THE ALLEY OF LIBERATION

Well, we’re back safely from our visit to the ‘sunny’ North East of England (for May it was absolutely atrocious and has unfortunately left a scar on ‘our Lass’s’ interpretation of the North-East of England for ever), and the upheaval of the last few months or so (too long and complicated a story to tell fully) seems long gone..! To be honest, since the move here to Warsaw roughly a year ago now, I must admit to feeling more reasonably settled now than I’ve felt anywhere or for such a long time during.., well.., let’s just say – an ‘unsettled’ past.

Since the tickets were already paid for from the ill-fated trip back in February to find work, we took the opportunity to spend a couple of weeks break in England at the end of May to meet family and friends. Although it was brilliant (weather aside) to catch up with family and friends again, it is a relief to finally be back to try to get into some sort of semblance of a routine and hopefully get cracking with the long process of getting some work done… Without my dad’s help, this short reprieve now wouldn’t be possible though, and for his continual advice and support I owe him more than a few silly words here can say!

That’s not to say I’m by any means out of woods yet, for life working as an artist here, (as all of you who dish out the ideas in whichever medium for a meagre living will know), is by no means easy, but however slow the process, the work is beginning to flow at a rate now which puts my output during the last few years in England to shame, and I’m beginning to love and hate it again regardless of the fact that they’re inevitably all over the place right now – Ready or not, it’s still good to make contacts however, and though I don’t think I’m ready, or will be for quite some months to come, I should really pull my finger out and begin approaching galleries again before the readies dry up completely and make any progress more than tricky!

The unexpected shift in subject/content, and return to painting is proving exciting, but for all the ideas and production are going ok, I wish to God there was an army of me to get the stuff out and onto canvas quicker than is physically possible. Adjusting and getting your head around the fact that painting takes just a wee bit more physical exertion than digital and video work - this along with the added drawback you can’t just revert to an earlier version when things go wrong, then it’s proving hard to acclimatize to! Also haven’t managed any painting for the last two days - not so much because of the aforementioned it must be said however - but because of the ‘guy’ downstairs..! Being a drag-queen by profession, ‘her’ perpetual practice sessions and renditions of Falling in Love again and Lili Marleen when ‘she’ gets home from work at three or four in the morning have left me sleepless and exhausted. I’ve learnt through experience not to touch a paint brush at times like this!

It’s difficult to know though how to sort the problem out to be honest. With ‘his’ only English being informed by, and limited to, Shirley Bassey lyrics etc.., it took Daniel (God, he’s become a good mate) to request a sensible noise level which ‘she’s’ adhered to for the last month or so, but the volume has crept up gradually since we got back from England and the tranni anthems are being belted out again at a trillion decibels! The fact ‘he's’ a big bugger and I’m a bloody coward also means that I haven’t approached him myself, but have asked Daniel to dictate a note over the phone for me in Polish which I’ll duly stick on his door when I know he’s not in!

Anyway, that’s it for now – need to get some zzz s while I can, as I’m planning to attack the canvases like the Devil on Heat tomorrow! For now - na razie…