The start of a 30-day experiment, a drawing a day.

Why?
It’s been an age since I’ve picked up a paintbrush, and this will get me back in the habit of making. It’s also an experiment for the Change Makers course I’ve recently started.

Why circles?
I’ve no idea, but you’ve got to start somewhere.

Will they continue?
Maybe. I’m wondering if drawing circles is the best use of my time. Still, I also know trusting the process is essential, and limitations can increase invention.

There’s nothing like an exhibition to highlight the need for being organised and having good systems in place. INTERPLAY, opening in early November, is no exception.

Playing with post-its and the Johnny Decimal system I’m currently looking at the following areas and categories to organise the files on my laptop:

10-19 ADMIN
   11 Legal
      11.01 Contracts
      11.02 Company Registration
      11.03 Etc.
   12 Accounts
      12.01 Invoices
      12.02 Expenses - Business Only
      12.03 Expenses - Shared
      12.04 Bank Statements
      12.05 Etc.
   13 Planning

20-29 MAKING
   21 Works
   22 Writing
      22.01 Proposals
      22.02 Newsletters
      22.03 Articles
      22.04 Artist Statements
      22.05 Bios
   23 Research
   24 Exhibitions
      24.01 Interplay
      24.02 New Old Forms

30-39 MARKETING
   31 Website
   32 Social Media
   33 Branding
   34 Promotional Material
      34.01 TAD
      34.02 Exhibition Invites

40-49 MONEY (SELLING / INCOME)
   41 Inventory
   42 Lists of Works
   43 Potentials
      43.01 Sales
      43.02 Funding

This structure is not complete and is very much a work in progress. While the idea of a perfect system can be both seductive and stultifying, I know (sometimes with difficulty) an imperfect and working system is more practical than an illusory idea.

If asked, I wouldn’t have expected this work from the Surrealism show as Te Papa to catch my eye.

The technique is flawless (which may or may not be a good thing), but it was the light in this work that struck me. And the colours in the tabletop – just lovely!

While a new monitor wouldn’t go a miss (and is on my list of “things to buy for the office”) I’m enjoying having a dedicated “working desk” at home.

Having a designated, single-use, physical space to work at, rather than sitting on my bed with my laptop, is already helping me differentiate work from the other parts of my life.

-

And preparation for INTERPLAY, the group exhibition I’m part of, continues. More details very soon!

While it’s been a while (about seven weeks – who’s counting!) since I picked up a paintbrush, I continue to draw.

These two drawings are from several made over the last week. They feel different to the others – the top one being less worked, more abstract.

The bottom one, well, there’s something about the foreground form and the space it is sitting in. I’m struck by how the form teeters on the edge of the frame. As space recedes, the circular blob on the figure (midway up to the right) pushes forward beyond the picture plane and into the viewers’ space.

While these are not conscious studies for paintings – they give me knowledge of a different (internal) place. I may explore this place further in future works – we’ll see what happens when I next pick up a brush.