Autumn 2014
Hello again.
Well, it’s been a while since I was here and I am very sorry for neglecting you. I’m not very good at this regular updating lark. Then again, I feel sure that you don’t mind at all and have probably been far too busy with summer holidays and ice bucket challenges to care.
Whatever you have been doing, I hope it was a good summer. Where I live, on the North East coast, it was very busy. Along the seafront, a huge range of fashionable fitness activities are now available. Bootcamps are very popular here. Healthy, but deranged people are often seen dragging tyres, tied around their waist, along the sand (I believe they pay money to do this) and, of course, The Great North Run brings even more folks to our shores. They really should offer Mo Farrah a Gregg’s pasty at the finish line – poor lamb looks like he could use one.
We do have a sailing and surfing scene too. It’s not quite like California, our waves are fun size and the water so icy cold that it takes your breath away. This doesn't deter the hardy locals, even in winter there are always surfers in the water. Just to clarify, I don't engage with any of this tomfoolery behaviour myself, dear me no! I was absolutely exhausted, just from accidentally watching the athletic young men peeling off their wetsuits. That heavy wine glass doesn’t lift itself up and down either.
No, I may not be the sporty type but I am an Olympic gold medallist in observing other people's bonkers – it is my job after all.
It hasn’t all been hard work at the beach, there was also a little jaunt to glorious Venice for a change of scenery.
Me, pondering which flavour of Italian ice cream to have next.
This trip caused a sudden, unexpected weight gain; I thought this was a bit unfair, having limited myself to trying only two flavours at a time. Venice also yielded a couple of paintings for my next collection. I enjoyed creating them so much that I may keep working on more Italian themed pieces. A country with so much history and beauty and an unfair quota of class, is impossible to tire of.
I’m back in my studio now, watching the season change outside of my window. I’m trying to ignore the vague feeling of unease that an artist gets when an exhibition deadline is in place; unease which starts rising towards total panic as time marches forward.
Also waiting to make it off the starting blocks is a little book of gingerbread which I recently compiled for my biscuit collectors. I plan to launch this at my next exhibition.
In the meantime, enjoy the mild autumn. I’ll be back soon. Well I say soon, you know me, it could be months but that’s ok, you’ll be very busy with toffee apples and Christmas cake for a little while.
Arrivederci
Sarah-Jane
