The End to a fab year!

We come to the end of 2018 a little tired, full of great experiences, ready for a break. Family Time! 

Our travels this year have taken to far off places, with opportunities to visit old friends and experience new cultures. I fell in love with Japan, loved every minute of the visit. I soaked up all the beauty, culture and enjoyed the people, the food and loved the many places we visited. 

While in Japan I saw and experienced so much I had no idea how that would process. How it would influence my own work.

My fondest memory was meeting an old friend in Tokyo on the very first day. Totally wiped out with excitement about the trip and the long journey I arranged to meet him on the day we arrived. I could hardly keep my eyes open with tiredness, Katsu and I met 25 years ago in Madison Wisconsin, USA, he was my brothers best man at his wedding.  Something clicked at that wedding,  we hardly spoke, but have always kept in touch.  So it was great for us to meet again in Tokyo.

Katsu took us to the National museum, a huge building full of the most beautiful and precious artefacts. So much to see, incredibly these ancient things influenced me the most, the soft gold screens and backgrounds, the delicacy of the landscapes. I was in awe of such skill and beauty. 

Katsu couldn’t have been more attentive or kinder he looked after us so well, took us to dinner, walked around a few mad streets and knew just when to depart after a whirlwind of culture and hospitality. 

This first experience, has influenced my own paintings so much. 

We continued our tour from one beautiful place to another, everything was new and beautiful. Seeing everything through the eyes of a teacher,  drawing and painting heightened my perception and almost engraved views and images in my brain storing them ready to be called upon when needed. I call it “ the creative soup.”

I really enjoyed exploring my ideas, it’s been a busy year with tight deadlines for exhibitions. I managed to squeeze it in between courses, I produced a good body of work, loved how it turned out, exhibited in London, and sold. 

I’m still excited about Japan, I have a many more ideas to work on, just waiting for 2019 and some time to paint!