The Mysterious Traveller

The exhibition 'evening event' has now come and gone, leaving me in a state of utter exhaustion both physically and mentally. But what a success! I was very happy with the turn out of wonderful folk who braved the bad weather to attend, and I even sold some postcards packs! The art work will remain upon the walls of the Little Yoga Space  for the foreseeable future, so hopefully they will generate some more interest amongst the yoga classes and workshops.  There is an upcoming art market at the Selina Secret Garden hostel in Lisbon and the CCC (Curious Creative Club) have decided to take part. I am hoping to stay involved with these events, not just to sell my work as a side hustle (I've always enjoyed that expression hehe) but to meet more artists and possibly collaborate on bigger projects. The CCC have become a very important part of my creative experience/process at the moment. They have been so supportive of my work, especially on the lead up to the exhibition and have...

September is coming to a close. The full moon is nigh. And everything has changed.  Anxiety blossoms in a season of letting go. And yet, could this be a time of new beginnings? (for more daily horoscopes, please DM me @mystictommy) Autumn has always been my favourite time of year, however, Lisbon has a vastly differently energy and aesthetic to this season. It is all geographical, of course; the city doesn't have its own agenda. With the warmer climate, Portugal doesn't offer those frosty mornings or the gentle colour transition from golden to red to brown. The air becomes cooler, naturally, and you feel refreshed after a long summer of hugging humidity. The long sleeved chequered shirts come out. Fingerless gloves are trending. Then all of a sudden the leaves are brown and falling to the cobbled streets as winter begins. There are a handful of things I miss about the UK; autumn is definitely one of them. I am beginning a new (and rather confusing) phase in my life where the fe...

When I look back on my artwork over the decades (good grief I'm old) sometimes I find it difficult to identify what I was trying to say, or express. Perhaps naivety blinded my true emotions because I would hide behind illustrations of quirky animals and picturesque landscapes, and not addressing what was really going on in my head. But why should art express everything? It is perfectly viable that an illustration can be created without a deeper meaning, other than sheer enjoyment. I admit, there have been pieces that I have painted that truly depict what I am going through, or a longing for something that is just out of reach. Many of my pieces portray a tranquil scene of the ocean, a small cosy cottage and a distant sunset; my romantic idea of retirement perhaps?! Art is a very personal, complex, subjective and sometimes controversial platform for anybody to get involved in. Whether you like it or not, your artwork is getting judged or questioned by everyone including yourself....