September seems to have arrived quite suddenly and, having spent many weeks not going out, it still feels like it is only April or May! Even as I write this, there are more restrictions being made countrywide, with some areas facing even tighter measures so some of us will need to become more accustomed to our own homes again.
In this unusual and challenging year it has been amazing to see that nature has not locked down, but instead appears to have been more abundant in certain areas. The heather has been vibrant and bright, the birds have been in good voice and I have seen some amazing sunsets (some of the best from the outside lane of the motorway; but that is another story! ). Many of us have been able to appreciate the beauty that lies close to hand in our gardens and neighbourhoods as we restricted our travelling and had more time available without the daily commute. Since I was made redundant a few years ago one of the main advantages has been that I no longer spend 2 hours each day driving to work and back. I sometimes still drive many miles in a day in order to seek out those wonderful weather conditions to make beautiful images, but it feels much more like I am doing it on my terms.
I am back attending some craft and gift markets now after the cancellation of so many events earlier in the year, and some of the larger Christmas events have also been cancelled. It is all a little strange and slightly scary, but hopefully the visitors to these markets will appreciate the work that is on display and make our time there worthwhile. I know that we have all become much more accustomed to shopping on the internet over these last few months, but there is still nothing like being able to actually see the product for real before parting with our money. This is especially true of things like the prints that I sell - the true quality of the print cannot really be measured from a computer screen; the feel of the high quality art paper combined with the 12 colour printer giving a great depth and vibrancy to the finished product.
In October I will be in Salisbury Guildhall on the 17th and in Lymington, in the Masonic Hall, on 31st. November sees me in Winchester Guildhall on 21st, with my final dates of the year being December 5th in Lymington and 12th in Romsey Town Hall. Times for all markets are 10am until 4pm. Come and say Hi if you are able.
If you have got this far, well done, and thank you!
Alex
