day 1 / ii

Study: Grapes with Red Plum
57.5 x 35.5 cm
(In progress)

Uh. Yes. More than a few scriptic scenarios have flickered past my mind's keypad over recent weeks of just how eloquently this once-scorching stop on the blogosphere might be reignited but nothing quite does it. Simply put, all of the behind-the-scenes developments of late last year so rapidly engulfed the day-to-day agitivities that there was not only scanty little focussed energy left to apply to the work, but even less to filter the world-wobbling from the profound. Agitated Realism (i) began as one nut's effort to make sense of the struggle to experience paint and all of its isms, izers and istics. This new year (ii) will be an attempt to take it up another story. I could wax gratuitous on the gravity of the challenges and vividities ahead this year contrasted with those of a year ago but - ee by gum (as they say) - that's hardly the way to go on this first blog posting of the year. No. With but a week between me and that surreal moment when I behold the Universe's Big Knockout, all I can do is (FINALLY and desperately) sling paint around in a frazzled attempt to create order, if even pictorially. Maybe even create a sense of place where these grapes and red plum can live in harmony and loving kindness with one another. It's all so completely perfect and also so completely bonkers really. That's not drawing much of a distinction between the painting of it and the living but that line's always been kinda funny. It will come. It's good to be back. It's good to reflect on one session at the easel and think of the possibility that tomorrow could see this study through. NB. Wanted to thank all of the fantastic people from all over the world (incredibly) - both for the support of the work over the last year here and also for checking in on our well-being and the status of things during the offline time. It's not easy to express in this format just how much this has meant.