Reflecting

End of year musings

A little more than a week of 2023 to go, it’s the time of year for mince pies, mulled wine, and celebrations but it’s also a time to think about the year that’s passed. I always feel a slight anxiety as the count down to a new year begins - what have I achieved in the last 365 days? What has changed? Where have I been? What have I done? I don’t know if it’s just me but this year has felt like it’s flown by.

For every small victory I’ve had this year there were at least 5 rejections behind the shiny, sparkly veneer of success. 2023 has probably been the year for rejections; from jobs, awards, residencies, competitions, galleries. You name it, I’ve probably applied and got a short and sweet rejection email. True story, one company said I was just too nice for the job (!!) But this is not a moaning, sob story newsletter, this is just to say that if you feel the same, you are DEFINITELY not alone. Also this means that I have become really good at celebrating the smallest (and I mean teeny tiny) successes - they may not come along often but when they do I will celebrate the hell out of them.

So here’s to the small victories - recognise and celebrate them. The mundane pleasures, the simple everyday joys - the most important things in life.

In other news I’m doing a last minute end of year mini painting sale! These paintings are all made with leftover naturally dyed and hand-painted linen from larger works created this year. All are 40 x 50cm and £95 each.

SEE

‘Otherwhere’ by Margarita Gluzberg at Alma Pearl Gallery, until 13th January

Walk along the towpath in Haggerston, and you’ll come across Alma Pearl Gallery right by the canal, just down from the popular Towpath Cafe (sadly closed for winter) - quite a location. Currently on show is a small collection of works by Margarita Gluzberg, these works are all pastel, graphite and coloured pencil on canvas or paper. Each one minimal in detail but alive with a soft, serene quality emphasised by the blurring of colours, like the pink haze at dusk on a late summers day or a freezing mist on a crisp winters morning. My favourite a pillbox red sphere slowly bleeding out into a dusty rose background, a pop of fuchsia, burnt terracotta and muddy brown thrown into the corners. It’s very obvious when an artist has an innate colour pairing talent - Gluzberg possesses this skill. The forms float on the canvas, perfectly placed, blurring into each other, connected but separate, reminiscent of the universe; planets circling planets, or a clear night sky looking up at a galaxy of stars - albeit in jewel shades. A magical exhibition.

WATCH

Saltburn - Wild, dark and unexpected with luscious cinematography. A thrilling mix between Brideshead Revisited and The Talented Mr Ripley, a middle-class Oxford University student, Oliver Quick (played by Barry Keoghan) becomes enraptured with fellow student, the aloof aristocratic Felix Catton (played by Jacob Elordi *swoon). Oliver is drawn into the Catton family’s intoxicating life of excess after an invitation to the ancestral pile, Saltburn. Queue a montage of provocative twists and scene stealing quips from Rosamund Pike and Richard E Grant as the Catton parents. Shocking at times, with a 90’s soundtrack that takes any millennial back to the days of Abercrombie & Fitch, Jack Wills, Flo Rida, MGMT, and the rest. I’m glad I saw it, but honest opinion I was slightly underwhelmed - which might be due to sitting in a cinema with no heating while in the throes of a horrific bout of flu.

EAT

Jolene Newington Green - Always love every meal I eat at Jolene, and my most recent visit did not disappoint! The highlight was the dessert - chocolate marquis with orange custard and pistachios, a luxurious version of a Terry’s chocolate orange, any chocolate lovers dream.

READ

The Creative Act: A Way of Being by Rick Rubin -

I started reading this in a bookshop and had to buy it because of the opening paragraph..

‘To live as an artist is a way of being in the world. A way of perceiving. A practice of paying attention. Refining our sensitivity to tune in to the more subtle notes. Looking for what draws us in and what pushes us away. Noticing what feeling tones arise and where they lead. Attuned choice by attuned choice, your entire life is a form of self-expression. You exist as a creative being in a creative universe. A singular work of art.’

COOK

Plum crumble - serves 6

I went home a few weekends ago and cooked this for my parents (I know I’m a great daughter). The plums were from a bumper crop we had in the summer from my Mum’s beloved plum trees which we froze.

800g ripe plums, halved and stoned

1tbsp honey

zest of 1 lemon

1 tsp cinnamon

For the crumble

250g plain flour

150g butter

80g caster sugar

80g demerara sugar

50g ground almonds

Start by heating the oven to 200C. Put the plums in a shallow dish, add in the lemon zest, honey and cinnamon with a splash of water, mix together with the plums and set aside. For the crumble topping rub the butter into the flour, then stir in the other ingredients. Scatter the crumble over the plums and bake for approx 30 mins util golden on the top. Serve with a dollop of creme fraiche.

(recipe taken and tweaked from BBC Good Food)

LISTEN

The Visible Artist podcast by Sophie Loxton Lucas -

A series of interesting conversations with practicing artists as well as leading art world individuals, an insight into their lives and what their path to success looked like.

I hope everyone has a really good, restful, relaxing and lazy break over Christmas, I’ll be deleting social media, reading lots of books, going for muddy walks and eating copious amounts of parsnips. Happy Christmas!