Reworked the Tunnicliffe music a little yesterday, making the music fit the imagery of the words more. I spent most of the day creating the album artwork, including the cover. I can reveal that the title will be 'Letters From A Square Spoon':
I created lots of MODX sounds today, for live play of some of these tracks, though I'm unsure of the immediate utility of this. We are to give our first performance in months on Sunday. An unpaid show, but it should be better attended than last year's two charity events, which were our only performances. Money is my constant worry. In art and music, I'm creating better work than ever in my life, but have almost no outlets for my art; this massively curtails the quantity of my output and the speed of my improvement. I am making art for nobody to see or hear. Zero painting sales this (tax) year due to a lack of places to exhibit, and no income from performances; yet most of my energy and money has been spent on art and music creation.
I must keep pushing to do and be my best, which is difficult in isolation. To some extent, competition and discourse are required to improve; as well as motivate, though I've never suffered from a lack of drive and self-belief, when I require either. I can understand, however, why Van Gogh and Van Beethoven, and Vermeer, in such isolated doldrums, died. My imaginary artist friends of the past are great companions to me.
It's been a productive January, however. For the first time in 18 years, since Gunstorm II and the happy end of my game programming, I may be faced with the dread and horror of making new games. If I made games now, I feel I'd make them differently, a next generation in quality and style. I must at least aim for that, should this fate come to pass.
