Hey ho, Let's go!

Letters and Etsy orders prepare to fly

Hello Dear Readers,

Let's see... what happened this week? Well, I know one thing, it went by too fast! These days need to get a little slower because I still have plenty I want to do and see here.

The art market on Saturday was great for meeting other artists and making connections and just spending the day in the drill hall and chatting with nice people. It didn't yield me any sales but that is sometimes besides the point. However, later I was rewarded with a spate of sales on Etsy and friend requests on Twitter and Facebook. That is how this business works. Exhausted from the experience, we watched the film, Oz the great and powerful and really enjoyed it. I am only mentioning the film because I think some of my readers would also enjoy it.

Speaking of films, on Sunday, we went and saw a film "Constructors." It is showing as part of the Edinburgh International Film Festival. A bit like if Jim Jarmusch met Alex Cox in Kazakhstan and made a film. Great black and white atmospheric tale with little dialogue and with great musical interludes. Check it out if you like either of the directors I just mentioned.

As Monday approached I started the week off with an ambitious to do list and was able to focus and get a lot done which is always a good thing. This week there was a lot of time spent thinking about envelopes, stationary, postage, millimeters and just the nuts and bolts of the business.

This week I also got the sad news that my cat Evie was dying and then the final news that she had died on Wednesday morning. I dealt with it by working in my studio and turning towards my work. I looked at photographs of her (and even slept with one under my pillow the night she was dying) and I thought of her and I tried to be part of the process as much as I could from 4,000 miles away. I will miss her. 19 years is a long time to have a pet.

As, I mentioned I did turn to my work and had a good day in the studio finishing up 10 new 5x7" Atlas pieces for my Etsy shop and 98% finished 10 small works that will be patron rewards for folks who donated to my project. I only have 12 more small works to paint for the patrons and then all the perks for the project will be completed. I am so grateful for everyone's support in this process. For me to feel part of something bigger and have a community behind me that believe in what I do and want to be part of it all is the greatest gift.

On Thursday, I met a friend and we went to the National Portrait Gallery to check out the Annie Lennox exhibition. It was a good show and a great chat with my friend in the cafe. I am so lucky to know the people I do here, a lovely bunch of artists, writers, photographers, just fascinating and inspiring people.

Today was again focused on patron gifts and getting all the letters and photos organized and mailed off. I also packed and shipped all my recent Etsy orders. It was a busy full tilt day and the end to a productive week.

On Monday I head to the Highlands to Campbell country for a day trip. I can't wait. I better clear the memory card on my camera and make sure all my batteries are charged. I am going to take photographs galore.

Thanks for tuning in this week. I am glad you are on my team. Until next week, keep fighting.

Enjoy my newly restocked Etsy shop and don't forget to use coupon code Thanks10 for 10% off anything in my shop.

Love,

Megan

Making, Doing, Seeing, Feeling...

Well Hello Friday Readers!

Friday...already!?!

Let's see, it has been a week with an upswing and a plan. Ordering of materials and an action plan created. Getting together contacts and asking for assistance in showing my work around Edinburgh and time spent working in my studio too. I even created 15 new small works for my Etsy shop. I was able to get to both of my yoga classes this week and that was fantastic. It feels good to feel better.

Tomorrow I am going to be sharing a booth with Stewart at the Out of the Blue Drill Hall's Art Market event. I had some of my small works on paper at the last one too, but this time I will have 14 new small works there (one sold in the night!) and help Stewart man the booth. I am looking forward to chatting with a bunch of a lovely people in the process. Sales would be nice as well! We will see...

I am trying hard to focus on the now and not get caught up in the fact that my project is half way over and that I will be leaving in September. I have anxiety dreams about leaving. I look around at the buildings when I am on the bus and start to feel sad that I won't be seeing them everyday. I helped a tourist today get on the right bus and tell them their stop and cringed when they still walked right passed their desired destination. It is obvious I am feeling at home here. I have sat on the sidewalk in a back alley and read a magazine. I have sat upstairs on the bus by myself. I have walked home alone with a gentle buzz from an lunchtime beer and walked at the speed of the locals. I don't want to leave. I have created a nice little life here and made some brilliant friends and am getting to know them better all the time. I like who I am here and am getting to know myself better all the time too.

I have a lot more to do and I have a lot more time to do it in. I just have to focus on the now and enjoy every minute. Now is all we have anyway...

For now, I'll leave you with my new works: (My Etsy shop will be closed tomorrow while I am at Art Market. So if you have your eye on something- jump on it now and use coupon code Thanks10 to get 10% off anything in my shop! Enjoy!

Studio time, a sore throat and a dare.

A charm a dear friend gave me sits on the windowsill as the clouds roll by.  

Hello Lovely Readers,

I hope you have had a good week. The start of my week looked promising with Monday being spent in the studio working away on ten new small paintings. I was pleased to have such a productive session. I also walked around 7 miles that evening and fell asleep with a sense of accomplishment and promise. The next morning I woke up with a sore throat and quickly realized that my body had other plans for me this week. I was disappointed  but when you are sick, you're sick. So mostly this week, I researched things on the Internet, watched netflix (free trial), drank hot tea and slept.

Today, I am feeling much better and should be good as new by this weekend I imagine. Which is a good thing, because even though I missed my studio time and both yoga classes this week, I really don't want to miss a pop up shop happening tomorrow on the Portobello beach front. A day to look at art, wander around a beautiful old place and see the sea sounds a bit like the perfect day to me.

We will see what happens... and next week it is back to the studio! That's a promise.

Thanks for dropping by. Until next week keep fighting!

Walking, sun, stuff and things

the lovely canal last Saturday

I am just going to keep this post short. This week I got to the studio once and I prepped paper so I can start on some new small paintings. I also spent one day researching at the National Archives of Scotland. Last weekend I spent time at the canal, the beach and then later the Meadows Festival out under bright blue skies. The meadows festival was lovely with flea market and vintage finds, bands and music, a beer garden and a carnival with rides. It was a great way to spend a Sunday.

tape is essential 

I spent a significant portion of the past week going through all my photos that I have taken while I have been here since March. Trying to cull them, organize them and put them places where people can enjoy them. It is a work in progress, my photography hobby seems to take more and more time. We have also been walking a lot, in fact I walked 32 miles this week.

So, I have divided my time between the studio, walking in parks and on paths, going to both my yoga classes, time researching, and time checking out the great outdoors and enjoying the sun as much as possible, so while there is not a lot to report in the art world, it was a good week spent living.

Soon, this space will be a hive of activity again, pretty photographs, stories, dreams, inspiration and art.

Stay tuned...and thanks for going along for the ride. Until next Friday, you know what to do...

paper just waiting