Well, it seems that time is just racing by of late. The comedown of Halloween and the subsequent lead-up to Christmas are partly responsible for the absence of blog posts on my part.....apologies for that. Those of you who are in contact with me through Facebook may be aware that I have been having "issues" with my studio space for the last month or so. The real estate agent who has taken over management of the group of shops that includes my studio/gallery is acting to significantly change my lease agreement (including a 25% rental increase), but is refusing to provide estimates of actual costs and is basically trying to bully me into agreeing to terms without actually telling me exactly what those terms are. To make matters worse, it appears that she has now involved a third party, who have come in with a counter offer, in an attempt to orchestrate some kind of 'bidding war'. As it stands at present, I have again requested (for the fourth time!) a breakdown of the costs and the exact nature of the increases, so that I can make an informed decision as to whether I can afford to continue renting the premises......or not.
So, this is a very stressful time for me....all of this came completely out of the blue and I must say that her timing is impeccable....not exactly the kind of Christmas joy I had in mind this year! I'm very emotionally attached to my little space. When I moved in there four and a half years ago I had just completed six months of chemotherapy after a breast cancer diagnosis. It was a new start for me and a way to refocus on my art. My husband Guy worked tirelessly to make the tiny area into a functional and inspiring space for me to work in and constructed a gorgeous little gallery to showcase my creations. Over the past few years I've met hundreds of wonderful people, learnt a great deal and produced some good work....so it's very sad to have all of those experiences tainted by a woman who can't even spell my name correctly. Yes, that's a little self-pitying (and a tad bitchy, perhaps) and although those aren't the only emotions I'm feeling at the moment, I have to say that they are the ones currently taking centre stage.
Anyway, while I've been waiting I have managed to complete (except for her wings) a new Faerie....her name is Helena and she is a gentle, peaceful and happy soul. I feel as though she knows something I don't....a common occurence, as I don't know a great deal more than I do after all.
As soon as I have more information regarding the studio situation I will let you all know.
Thanks for your support.
Till next time.
