Hi followers, apparently we are emerging from COVID.

Personally I don’t believe it and I’m continuing to do all I can to keep safe. I’d love to go on a plane where its warm, go to the pub for a tipple but NO. Thats far too risky, for me anyway.
Now the good news.

I’ve just completed this wonderful commission.

It was a monster, weighing in at 50kg and measuring 2metres long. And apart from my bragging rights in bringing it to your attention, there’s a story plus a lesson to learn but I’ll keep it short.

I was commissioned by a lovely couple to build this piece for the wife’s 40th birthday. Given a relatively free hand both with colours and layout, I was able to employ my own creativity.

The size of the box made it hard but not impossible to handle and manoevre in my relatively small workspace.

PREPARATION IN THE WORKSHOP

Part of my contract was to fit the work & on the day I arrive with VAN & 2 helpers to fix the piece in pride of place. The box was carefully set aside to assess the fixing process and only then did I discover that the selected position was a cavity wall made of plasterboard.

I was terrified at the thought placing a 50kg box on the wall in this beautiful home by what I saw as a potential for disaster. Not to bore you with the detail, but I wasn’t confident and called in a specialist. The box had to be returned to my studio for storage and I returned 3 days later as did the box for what I hoped was the final fix.
It was!

It was a great outcome in a beautiful location and a satisfied customer, Here’s their final comment I received this morning. “Thank you. I have paid the balance. We are delighted with the end result – we came downstairs at 3:15am last night to take another look at it! Thanks again.”

The moral. If agreeing to fix “CHECK THE CONSTRUCTION OF THE WALL”. I could have avoided a couple of sleepless nights and much stress had I done just that.

All happy now.

Michael July 2020

Sad to say that ‘Love and Hope’ has not yet sold. Despite a big social media push and a superb response, I could not find a buyer.

It seems that Ebay was the wrong medium for this particular item but with approaching 1000 views my confidence is high.

I am now looking at alternative ways for the charity to benefit from its sale. Wychwood Gallery near Oxford, has agreed to promote the piece throughout its client base and as ever the optimist, I’m hopeful it will sell.

You met Martha the cockapoo a while back. She’s growing fast and is now with me in my studio 3 days a week.

I’m now concentrating on creating new pieces. A number of my gallery partners have none of my Butterfly art works to show and I recalled them in order to make changes.

I’ve been blessed with having received a number of enquiries and sales, so with that confidence in my back pocket I’m ready to push forward with a new collection.

No its not Darth Vader in disguise but yours truly taking things seriously.

Locked down or locked up?

Its both I guess, but I’m fortunate that I still have a business to go to.

I’m playing within the government guidelines and I can’t do my work from home. My office is isolated so I’m as safe as anyone can be from COVID.

I’m excited because I’m getting enquiries as well as sales for my art works. As I’ve covered in previous blogs, these leads feed my artistic soul.

To me It’s counter intuitive that despite the mayhem surrounding us, art is selling and some of it is mine.

I’m super excited because I have now completed the project mentioned previously which will be sold to help raise funds for a hunger charity.

A picture tells a 1000 words so please feast your eyes on this one off signed work. The completed installation presents far better than I had hoped for and I really love the piece.

Entitled ‘Love and Hope’, it features 400 hand finished feather butterflies within its 100x100cm acrylic case and can be purchased via my website.

I’m hoping that my next post will announce the completed sale and the sum donated.

Stay safe.

The rainbow has taken on new significance for us all. For me it signifies a light at the end of this long tunnel and a belief that there’s better to come.

I’m fortunate enough not to have been touched personally by a tragedy attributed to COVID,  of course I still feel the sadness thats pervading our society.

There is joy as well as sadness and my philosophy is to seek the joy from where it may be found.

My new puppy Martha, a chocolate brown cockapoo who is a total delight and just a little naughty.

The fact that I’m healthy and seem to have avoided COVID despite some worrying symptoms a couple of weeks ago. These have now passed.

Butterfly Art moves on slowly with the odd enquiry as mentioned in my last blog.

I’m super excited to announce a fund raising version of the rainbow. This will of course feature feather butterflies. The difference from previous creations are 3 fold.
1. The classic rainbow shape and colours are being held within the shape of a heart.
2 This installation will be a one off and non repeatable item, signed by the artist and is 100x100cm
3 50% of the proceeds will go to charity.

I want to continue to make my contribution to those in need. This intended sale will I hope, go someway towards that end.

PART COMPLETED but on its way…………..

I’m trying to feel upbeat today as it’s my birthday but in keeping with the rest of the nation, my mood has not unreasonably been affected by our current crisis. The fears, losses of loved ones and loneliness of people isolated is sobering. Sitting in my garden in the sunshine I feel blessed that I’m safe, have enough food and I’m with my wife and sweet new puppy Martha.

Surprisingly I’ve had two butterflyart enquiries in the past few days which is a bit of a shocker all things considered. Who would have thought that people were interested in purchasing art right now? Enquiries feed my soul so keep em coming. Nothing new to report except get well soon Boris.

24/7 in your face & in your ears so I’m only mentioning COVID 19 in passing as it would be wrong to ignore.

There are devastating outcomes resulting from the pandemic but its my belief that when we emerge from the darkness, we will all be in a better place.

This enforced pause gives us the space and time to evaluate what is important in our lives and I’m not talking toilet rolls here.

Out of necessity, businesses will spend time to look more closely at their operations. Friends and family relationships will meld more closely as they care for loved ones even from a distance.

I’m in the ‘at risk’ group but I’m continuing with my work and will use the copious time I’m now going to ‘enjoy’ to re-think, re-design and come out stronger at the end, whenever that will be.

Not however 12 weeks as BJ suggested, thats wishful thinking but I hope I’m wrong.

I’m also trying to access the grant made available to small businesses in order to survive. More on this next time but for now the grant is high on rhetoric and zero on content.
Under the circumstances the following image is kind of frivolous given the seriousness of our times but I never forgo the opportunity to post a decent image of myself. This one was taken at Affordable Art fair Battersea last week.

Till the next time.