Painting time

I'm a genius, but I'm a misunderstood genius.
What's misunderstood about you?
Nobody thinks I'm a genius.
Calvin and Hobbes

How do you make time to paint?

I've made a bargain with myself that I will not take any more jobs between now (or when I finish editing the work I'm doing now) and September, so I can get some painting time in this year.

But that isn't going to be enough time, is it? Not with children, housework and summer holidays coming up. I would really like to find some way of painting regularly next year. Which means making more physical space and dedicating time. Time where I don't turn on the computer or answer phone calls. I just ache for that kind of time.

I recently completed a sketchbook full of ideas for painting from. This is the cover.

I sent it off to Cloth Paper and Scissors, so you may see more of it there soon.

I was delighted to see some of my fairy tale interests coming up in it. I worked very intuitively with a pencil and eraser. Lots of erasing, until subjects began to mysteriously appear.

Today's Inspiration: The town of Wall as invented by Neil Gaiman and Written about by Suzanna Clarke.

Likes: Diana Jones. Her song, Pony, makes me cry. If you like Gillian Welsh, check Diana out.

Comments

[susan]

juju, i love this cover! i should get over to c.p.s. i have never visited it! how to make time to paint here? i get up early and work for an hour before things start stirring around. mid afternoon i take a break and do another hour. if i don't i really go mad!
happy spring (it finally hit here!)

[jude]

this is really beautiful.

[Miss*Laurence]

Hello Juju!
It's great to be able to share your work in Cloth..., I've only just gone into that magasine- I love reading articles of people I "know" ! Can't wait to see your drawings!

[Tricia Garret]

Time, time, time...
it's just galloping by! I was shocked to realise it was Thursday again today. College this evening and my work file was still on the passenger seat in the car from last week - homework not even thought of since!

[Ulla]

Beautiful cover Juju! Can't wait to see whats inside...!

[shannon]

sometimes one has to not spend time on the computer, it's true. and that detracts from a sense of connection to the larger creative world, especially if one lives in an isolated area, like I do.

And fairy tales: they are a huge theme in my life (although I don't know how to translate them into fiber) and I was thinking yesterday that perhaps the symbolic language of the fairy tale holds a connection to nature that most people don't know how to read anymore, but that is a key for us, somehow. Or something like that. It needs more thought.

[Lindsay]

painting time for me happens late at night. for a friend also with children, it happens before they wake up. me? i want sewing time! your purses have inspired me to pull out the machine and make one. sigh.

great cover!

[Melody Johnson]

O Juju, I can so relate. I need to block off time too. My best to you!
Melody

[lou]

a very beautiful image!
i really know what you mean about time, too - i crave endless hours to create and play, but such is life and the day to day, this never becomes a reality!

[monica]

let's not talk about time running away please, it's kind of depressing...

I've always wanted to have a sketchbook... one that I carry with me everywhere and it's like an extension of my own mind.

I just don't have the time. Sad eh?