Studio chaos

I thought I would post a few photos( with new camera! ) of the chaotic studio situation. I am in the middle of painting it white…it used to be the family room and was painted a rather dark value green. Lovely for a family room, abysmal for a studio ,where a neutral is best. I want LOTS of lights, so I have chosen white….but the green needs 3 coats of white and I am a slow and lazy wall painter. In amongst all this I am preparing for Xmas, have hosted the family Xmas get together, am parenting a child who has recently had his computer confiscated and is attempting to break my resolve by annoying me constantly with his need for entertainment. I am almost in a mind to return to solvents just to get him out of my hair!!!

Camera: I bought a Fuji Finepix X10. It still has the idiot-proof settings I need but also has capability to be used by someone who knows what the hell they are doing. So, once I track him down and get him to explain all the features for me and how they apply to me, I can use those too. It is also a rather retro-feel camera. It makes an audible "click" when the button is depressed. I like that. Charles knows about cameras but is working quite long hours at the moment, so I will ask him to help me work it all out over the next 2 days, whilst he is trapped with me and the kids over Xmas.What fun.

I started to clear the bookshelf in my attempt to move it…and got distracted by my fabulous collection of Southwest Art Magazines and Plein Air magazines. A treasure trove of inspiration and information. Then, of course, there is the usual detritus of drop cloths , paint tins, rollers, dogs, old canvasses that I want to paint over…..

…and of course, the view that always distracts me, but in the nicest possible way. Today, overcast.

Waiting for  a chance to add the chickens and finish this painting off.

My children are busy eating straight out of the pantry at the moment. (Saves on washing, they tell me) So, I am returning to restore some semblance of order and parental control to what will otherwise be a lunch of Dorito chips with a side order of M&M's. I will insist on a vitamin tablet too! Seriously, I will be glad once Xmas sweets and chocolates are eaten as I am not sure it is ok to have a Quality street assortment as breakfast.

Merry Xmas.