Oh so much has happened!

Firstly, for those of my watchers who haven’t given up on me (if there are any left) I sincerely apologise for my lack of artistic contribution for the last 12 months.  You see, so much has happened.

Firstly corporate life.  As some of you may know, art has always been a hobby for me.  That’s why I have always had the freedom to explore new genres, medium, style etc.  The only one I have had to please was myself.  If you look at my gallery you can see I have alternated between watercolour,  acrylic, oil and even the odd charcoal (though I don’t think I posted those). For my real job I have been firmly ensconced in corporate life.

The confluence of a number of events has changed all that.  Firstly, the GFC and its fallout changed corporate life forever.  Then I reached the grand old age of 60.  The company I worked for was sold out from under us all as part of post GFC amalgamation and consolidation programs.  The big got bigger and the small ceased to exist.  I found myself without a full time contract and existing on savings and the occasional short term consulting gig.  Have you ever tried to job hunt over 60.. You don’t even get to an interview stage.. As one recruiter succinctly put it; “Pete, you are just too damn old to compete with all the out of work 30 years olds”.  Who said age discrimination doesn’t exist.

After delaying the inevitable, we decided to pack up and head out of Sydney to a coastal town where our cost base was bearable, and move into a semi-retirement mode.   We  bought an apartment, renovated, moved in just before Christmas and found part time work.

All this took a lot of energy and time… And completely killed off any mojo I had for art.  The desire was there, but energy was at what can only be described as the “YUCK” level.  To top it all off I had nowhere to set up an easel, and all my supplies where in boxes locked away in a storage shed.

It’s taken 12 months to make the change.  As part of the new life I have decided to try and earn some income from my art.  Which means I now have to paint for an audience, rather than myself.  I have found a wonderfully motivated lady to help me with the Sydney side of things and I am now putting together enough works for a show in Sydney later this year….. And I have a studio to work in, which means I can get back to using oils.

So now I am re invigorated.

Watch this space for some works coming the DA way.  My show is of what I call representational landscapes.  i.e, not realism, but not that far down the scale to be called abstract.

Thanks for your patience

All the best in art

Pete