Today is the 7th January 2023 and I am living in a place called Retz not far from the Czech Republic border but in Austria. I find the area very pleasant and restful and I enjoy the people I have got to know in this area. I do however find the distance to Vienna (where it all happens) to be a bit far, but unfortunately accommodation is too expensive any closer to the city. I use the train now with my Klima ticket which is for one year and very expensive, therefore not an easy option to replace in the years to come. In the meantime, I travel to and from Vienna with the ticket but the cold weather makes sitting in the park a little off the charts for now. Spring will bring the joys of sitting around and sketching in the parks again. In the meantime I sit in my painting room which is small but a space to treasure and sketch and paint from the internet. Live models pose and although nude ones are hard to find these days, a bit of underwear can easily be removed from my experience drawing from live models in the past. I rarely paint exactly what I am looking at and would rather compose my paintings using imagination, experience and various photos, so I can still paint pictures. Unfortunately the opportunity to show your work here in Austria is very limited and I have to just keep going and hope to be found. My experience so far is that Austrians don't appear to buy artwork and if I do sell anything, it is a blessing. I will however continue to create art and pray that I will live long enough to live my dream as an artist no matter the restrictions. I miss my friends and family terribly and hope I am not forgotten in a hurry by people I know from the country of my birth, which is South Africa.
It is the end of April already and I have not written anything on my blog, not that what I write is either seen or of interest, but this will be. I am painting full steam ahead for the annual Art in the Park in Pietermaritzburg which is to be held from the 29th May - 2 June 2013 at the Alexandria Park in Pietermaritzburg. This could be the last time I will be there as I am still trying to sell the house and once that has been done, I will be starting a whole new life in Austria. Come and see me in Pietermaritzburg stand 20. Look forward to seeing you there.
It is now January 20th 2013 and I have been painting away without a break over the Christmas period. I am slowly but surely finding my idea pattern for the up and coming Art in the Park in Pietermaritzburg and hope that I will be able to attend this year - all depends on the sale of my house. I have my name on the list in Pietermaritzburg and will pay when the time comes up and paint work as though I will be there. I am being disturbed a lot with all the rain and problems that have been needing sorting out and people and agents coming to view the house. I doubt whether the house will sell before I have done the show, but a person never knows these things.
Today is the 1st October and the Hilton Arts Festival is now over. I enjoyed the experience but I was tucked away from the buzz. Rain was a major interferance on the Saturday and drove all the people away. I sold some of my art and have a few items on reserve. All in all not too many people found our classroom that we were hidden away in - sad for us, but a learning experience nevertheless. Enjoyed staying with my cousin Lorraine in Pietermaritzburg. Well it's back to painting even if I don't need any new work, the creative experience must carry on.
|