Photo: sketchbook pages from 2020
Hello Everyone,
I hope you have had a good week. It has been yet another busy one for me. I did take some time out for walks and spending time with family. My sister and I had a lovely visit to our local museum, which is in a fine Georgian house of a similar age to the property I now live in - but has a much grander staircase. These small visits to places, close at hand, can never be taken for granted - how fortunate I feel to have inspiration on my doorstep. I love stepping back in time, where I feel - if not more at home, at least less alien, if that makes sense. I am, as many people often observe, and I have admitted before, a time traveller.
Thank you for subscribing if you have recently signed up. I do intend to share here a re-introduction, of some sort. I’ll try to keep it brief but when you get to your fifties life has a few twists and sub-stories. But I know you don’t want to know my whole life story, for really why should you. If you are here merely to find out when I am adding new work to my shop then feel free to simply look for ‘shop news’ and read that. I appreciate my stories may not be for everyone, but if you enjoy reading the whole thing - well I am glad and will always appreciate you spending time with me.
I want to keep in touch here (especially with the decline of Instagram as a reliable messenger). I’m constantly scribbling notes, ideas on what to share regarding my artwork, my day to day life as a full time artist and writer, my love of simple living. If you have any topic or question to suggest then please do, in the comments, or you may send me an email (ccullis@gmail.com). I always like to hear from people.
Over the next week I hope to make time to catch up with my Substack reading, as there are so many good writers here sharing their thoughts. I also want to give much more time to my sketchbooks - and yes this is something I keep saying - and it just has not happened. There are only so many hours etc.. but also the time I used to spend working on my sketchbooks is now spent, partly at least, writing these notes. So next week will be a sketchbook week for me and I am challenging myself to complete at least one page/spread a day. I don’t want to make this a chore. I do want to fill pages and be as free and as playful as I can.
photo: one of two big boxes filled with sketchbooks
I have two big brown boxes of sketchbooks, plus a smaller case/box of tiny books. They were all packed away when I moved to this attic flat last summer and despite good intentions the sketchbooks have yet to find a new life outside their box, their own shelves. I am glad I took the time, during what was an anxious period, to at least divide the books into two groups: one box contains sketchbooks from way back and books that I feel are less interesting/successful/incomplete; nevertheless, I will still keep them. The other box is crammed full of books I do cherish. That box contains the best hours and hours of work and play, figuring out and chance encounters.
photo: I pulled some books out at random and photographed pages
One day, I hope and this is no secret because I have said it before, I hope there might be an exhibition of my sketchbooks - possibly I will have to die in some obscurity before this happens, but so be it. They can be ‘rediscovered’. At least, I do believe my daughter and son will not simply throw them. They have seen me working in these books for years and years. My children grew up watching me absorbed into my sketchbook worlds. They have eaten slightly under or over cooked meals, as a result, because sketchbooks unlike my ‘main work’ have always been something I have tried to fit into an otherwise busy day. With or without success.
photo: another selection of sketchbook pages
photo: a closer look - I can remember working in this book four/five years ago now. I spent quite a long time working on each page. I wanted to create a special book for myself and did.
I hope to make a video of myself looking through a box of sketchbooks and talking about them. This may or may not be something I get to soon. Perhaps I will have a conversation with my daughter, or someone else, about the books. I would like to be able to share this with you.
NOTE: I will be taking a break from Instagram over this coming Easter week (my main account) so that I can free up a bit of time and just, well, have a break from it - but will be around on my personal account for random home and personal projects (I mostly post in stories there) (@phaedraspoon) - you are welcome to follow me there. I may be switching it to a private account soon and in that case will follow back if you have a creative account. But I have yet to decide on this yet. I feel it is possible as I want to share my home and more personal things without concern for sharing publicly (if that makes sense). Basically, over the next months I want to change up the way I use Instagram, as it is no longer the thing it once was. Anyway, Instagram ramble over!
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Shop News
I am updating my shop today, Sunday 24th March at 7pm UK time - there will be a selection of new tiny portraits.
photo: one of seven new tiny portraits coming to my shop this evening
I am taking a break from updates during this coming week but my shop will remain open and I am happy to accept orders for spring lucky dip paintings and postcards. The orders will all be sent asap.
No update next Sunday (Easter Sunday).
My next update will therefore be:
Wednesday 3rd April at 8pm UK time - new embroidery artworks
including this piece
photo: A little bird song, if you please - a new embroidery portrait - coming to my shop as part of a new collection on April 3rd
I hope to have a few new pieces to offer - and will be previewing them in the shop for at least a few hours before 8pm, so that you can see them all. I don’t send email reminders (a few people have asked) so please set a time on your phone or scribble it on your kitchen calendar, if you are interested. Many thanks.
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A few Small Stories
Is this older gentleman attempting to flirt with me? Smart and tanned, a little round. He steps closer and we are eye to eye, the same height, and he smiles as we talk. I like him and am not intimidated, which is always an odd sensation, shy or introverted being my default setting. We are waiting for someone to appear at a customer service desk. He did not think the supermarket would be so busy at this time of the morning. Perhaps, he suggests, we should just go and have a coffee? I provide my attempt at a faded Mona Lisa smile. Let me guess what you do, he says, and I get three: you are an artist, of some sort. Yes, I nod, of some sort. Well, I am glad I went for that one first, he says, as I really was going to say teacher. Ouch, I say, smiling. My third guess was going to be a nurse. Oh well no, I say. Turns out he is collecting crates of claret and port for his ruby anniversary party. His wife’s idea to have everything red: beetroot crisps he says, with a shudder. The non-drinkers will get cranberry juice (winces). As I wish him a good weekend he says he was serious about that coffee, but another time perhaps.
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An almost perfect day, I say slightly breathless. Halfway up the hill and I must pause to collect myself. The winter has robbed me of daily walks; I’ll always blame the weather. My son has not heard me and strides on up. No day can be perfect, but the weather at this moment can be, with blue and wisps of cloud, with squirrels and birdsong. But the catkins dripping down from branches have almost had enough and soon the nettles will be taking over this edge of the park. With nettles come butterflies, I tell myself and then I see it: my first red admiral butterfly. If I could trap a butterfly into the pages of my sketchbook with no harm done to the universe, would I? No, because my sketchbooks are not about such perfection, even on this perfect day.
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Thank you for reading here, for all your kind comments and likes. If you enjoy my writing and sharing please consider buying me a coffee - much appreciated.
photo: a last look at a few sketchbook pages before they are packed away, for now.
Can’t stop thinking about beetroot crisps and cranberry juice! At least their party will be memorable.
I adore your sketchbooks. An exhibition of them would be a wonderful thing!