Letters 19

Hi there,

Another letter so soon! Maybe this will become a monthly thing? We shall see.

Just a quick on to say that I have a painting in an exhibition for the first time! The Piccolo community exhibition is running from 29 July to 15 August at Inglewood Arts Hub, where I will also doing some volunteer work on the website and hanging out in the gallery. Although my painting is small (all of the 163 artworks in this exhibition are under 20x20cm), it's still a big step up from working in my tiny sketchbooks and feels like a big step up as an artist. I'll be on gallery attendant duty the mornings of Fridays 7 and 14 August if you want to drop by when I'm there.

All the artworks are displayed anonymously until sold, but since mine was sold on the opening day (!!!) I can share it with you here.

Now that I've had a taste of this and some more conversations with exhibiting artists, I want to do more! I haven't figured out where this will go yet, but that's never really stopped me.

Sort of relatedly, I've been having such great conversations and shared experiences with other creative people in my life recently - away from any screens. It feels to me like this is very necessary at this point in time, where digital and frictionless experiences seem to dominate, to do something real and tactile and with other people. Again I haven't figured out where to go with this - back to running art workshops maybe? Making a zine? Maybe just a community crafternoon? Let me know if any of this is resonating!

Other things

• I knitted most of a top and then realised that because I improved in the process, the top (where I started) is quite visibly worse than the bottom. I'm pulling it apart to try again. Still yet to knit anything wearable, but still enjoying the process.
• I made some changes to the website, most of which will be invisible to visitors except that navigating between posts is a little easier. I want to write more about Obsidian even though I assume it's quite niche - let me know if that's how you found me and there's something you want to read about.
• I did end up erasing half of that Charcoal portrait with hands I sent in the last letter and it's much better for it. Gotta love a medium that allows a do-over (unlike watercolour).

Teresa

P.S. You might also be interested in what I’m up to Now.