Kayaking

Today the bay was very calm when we woke and Anne suggested that I went for a kayak. I had thought possibly of going out if I woke early before we did some shopping planned in Poole.

Instead I kayaked in the bay and alongside Anne as she walked along the seafront.I started a little earlier and mether by Monkey Beach. Anne met up with our friends Paul and Jean, so the three of them and their dachshund walked together.

Early on near the Mowlem I came too far into shore and was hit broadside by a few small breaking waves. I stayed upright but got splashed which was cooling. Earlier as I had gone out to Peveril Point the tide had turned and there was a greater swell with the incoming tide and a se breeze which had built up more.

Along the shoreline I would paddle then repeat sections as I was ahead of the walkers. The swell off the beach had built more so I paddled out and back towards the shore at an angle so I would rise over the waves rather than meet them broadside on.

I eventually paddled as far as Sheps Hollow where I had walked to last evening. The waves by now me at I was further offshore and my full attention was needed to keep my sit on top kayak at an angle to the waves. I saw a cormorant catch and play with a fish before swallowing it. Then I watched as Solent Scene came in to moor by the pier. Behind the pier on the remains of the old pier were several more cormorants and some gulls.

A good start to the morning, when measured approximately later I had covered about 5.6 km.

It was good to get out and exercise on the water.

Friendship

Today I was slow in getting up as the forecast was right it was pouring with rain. However, as the morning developed and the rain stopped and I could have been sailing, yes I was annoyed at myself.

So a chance to get out and Hayley, who stocks my work, was at her shop – so via my shop to pick up some cards and off we went. we had to stop just outside Corfe as a German shepherd dog was loose in the road. Anne got out and tried to catch it – it retuned past us towards Corfe and someone else got it off the main road.

With Hayley we caught up on chat, I took money for my sales and gave Hayley a choice of cards to restock / add to her stock. The sunshine was fabulous as we sat outside and ate cake and drank tea.

It showed the importance of friendship brought about by my art – Hayley and I met through Artisans on the Beach in 2017. We share the Purbeck Artisan Yard as a place to show our products and then she opened her own emporium and is the only other place to stock my work.

Great to see her and then at the end of a lovely afternoon we headed home via the tree tunnels of the A35.

Once home we went out for a walk to hit our step targets individually to finish up our day outside.

Posting again

Looking at my post history I have only posted a few times the last few months. I like blogging but have got out of the habitat and I spend quite a lot of time each week composing a range of art posts on social media.

So life, …

My mood fluctuates and I have had some dips which can be linked to toothache – currently awaiting an operation to remove a tooth at the back of my mouth. Sleeping patterns have varied, although improving the last fortnight. The general political situation currently with a government that seem to favour helping the rich and making the gap to the rest of the population wider is a concern and also the cost of living crisis always make me wonder if art sales will survive or I will need to stop having the shop, but that one I can only respond to as the situation develops.

I have been sailing a bit more regularly on our autumn Sunday series and learning to let go of any idea of worrying how aspects of races go by just trying to enjoy the extra opportunities to be out on the water.

Health, I lost a stone in weight over several months and have reached a plateau, I would like to lose more but find motivating myself to push myself on exercise very hard to find. I used to enjoy pushing myself exercisewise but have lost that impetus, maybe a I will refund some of that heading into the autumn and winter.

Art – I continue to enjoy my drawing. I still sell work every month and the art for fun initiative at the shop has been so successful and created a little art hub which is developing a band of repeat visitors which is lovely.

I will try to blog more as we go into the autumn and winter and see how it goes.

End of an era…

Yesterday evening it was confirmed that her majesty the Queen had died… at 96 and failing health, despite meeting the new prime minister on Tuesday she has had a ‘good innings’.

Today, the next day – how to react? not a real monarchist but wouldn’t argue that her constancy and service hasn’t had an important steadying effect through decades of my life. Now the remainder of the British royal family are left – a much more human and at times flawed collection that we don’t hold in the same respect.

So I am at the shop, a commission client collected their pieces today so some normality. I have completed a piece of the Waverley paddle steamer at Swanage Pier lastSunday. The forecast said dry but it keeps spitting and I may have to retreat inside once more.

Like many yesterday morning’s announcement re energy prices and where economically we stand as a country remains important but almost hushed this morning. Lots of things cancelled for ‘compulsory mourning’.

So keep opening, see what happens, offer a chance to draw for reflection if not fun and see how different generations respond to the news.

RIP Queen Elizabeth II

King Charles III we will see what your reign brings.

August …what a month

Sat here and taking some time to blog again.

So covid for the third time but only lost two shop days to this time. One art for fun day also lost to do RNLI week lifeboat fair.

On Saturday 27th we passed 1000 participants for Art for fun at the studio / shop – a third of those in 13 days of August alone. In 14 shop days we have taken the highest income for the shop in any month since opening.

All bodes well coming to the end of the first year as a solo studio / shop.

My September guest artist of the month has already dropped off some work. August artist of the month sold their first piece of art.

Sailing more regularly again, walking has varied. We listened to live music during carnival week and have just attended all 4 days of Purbeck Valley Folk Festival, for me on evenings after work for Saturday and Sunday – some artist sketching as before.

Have lost one stone, then covid and some weight back on but more time with a weight starting 17 stone something beckons.

So, many positives this month. I am not going to call them achievements but I do know I have worked hard this month – just hosting over 340 in 13 days for art for fun is a lot of chatting plus heckling passers by – but the enjoyment has been fabulous and also the sales too.

Finishing the month with three commissions, one almost complete, one in progress and one waiting in the sidelines.

The anniversary I didn’t expect to pop up

Yesterday,I was very fatigued in the heat at work and put it down to heat,fighting mouth abscess etc. cam home,had less appetite and went to bed early – a feverish night.

This morning a covid test as booked to visit mother in law at car home – I’m ediately test was positive, I knew I had covid roughly this time last year- looked back at calendar – one year ago today I started self isolation, I had tested the night before after driving to Poole for a PCR test.

So visit cancelled, post on social media, tell customers in contact with in case infected any of them – where did I catch it from? Who knows but been to large crowd events in carnival week, large number of art for fun customers last week too.

It has done me a favour re extreme heat the next few days whichI was worried about coping with.

Art for fun in the school hols and carnival week

I posted on the 23 July that we had passed 600 people taking part, yesterday on 3 August we passed 700 – so, yes the shop has been very busy mainly with families and children drawing – this week’s carnival week and some less sunny days plus the ‘What’s not my line?’ Business window competition has seen many more people passing by and joining in.

Sales are down on 2021 as expected considering the situation many of us find ourselves in with rising costs, but at the same time I am very encouraged how the first year has worked out with the remainder of this month before I mark the studio / shops first anniversary.

Blogging comes in waves

I sit, awake at 5 am and think – amongst a range of thoughts, that I have not blogged much recently. Once again over ten years on WordPress as a free account I have exceeded my memory limit when it comes to including photographs.

This blog started from the sharing of a previous years 365 photo project as that platform disappeared. Then the mishmash idea was used through my involvement in teachmeets and other similar informal professional development events that I attended in my own time to try and keep my teaching up to date.

My personal mental health became a topic I spoke out about as I didn’t want to just hide in the dark.

Since 2017 when I started a paid plan with my #work account – AndyKnillArt .com this account received less attention yet somehow I retain some followers. It has become at times a more personal diary of sorts, so if you have stuck me thanks.

Life at the moment – pretty good thank you. I live in a lovely place, yes of course it is more crowded at the moment it is summer holiday season. My mental health is generally stable,although self confidence still has its up and down moments and any previous ideas to completely come off my anti depressants remain precisely that – an idea, to maybe achieve one day. Anne, my wife and I celebrate our 29th WA next week – how we have got to this point with all that we have gone through at times never ceases to amaze, but I am so glad that we have. We have the semi retired lifestyle, a home of our own, no longer shared with family members and a range of friends, the like of which we have not experienced before through taking a active part in local life.

I have the ability to escape out into the water as a place to reflect and enjoy even if my sailing time is not always relaxed as I struggle to come to terms with wind speed, direction, tide, sailing rules, racing… and self protection in the case of my head. I will admit that last night’s race was probably one of my best in a long time.

It is Friday so the next two days I will be channelling my artist side – something to be honest that I really didn’t realise I had until 2015. I am still blessed and astounded equally that I can pay for premises and sell my artwork. I enjoy,but do find the interactions mentally tiring at times when offering Art for Fun as an activity.

So, where did this meandering post start? No, I don’t schedule or even plan posts they just happen on a random basis – thank you if you read this and get something from it.

Andy

Heading into new territory

The school holidays for the 6weeks are starting, and because the shop opened on September 1 2021 I haven’t offered Art for Fun on the sale that I am able to now before.

I have had good publicity c/o DorsetBiz News this week (2nd most popular news story of this week) plus the graphing awareness amongst repeat visitors to Swanage and local supporters.

Today and yesterday I have had 25 participants and we have now passed 600 since the studio / shop opened, how many an we do by the first anniversary?

Will you be one of them??

Please come and join in at AndyKnillArt Studio, 21 Commercial Road, Swanage BH19 1AD. See updates regularly on Instagram andFacebook for @andyknillartstudio and on AndyKnillArt.com blog.

Sailing progress

As part of adult training last night I took part in a race – I came last of course, but ai crossed the start line within a reasonable time period after the lead boats, I went around every mark without cutting corners or touching the mark. I still had my ‘lost’ moments. No capsizes and only towed in as I was going so slow – but that wasn’t bothering me.

To get extra sailing practice I need to go out when saltpetre boats are on duty – so I go out on racing events – I have fully accepted that racing in a dinghy is not for me but I want to eventually be able to sail independently and to be allowed to do that in a hired club boat I need more practice time, therefore I must go out to race – so I will be out again on Thursday eve I g being non competitive but just practicing this sailing idea.