Welcome to my blog. I’ve never had a blog before but then again, I’ve never had a website before either, so I suspect there will be a good deal of making this up as I go along.
When I picked up my paints again in 2022 after deciding to take early retirement, I didn’t really have an end goal in mind. I just wanted to start painting and perhaps sell the odd picture from time to time. I had an old Instagram account that I was not really using and so I started posting semi-regularly. I’d called myself “Islepaint” because I wanted to stay relatively private online and I like bad puns! The name seems to have morphed into a bit of a brand so that’s why I decided to use it for the website.
I hope to provide regular updates on what I’m working on and things that I’m doing artistically, including sketches, updates on paintings and other projects and any events that I have coming up. Although a few people have told me that I have a recognisable style, I’m still trying to find consistency so I’ll be detailing my progress – the good, the bad and the ugly – and will try and be as open and honest as I can.
At some point in the future I’m also hoping to offer prints, paintings and other items for sale, both in person locally and online. I hope to use Teemill, which is a print on demand company, for some of the online sales. I like their approach towards sustainability and they’re based on the Isle of Wight, which is important to me as, wherever possible, I’m trying to work with local companies and suppliers. The same applies for any products I sell in person on the island. I’ve been working with Chad Powell of Printing Powell to produce prints, mugs and other merchandise and I could not have made this website without the help of Jess from Islepublish (www.islepublish.co.uk) and Rob Longford (www.robertlongford.com) who photographed my paintings.
It feels a bit odd and vaguely unnerving - but also exciting - to be starting something completely new in retirement, so there are bound to be mistakes along the way (probably quite a few!). Please feel free to comment on anything I post, either here or elsewhere on the website and if you’d like to get in touch please use the contact form and I’ll reply as soon as I can.
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