Almost Weekend!

I have one painting looking at me forlornly from the corner of the room - I say painting, since that is what it will eventually become, but at present, it's more like a hazy colour outline of what will be! I tried to do some work last night, but I managed to do one pot in the painting and that was it. I haven't really thought these colours through and I haven't worked on a painting for more than 3 months, so I'm really forcing myself to soldier on.
The thing about having a lull or block or whatever you might have, is that it seems to sort itself out if you just sit down and work. Someone once said to me that you have to produce bad art at times to get to the good art. (Anybody ever seen Leonardo's St John? It's supposed to be one of the worst paintings ever - you won't find it easily. I still think it's brilliant - so there goes that theory) Maybe it really isn't bad art after all - maybe as the artist, you're just so critical of what you do that everything you put down just looks bad. Actually, that pretty much describes a lot of what I do! Talk about being your own worst critic.

Good Movie

I have never been a Leonardo da Caprio fan - he just seemed to be a bratty little boy that squealed a lot - but I have to confess, my steadfast and immovable opinion of him is changing. It started with Blood Diamonds.

Imitating a South African accent without sounding really stupid is a feat very few actors have accomplished - even Denzyl Washington couldn't manage it. In fact, if I think about it, I really can't think of any actor who has pulled it off. I remember watching one of the Lethal Weapon movies with the SA baddies in it - when they spoke, the whole audience erupted in laughter - it was such a bad attempt... But ol' Leo got the accent down REALLY close. Richard and I looked at each other in amazement. The other great thing is the character - he's real and self serving - the true nature of man and he plays the part with gritty conviction. Even his "turn-around" - the process of him opening himself up to more than just looking out for himself is convincing - it's not the Hollywood unrealistic "I've seen the light even if it is just for the end of this movie" and usually that kind of momentary conversion just doesn't ring true.

So, when I got a movie for Richard yesterday, I noticed he was in it and thought, well, the last one wasn't so bad, may as well try this one.

The movie was called Body of Lies and the language is not for the faint hearted. The story is brilliant. Leo's character is once again a realistic portrayal of a man working in Iraq. He knows and understands the culture and is one of those poor abused men in the ranks - "working on the ground". He sees everything that his boss conveniently doesn't and he gets to do all his dirty work. It reminded me a little of the movie Reese Witherspoon and Jake Gyllenhaal acted in about the wive of a muslim who is falsely arrested and detained and tortured because he had a cell phone call with a man whose name was the same as a known terrorist. That movie dealt with the futility of torture, proving that a man will say anything if he is tortured. That's a really simplified summary, by the way. Body of Lies is pretty much about the Americans going into Iraq where they don't know or understand the culture and what they're dealing with. (Remember Black Hawk Down?) It touched on the efficacy of the Jordanian police or special forces. It's written by David Ignatius. He's been a journalist in the middle east for 30 years. He met with a top CIA official and asked him who was making a difference in the war on terrorism, the guy immediately said the Jordanians and he was told some stories which started him on Body of Lies.

The movie is by Ridley Scott, who I really enjoy.

So, between the movie and the normal Saturday run around, Emma's ear drum burst and she's rolling around in agony, Rachel has acclimitised to the bed (but won't sleep there in the day time) and I'm preparing a little get together to celebrate the exhibition and prize giving on 20th March. I'm thinking of having a Mexican theme for some or other unknown reason.

Heat Wave Continues

Holy cow it is so hot. I don't know if it's just me, but I do notice a marginal drop in the temperature of the wind or hot breath that follows you around like an over eager dog... I am so ratty this morning! It's hardly noticeable, I know... Unless you're my family, of course.

We put Rachel in a bed last night. What a daft idea. I woke up growling at everyone, snapping at them and asking irritably whose bright idea it was to put the baby in the bed. Actually it was mine, and rather have sleepless nights now than in 6 months time when she's sleeping through the night. Who am I kidding? This kid will NEVER sleep through the night... Well, that's the way it feels right now anyway.

So, when she finally fell asleep with Rich at 8pm last night, I thought - oh great! that wasn't so bad... Ha! By 10.30 - 11.00 she was up again, walking around with her 4 essential items: the bottle, the blanket, the furry cat (not the real one) and the dummy that everyone tries really hard to pry from her mouth. I eventually got out of her room at 1.30am - and I felt like those guys from WWE must feel like the morning after. Now I know why there was so much banging going on in the bedroom at night! That kid is like a puppy who can't find a comfortable spot... You know how they scrape the blankets and make circles for hours before they eventually collapse? Well this kid was rolling around, kicking her legs up and down, kicking me in the back and flapping her legs over me as though I were the edge of a swimming pool and she had her feet in the water. The best was the occasional head butt as she sat up and then threw herself down. She really loves doing that - I'm amazed she hasn't broken her nose yet. At one point, I'm convinced she was lying there, squeezing the teet of her really worn out bottle and squirting milk in my face. Like the kicking wasn't punishment enough for wrenching her from her little safety cocoon in the cot.

Sigh! So, this morning I was a gruesome sight (I really feel sorry for the people I work with...) with a temperament to match. And then a friend sent me an email of the shark in the harbour... Yes, this is the same harbour that Emma swam in 2 weeks ago. Oops - I'd better ensure that Emma's Nanna doesn't read this... I have a sneaky suspicion the shark is a great white. Gulp. So much for sailing lessons...

Did I mention I also forgot my friend's birthday? Unforgiveable!

My hair is reacting strangely to a couple of bad dye jobs - Rich keeps looking at it and shaking his head. Then he asks ever so politely: Can't you do something about that eastern european look?

Growl.

Good News from the US

I got the news that my work has been selected for a purchase award last week - although thrilled, I was a bit disappointed when I got the instructions on where to go for the opening of the exhibition! I don't even have a passport!
I have to chuckle when I consider that my paintings travel more and see more people than I do! Other than that, life continues in the sweltering heat (what happened to February being the hottest month???) and with the insane politics in the background. I heard an economist say the next quarter for SA is looking more positive - I have to wonder if that's his way of saying the glass is half full... We'll have to wait and see.
Emma might be sailing in a regatta next weekend. She really seems to have the knack for it. Thanks dad for passing that along!

Ah...

Today I was driving behind a biker and I really had to chuckle to myself. Every year we used to have something called the Buffalo Ralley where bikers around South Africa met in PE and have a raucous weekend somewhere on the outskirts of town. Countless bikers fight a losing battle trying to declare the innocence of bikers and their intentions. After all, we can't paint everyone with the same brush is their argument. Not all bikers are rough looking, rough mouthed and rough mannered. Well, this biker went and tarnished their fragile argument in one foul swoop. I don't believe he was actually South African - the number plate was completely foreign and his dress didn't smack of the local leather supplier... The obscenity on his jacket wasn't enough to stop me smiling at a flood of memories from the 80's. His hair was long and spiral permed (or maybe that was natural??) and it reminded me of my dad and my brother listening to Iron Maiden, Kiss and some German named Ingve Malmsteen. I preferred Joe Satriani, but my dad only acquired that taste a couple of years before his death - better late than never, I guess. I never got the whole heavy metal thing - and waking up to a screeching Australian on a Saturday morning didn't do much for my liking of ACDC. (Although, I have to confess, I did know the lyrics to "Sink the Pink" and I confess I actually did sing along) But one thing was synonomous with these characters - the long spiral permed hair that was essential for throwing your head back and forth jerkily enough to make all chiropractors grin gleefully at the potential fortune to be made from these old men desperate to cling to the last glimmers of youth and infamy.

If anyone remembers Iron Maiden, you'll remember the posters with Eddie - how on earth Wayne managed to sleep peacefully amongst all those posters is still completely beyond me. Anyway, so the biker has this clash of 80's and modern biker gear. Not knowing anything at all about motorbikes (except how to ride a scrambler) I couldn't say anything about the bike apart from the fact that it was bright yellow. His pants and boots caught my attention, thought. He had bright red pants - so the overall impression was of a primary coloured heavy metal freak... His pants were multi zipped which had me wondering if he had a MacGyver kind of supply in his pants, you know, nuts and bolts in this pocket, leatherman in the other... Then I thought that would probably make his pants too heavy and as odd as it might seem to me, this guy was seriously about image. His boots reminded me of a very strange boy named Jacques in my 2nd year of art studies. Jacques was very quiet and always dressed in black and he sort of slinked around the art studio tentatively making as though he was stalking you and about to act out the shower scene of psycho... Actually, I think he was acting out psycho... He was a brilliant artist though. He was focused and had direction and produced the most amazing stream of work that linked together with real professional integrity. He produced photographs, prints and paintings of industrial scenes and derelict buildings. Jacques wore boots like the biker. I wonder what happened to Jacques...

Anyway, here are some more doodles.

Movies

I watched the Village for the first time a couple of weeks back. I am so bowled over by that movie. What a pleasure to see the amazing cinemagraphic little masterpieces in various scenes not to mention incredible story and beautiful, meticulously crafted characters. I'm inclined to dislike fads: if there's an actor that's "hot" or a movie that everyone raves about, I find myself avoiding those things because I don't want to be influenced by popular demand. So, I knew the story of the Village, but it was such a treat to watch that movie.
I was riveted by the scene where everyone hides and calls for her but she stands holding out her hand for him and from that moment he always holds her hand.
And his speech on the porch when she asks him why he is sitting on her porch... o my goodness!
There are a few actors I would not like to run into in a dark alley - they have a sinister kind of aura or countenance. Joaquim Phoenix and Christian Bale are some of them... But I have to admit, that Phoenix boy can act.

Dusting the cobwebs off the keyboard...

I can't believe it's been such a long time since I visited my blogspot, nevermind actually writing something!
Aside from the disastrous consequences of the global recession reaching our neck of the woods - factories/plants and numerous businesses closing or on short time - the year has started out slow but is picking up.
Here's a message especially for Trixie: I consider myself a professional artist - I don't know if others would considering I don't earn a living from it! Every year I begin with the overwhelming hope and enthusiasm that this year will bring the break that will allow me to ditch all other income generating jobs and devote myself entirely to the pursuit of artistic happiness and tranquility, this year is no different! I have recently sold work to galleries in the US and had paintings published in magazines. That was really exciting.
My paintings take a long time in between motherhood and the 3 jobs I juggle, so I have this constant dilemma of doing the paintings that I love which take at least a year to complete and producing fun little doodles to try and make a break in the more commercial art side. I have millions of ideas for artwork, but the limited time means only the tip of the iceberg is exposed. I am somewhat challenged in the marketing area - I am shy and really really bad at selling anything... In fact, I end up giving paintings away to friends and family. So, that's about the gist of it. I love painting portraits too.

Thanks Viwe! Got the rest and I'm looking forward to this new year - hope your new year started out well.

Thanks D - you're a star!