This is for Berlin Domestic but thought I would share it here.

“The sky is brilliant this evening- it’s dusk and I am in the hospital looking out over this side of Berlin- it’s cold but brighter. The clouds are in two layers; the layer closest to us is a patchwork of fluffy cotton-balls, while the other layer is patterned like a fishbone and wraps this side of the earth as a blanket. The wind is howling, howling and I am happy- I get to go home tomorrow.”

I wrote that last night so tomorrow is actually today and I am back at home. I still feel like I’m in a Bell Jar but not stewing in my own sour air like Sylvia- it’s fresh and it’s still air.
Still.
When I walked through my front door today I was greeted by my daughter who was so happy to see me she kept running out of the room to bring me back something new to look at- toddler gifts are strange and often actual rubbish- but the intent behind it is more beautiful than any other gift you will ever receive.
So Gene made me coffee, some eggs and before I knew it they were in their own whirl-wind of shoes, bags, baby carriers and getting out of the door to meet their respective deadlines, and gone again.
I didn’t really know what to do with myself today and Gene told me not to work.
So I worked today- sorry Gene!
I have a silly amount of paintings so close to the finish line that I actually felt for a while like I was doing nothing. But I finished two today and got to work on another which is just as well because my exhibition is no longer the end of June, but at the beginning of May- two days and a month.
But at least that gives my month structure.

They should be coming home at any moment now..

I’m very excited about this painting- it’s a very nice painting, of a very nice man who sings very well. This is the second layer so me thinks one more and he’ll be done, ready to dry in time for my solo exhibition here in Berlin opening on June the 30th. I will post more details about the exhibition when I am home and have made a flyer.

Have a nice weekend!

I’m staying in the hospital for a short while- all is well, all is getting better. I have good looking doctors who are very nice and very smart and best of all, very helpful. But what is with doctors/nurses and socks with open-toed shoes?
I’m ponding all the big things as you can see.

My better half is transcribing blog entries for me on Berlin Domestic: LINK
Other than that I am keeping well away from the internet and painting. But I have written a few pretty great short stories, dark poetry and drawing up a storm. I’ve also read five books.

This is a lamp at the end of Schönleinstraße that I drew for Berlin Domestic that I thought I would share here.
My computers hard drive fizzled out the other day- I lost months and months worth of writing, photography and all the scanned in drawings for this project. We’re replacing the computer shell with a new hard drive next month. I’m trying really hard not to go over everything I didn’t back up. See, we usually always back everything up every few weeks we just didn’t this time and well, you know.
Such fickle things.
Anyway, I’m painting today- YAY- as I couldn’t yesterday; I took my Mother to show her the Tempelhof airport and got us lost on the u-bahn on the way to and from there, wasting my precious few hours to paint. Mum and I catch the train to Prague in the early hours of tomorrow morning. My first few nights away from both Gene and Anja.

My friend Bec sent me some books by Australian authors, I have nearly finished Peggy Frew’s House of Sticks which I am enjoying. Here is a link to an interview with Peggy Frew by Rachel Power: LINK

In other news Reservoir Dad has asked me to do a guest post on his blog, which I am very excited about. I’m going to be doing some sketches especially for it. I wrote my first draft last night using an actual pen and paper but it was a bit rambly. That’s OK for a first draft me thinks.

This week has been a busy one. I seem to fit a lot in but also feel that it’s over before I know it.
Slow down time!

I went to The Cheese Mountain Tragedy last week. I’ve been meaning to visit it for some time but when you’re pushing a pram and sleep deprived these sorts of things seem like epic journeys rather than a casual visits and effortless chit chat. But I managed to casually visit, I managed to chit chat. I met Johan Potma and his lovely little black dog, we got to look at his studio and he let me take a picture for my blog (Thanks!)

I also got to meet Josh Bauman and talk about graphic novels and printing. If you’re in Berlin you should visit this space it’s a really great set up- these guys are living the dream!!

I finished a couple of paintings but haven’t had time to photograph them except for this one:

Elena
Oil on canvas
50 x 40cm

I’m very proud of this one especially with the skin texture on her neck and shoulders. Ella- the model- is an amazingly creative woman who I have known since high school. I asked if I could paint her and she sent me some lovely but tiny reference material. I hope to paint Ella again when we are in the same hemisphere. It’ll happen one day.

Friday night was the opening of the group exhibition I was in at Strychnin Gallery, Herzensbrecher. I got to meet Yasha Young (who had a killer pair of heels on) and Paul Bishop from the New English, he and I talked about our children for some time.

There are more photos (including a shot of my mug) on the Strychnin blog: Here

Here is a painting I have in progress, titled “Kiss in Berlin” 100 x 80cm, oil on canvas:

I begun this painting a while ago but put it to the side, things have been a bit up in the air lately but I have been thinking a lot about love, elationships and peoples journeys together. I’ll write more about my thoughts and feelings behind this once I have articulated it in my head a bit more, right now I just have to paint it.

This painting is very close to being finished, but I am at the point where I feel I have so much going on I’ll never get it all done. Which is just a feeling but gosh it is overwhelming!

The third and final in my Lilly mini series. I’ll post all three together so you can see the progression of mood and painting technique. I am very proud of these little paintings.

Some paintings in my studio, Owl (from yesterdays post) and a bigger one which I am still trying to work out a title for.

Sneak peek of my painting for the Taboo exhibition in July this year at Paul Booth’s Last Rites Gallery.

This is one of the eight paintings I have ‘on the go’ at the moment. Plans have changed and my daughter and I are going for a big holiday, so I want to get a whole lot of work ready in preparation for my mid year exhibition before I go. I plan to do some observational paintings and drawings during this my time away.

Owl is 50 x 40 cm, oil on canvas.

Thanks to Pete Uhlenbruch of Owls of the Swamp for posing

Dear Art,

I love you.

No matter where I have been in my life, there you are. You adapt so easily to whatever this crazy life of mine throws at us; from no home to living with crazy people, or my being in silly going nowhere relationships, to art school where I felt intellectually inferior. From paper, to canvas and linen. From charcoal to watercolor, ink, cheap and nasty acrylic to sexy expensive I’m-not-going-to-eat-for-a-fortnight oil paints. From words to drawings to paintings.
I love you with all of my heart, and I thank you deeply for having patience with me; when I get caught up in culture vulture scenes, worrying about trends and fretting about if I will ‘ever make it’.

You cross all boarders and give a voice to those who are voiceless.

You are an all mighty force that will never be stopped.

You’re super fucking cool.

Forever yours,
Lily.