A long and very difficult car trip to Stockport yesterday in the burning summer sun to deliver art for the Stockport Open 2022. The system for handing in art was remarkably slow and inefficient, but the gallery staff and volunteers were, as I must say always are, friendly, welcoming, and supportive which made the delivery a pleasure. At all times I was anxious about getting back to the car which had to circle the area like a shark because the specified car park was closed and the sat-nav failed to find any alternative. Everything about the transport was nightmarish and the whole trip took four hours. There is a sole prize, an unregulated public vote, of £150, an amazingly poor amount. Yet, the quality of art here tends to be very good, on par with the Chester Grosvenor Exhibition.
In the evening Deb started work on a blackbird prop for the Salome performance, and I ordered some masks for it. I feel very tired and unartistic. I'm starting to hate and begrudge the Salome event, it's primary artistic result for me is a lack of perhaps 10 paintings I could have made if it were not for the endless rehearsals and work for a show which will be unpaid and unrewarded - but, I tell myself, isn't most art anyway? I have drastically improved my music scoring and sight-reading abilities for this event, and the simple piano tunes are my best so far for a Fall in Green performance.
Tiny, tiny steps forwards in piano playing. Tiny, tiny steps forward in piano composing. Tiny, tiny steps forward is performing. Oh for more time and resoruces to focus on visual art, or actually, any art, but until the start of August fate has tide me to complete this event. This event is different, certainly, with more costume than any show before, yes, something of Jean Cocteau. It's pushed me in the scoring and piano playing, though I'm unhappy with the piano sound and feeling on the MODX - oh for a real piano, or even the P105. The primary benefit are these lessons, this improvement, and the primary cost the lack of other art - other art means legacy. I keep reminding myself and chastising myself that this will be the last year I perform or do anything musical in these key painting months. How I love painting in summer and despise it in the dark and cold months. We will record the Salome music in full, this is a key part of the legacy.
A rehearsal day today, and two more set which will end painting on those days. A delivery and opening in Bunbury next week, a visit to watch John Lindley's Dead Man's Tales event next Tuesday, and piano in Macclesfield next Thursday. The week after; Bunbury collection, Bickerton delivery, another piano lesson. No days for painting or any new art until the 22nd.
