28.3.07

Getting out of a tizzy

Hem. (Clears throat self consciously). Feeling a bit silly for letting off like that - being a secretive Cancerian I like to be in tight control of things...memo to self, don't blog when having a hissy fit. Thank you so much - everyone - who took the time to post supportive comments and e-mail me privately - you have no idea how much it helped - I spend so much time on my own that it's easy to forget just how many people are out there. Prima donna moment over; we soldier on. I decided to put into action a couple of things I've been avoiding. The first being to invest in a new computer and go broadband. I hope to be speeded up next week and will be adding a studio web cam to this blog. Which brings me on to the next thing - moving rooms. I've been putting it off for months now, but recently I almost wrecked a job because I had barely enough room to paint. So we decided to Do Something. Because as it is now...



I can barely squeeze myself past all my resources....



...to jam myself into the few inches of space...



...and sit for long hours creating...



...with half my materials buried in boxes.


If it was just my little part time hobby I'd put up with it, and thank my lucky stars I had any space at all. But I do earn a modest income from it, and now I'm expanding into type and print, there is no way on this good Earth that I can work in there. So we are having a major upheaval and I will be in here instead...

(and from where I usually blog)

My big painting table will go in front of the window where I will get lots of lovely light, instead of the shadowy, sideways dinge I'm working in now. Most of my waking moments recently have been dedicated to working out how it's all going to be rearranged. To this end I've been scabbing lifts off my friends, trawling house clearance shops and have found a few sticks of cheap second hand furniture which are now clogging up the downstairs room. (Yes, we only have one). I am going, literally up the wall - because that is where the spare space is. Most of my books are piled everywhere, as tall shelves are so expensive. But I should be getting a six foot square bookcase soon, donated by a friend and languishing at present in bits, in an old barn. In the meantime we are going to have great fun manoeuvring everything around in a small awkward upper space. But when it's ready I can move my little 'type room' from the coffee table downstairs and get started.


Next stop world - domination!




26 comments:

SueC said...

Good to read you're sound more like your chipper self...you need a night out!! (so check your email!):-)
And you CAN write (Maddy and James have all your Tiddler Press books) so don't be mistaken. In fact - I hope you're going to publish more???

Sue x

Aaron Paquette said...

You'd make a great overlord!

My painting space is always a disaster area, so I'm a little inspired by all this talk of bookcases and shelves and places for things...

Aaron Paquette said...

Although....to be honest you have such an image rich blog...I can't even imagine what you're going to do with broadband!!

natural attrill said...

Oh thats really exciting G, having a new studio, I bet you will be itching to start work in there as soon as its sorted. I know I feel so much better when my studio is just cleared up, but you are having a new one - fantastic!
Penny.
xx

Anonymous said...

Good to see you so positive, once you get your new studio sorted out there will be no stopping you. Go for it.

Tart said...

Yup, I've got my Tiddler Press books too so get writing more STUFF!
I've been e-mailing you too and will fire another one off today as I need your expert advice. So pleased to see you are in a happier frame of mind - more strength to your drawing, writing, flitting elbow!

xx L

Anonymous said...

Hooray! That's more like it! The 'new' studio looks great and having that bit more space will be a big help. What's your first print project going to be? ;-)

Soozcat said...

Woohoo! Gretel for Global Overlord!

Anonymous said...

Hi Gretel,

Your plans for moving your studio into a bigger area sounds great.
Thanks for sharing the pictures. It reminds me that I have to get back to work!

Mara

Emm@ said...

Ooo, excellent. A new space to create in and fill up with books and books and more books! Good luck squeezing everything in!

Cathy said...

Hi Gretel!

I'm so glad to see you're feeling more positive now. What a GREAT studio you've got, though, even if it isn't big enough at the moment. I'm in the middle of a major refurb of my studio (only room in the house which I hadn't redecorated; been here for nearly 12 years and it looked pretty crap when I arrived). Once you've sorted all this stuff out I'm SURE you'll feel inspired again.

Love,

Cathy xxx

Anonymous said...

I'm willing to bet that once you free up your workspace, the optimism, creativity (not that you're lacking in that) and inspiration will come flooding in with the light. Every once in awhile, I have to force myself to tackle my back room and I'm always amazed at how liberating it is, once I organize and rearrange my stuff.

Daisy Lupin said...

So glad you are feeling a bit more positive. Lovely to have a new workroom. We have a very awkward corner at the bottom of our stairs. We just got an old wardrobe off Freecycyle and my son had to take it apart, and it was not a flat pack one, to get it up the stairs. Have still got to work out how to get a bulky settee up there that I want in the workroom!!

Maya said...

New studio space looks exciting Gretel- :)
Your new space looks Perfect quarters for world domination ;)

p.s.(don't you dare stop writing or painting you talented lady you - I swear I'll be on the next plane and singing outside your window if you even think about it- it won't be pretty!)

*(hugs)*

m.

Anonymous said...

YEAH Gretel! Creating a new space is a wonderful way to pick up your spirits and renew ones self!

So Glad you are feeling better!

Hugs

Anonymous said...

Gretel I just read the e-mail about joining the Picture-Bookies Showcase! I am so excited to have you! Come aboard anytime and when you find the time to post that will be delightful!

natural attrill said...

Hi,
I'm glad to know i'm not the only 'messy' worker! I've also found some more new cocorosie : www.myspace.com/cocorosie

My mum said you were a good internet detective so, if you don't mind, i would like some help with something. I have recently bought a handsize sewing machine and need the instructions, but with me being useless at looking for virtual information, i couldn't find any, so like i said, could you help me please? The information is on my blog.
Thanks!
Toby.

Stephanie Roth Sisson said...

You have a REAL artist's studio! I hope I can come visit one day.

Anonymous said...

So glad you are feeling better. I know your new studio is going to be wonderful.

Hugs,
Connie

John Nez said...

Thanks for dropping by my blog... glad you liked the paintings.

Glad to hear you're rearranging the studio... that ought to be fun for a change...

best,

jn

Anonymous said...

Hello, hope the studio is coming along, looking forward to seeing the "after" photographs. Just thought I better pop by to answer your ? re the flower, it is the evergreen clematis Armandii. Spring flowering, very hardy, poisonious to dogs foolish enough to eat it, and very rampant, ideal for covering eyesores in the garden, quite heavily perfumed later in the day as well.
Enjoy the Easter weekend.
Carolyn x

Marianne said...

Funny how we can find similarities in fellow creatives half way across the world. :-D I'm a fellow Cancerian artist with similar frustrations that you have: current output is high, but income is anywhere from nil to 'a bit'. I help my husband who is quite well known in the illustration world, with technical support, research, business, press agenting, marketing, what have you. I've had a quick look through your posts and your art, and you have plenty of charming, lovely 'marketable' work. Instead of looking for an agent, why don't you try a 'relicensing agent' to try and place your images? I work with one in California, while my husband - who has the more marketable work - has four around the world. I'd be happy to feed you ideas if you'd like. I'm always full of bright ideas, and don't mind passing opportunities on. :-D

After realising that I would never have the 'Science Fiction/Fantasy book cover art career I'd always wanted - thirty years - I hit a bad depression two years ago. I've been pulling myself out of it ever since by returning to my roots and recapturing my prowess with oil paints. I write, and do book reviews as well. Not enough hours in the day. Anyway, my Daub du Jour blogsite hosts my painting a day efforts, and Muse du Jour hosts articles, reviews, and recipes, etc. My much neglected website is www.marianneplumridge.com

Meanwhile, I'm an Aussie living in USA, with a hankering to get back to England again this year. We visited Torquay last year for a visit with an author friend - and caught a Moody Blues concert in Plymouth. Wish we could afford to go again this year. But never mind. BTW, love your cottage in the Cotswalds.

But, this is getting longwinded. Keep up the great work, and listen to all of your wonderful friends advice. Hang in there.

Cheers
Marianne

Miss Erica said...

I can't wait, wait, wait to see your studio!
As a serial furniture re-arranger, I am tempted to jump in my car and come help you!!

Erica
xxx

Cotswoldgent said...

Can't believe you being doing this blog on a land line....Of course I'll expect much more now your broadband!

lettuce said...

glad you've found something do-able and exciting to get on with changing and feeling more in control. Space is so important.... i speak as one who knows! all our spaces get so cluttered so quickly.

if you're needing more bits and pieces, furniture etc., check out freecycle, its brilliant.

Tea said...

Wonderful! A new spot to work and new prospects to come of it all. Your work is far too wonderful for someoine not to want to publish it. They`ll come along. Don`t dare be giving up :)

tea
xo