting time, but I’ve got the rest of my days (hopefully) to scribble and daub, whereas life holds very little pleasure for my mother and other sufferers of this awful disease.  Though I do try and get in the studio as often as I can,  painting can wait for now.

Returning to the season, I hope that despite the wet and chilly,  everyone still manages a ’summer’ of some sort, and that the  kids don’t drive you crackers …. that the airlines stop striking and that you finally get to burn some stuff on a bbq.  I’ve bought my littlest pussy cat a paddling pool to float her ping pong balls in, so I’m keeping everything crossed for her.   Anyway,  September is always a good month….. Isn’t it?

reporting back soon.

SJ

ps. I have been ordered to tell you that there will be 10 copies of my recent painting ‘Helter Szkelter’  available through this website and if you are in our mailing list then you will be contacted shortly with details,  but I would be speedy if you want one.

http://www.sarah-janeszikora.com/products-page/latest-prints/new-helter-szkelter/

Also, there are  6 new greetings card designs including  ‘girl with a broken heart’,  so if you have never located a copy of this difficult to find limited edition print, here is a token alternative.

http://www.sarah-janeszikora.com/products-page/greetings-card/

It’s me again,  with a short report from the furnace of my studio.   Bless the sunshine ey? I’m typing away in the intense heat of this beautiful May day.  My computer is in the attic, so the hot air has risen and become trapped, roasting me and my lazy cats, who look just like mini African lions,  languid and  stretched out in sunbeams.

The kittens are growing up fast and this very week, have discovered wasps.  This is unfortunate at the best of times but especially now I’ve discovered a nest just outside the front door.  So my weekend  mission is to try and remove the wasps before it all ends in tears.  I suspect this task may end in tears anyway…but I will see if I can borrow a wet suit from the surfers down at Tynemouth, that should thwart the stinging ones.  I’ll keep you updated on that one.

As you know I like to do little reviews of local art exhibitions, but sadly, I haven’t had the opportunity to see much lately…. although I did attend the preview of an exhibition by LA artist Fabien Perez in Newcastle recently.    I would love to be able to tell you about the show, but I didn’t really look at it (sorry Mr Perez)   I was far too busy chatting to many fascinating people, including a lady who tattoos nipples onto patients who have undergone mastectomy.  What interesting jobs people have!  I am considering having my eyebrows done (not as nipples…as eyebrows) but not sure if I’m brave enough,  I’ll probably just stick with my clinique eye pencil.   My glass was filled up a little too often by the lovely staff…and this led to what can only be described as the blatant theft of the gallery tea towels (nice stripey things) luckily, a close friend of mine manages this gallery and she isn’t pressing charges – this time.

I have occasionally ventured into the studio to do a little painting, but this month I have been very  busy on other projects, including the beginning of work to design and refurbish  3 dementia wards in Bradford teaching hospitals.  It’s a huge task because the scheme is funded mainly by charity and a tiny amount from the NHS,  so what we lack in funds, we must try and make up for in creativity!

I never fully understood how cruel life could be until I came face to face with dementia.  As an artist, I may be unable to help my own mother or other sufferers in a medical way, but I can be a carer, a companion on this most painful of journeys.  Through art,  I can also use the experience and hopefully turn it into something positive for others.  We must always strive to see the brighter side of life amidst the darkness of living.  Laughter, after all, is the best medicine.

If, by the way there are any generous donors among you, who might like to help our project in any way, we would be absolutely delighted to hear from you! I can be contacted through this site.

In the meantime, I shall brave the temperature in my studio and attempt to produce some worthy artwork and resist the overwhelming tempation to copy the cats and stretch out in a sunbeam myself.

I will report back again very shortly (providing I have not been attacked and eaten by a ferocious swarm of wasps) and I will let you know about some gallery events taking place in July.

Until then, have a lovely end of May and Bank holiday.

love,  SJ.

Here we are in a new season and I hope you are all bright eyed and bushy tailed?

Spring got off to a lovely start when a biscuit fan sent me this photo of the fabulous cake from her recent wedding:

How marvellous is that?!

April is my favourite time of year,  so fresh and new.  It’s not just the lovely light nights, trips to the DIY places for garden knick-knackery and shivering outside with a glass of wine on an evening because we are too stubborn to admit it’s just slightly too early for this yet – more importantly – it still holds the promise of a golden summer.

So, with a spring in my step I headed to the garden centre, purchased some pansies and excitedly potted them, hoping for the rapid arrival of a vibrant floral display and an abundance of pretty colour in my front garden.

One week later,  I seem to have killed them all.   Sadly I’m not very green fingered but even by my standards, this seems unlucky.  Some of the pansies are currently in intensive care and I hope for a recovery of at least the green bits.  However, not to be put off by this minor setback,  I will continue blundering around in my wellies and I’ve even bought a spade to lean on.  It’s blissful to be outdoors again and I’ve mostly abandoned the easel and computer while I work on a few other projects.

I’ve been knee deep in fish poo while removing a large and scruffy old pond from the yard of my new home (the fish were sucessfully re-homed) the smell and mess is intolerable.  A skip must now be hired, which means I will be forced to stand guard, rottweiller style, for 36 hours and prevent rascals putting their mattresses and bricks in there.

The masterplan is to transform a shabby Victorian yard into a lush Mediterranean haven – a Roman atrium sort of thing (Mr Szikora’s idea) However,  I have my own ideas about a seaside theme involving an ice-cream parlour for the cats….

Which leads me to something even more exciting than the gardening – I’ve  been busy ‘kitten proofing’ the staircase since the arrival, a few days ago, of my beautiful new gingerbabies,  ‘Pamplemousse’ and ‘Pantoufle’.

The spindles have been clingfilmed and there is a bright pink hammock suspended between the floors in case of any falls.  My older cats,  Betty-kitten and Milky Joe are absolutely disgusted with this new arrangement and refuse to speak to us.  I suppose we must wait patiently until they are ready to forgive their evil humans.  The kittens are a naughty distraction for me,  I should be painting, but instead I happily stare for hours…..and they love their new mammy too,  I know this because of all the love bites they have generously given me.

While all this ridiculous stuff is going on,  I have also embarked on a programme to do something rather more useful.  I have been invited to join a team sponsored by the Kings Fund charity to help improve the environment on the dementia wards at a Northern hospital.   As the only non-medical person involved,  I am looking forward to sticking my creative oar in.  For some patients, these wards may be a final home and they very much deserve to have somewhere lovely to receive their care.  I will try hard to be extra sensitive – and even though I think it would be a fun idea, resist the temptation to suggest a willy wonka theme…. I will keep you updated on progress.

I shall also be attending the Bishop Auckland Food Festival this Saturday (April 17th, Auckland Castle)  I was kindly invited to show a few paintings in the Chapel at the private home of the Bishop of Durham.  Entry is free and everyone is welcome to visit -  if you are a foodie, or you just fancy a trip out, it is a lovely event with lots to see and no doubt lots of food samples to be had, so  get yourself along! You can find more information about this by following the link at the end of my rambling.

So,  get stuck into Spring and have a lovely time…don’t forget to vote,  even if you don’t want to…you can vote for me if you like, I can’t promise to fix the economy or lower taxes, but I would make sure there was a return to tea parties in the street, with bunting and cake.

OK folks, I’m signing off here because it’s really hard to type with kittens running up my back and besides, the urge to go and get some soil under my nails is getting stronger…it’s a dirty job but someone’s got to butcher the hedges.

back soon,  SJ

food festival info: http://www.bishopaucklandfoodfestival.co.uk/

How are you doing?  cold?  sick of the snow and rain?  Of course you are.  Chin up though, it’s a good excuse to stay indoors,  make another pot of  tea,  have some buttery and jammy toast.   Or wrap up really warm and get out there.  Breathe the fresh air,  let the weather do its worst and get some exercise -  stopping short of making local headlines and getting saved by the mountain rescue services.

Only last night I was extremely brave and faced the freezing, driving rain -  jaw clenched tight with the effort, finally making it, exhausted, to the pub.   This was a consolation prize as I was supposed to be in Paris for the weekend,  but striking  French air traffic controllers had other ideas.  GRRRRRR.

North Shields, with it’s biting wind off the North sea may not have the Eiffel tower, but it has other charms, including a rather good book shop, and I’m going to be in there later to research my latest project,  Ahem –   I now need to make a small announcement.  I’ve decided to press ‘pause’ on the love of my life, to become …….. a writer!

Now,  I don’t claim to be any good at this creative medium but something is calling me,  and if Jordan can do it, anyone can.

I am in my attic studio, the nerve centre of everything I do,  typing away furiously at my keyboard.   I need to wear fingerless gloves because of my terrible circulation, the pots are piling up into a mountain of shame……the old electric fire casts an orange glow across the room,  it’s really quite authentic except  I don’t have the inky quills, unrequited love,  or tuberculosis.

I have been longing to write my own account of this life,  through my own squinty, lopsided eyes.  A  warts and all account of my time so far, and in case no-one wants to read that bit,  I will also be wearing my investigative journalist hat (a fetching velvet trilby) to uncover the nastier aspects of the art business,  an industry you might think would be lovely, but can sometimes shock the pants off you.

Who knows when this masterpiece of daftness will be available.  The editor may have a heart attack at the amount of work needing to be done after my efforts,  but I’m working like the clappers in the attic and ideally would like it to be finished before I get to the menopause.

Incidentally – if you have any interesting, unusual or downright outrageous experiences of being an artist or an art collector, please feel free to let me know,  I will of course respect your privacy at all times.

I’ve not mothballed my brushes totally and this month I have agreed to create artwork for a charity very close to my heart – The Alzheimer’s Society – The art will be reproduced for 2010 charity Christmas cards – I will let you know later in the year, how you can buy these and donate to a very good cause.

One of my favourite things to remember at this time of year is that  “March comes in like a lion and goes out like a lamb” so fingers crossed that the roaring stops soon.  In the meantime,  wrap up warm, take very good care and see you again when the lambs are springing.

love,  SJ

I have now moved into my new home and studio.  So far it is complete chaos.  If you could see the state of the place, you might wonder what I was thinking of coming here.  There has  already had a flood and a gas leak, the wind is whistling past my face as I type.  I’ve also discovered that there is one tree in the town where all the seagulls congregate for some heavy, evening socialising -  and it’s the tree my car is parked under.  Just how big are seagulls? You would think from the copious, xxl  poo splatters that we have flying elephants here.

Since staying with them temporarily, I miss my old people every day.  I rely on them for some accidentally amusing or hair-raising incident to keep us entertained.  They didn’t disappoint at Christmas.  We had a very nice traditional roast, and a good few drinks,  when late in the evening, a bowl of traditional Hungarian fayre was offered up for our dining pleasure.

In the dish there was a scary looking scene, unidentifiable at first, but turning out to be… a pigs trotter, a knuckle and a tail, there were random bits of skin (probably ear) too – all encased in a brown jelly which was just clear enough to reveal the glory of the porcine bodyparts and this was all topped off  with  a slim layer of lard on the top.  I was assured that this ‘delicacy’ was well worthy of a Christmas day sampling.

Personally, I was still immobile from Christmas dinner, and so resisted this highly resistable offer.

My significant other was mad/drunk enough to give it a go.  It was extremely funny for us spectators, but even now, he still won’t talk about it  for fear of flashbacks and post traumatic stress.

Even our oldest Hungarian admitted it wasn’t quite as he remembered from 50 years ago…perhaps to appreciate this particular dish, you need to be living in a rural, communist and very, very hungry bit of eastern Europe?

Thank the Lord for Marks and Sparks I say.

Anyway, duty calls and I must now go and unpack my brushes and paint my way into this new year.

Best Wishes and lots of success to you all for 2010.

SJ

I was serenaded by a pair of fabulous ladies with their own customised version of ‘the twelve days of christmas’, featuring 12 titles or figures from my old paintings…and I was presented with 12 special pressies – one for each day!  It’s not often I can’t find words…but I was very chuffed and spoiled rotten.  What a great gals, thank you Susan and Joan and Charlotte.

In other news – I can’t believe it… I finally get the keys to my new home on Friday 4th! It’s an end to the world of other people’s spare rooms and carrier bags of dirty socks in the car.  Of course, I’m sure my old people will be equally pleased, especially as they can now go back to their strange habits in peace.  I will  miss the spectacle of watching the lawn being ’sawed’ to achieve a straight edge or the building of a pensioner’s hot tub in the greenhouse (made from an old 1000 gallon water drum), to say nothing of the interesting dinner party held recently where couples had to share plates, as there weren’t enough matching ones…and anyway, it saves washing up….

My poor mother may or may not miss my naughty tortoisehell cat, Bettykitten.   She loves to ‘do’ hair and her speciality is a nice wash and backcomb.  However, a few days ago, I noticed mother’s long hair looking artfully dishevelled after Betty’s efforts but also disturbingly short in places on top of her head…..almost like our cat had been ‘removing’ her hair.  There have since been reports that some of this ‘missing’ hair has been found laid around their house.   I’ve blamed a lack of vitamins and will swiftly remove Betty to her new home. In the meantime, I am painting this spectacle as it couldn’t go unrecorded.

On the subject of my new residence,  I hope to open a private viewing  gallery over the next few months and anyone who would like to see some of my original paintings in the flesh will be able to arrange this by appointment only.  I’ll keep you updated on progress.

Till then, I hope you have a peaceful December, don’t get harassed by Christmas shopping, save on the expense and wasteful packaging by knitting your loved ones some warm winter bloomers.

Love, SJ

SJ’s reviews!

The Baltic, Newcastle upon Tyne — Korean artist, Kimsooja’s exhibition includes:  ‘A Needle Woman’ .

Apparently,  Kimsooja brings together  “a conceptual, logical, and structural investigation of performance through immobility that inverts the notion of the artist as the predominant actor”

Basically, this exhibition features the back of the artists head and shoulders  filmed in extremely busy streets in several different countries and showing on 8 gigantic screens…..this person has an annoyingly straight ponytail and is extremely lucky not to have been moved along by thousands of busy pedestrians trying to move along their pavement unobstructed by stationary artists.

On a different floor  ‘Parrworld’… is a handful of excellent photographs by Martin Parr and a couple of Kitch, amusing Margaret Thatcher teapots…appreciate what you can from this mildly deflating exhibition, then head to the Laing Gallery instead, they always have nice pictures.

I recently went to see  ‘The Pitmen Painters’ – by Lee Hall (Billy Elliot) at the National Theatre.  Set in 1934 and based on a group of miners from Ashington who form an art appreciation club.   This is the most entertaining evening I’ve had in donkeys.   If you ever get the chance to see this superb play,  book your tickets early, you will not be disappointed.

House hunting – As you know, I have been staying with my dear, dear old people while looking for a new house, and it isn’t getting any easier.  After witnessing the fiasco with the laundry, I bought them a new eco-washing machine.  It remains mostly unused while the bath is still in service as the even more eco-friendly washing machine.  Also,  since my last update, an electric fire has been moved into the green house to keep everyone warm.   So now we can sit in candlelight, looking back at the house from 60 feet away, imagining the luxury of a proper room while the cats stare back at us from the sofa. laughing.

Thankfully, I have found an interesting house and potential new home.  During the viewing I walked around ticking the boxes,  I was planning where to have a home studio, how to arrange the furniture,  even the catastrophic wallpaper didn’t put me off.   Only one thing was not quite right…… but maybe it was just the two stuffed foxes draped over a door, and a real Kangaroo’s head  (which was wearing a red sequined mask)  staring at me from the master bedroom.    Not daunted as much as I probably should be,  I’ve placed an offer……

Court Case

A trial date is almost finalised (Spring) and I will invite you all to the public gallery for the hearing!

SJ’s immediate diary

It will soon be Halloween and I am planning a visit to Newcastle upon Tyne next week, dressed as an old witch.   I have purchased a set of plastic fangs (a BARGAIN 3p from Wilkinsons) and a rubber bat (£1) to accompany me.   I promise to report back with a review of the nightlife witnessed.  I don’t go out much these days,  so If you don’t hear from me by November 5th…can someone please come looking?

love,

Sarah-Jane

It’s been a strange and sometimes very difficult couple of years since my last exhibition and getting back into the gallery (without an injunction!) felt absolutely great.  The enthusiasm and dedication from my art collectors continually amazes me and the response I’ve had to this collection has thrilled me to bits,  So I want to say a HUGE thank you to everyone who came along, especially those who dug deep for charity and I need to apologise if I didn’t get to say hello to everyone in person.

I will now return from this latest adventure to the North East, find a new home and start my next collection.  I hope to see you all back again in another couple of years, sooner if I get my socks pulled up.

Thanks all, the gingerbread has wings again.  SJ x

ps We are in the gallery 27 on Cork Street, until 2pm on Saturday, so it’s not too late if you want to view the paintings.

For any further details please contact Margi Lawson on 0792 1197 422

SJ draws the winning raffle tickets for the Alzheimer’s society

As if anything could be more exciting than that….I have discovered a new collector in our midst – none other than singing canny lass, Lily Allen.  I’m very out of tune with the hit parade these days, but according to my little nieces, this is ‘cool’.  So that’s me all chuffed then, but enough of this outrageous name dropping, I’ve got an exhibition to finish….so if you are coming to London next week, I look forward to seeing you in the gallery!  SJ

At the moment I am homeless.

The studio where I do all that painting stuff has become my whole world…  for now anyway.

I had a big plan.  It involved moving to the seaside, which I’ve always wanted to do, so I  sold the roof from over our heads and then the purchase of our new house fell through.            Mr Szikora isn’t very amused and the cats are simply disgusted.

So temporarily we are on the mercy of our friends and family.   I am mostly staying with my mammy and her partner.  I’m very grateful for their kind hospitality, however, they are both into their seventies and have very fixed ways of doing things.   Let me give you an example…. They like to be environmentally friendly and save water.  ‘Great’  I thought, I’m all for that, until I realised the full implications on such tasks as the laundry.  It’s an interesting system, clothes are thrown into their used bathwater and trampled.  The ‘clean’ garments are then hung on the washing line and hose-piped down to ‘rinse’, and this process significantly cuts down the ironing – apparently.

Somehow, I have never visited a laundrette but can feel a new experience looming.

And then there is the wine habit.  These two septugenarians can drink anyone under the table but normally it’s me.  Every evening, they install themselves in the greenhouse (yes, the greenhouse) and have conversations only they can understand – while quaffing their pensions at a rate George Best couldn’t have managed.

I love them dearly but I must find us a new home before I need to join AA or start thinking that having a shower using rainwater heated by candles is a good idea.

All of this must be added to my ongoing court case with the Halcyon gallery and  frantic attempts to finish all the artwork for my September exhibition – you simply would not believe how much trouble sugar mice can be.

Anyway, I will let you go now and promise to keep you updated on any exciting developements in my odd, hobo-esque exsistence.

by the way, you are all welcome at the gallery in September (Smartypants)  it will be lovely to catch up again, since my last show, some of you have got married…I know there are new babies due…it’s all very exciting!  but in case we haven’t met yet…. I will be the one with a sleeping bag in the corner.

love,

SJ