Finishing work

Describe a risk you took that you do not regret.

I gave up work to mainly look after my hubby whose mental health was deteriorating. I could have carried on, but circumstances were also changing in my job. The way we worked was reverting back to old fashioned ways which I felt was detrimental to our clients. I’d fought hard to help them more and it felt like their needs were being forgotten while money was saved. Services were being slashed. I had to go, and I never regretted it, I just felt sorry for my fellow workers who I left behind. Covid and other problems meant that I didn’t make a go of my small business, but at least I tried.

Driving

What makes you nervous?

As you get older you become more aware of your infirmities. If you are sensible you will take that into account when you drive. It’s not just for your benefit, it’s for the people who are driving or who are travelling around you.

Things like sight, strength, hand eye coordination, reaction times are all important. You must notify the relevant authorities if there is something wrong with you.

There are many places I would have happily visited until recently, but I’m nervous of travelling any distance without someone alongside me. I will continue to take care and drive carefully and not put anyone else at risk.

Fall asleep

How do you unwind after a demanding day?

I don’t sleep well at night

But after a demanding day?

I fall asleep in the chair

I close my eyes and hours

Days? Go by…

Sleep is a benefit and a curse

Memories and dreams

Nightmares and revelations

Thoughts and fears

After that I go to bed

Insomnia hits like a brick

And I lie awake for hours.

Old drawings

Years ago I could draw well and u think I had good skills but now? The real thing I regret about having Parkinsons disease is that my manual dexterity and hand eye coordination are getting worse. I don’t know what the prognosis is but the Parkinsons nurse I spoke to at my last appointment told me that the tablets I am taking do not necessarily calm down the, shaking and tremors I’m experiencing. I thank the Internet for spellchecker because I don’t know if my writing would be OK without it. I can still draw but it takes time and at least I can digitally erase my mistakes. If I draw normally the shakes on my left side mean the sketchbook I’m using jerks around all over the place. So it’s easier to use an easle. My right hand is a bit more controlled if I concentrate hard. But Art is my whole life, if I can’t do it what  will I do? I must learn to adapt, take the treatment I am given and hope. But there are other health problems I’m facing. I just have to have more tests…

Happiness?

Looking at these kittens from 7 years ago cheers me up. The sun is shining, there is a nice film on the TV. But I really feel down and anxious. I want to talk to someone, but everyone has their own lives to lead and I don’t want to bother them. I could ring up but my phone is on the blink. I talk but the person at the other end can’t hear me although I can hear them. I feel like it’s a metaphor (is that the right word?) for my life, frustrated and worried. Will things ever be good again? Will I find a modicum of happiness? I don’t know.

Posting stuff

How do you use social media?

I post inanities, some profanities.

I post comments and responses, photos and art, I share posts and repost. Much of it isn’t important. I’ll ask people to answer questions, like can you name an A to Z of fruit? Or do you remember TV programmes in the 60’s or 70’s? And of course I post pictures of my cats.

I post here and at other sites such as Facebook. I sometimes write poems or short stories. I try and come up with interesting digital sketches and art. Exploring fine art ideas and creating new paintings. I sometimes even create pottery or sculpture.

I occasionally play games online but I’m not keen on video games or whatever it’s called now. I sometimes look up facts but I tend to rely on my own knowledge and understanding. I’m no influencer, that’s not what I’m interested in. But it makes for a more varied life and keeps me occupied (too much)! Plus you get to meet interesting and unusual people xxxx

Digital art 8 years ago

Another semi abstract digital drawing that popped upon my Facebook memories, long enough ago that I can’t remember the apps I used.

I’ve noticed that if I draw profiles of faces I usually draw them facing left. That might be because my right hand might obscure the drawing of they faced right. I did ask some other artists and concluded the left handed ones draw profiles facing right? But the sample size (3 or 4 people) is far too small to draw an accurate conclusion. I also draw horses heads and other animals facing left. I do wonder why.

Good question

Describe something you learned in high school.

I’m not sure what high school is? When I was at school we went to primary, then secondary school. The top (final year) was the sixth form where you took your final exams.

One of those was biology, we studied a lot of information, photosynthesis, stomata in leaves (the holes underneath leaves that allow gases in and out. Things like the function of the kidney (was there something called a glomerulus?), the layers of skin, probably the structure of the eye? I think liking art helped because I could draw diagrams.

I enjoyed biology and am glad I chose it as one of my subjects.

Mirrors removed

Portrait of my friend.

Today was a sad day, leaving my studio at Spode is a real wrench. I have had to gather up my belongings including paints, canvases, an easle. Even the mirrors on the walls and the nails that supported my paintings over the years I’ve been there.

How do you remove hexagonal mirrors that are glued to a wall? With a claw hammer and very carefully is the answer. Now some paintings are at a friends studio and others are here in my living room. Hopefully I will soon get sorted out.

Possible painting?

There’s something fascinating about the old windows at Spode Works. I took this photo this week in my friend Amy’s studio. It looks out over the back of the ceramic halls that front onto Kingsway in Stoke. The dirt and grime is from the clay dust that still covers much of the site. The buildings are freezing in winter and stay cool in the summer, I think because of the thermal mass of the solid factory.

Time is gradually eroding and changing the structure of the buildings. Buddlea bushes have colonised one of the older parts of the factory and I wonder if they will make it crumble. It will feel strange not to go there anymore.