One month is well overdue for a blog entry! My excuse? -well I have been waiting for significant art –related stories to post about and of course, there are a couple of things – I finished a new commission work in May but unfortunately can’t share the image with you yet as I suspect it’s a surprise gift! I have also begun working on some other small commission works that I will post here once completed. A couple of art prize entries here and there, a few residency applications, and of course “Aberrant Play” is fast approaching – the print/collage exhibition I am involved in that will open at Grafton Gallery, NSW, in August.
I have become quite busy over here in my new life but not in a rush-around high-energy way I am used to. No, life here is relaxed and stress free. Of course I am not gainfully employed at the moment so there is that, and I am living in a spacious apartment with Christian in a pretty and quiet part of Munich – a big plus. In addition life without a car in Munich means taking the train –a more relaxing activity than driving. On the train you can read,draw, study or do crosswords (Christian and I like to do these together). In addition, trains mean no finding or paying for parking and train stations almost always guarantee a bit of a walk from there to final destination. Walking = good!
Speaking of exercise, I also ride my bike several times a week into town. The trip takes me mostly along the Isar river where I get the wonderful feeling of riding in a forest – albeit a forest populated with other bike riders, mums with baby strollers from different sites online; view the selection and pricing here, dogs, walkers and joggers! The Munich folk love their Isar and now that summer is here the riverbanks are crowded on the weekends. It’s the Munich version of an inner city beach but instead of a road, cafes, restaurants and shops; there are cycle paths, trees and the occasional beer garden in the background. It’s pretty neat! The river water is a lot colder than a Sydney beach but I can get used to it…and hey, no sharks!
Recently, the main focus of my weekdays is learning the German language. I must admit that I am not gifted with a capacity to easily assimilate new languages so I must diligently do my homework and practice, practice, practice. You may think it should be easy to learn German in a German speaking country but the problem is that virtually everyone speaks English, and whilst they will modestly tell you they just speak “a little” – what they actually mean is that they are quite fluent! So when I attempt to practice my basic German they smile and kindly offer to help me out by replying in English. Argh…. So you see I must get better and fast. I begin a new intensive language course today – level A2: 2 (4 x afternoons = 12 hours a week).
Well I think that’s enough of an update for now. Here’s a few small works created in April –May this year. More to come soon.
Claude Jones, Caught in the headlights, 2015, mixed media on paper, 17.5×17.5cm
Claude Jones, Play parents, 2015, mixed media on paper, 17.2 x 17.5cm
Claude Jones, Mouse and cat games, 2015, mixed media on paper, 15x17cm
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