Tuesday, March 8, 2011

Benign paroxysmal positional vertigo

Vertigo, acrylic, charcoal and oil on masonite, 115 x 85 cm

Wanted to do a larger study but in the end was only up to this sketch, exploring the disorienting sense of vertigo.

Attacks of vertigo seem to accompany times of stress and i guess lately i've been rather stressed. You move your head and scenery keeps moving on. The brain has to pull the world back into position. You look down to grab a brush and look back up at the canvas but now the canvas is floating up towards the ceiling.

It feels a bit like the giddiness and staggering walk one knew in childhood after spinning round on the spot. The pavement moves under one's feet as if walking a rolling deck aboard ship. The feet seem to step off into thin air as the brain races to re-calculate spacial orientation. You would think walking in a confined space would help it to do that but it seems the opposite is the case.

Walking in crowded subway or the London tube is bad, real bad. The tunnels appear to twist and sway like walking inside a serpent. Jonah down the Piccadilly line. The rush-hour press of people flooding past adds to the disorientation. Mind the gap. Yes, really mind it because it feels so close even when one is hugging the wall.

Best be out on an empty beach, eyes fixed on a far horizon, a bright sun in the sky, head held high, striding with determined step, and some hope in the heart.

Well, at least i got as far as the studio.


Saturday, March 5, 2011

Upon being a Patient

The Patient, oil and collage on canvas, 50 x 60 cm

A reflection upon being a patient for surgery.

Well, I'm finally back after a difficult couple of months. Spent some time in hospital and have taken my time over convalescence, which i guess is still on-going, to be completed in two weeks time at a beach resort on the mainland (as we Taswegians call the large island to our north). The operation was a complete success, though the recovery long and messy.

So this is my first painting and my first blog post for quite long while.

Though I am chiefly looking forward to getting round all my bloggy friends to see what you've been working on in my absence. Please bear with me if this takes a little time and sorry i haven't been able to keep in touch as much as i wished to.
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