I have decided to try and do a weekly blog I can add to as the week goes on and then start a new one at the beginning of the next week. I want to try and keep a set of blogs kept to pet portrait commissions and one a week dedicated to general chit chat. If I find I haven’t got enough to talk about, I might push it to bi-weekly or monthly. We shall see.
This week has been a busy one. I manager to finish both Harley’s and Rafiki’s pet portraits and get them sent out. I have also started a larger piece which is proving a challenge, but who doesn’t love a challenge.
Speaking of a challenge I certainly had one today. As you may have read in previous posts I have started Nordic Walking. Being a pet portrait artist is a very sedentary job and an isolating one too. That is not good for somebody who suffers from anxiety. My dogs get walked once or twice a day, but apart from that I don’t do anything. I got recommended Nordic Working when I asked about some exercise I could take that wasn’t running after my knees couldn’t cope with the impact after one session at a running club!
So I signed up for a free taster session. I loved it. I found it tricky to get the technique at first, but soon picked it up. I had to complete 3 lessons, the basics, going up and down hills and then skipping and running. Once I got my passport I could walk with any Nordic Walking Group in the country. I have a few round me, but so far I have stuck with Liz and the Ide Hill Nordic Walkers, not only is the scenery lovely, they are a fab group of people and Liz is a brilliant instructor.
I have done 3 Monday walks so far and Liz has been nudging me to do the Thursday Workout Walk. Wow, she really does get you working hard. Jane and I were leading the group up a steep hill and she made us go back down and up again. I felt shattered, but amazing at the same time. It really pushes you and I was pleasantly surprised at how fit I was. Now don’t get me wrong I am not really fit at all, but certainly more than I thought!
All in all it has been a stressful week, with my cold lingering, no sleep and other work, so these really help me destress. So much so I am going to do the Saturday one. Normally I would work all weekend, but I have decided to take Saturday off. It’s England v Aus in the rugby in the afternoon and we have a friend up, so work will be a bit hit and miss. I shall try and have a good work day Sunday.
I will add more tomorrow, but for anyone who is interested in Nordic Walking give the site a look, honestly, what can be better than a good work out in the countryside with fantastic people!
Today, or Friday just in case you weren’t sure what day I was referring to, has been a chilled day. I did some more work on the horse portrait and then went up to a friend’s for giggles and a chill. I am definitely feeling a bit burnt out after this cold, friend therapy and a day off pet portraits was in order!
One thing I have learnt is as much as I love painting pet portraits, I can get burnt out or stale quite easily. Maybe a touch of artists block, I don’t know. Anyway it pays to have breaks when I feel it coming on. That has definitely been the case the last few days, so I have taken yesterday and today off pretty much. It’s actually really hard to do when you have such a busy schedule because I feel like I am loosing time. I actually know deep down inside I will be far more productive for it. Whereas on Friday I really had no urge, I was staring at the painting and not really doing much, today I really feel the urge coming back this evening. I took most of Friday off and all of today and it’s done the trick. I can’t wait to get back cracking with the pet portraits tomorrow.
Today I got up and did a nordic walk and boy could I feel it from Thursday still, it was hard work. I enjoyed it though and it felt to get out in the fresh air. I cam back and Dora’s pet portrait was picked up by my client and then I had a nap! Now I never nap, but sleep has not been great the last few weeks with a cough and my mind racing. Then it was rugby time. What a fantastic win for England over the Wallabies again. that’s 6 games on the trot against them and we have retained the Cook Cup. That equals a very happy Sarah!
I will start a new w/c blog tomorrow and will; have some updates on some new pet portraits and even some filming this week.