The Leiden city art trail runs this weekend (24&25 september van 12:00 tot 18:00 ), and I'm quite busy running along. Reorganising my work room and putting things on display. Nice to welcome visitors. And nice as well to reflect a bit on this year's work. What is in and what is coming along?
About this reflection. It has been a year of in sitting, hatching and incubation time. Lots to do, not much finished yet. This does make me feel a bit chaotic, like loose ends fighting for attention all the time. Have to tell myself that it needs time. A very generous gift. Lots to look forward to, if it gets time and the space. A balancing act, but nice to look forward as well. Created this year is a set or three little lino cut prints.
Each one has its own origins, but all of them do well as a post stamp... They do work in smaller version. And very funny, the work as well blown up to a big A0 size. The stamps idea has been the idea of the stamp exhibition Priority at the Roofprintpers, where they will be shown during the next two months. It is an exhibition about 'meetings' and stamps are a medium for meetings, and the designs at the exhibition do tell about all types of meetings.
By the way: do you want to use these Dutch stamps? They are printed as official PostNL stamps and usable. Mail me at lotjemeijknecht@gmail.com, so I can order you some of these.
What's up for the remainder of the year? Quite a few paintings of our Dutch landscape. They seem to be finished, and then again maybe not yet totally finished, needing some final touches. They are about lines of trees, up from the north of Groningen and from the south of Zeeuws-Vlaanderen, and about some local polders. Some on big canvases (like 60x50 cm), some very small on cigar boxes. I do like the massiveness of cigar box paintings when you fix them on a wall. Gives them something nice and touchable.
What else? An illustration project around hobbits, featuring landscape and its moods as the protagonist; a new table cloth design based on the previous damask table cloth damasten tafelkleed; and part 3 in the Murks series #adreadfultale (check part 1 and part 2 and the remaining free episodes online); a new recipy print??? This year's book fair for small printers will be held in October in Amersfoort, and the new recipe print and Murks books will be there for real. And maybe a couple of new woodcut prints based in this year paintings....
To much to keep track of in my on mind, really.. Just working at my own pace and see when each thing gets finished. No other way for me I'm afraid. And meanwhile the nice good old artist handwork will keep me from insanity: framing, promotion, book binding and carving. Just like 'knitting to keep your brain from unraveling' ;)
For an interview promoting the Leiden art trail Patricia Nauta made this beautiful portrait of me - keeping up the good work!
Hartelijke groet, Lotje