The Summer Solstice found me looking back on the first half of the year and excited for the second half. It feels as if I took myself back to school and now I'm starting a new series of works armed with revised and even new skills.
I have felt so thirsty for a wider knowledge of art processes and, now that I'm able to devote more hours to it, the time is right.
We all need an injection of creative inspiration when life's practicalities threaten to overwhelm us and it's never too late to learn to express ourselves more skilfully. Amongst others, my recent guides include Adebanje Alade (sketching - including a day out sketching in London), Faye Bridgwater (belated 'Sketch Square' month), LIz Ackerley (keeping the Sketchbook Journey going), Jessica Russo-Scherr (gel plate printing).
A surprising and fabulous source of learning came from teaching. I put together three workshops for an A level student who asked to learn about my techniques as part of her own studies and visual projects. As well as learning new things from her, revisiting my old work in preparation sparked a renewed interest in making monoprints.
It's lovely to work with ink again and it's such an expressive medium - it has a way of making you embrace mistakes as well as producing great surprises. So now it is time to look forward.
Special thanks to student Milly and thanks to both Dan Powell at Webbed Feet and Sally Ragbourne Hawling for your expert help updating my website - that's been another process to learn about.
Belated Solstice greetings to all.