Fly-tying and competition times

I did some more work en plien air, in the garden today, until the wind picked up and started blowing the easel over that is....oh the trials and tribulations! After returning to my studio I sat at my Fly-tying bench and tied up a few spider patterns and bead-head nymphs for my fishing competition on Sunday, it is the Leinster river championships- qualifier for the National championship & International team selection, I really should be out practising, but I don't bother anymore, if I get it right I'll do well, if I don't I won't. At this stage I've enough experience to know what should work and what won't...added to the fact that I don't have the same drive to win as in my youth (been there, done that.) I prefer to enjoy my fishing now rather than work at it. I still have a fair chance of winning, I'm just not going to figure in the favourite's stakes anymore. There were years when others would be watching to see where what and how I was approaching a fishery, they don't now-a-days, it is somebody else's problem- keeping their hard work and practice to themselves-
I am glad I succeeded at the top level, but I don't miss it now. One of the problems fishing competitively, as in other sports, it is hard work. It takes much time and comitment, so much so that it ceases to be a 'sporting' endeavour, it becomes work-enjoyable work, but work none the less. I reached the stage where I wanted to be able to go fishing and enjoy being out there, see the wildlife, the views and the beauty again. They had got lost in the drive to succeed, the need to be prepared, to win. Now I can go out and not worry about catching fish, but enjoy being there.
These days I enter the competitions to take part and possibly do well. If I do great! if I don't it isn't the end of the world, I've done it before, but I don't feel the need to do it again. I would like to do it, but not to the extent that I'm willing to give it the same commitment I used to.

These are some of the flies I tied up.

The bead-headed ones are designed to sink quickly and to keep the flies deep in heavy flowing water. The others are designed to fish just below the surface.
I will possibly fish others on the surface but I have plenty of those already, I didn't need to tie more up.

Incidently the flies are actually only about half the size of the pictures, but if I didn't re-size them the pic wouldn't really be much good due to the lack of detail you would have.


Tomorrow I have to go over to Blessington to help put the club boats on the lake...I may even do a little fishing while I am there...although I really should do some river fishing I feel I'll be fresh on Sunday if conditions are hard.

Dog days..

Another lazy day! I did some running around, (& earned a few euro too). My wife then took me Grocery shopping....'nuff said- end of any chance to do some painting. I'm off out Greyhound racing tonight for the Lad's night out...I bought two 285 cm flyrods, complete with lines, reels etc. in Lidle today for 35 euro each...ideal for beginners to use! and I get a few of those booking trips with me. At 35 euro I am not worried about the rods/reels/line being damaged or broken so it was great.So I got a bargain as well as earning today...now I'm off out to lose some of the H.E.C.* on the dogs...


*hard earned cash...

Another garden painting.

It was a beautiful day today. I spent much of it in the walled garden beside my studio, starting another painting. The Blue sky and sunshine really lifts ones spirits....I almost found myself singing while working away...it's just as well I don't sing...I can't!.. I haven't a photo of the piece, I didn't want to photograph it yet, but I did take the big Castri Window painting outside and take daylight photos of it. I have uploaded them as they seem a lot clearer than the last ones.
I'm off to a meeting tonight so I am rushing, but I had an enquiry about commissioning a painting for a retirement gift for a company exec...fingers crossed it will come to pass

I left my van over to the workshop to have the work done on it this morning. This afternoon I hopped on a bus into town and visited a couple of art supply shops. I bought 9 canvases with a 3 for the price of 2 offer...with my Artist's 10% discount it made them very reasonable. It is about time something went right, I've had a lot of upsets in the last couple of weeks. I am hoping my van will be ready sometime tomorrow. Obviously I did no work in the studio today. I may get a taxi up to it in the morning, or I might wait until I have the van, I think it's going to be another wet day.
I hope I can get working again soon as I'm getting very down again between this and that. I need to produce work I'm happy with to cheer me up, it's a hard life when the creative juices are absent.

I stayed away from the studio today, I just couldn't face going into it knowing the likelyhood of being hemmed and hasseled by Market stalls again. It is a pity, but to be honest the sad fact is they are driving me away from my studio. I am not able for the hassel. While it means I'll be fresh and happy on Monday when I go up rather than still seething and annoyed like last week, I am missing out on my chances to work and possibly sell when the courtyard is busy. The other side of it is I'm raising my blood pressure sky high, getting no work done anyway and not being able to recieve visitors either, so in effect by not going up to the studio I'm not really missing out on any 'business' .

Oh well I'm going fishing tomorrow.....

smiles and rain

I am back from my trip up North, teeth fixed and polished. Today I was going to go up to the studio but it is so grey, wet and miserable I didn't bother. Mainly because I would be relying on a lift there and back. My Van won't be sorted until Monday or Tuesday. It is 5.30 pm here now and the rain has stopped and it is at last brightening up, but the day has been wasted...I have done a few jobs around the house and cleared up a couple of chores but I don't feel like doing much today. I will go to the studio in the morning, and hopefully be able to get in and out of it without being hemmed in again..If I can I'd like to start another painting in the walled garden, but the weather will probably be unsuitable. I will take a picture of the last one if I remember. I am still thinking about the big canvas..

Ups and downs of a day.

I went to start my van this morning and my battery was flat again. (The new one) Obviously my alternator is caput, but there was no warning light on my Dashboard to tell me it wasn't working!! I bought a new battery last week needlessly. Now I've to spent 350 euro on a new alternator. I got a neighbour to try to jump start the van but the battery was too flat. I needed to get to the studio to meet a client today. Luckily the neighbour offered to drop me up to the studio, so that saved me getting a taxi-cab. The client arrived early/on time so I went into the walled garden and finished the painting I had started in there the other week as it was quite pleasant today, sunny and not too cold. I am happy with the painting..but I don't have a photo of it yet. I had just returned to the studio (about 2 pm.) with the finished painting when Noel phoned. "It's a nice day isn't it" "fancy going fishing?"...now a walk home, or go fishing....
Noel collected me half an hour later, collected my fishing gear and off we went to Blessington Lakes for the afternoon. 3 lovely fish later, about 6.15 we decided to come home. A satisfied Artist/Angler included...I don't even mind having to get the Van sorted out on Friday now, (I'm off to the Dentist tommorrow) a good 1/2 days fishing was just the tonic I needed.
Aint Life funny?

A large canvas and being creative with my Art....

I bought a few canvases this morning, two 24 by 18's and a deep-edged 40 by 32 inch canvas also. I feel if I work on the larger piece I will be more creative. You are forced to think, phsycologically anyway, when working on a large expensive ground. I spent the rest of the day planning a painting for it....unfortunately I haven't come up with anything interesting enough.
If the weather improves, or a least if the wind and rain stop tommorrow I may look outside for inspiration. If not I feel another still-life may be in order.........
A week in the sun would do wonders for my creative streak...but alas, I can't really afford another 'holiday abroad' at the moment, and added to that, it is still a bit early in the year even for the Med.
I saw a nice view of the mountains on the way to Newcastle/Adamstown this morning while dropping the dogs off for their hair-cuts, but the light had changed by the time I was coming back and it no longer looked as interesting, that is another one of the problems with Irelands weather...
Incidently, I still haven't been fishing.....there must be something wrong with me....me not fishing, means I'm ill. Maybe during the week...

Under seige again

I arrived at my studio to find it hemmed in by Market stalls again. The excuse was 'There is a van in the way' It wasn't my Van so why should I have to suffer?
I really feel I am being bullied and Victimised by the Market. My studio is the only one being interfered with. It is constant, persistant intimidation. When I complain I am treated with cat-calls from some stall traders. The Organiser is never there, and when she is, she is very unconcerned about my point of view.
I am going to have yet another face to face about the situation, along with a letter stating my case, which I will CC to all I can. If that doesn't work I will go the legal route.
It is affecting my work. It is impossible to be creative in situations where you feel both uncomfortable and annoyed. I was not able to paint, and yet I was looking forward to getting down to work in the studio this morning. The upshot was I came home again after an hour of fuming, knowing I was not going to be able to work no matter how long I stayed. I did have to go back later though as I forgot to unplug the heaters etc. when I left, due to my annoyance. The whole situation is irritating and un-neccessary, there is plenty of room for the market stalls in the center of the courtyard where they are supposed to be. We (the tennants) were told the stalls would be in the center of the courtyard and our units/entrances would not be intefered with when the Saturday market was proposed.
I really feel like giving up the studio with all the hassel. Saturday is the one day where I might make a sale from my studio...but only when access is open. I feel it is not worth the trouble at the moment. An unhappy studio is worse than no studio. You can work without a studio, but you can't work in a situation that upsets you - and the creative process- and I am finding the situation very stressful. Over 8 hours later I am still stressed. I watched the Rugby International, Ireland beat England but I found it didn't even alter my mood. I am both depressed and irate. It is eating away at me. I know I should shrug it off, but I'm too upset to do it.

Happy St. Patrick's Day..

I haven't been fishing, and I don't think I will be going...it's bitterly cold. I have a Turkey in the oven for dinner. I am looking out of the window at the willow tree in next door's garden, it's in full flower with the 'pussy-willow' flowers, they kind of fit the hail and sleet showers.
The light outside is harsh, cold & white even though the sky is grey. I think there is snow on the way. There are no birds around the garden. There don't even seem to be any at the bird feeders next door. The birds must be huddled somewhere for warmth, out of the Easterly wind. It is amazing how even the red roofs look cold in the light. Everything has a pale wan aura. It is not that grey colourless effect of a wet day, it is quite bright, the colours just have no warmth in them.
I wonder where spring is?
I am just going to vegetate today. I'd watch Television, but there is nothing (of interest) on.
I have a couple of books to leaf through though.

I may go fishiong on Sunday, we have a club competition on the Blackwater, but I don't fancy the chances of catching much, but there is a nice snug hostelry nearby..so maybe..........