Firstly (and most importantly), the cat: it's not unusual for Leo not to turn up in the morning, but he is usually there at the window at least by mid-day. No sign of him. And still at half-past-eight this evening still no sign of him. Not like him at all. Eight o'clock is his sweetie-time. Either he's copped his whack under the wheels of a car (which I don't believe because he is very fast indeed), or someone is keeping him. I wouldn't blame them for Leo is one good looking feline. But HE IS MINE! LET HIM GO!!!!
Secondly, painting: Hard to concentrate today. Attempting to push my boundaries a little further (while at the same time continuously looking out of the studio door hoping to see il mio gatto sitting patiently for me, waiting to get in) working on pastel images and acrylic paintings of abstracted fragments straight from my subconscious. No thinking - just doing. Responding intuitively with a bunch of colours in my hand [see images below].
Thirdly: the new boiler is acting up - it frequently "locks-out" which means when hot water is required it fails to ignite and warning lights come on requiring re-setting. I am unable to induce this to happen and find myself watching it for ages so I can catch it 'in flagrante' so to speak. No luck - it apparently knows when I am observing it - but there it goes again just when I turn away! Bandit (to put it mildly)!
Fourthly: I've had to get two new front tyres for my car this morning before the winter sets in properly since those on the front are too close to the limit (oh what fun sitting in the garage waiting room trying to read a newspaper and ignore the numpties on day-time telly who expose their miserable lives to the world {she wants to give her ex-con, pot-smoking, lazy-bastard of a live-in boyfriend, and father of her three children who he couldn't give a damn about, another chance after he has cheated on her for an EIGHTH time!!!! [and not only is he unintelligible when he speaks but more than half of it is bleeped out to save my delicate ears] I think: when the hell will my tyres be ready and where the hell is my cat! Important things, ye'know?
Fifthly: trying to break in these new Timberland clod-hoppers to wear with my kilt at tomorrow night's ceilidh {one of The Mandolin Boys (big Alan) is getting hitched and there will be a party with no holds barred!} [so if there are no postings for a few days you will know the reason why!] It's pure agony and a bit distracting. So don't tell me about multi-tasking - ma heid, as well as ma feet, 's about burstin'!
Sixthly: Had to go to the clinic to get my annual flu jab but when I presented myself at Reception was told I was a whole week too early! See what happens? As they say in these parts: "Auld age disnae come alane!" What with the failing eyesight, loss of memory, and the bad back!
Which brings me neatly to my abstracts:
Neocolour II on paper, 21x15cm: "Fragments #1"; started by randomly drawing patches of colour and binding them together. A kind of loosening-up exercise, but too stiff for where I want to go.
Neocolour II on paper, 21x15cm: "Fragments #3"; Now we're whistlin' Dixie! Without boundaries these fragments leapt out onto the page.
Neocolour II on paper, 21x15cm: "Fragments #5"; Using a technique here suggested by Melinda - burnishing the Neocolours with a moistened pad, which of course fills in the white gapos between my pastel strokes. I can see uses for this, so thanks Melinda!
Neocolour II on paper, 21x15cm: "Fragments #8": This one struck me as being not too unlike Monet's lily-pond with reflections of the sky and some dark structure. You can purchase this from me for, oh, about £2million? Done - sold to the lady with the lost look on her face!
Neocolour II on paper, 28x20cm: "Last of the Nasturtiums"; Gazing out of the studio window waiting for you-know-who to turn up I see these nasturtiums desparately clinging on to some life when they should in fact be consigned to the compost bin. So I give them one last hurrah. Hurrah!But still no sign of Leo :o(
Oh, and the bad back? When I stand for long periods at the easel my back starts to give me gyp. So now I'm doing my work sitting on the floor. Ok till one of them big tarantula spiders scurries on by. I wouldn't mind too much but it's the disdainfull look on it's face when it stops to see what I'm doing. Cheeky bandit!
And still no sign of Leo :o((((
