Thursday 31 December 2015

sum up










I have never been fond of new years. For reasons that I feel it is a forced day. A night where you must have the best night of your life! And in my stubbornness and my basic instinct not to follow the crowd. I would prefer to go to bed at 8 and not stay up till 12 just to make a point, even though most nights I do stay up past that time. I have found these special dates now highlight factors what we are missing in our lives. 
New years - a social life, valentines day - a significant other, christmas - grandeur. 

Then again it really boils down to wether you care what other people are thinking or doing. I don't really care for either. Unless I am really tired then I am fucked, I will be sensitive and will care. This resulting in lately spending so much time making my room a paradise for sleep, so the doubt doesn't creep in. 

What I do like about new years is the gratitude people are throwing around for things that have happened to them for the year just gone. And I thought what am I grateful for? and to be honest I am grateful for myself.  
I just deleted a whole section I wrote on why I am grateful, and the trials and tribulations I have faced this year to get me to this point. It really is simple though I am tough little shit and always have been, and I congratulate myself for always pushing through the obstacles, the ones that people put in my way, and the ones I put there myself. 

'"you are so used to your features, you don't know how beautiful you look to a stranger". 
quote unknown

there is something in that quote, that sums up my year for me what I have learnt, grown and how far I have come. 








pinterest

Saturday 26 December 2015

new habits











I sit at my desk in my room where I type out these posts. And there are pieces of paper stuck up everywhere, some lists to do, or sayings like 'Don't stop beleiving'. Then little sketches of nudes, or ideas that I might be working on. And then the desk itself is covered in wall paint testers, hand creams, plants, pens, inks, christmas cards I am yet to write. This is just one corner of my room! yet it feels that it encroaches on my mind, this busyness this hub of activity of things yet to accomplish and explore. No wonder I feel I can't get one cohesive idea out at the moment. 
My friend told me that she wasn't going to buy anything new for 2016. I was shocked by this statement, thinking how will she manage that? 
Since she told me about this a few months ago I have been thinking how I would like to adapt this to my lifestyle. Firstly to stop buying things, and with that urge I have to buy something buy an experience instead. For example workshops at yoga bodhi, a spa day, a talk, cinema tickets. Become eager to find experiences as much as I am to find something to buy. I sound like a recovering shopaholic, but I am not, I don't even like going 'shopping' I have just lived in the same place for all my life and pretty much kept everything. I have always lived by the mentality, buy well, you buy once. Consequence nothing has really broken or gone out of date style wise. And my body shape hasn't ever changed so my clothes for the past decade still fit me. I can't say I will not buy a piece of clothing next year, as I am still finding what I want to say with my clothes. self expression through what you choose to wear I feel is important it sets a mood for yourself and that day. And even when you get the people who say they don't care what they wear thats still an expression. 
What I am hoping to get out of this, is a richer way of life. Literally richer, but also culturally richer. 








pinterest

Thursday 24 December 2015

this week











-I adored the new star wars film. Very empowering to have a woman hero, and have her be so at ease with it. The soundtrack by John Williams is great to listen to, scavenger is my favourite track.
-Film 2015 had some good points. I try to watch this each week as i like Claudia Winklemans view of films. If she likes them i tend to go watch it.
-picking colours for my room from little greens grey collection. Got my eye on Inox, french grey and a dash of soot.
- obsessing over Lily Vanilli and the Meringue girls instagram accounts for my pavlova I am making for Christmas Day.
- visiting the Victoria art gallery to take in the art. I could fall asleep in an art gallery doesn't matter how many people are there, just get lost in the pictures. I would love to get my hands on this place and shake it up though.
- died at the 108 sun salutes class at Yoga Bodhi for the winter solstice. Still feeling the effects now from it. What I mean from effects is my legs I can barely move, but also the repetition of the moves forced clearance of all you think about in the mind was incredible. All those niggling thoughts just got pushed away.
- feeling festive looking at the photos of the state apartments at Windsor Castle. So much tradition and dedication, I love it.








John Constable - Summer Evening with Storm Clouds

Wednesday 23 December 2015

reith lectures











I dedicate this post to my friend Lucy G who I want to listen to the Grayson Perry Reith lectures.
I must of listened to them about 5 times now, so candid about the art world and his craft its so refreshing and funny! 









Édouard Boubat, Portuguese Woman, 1957

winter solstice











Winter Solstice is the longest night of the year it is also the transitioning point when each day draws in more and more light. A time a rebirth for nature and new energy. Solstice means Sun stands still, it is a moment when the Sun stops moving southward, pauses, before it begins to move northward. It is a moment of pause in the darkness before the rebirth of light (both in nature and your inner light as well). It is as much a time about rebirth as it is a time of wonder. 
(description from Sphinx and the milky way

On this winter solstice day I popped out and did this little ritual. On one piece of paper I wrote down all the things I wanted to leave behind in this year. This varied from emotions, thought patterns and peoples actions that have left me upset. And then on the other piece of paper I wrote down what I wanted to come in for the new year. This wasn't a wish list like, I want a mini cooper... that was in the letter I wrote to father Christmas ;) . It was more of the thoughts and feelings I want to bring in, like inspiration, clarity and strength. So the first letter I burnt up the chimney (might be going to father Christmas after all) to symbolise these energies being transmuted into creative passion for the adventure to come. And the other you are meant to bury, I picked a piece of rosemary as its the only herb really flourishing at this time of the year and it has holistic properties for healing, and as what i was wishing for was partly healing, it felt right. I put the rosemary and paper in a hole in the ground next to where I grow my Rhubarb. I picked this spot as, rhubarb is one of the first things to send out growth in the darkness of winter. And as the solstice is about light through the dark, again felt right and rather poetic. 

I have always been spiritual mainly through my extreme curiosity to learn things. And then the other came from when I had been ill for so long, trying to figure out a way to get better as the doctors couldn't. You start to reach out to other branches. It is like pandoras box, but a pandoras box you don't want to shut. 

I am quite particular about the spiritual websites I read
Here are some websites that have some posts about the solstice: 
- winter wellness guide, more about honouring yourself in the winter then solstice









Peter Lanyon

Sunday 20 December 2015

this week










this week I have had a nasty cough/cold think the stress and tiredness of the show finally caught up on me. Only a few things to mention this week, as the cold and work have taken over for now. 

- I am allergic to doctors so I go to Neals yard for my wellness supplies. Been taking their Hot Lung mix, drinking inner strength tea and using the Arnica Salve to help with seizing up muscles. 

- watching the secret history of the British garden. Completely captivating. Writing down the locations so I now have a list to visit next year. 

- treated me and my mother to a spa day at Lucknam park. Because I love her and we both needed a day off, and when you spend that kind of money you sort of owe it to your self to absorb the gentle and relaxing energy of the place. The treatments are very holistic, a lot to do with chakras and working with the individual. There I discovered the brand Ila, and the body cream for vital energy, most gorgeous product. 

- started a children + enfant board on pinterest, I have seen so many wonderful little boutiques opening lately for children gear, they have really inspired me. Children's stuff is so creative and has the most wonderful colour palettes. 








Eames mid century wooden toys


1st of January










On the first of January I like to do something I have called my smug run. I don't go running any other time of the year other than new years day. Two reasons I like to be a smug twat running about, look at me and my health, while most people have a hangover.  And the other is symbolic, to run on this day I feel you are shedding the old, not running away from what has gone before but instead leaving it behind you, and moving on. 

There are things I would like to bring into my year of 2016

- hug more. I think it is an understated quality. 

- sign off emails with best wishes.  It is a warmer approach.

- go for the different thing on the menu. Nice little way of implementing change.

- more yoga. Once a week isn't cutting it, there is so much to be explored in yoga.

- change my room. I am determined to make 2016 the year of good sleep and changing my room will help. I am sitting on a mountain of stuff, which adds to the clutter in the mind. 

- explore Britain. 

- make time for miscellaneous things

- stop blaming myself for everything. this is more of an ongoing saga, but they say to break a habit it can be done in 40 days. 

I will expand on these points in future blog posts. 








Imi Knoebel, 1977

Friday 18 December 2015

messages










I like this line out of an email I got about a blog post I deleted.

Even optimists need to blow off steam sometimes and I guess being an optimist isn’t about not acknowledging difficulties but about how you face those difficulties.








Lampe Andre Cazenave coquillage shell

Thursday 17 December 2015

change is afoot










I have been very restless for some time now, not just the past week but for a couple years now. Like how travel enthusiasts get itchy feet to travel, I get this overwhelming sense to change to grow and explore. I don't need travel to open my eyes to new things, for me it is creating something within myself that is new. Changing the system. And as I am in the art world it has been my senses telling me something needs to change. 
A pinnacle moment happened to me yesterday, I went up to meet with a gallery who had already bought 11 of my pieces from the recent show, and had expressed interest in taking me on for their gallery. I was too excited, they are a fine art gallery with amazing credentials, it was such a compliment to be coming up to see them tears had been shed because of excitement. So when I was there thinking I was showing pieces for them to take it on, I was met with the usual I am worried it is a risk you have no name for yourself, you haven't been doing this for very long, you need to master your art form more.  All fair enough comments, they are a business and have over heads can't take a risk incase it effects them. Too be honest I thought this was too good to be true that I would be excepted at this gallery. But why buy my art then? it must not be down to the art, Maybe being unknown? this isn't the first time I have heard this, I got told this by Christopher Farr he wouldn't collaborate because I didn't have a name. 
So what do you do when you have the work the art is better than good for big players to reach out to you, but again no name... apart from bang your head on the wall out of frustration. I walked round London the rest of the day deep in thought and said to myself do I actually need these people? not out of spite, but do I really need a gallery to sell my work for me?
We are in a new world these days social media is massive, I have double the amount of followers on social media then that particular gallery. And even one of their famous clients have now bought from me seeking me out in Stroud of all places, not London. All via my online presence I have. I put on my own show, I framed my work, I contacted buyers, did my own press, and I have an international client base. Yes I know my art of business needs refining, but I mustn't forget i have done this all by myself. Never taught, learning in a small space of time and I proved I can do it. 
One thing the gallery owner said, yes you may have big people buying your artwork, but they aren't exactly in the art world. But I have thought long on this comment because it niggles at me that why haven't the art world looked at me? 
I haven't gone through the usual levels to become a qualified artist, have you done an artists residency, no, did you study fine art, no are you represented by a gallery, no. Then you get a shuffle of disapproval, she doesn't know what she is doing. 
I know what I am doing I am painting, I am painting from my heart, my style, my emotions. And I do have a name for myself it is LUCY AUGE. I promise you now that this art world is changing and I will carry on doing what I am doing regardless if these set people feel I am worthy of being excepted to a group. As long as there are people who love my art and want to buy it, that makes me an artist. 
I am going to take a break for the winter not from painting but from trying so hard and blossom in spring where I am planning a new way for myself, no art gallery, no art dealer, something better. 









Charles Hippolyte Aubry, Poppies, 1864

Friday 11 December 2015

this week









-Watching a tv series about the spectrum of colour on the BBC. My favourite part has been the bit about why leaves are green. 
- Listening to the Northern Lights by Philip Pullman on Audible, while I work in the studio. I have listened to this since I was 13 and I never get bored of it. It is in my top 5 favourite books. Unfortunately that means very little as I have only read about 10 books in my entire lifetime. 
- Invested in a Norwegian storm blanket. It wasn't that much as I got it at the outlet shop. Probably bought it because of listening to the Northern Lights. 
- going to a winter wonderland in Stroud tomorrow. Full of artisan makers!
- general obsession starting for dreams of traveling to Russia! 








In the grove of the temple of Isis (Détail) 
John William Godward 1915

Saturday 5 December 2015

this week










- went to see the bridge of spies last night. There is something comforting about a Spielberg film. Quote from the movie;
Rudolf Abel: This one time, I was at the age of your son, our house is overrun by partisan boarder guards. Dozen of them. My father was beaten, my mother was beaten, and this man, my father's friend, he was beaten. And I watched this man. Every time they hit him, he stood back up again. Soldier hit him harder, still he got back to his feet. I think because of this they stopped the beating and let him live... "Stoikiy muzhik". Which sort of means like a "standing man"... Standing man...

- day trip with my fellow artist friend Ruth Ainsworth to Stroud to drop off our work to the pop up shop Nothing but Navy. All items in there are Navy (clue is in the name), so 6 of my Navy ink drawings have gone there to be displayed and sold.

- got myself a Himalayan Salt lamp, been wanting one for ages.

- obsessed with watching season 2 of Fargo. This is the tv I love, script is excellent and every still could be a picture and it has Kirsten Dunst who is on top form.

- booking in on yoga workshops at yoga bodhi the other studio I work at. How amazing do these workshops sound! I am so excited for everyone of these. I got told to book things that bring you joy far in advance, so you always have something to look forward to. So when things go tits up for a bit you always have something good on the horizon.

108 Sun Salutations & Chanting For Winter Solstice With Simona

The Lost Art of Fermentation and probiotic Foods with Nicola Clarke & Paul Haenel










Mark Rothko, c.1947

etsy









This week I have been busy sorting out my studio again. Bringing back all the paintings and the things that go with the show. It is floor to ceiling mess! I am looking forward to seeing it all clear, the paintings archived in a filing cabinet, and the floor looking clean and not covered in dirt and dried flowers. I am happy because I did get round to uploading the postcards and postcard packs from the exhibition on to Etsy. I was pleased with the turn out of these postcards, I wanted to imitate how the Tate and other major galleries have postcards from the show on sale. When I have less to upload of the paintings I will put them onto etsy but for now all can be seen on my website and I can be contacted to purchase, £40 per painting.








own photo

Tuesday 1 December 2015

learnings, lessons











I wrote a long negative post right now and deleted it, because I saw this post on instagram:
'The Universe only gives you what you can handle'
Comment under said: 

'When I look back at all the most challenging things I've had to overcome they are the things that taught me the most about myself & life. Even though the lessons, learnings & letting goes may have not been enjoyable at the time a great strength & wisdom developed out of them. Dig deep my friends & know that what doesn't kill you always makes you stronger as my mum always said to me growing up '


My first post had said I was hoping for the universe to send me a sign to how to get out of this stressful situation I am in, and sure enough this came up. It was the right message at the right time.This situation has taught me that I am too much of a pushover, and don't speak out at the beginning. I am outspoken but I let too many things slide from the start, for benefit of the doubt, and end up speaking up at the end when it just looks desperate and angry. I read this article about setting boundaries and I keep re-reading it hoping it will sink in. 

If you don't read the whole article read this, (but I do recommend you read the artcile): 
'Setting boundaries isn’t about throwing up walls and creating cold and calculated distance. This practice is about learning to give yourself the space you need in each moment to stand tall and love the people in your life exactly as they are. Setting boundaries is about knowing your limits, asking for what you need and taking a moment of pause before reacting.'








Claude Monet : "Glaçons sur la Seine à Bougival, dit Neige sur la rivière"

Sunday 29 November 2015

yin yang











I have just got back from taking down my show. And right now it feels like it could be my first and last show. I knew by being ambitious with 500 paintings I would face obstacles. Also by having a show you would be open to critics. So I am going to split these posts into two sections the good and the bad. And like a yin yang symbol how you get the good and the bad into one, I hope to see at the end of it a balance. How the good will balance out the bad.









Japanese Noren Curtain - Linen - Natural Dye - Full Moon.

Yang -The Good









Believe it or not I am a huge dreamer, I believe that everything is going to be the best it possibly can be. I thought for this show, The Queen could turn up (I had invited her) I would sell all my paintings. David Hockney would hear about me and my work and make me his protégé. I see it as a good thing to think like this because if you dream big, big things happen. It has got a lot to do with hope and determination and a dash of insanity. So when the bad happens (see previous post) you are ready to keep looking for the good thing which could be around the corner. Like a phoenix in the ashes syndrome, keep rising from the bad things, even though it is an exhausting process.

Magic things that happened because and during the show:
-  Jane potrykus came down from London for the private view and took photos and said the show was brilliant.
-Absolute academy who I did day courses with came down from Cheltenham and wrote a piece about me.
- House and garden wrote an article about the show. And also loaned out 9 pieces of work for an interiors shoot.
- My friends wrote some unbelievably touching messages about me and my work.
- Polly of Bayntun Flowers who always shows me such hospitality wrote an article about me on her blog, and created the foliage archway to go over the door for my show. 
- Jacob Bodilly came up for the day to Bath to see the show in the evening and ended up helping out for most of the day. I was quite overwhelmed by the kindness someone I only met twice could show.
- the private view was rammed, queues out of the door, from all the walks of life. People showed up. 
- by dropping my phone down the loo, I can't answer calls etc while the phone drys out for the next two days in rice. Giving me the perfect excuse to switch off from the world. 
- esme winter turned up to the show with a present! two people I admire for their talents and taste.
- And the people who have brought me to this stage in my life Beavis and Chirsitne who tirelessly helped me to combat my Seizures. Christian Dunham who said I'd done good. And he helped me this year build up my self esteem after it had been beaten down by an abusive ex. Seeing both these people this week surrounded by my art work grounded me to acknowledge that I have come so far in such a small space of time. 
- my most amazing thing though is down to making my family proud. I have been able to show them with this show, that by them not doubting me it gave me the space for me to create my own path to be an artist. 








unknown photo

Yin - The Bad











I don't always see bad as something that should be feared. Through bad things, experiences happen, lessons are learnt and appreciation for the little things are seen more and more. But that doesn't stop them being anything but stressful or upsetting at the time.

- the woman I rented the gallery from put the wrong date in all our emails for my show so all my leaflets, press, posters, and flyers were wrong. But she had put the right date in the invoice. So even though phone conversations and 6 emails both said the 30th always check all the paperwork!
- people come in and say shitty things about your work. e.g 
I don't like your signature I think you have ruined your paintings with your signature. 
I think you have found your comfort zone with this show, you could of been more experimental.
Your signage is rubbish, hope you enjoy your alone time because no one will come in to see you.
- trying to take the show down and it is torrential rain transporting the paintings to the car.
- organising things for the show as much as I have enjoyed making the dream in my head become reality, it has consumed my mind and I have developed insomnia for the past few months. 
- the woman I rented the gallery space from telling me she is going to have a party for the show she is having for her work, in the hallway but going to have the party in my space. so stressing about security of my work, and generally pissed off that I am paying for a space to then have a party there. And expected to be cool with that. 
- I dropped my phone down the loo....classic 

There is more but you get the idea. 









Photograph of a solar eclipse, April 17, 1912

Monday 16 November 2015

current









I am in a funny headspace at the moment. Purely down to the fact I haven't had a good night sleep for two months. So emotions are high. I even cried at Harry Potter the other day not at a particular sad part just when he arrives back at school and he looked so happy to be there. 
As I said very on edge emotions at the moment.
I can't blame it all on the show, because I am enjoying the work, its creative, interesting to see how people are reacting to the show. And above all its a huge compliment people are traveling across country to see the work I have produced.
It's the juggling act, I am putting on this show, still completing commissions for people and working at my part time job at the yoga studio.
I am completely run down, I wont lie, I have 4 mouth ulcers, heartache or disappointment not quite sure, also my back is a knotty mess, and tiredness has set in, so ready to curl up and hibernate.  However I am not a complainer I am a doer. So with these symptoms I have been looking for natural healing methods from my favourite sites online.

For the back and overall tiredness = ginger detox bath
Answers for the odd headspace that is going on = moon reading
Sleep tips, anything that will help me sleep! = 10 easy steps to sleep
for the heartache, that has many answers = wisdom, clarity , growth, hope








unknown picture



Friday 13 November 2015

pricing










Since the beginning I have been thinking a lot about the pricing for my show. How much I should charge for each piece, should one be more expensive than the other?
I have come up with £40 per botanical illustration. Yes I know its low but I am not valuing my work as £40, I am allowing it to be £40 for this show. I have 500 paintings, and I am giving people the chance to buy an investment piece. My other work has already been valued at £1500. 
Having art on your wall, is only accessible to few these days, so I am breaking down the divide and keeping it that price for this show. I am not going to charge more for people who have more money and give freebies to those who don't, I am not Robin Hood. 
 Call me a romantic, but I want to make this show about the art allow people's heart to connect to a piece and fall in love with it, that they want it to be a part of their home. 
My show opens at 6pm on the 23rd of November and runs till the 29th of November.









unknown

Monday 9 November 2015

where's my patron?










Who do you invite to an art show?
Once you have invited your friends, family, business contacts, clients. Who do you invite to widen your circle? I will be honest I am struggling to know, because it brings up the question where do I see my carer going? 
I know I want to be as successful as Hockney painting all the time, pushing my art style and not having the over hang of money worries. It is just knowing how to get there. 
The Turner Prize this year a nominee was an artist who hung fur coats on the back of chairs. I am a landscape and botanical painter coming into a world of contemporary and modern art. 
It makes me think where does my art work fit in. 
This might just be me thinking this but I feel the art world is stagnant at the moment. I am not saying the artists who are getting recognised aren't talented but there is no progression. Mainly I think because the new artists that are coming up now there is a certain box that they need to fit into to move up. Look at the exhibitions that are on at the moment in the big London galleries, the new art by artists who are alive like ai wei wei is again modern art, political, you have to read the sign on the door to know what the hell you are looking at, and 90% of the time the work isn't even made by the artist himself. Then you have other artist exhibition that are going on at the moment by deceased artist Alberto Giacometti. Work made by the artist, his own style, created a movement, and owned his craft. Love him or hate him at least Charles Saatchi was a patron to up and coming artists who bought up their work and people followed suit. He shifted the art world. Just like Ernest Hoschede did with the impressionists buying up Monet's work. 

I am calling out for the art world to get its new patron, mix it up bring back painting.
Artists who create their own work, not these directors. 








unknown

Saturday 7 November 2015

magic









A years worth of rain made a desert bloom. Look at every possible article you can on this, as this is the world just magic and unpredictable. 








atacama desert

set design










I always like meeting people who are in the set design world. I am so curious to know where they get all their props from. Simon Costin is someone to look at. Set design is defiantly somewhere I want to explore. Bit like how Hockney did set designs for the opera. 








simon costin

why the show










I had a meeting with a company in LA this year who apple set up for me. And this company works with fine art artists in a decorative way. Apple thought this will be perfect for you Lucy your work is quite decorative I can see this happening. So off I went to this meeting, where I sat and listened to this mans advice to me which was to marry a banker so I can dabble in my art on the side, also that he wouldn't touch me because I had no name for myself. Nothing to do with my work purely down to if I was famous enough to work with him. I noted this advice during the meeting and ignoring his previous sexist remark I asked so how do I create this name for myself? He said he doesn't know. Useful man indeed. I left that meeting and dumped the catalogues he gave me of his own work, that he asked to give to my big clients, in the bin and with the attitude i'll fucking show you, you arrogant twat. I decided when I get back to England i'll put on my own show. 
I kept thinking I needed to wait to get noticed by an art dealer, gallery or buyer to allow myself to have the name of artist. I know now it is a process in your own mind that you go through to build to get there. That is why I wanted to draw so many paintings. To perfect my style along the way and that if you put a certain amount of hours into your craft you then become an artist. 
So if you think about an artist you think about them selling work, having work in a gallery, and they have a unique style which is recognisable to them.
It has worked to some degree even before the show has even opened I have a gallery who now wants my work, I have already sold some of the paintings and I defiantly have my name out there because people recognise my work. 
I have to keep reminding myself that this all happened in 4 months. Only thing that is different now is that I believe in my carer as an artist and my work and maybe being true to myself has shifted things about in the universe to bring the things I hoped for into my life. 








musée rodin