I know for most of us in the northern hemisphere that January can feel like a very long month. It's dark, damp and cold.
I'll be honest, I've struggled to walk down the garden path and get cracking in the studio, I've been more mindful this year about how often I stick my electric heater on for as the energy prices are still really high.
All that said, January has been a good month for me. There have been a few sales, offers for new stockists, a piece in an exhibition and applications sent for a couple of new print fairs.
Once I did get in the studio, I've made some good work. I did a print release last week for some prawn prints I have done from a little prawn that was fished out of the Menai Strait by Andy before Christmas. The prints came out really well and have created a lot of interest.
I also had a wet mounting win with a large piece measuring 91x70cm. I've attempted to mount four times, yes four and each time it's gone wrong and I've had to soak it back off the backing paper and risk tearing it. Thankfully the fourth attempt has worked and it's beautifully flat. I can wait to see it in a frame.
As the month draws to a close I'm feeling much more positive than I was at the beginning. There are lots of great things coming up later in the year. I'm really excited to have gained a few more stockists too.
Finally I've added a page to my website today to invite people to visit my studio if they are on Anglesey. This will be by appointment only but I'm hoping people take me up on the offer as I love the chance to explain what I do.