When things Run SMOOTHLY

When things Run SMOOTHLY

Today’s artwork is smooth and shiny. I used the Golden Clear Tar Gel for this effect, its simple to use; you simply pour it on where you want it to be and wait for it to set. The effect is like that of a bubble, with a raised glassy surface. It pays to check for bubbles in the gel before it sets (This takes around 8 hours to set but starts to skin after about 30 minutes.) and pop them gently with a pin, otherwise they will remain suspended in the finished effect. Heres a youtube video that shows how to use it which I think you will find really helpful. CLEAR TAR GEL VIDEO

Im not going to talk so much about the painting process today but more about how my day is going and how it’s imperative that it runs smoothly for me as there is a lot to fit into my world on a typical day away from the gallery.

I like to look at my schedule the night before and book in reminders to my cell phone so I don’t forget things or arrive late at appointments and today has been particularly full of such matters.

A radio interview with Hamilton’s Community Radio Station was a nice start to the day where we discussed my exhibition that is currently on at the Café 547 Art Space. I started up this venue as a place for artists to be able to experiment with exhibiting, as being involved as much in the local art market as I am, I am well aware of the lack of venues for artist to show their work in the Hamilton area. Most spaces are booked a year in advance and with the huge amount of artists creating and wanting to exhibit their work there is very little opportunity for them to get somewhere to show it.

My second stop was at the Exhibition space to see how things were going and to discuss changes to the exhibition schedule with the staff there. I thought I should take a hands on role in any work I undertake, so on a regular basis I pop into the venue and meet with the staff who are working there.

I have been running this space now for 6 months and curating a show for a new artist every month so my own show there is to experiment with the space and work on ideas using my experience so I can see what works well for myself and for others to learn from when dealing with an alternative venue. Im going in with a discounted price to start the ball rolling and seeing if that has any effect on things. I also made the decision to show a diverse range of pieces from my collection so that there is something for most tastes and to also see what style or genre gets the interest of the people who go there the most.

With the demise of night school classes due to government funding cuts, another tutor and I have been discussing a different venue to teach from and ways to make it work so we had an appointment today to check out a fabulous space in a central area that looks ideal for what we both wish to do. We need to consider advertising, rent, material costs and other such overheads so both of us are working on costs vs. income for this venture and I now need to study up on whether or not it’s going to work for me and the community as a whole. The actual space itself seems to be ideal and conducive to what I would need for the classes I tend to teach.

I have managed to squeeze in a few hours of painting today, before rushing off to the next appointment where I am working with another artist on the road to furthering his career in the arts industry. It’s nice to see these people I mentor start achieving success in their chosen arts and although I have less time these days to mentor others I still try to squeeze in one or two where I can. I would have liked to catch up with my painting buddies and put in a bit of studio time but there’s simply not enough hours in the day for this, this week so Ill add it to my schedule next week. We always mange to inspire each other and its nice to work in with someone who understands where you are coming from!

I’ve even managed to do a bit of work on website which I maintain myself although I do get a bit more help these days from my webmaster. Im a strong believer in letting the experts do what they are good at, and for me to stick to mine.

Packing all that in with a bit more painting and creating including my blog piece along with work for a show in Napier next month then its some ‘me’ time before working on family matters and spending time with my teenagers. So Im signing off hoping you are also finding some time for you and your families and that your life is running smoothly also.

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