Am not sure that I really needed to eat a freshly baked rock bun before I could start writing this but it seems to have worked.

Like lots of other people I have a problem with perfectionism/procrastination. I can’t get started something because I need to find the perfect time and subject……and that is usually in the future .

I feel that I have been given a chance to slightly change direction by moving into my “little artists house” which I previously rented on airbnb , and assuming I can sell my old studio ( see photos on other page of this blog) then I can concentrate more on painting, writing, baking and socialising…… more or less in that order.

Hence the rock buns. I have an old Bero book from the 50s with the recipe. It was the first thing I learned to bake . My new kitchen area here is really user friendly. There is a lovely very old wooden table to work on and other than a missing flowery apron baking is a whole sentimental experience  with a delicious result. And its making me want to invite friends for coffee which is helping with my plan to be more sociable….and so on.

And being sociable is often where I get commissions for work……My 2 latest commissions were done for someone I met at a friends birthday party on the beach. ( I made the cake.)

If I get my old studio sold then I should be financially ok for a few years…..am good at living frugally and so that would free me up to paint new things and experiment as well as still doing commissions. I have lots of ideas and with winter coming up lots time to get to work on some projects. My new upstairs studio space with the view of the sea over the rooftops is working well . I have a new kindle fire tablet ( bought at 3am in the morning this summer when I thought my ordinary kindle had died….it hadnt!) which is much better than my laptop for viewing photos and fits on a shelf on my easel. When  i tidied for moving I found all sorts of arty things I had forgotten about and want to use.

This summer I painted a large painting with a friend. It was a joint effort and worked really well. More of that would be great. I want to do more sketchy paintings of people and work on portraits from life. I ‘d like to paint from life in Pisticci. I like rooftops.

Then I want to try several small experimental projects to see if I can find different outlets for work.

Right now I am working out how and where to advertise my old studio for sale as that is an important part of the plan. I’d like to think someone would be as happy as I was in it. It would suit people looking to live here in the historical part of town, or as a holiday house to lock up and leave.  Houses in this area are very rentable as holiday lets as i found out when renting my new house. It is 2 houses side by side so there is scope for creating something really interesting. Or someone could just buy it as it is – more or less fully furnished and fix bits as and when they can afford. ( that had been my plan) It’s quite exciting.

Am having a lot of firsts… and this is my first blog post  now that I am the artist in my little artist’s house.