It's Over

Well, the Choose Yourself Exhibition is over. I nearly said no to this. We were only given a few days notice, I didn't have much that was new, I had reservations about a few things. But either I am serious about this or I am just playing.

As some of you already know, this has been an incredibly successful exhibition for me. Normally I bring home everything, or if I am lucky I bring home everything minus one piece. This time I put in fifteen pieces and brought home only six.

Six.

Only six.

Still a bit stunned by that.

Frank Woodley, the ultimate bewildered comedian. I am with you all the way, Frank

More bewildering was WHO purchased some of the Tangles.

Wyong Shire Council has always banged on about the arts and its support for local artists and artisans. Sometimes it has backed this up with real support, other times not so much. The actual council officers in charge of the arts (as opposed to the councillors) have always been great, very understanding, very interested, very knowledgable, and the Council does make grants available which have facilitated many arts projects on the Central Coast. If you are looking for financing for a project, see what your local Council has to offer. You never know.

This time, however, Council has started something lasting. It now has an arts acquisition fund, aimed at building a permanent collection of local artists' works. The acquisitions officer visited the exhibition last week and decided that six of my little pieces would be a good fit. As I wrote elsewhere at the time, I feel a bit concussed by this. Several days later it is still making me blink.

I knew one of the other exhibiting artists, Amanda Anderson, all the others were new to me, but I feel so privileged to have been in this with them. The styles were different, but somehow worked well together, and as people we worked well together. I think I have some new friends from this, which is the biggest bonus of them all.

Now I have to get on with making something new, for the next time. Because there will be a next time, and a time after that, although I am mentally preparing for the inevitable return to drought following this. But that said, there's no going back now. I am on my way.

(And I have included this clip just because it's a laugh, and I feel like laughing today. It was this, or Freak Fandango Orchestra)

A Preview

I wasn't going to post any of these until they were all finished, but I am forcing my own hand to a certain extent. There has been a beautiful image appear on the internet, and, while not like these, there is a link. I don't want to be accused of plagiarism, so here are my preliminary sketches (done on my first duty day at the Choose Yourself exhibition). I will actually get off my arse and hopefully finish some of these properly this afternoon, and there will only be six in the series instead of the planned nine (although they may come later, if they will just stop morphing in my head and on paper). They should all have been finished already, but it has been a very busy few weeks, so they have crept along. I am about ready to add colour to the finished pieces, so it shouldn't take long.

Preliminary sketches, "Airships of Asia", Megan Hitchens, pencil on paper, 7 June 2014

These sketches are linked to a post I am writing about Steampunk and cultural imperialism.

I don't know that anyone will really care, and I am probably just being paranoid, but, hey, what does it hurt to cover your arse once in a while?

I Want More!

SOMETHING SOLD! Ha ha! Something sold!

Someone bought one of my pieces in the exhibition. Actually, someone bought my favourite piece in the exhibition. Which is wonderful. My mother doesn't like to put her favourite pieces on sale in case someone buys them, but I suppose we are a little different.

There are a couple of pieces that I will never sell, but beyond that...

My wall at the Choose Yourself Exhibition, Entrance Gallery, The Entrance, 2014. Cipher is the one in the middle, you know, the one with the snakey thing.

As you already know, I put in abstracts drawn using the Zentangle method (you can find out more about this wonderful way of drawing here), something of a departure from my usual figurative realism. And I was quite nervous about them. But I am quite proud of them, they are good pieces. And I love Cipher. I think it works really well.

So it is very satisfying that someone else thinks so too.

My painting master, Charlie Sheard, always said to do what you love - eventually you will find someone who loves it too. This was in the context of "don't paint to trend or market", and is very sage advice.

And it works (and has covered the cost of the frames).

But here's the drawback - that's one sold. What about the others? Who will give them a home? Who will love them enough to GET OUT THE WALLET?

It's not enough to sell one. I am a selfish git. I want more.

Moan, Moan, Moan

Okay, be warned. I am having a whinge.

Anyone who knows me knows I am a whinger. Never more content than when I can tell my woes to another. Quite disgusting. Especially when I have friends who have real problems - divorce, illness, deaths in the family. Could I possibly get some perspective?

But I am still going to have a whinge.

My kids have flu. They were supposed to go away with their father this weekend. Down to Canberra to roleplay at a convention. And I was supposed to have the weekend all to myself.

For the first time IN YEARS.

But they are both quite ill. Which isn't their fault and sucks for them more than for me.

And to make matters worse, my daughter, whom I thought was on top of all her school work, has chosen, CHOSEN (see those capitals?) to send it all (well, History anyway) to hell in a great, big flaming handbasket of doom. Doom, I tell you.

So it has been a lovely day. And I really feel like going to the exhibition opening tomorrow and then doing duty on Saturday (I'll be there Saturday, and Monday 16th June if you want to come in and say hi. Promise I shall be chirpy).

I think I shall stick my head under the covers for a bit.

And just to prove that it's not all Abney Park and to give me the kick up the bum I deserve:

I've Been Framed

Actually, my works have been framed. Took a few good hours (DIY is a good way to save money), but I don't think they look too bad.

T12, Megan Hitchens, 2014, Sakura ink and graphite on heavy cotton paper

It's been a mad dash, and there were many instances when I wished I had a TARDIS or a time turner, or ANYTHING so I could sneak in a couple more hours. This morning I had to drop them all off at the Entrance Gallery. We were supposed to start hanging today, but the previous exhibition hadn't come down, so instead we did a whole lot of waiting around. We'll start hanging tomorrow.

Cipher, Megan Hitchens, 2014, Sakura ink and graphite on heavy cotton paper

A form for the exhibition arrived in my email this morning - you know, artist bio, description, work title, description, extra notes or instructions, that sort of thing. I'm terrible about this. I don't mind writing a short bio - who I am, where I studied, how long I have been doing this - but I WILL NOT write a description/explanation for each work. I hate that sort of thing. Drives me mad when I see it on paintings, whether in a small gallery, the AGNSW or wherever.

Either a work stands on its own or it fails as art.

I'm not talking about the need to explain a particular element that references something specific (thereby enhancing your understanding). I am talking about an emotional response. If you need an A4 sheet of waffle in order to respond to a work, if it has no meaning or resonance for you without that, then it has failed. You are responding to the written words, not the work itself. As an artist, if you need an A4 sheet of waffle to justify your work or show how "clever" you are, go do something else.

Side bonus - the form has just become quicker to fill in.