This painting was a tricky one- I don’t usually paint backgrounds.

Also because this is from a tiny, blurry photo a friend took back in 2009, so the detail wasn’t to clear. I didn’t take any photos at the beginning because I didn’t think it would work out – but it did.

This photo is of the second and
third layers. I was really struggling with the angles of our faces and trying to get Gene’s laugh right.

This is the fourth layers- mostly working on the back ground- the blurs, lights and shapes. I’ve started work on the clock again because the face wasn’t white enough. I’m mostly working on all of these to avoid painting the polka dots on my dress.

But one Sunday afternoon I sat down, put on some music and just painted the damn polka dots! Took me two hours.

This is the final result- it’s undefined and unrefined in a lot of places, but I think that fits with the overall mood of the painting.

A self portrait.

Which was yesterday..

I just had to share this song- not only this song but this particular performance of this song.

When I hear this it feels like the words, the melody are reverberating in my throat and coming out of my mouth. It’s so fucking fantastic.

This morning we have spent counting out and measuring all the little sketches & drawings I have done for Berlin Domestic. There’s 56 that have made the final cut and my lord the maths are doing my head in.. Thank goodness Gene is helping me!

It’s hailing/raining/snowing outside so it’s good to have an indoor project, I guess.

Anyway last night I got my bike out of the basement and rode to my friend Christian’s studio so we could have a drink and draw session. I also met Dominik Heilig, who does Kazka the comic- LINK which is really cool. We talked about doing a bigger drawing session, when the weather is better 🙂

Strolling in the rain today I took a photo of the book stack which topped off nicely with a type writer (like a cherry on top only cooler?), I always walk past this and have never taken a photo of it. The things I take for granted!

Anyway, back to the measuring and cutting
and eating of chocolate.

I have really neglected taking photographs and sharing them of late so I picked up my (Gene’s) new camera and snapped a few things that have made me really happy lately.

My Mother stayed with me recently and gave me a few extra pennies to go and get some clothes for myself. There is a shop I like on my old street- Manteuffel Str- called Leche and I really like some of their pieces:

I opened up my brown paper bag to find this little bracelet:

In one of my favourite second hand book stores on Dieffenbachstr, I came across this beautiful copy of Virginia Woolf’s biography by Quentin Bell. I wont be able to read this one in the bath but I think it is just beautiful- I will treasure this.

Spring is springing and slowly Berlin is turning green all over- blossoms and tulips budding too- makes me appreciate the ambiance plant life can bring to such a big city.

I got back to work yesterday, my solo exhibition dates have been confirmed- May the 5th is the opening- so I need to get the last few paintings finished and then worry about things like mounting, framing, displaying options- oh and a flyer!

It will be held at the NEONCHOCOLATE gallery here in Berlin.

Oh how I’ve missed painting!

I’ve been finishing off my piece for the upcoming “Taboo”: Beinart Surrealist Collective group show ( July 7th – August 11th, 2012 ) at the Last Rites Gallery in New York. The title of my piece is ‘Release’: