Suffering for my art

I keep making! I did bisque-firing last Tuesday. The rabbit was too tall, so he had to be on side.

Lower shelf

Top shelf

 Once I make a large one, I like to make more! This wolf fills the kiln itself.

Wolf

Tuesday night, I fell from a chair. I was holding a mask I was working on, and sat down on the chair backward. I thought there was chairback. There wasn't. I fell backward and I heard my head hit the hard floor.

Next time I noticed, Mike and two dogs were crowding around me. My leg got stuck between chair legs, and I was unable to get up. Mike said 'You must let it go!' and removed the mask I was holding from my hands. It was my precious baby, I was protecting it!

I'm ok. Don't worry! I have whiplash, a big bruise to show off and a bump, but I'm ok. Also I have looked after myself, and didn't overdo it. Having said that, I had to carry on working on the mask with an ice pack on my head that night! But since then, I have worked in a more comfortable position, I didn't dance like no tomorrow, and walked dogs for such short walks that they complained!

I was given good advice on that night. I should tell Mike to check on me through the night. I told him, but he slept through! (I knew!) But I woke up several times and kept checking on myself to see if I was still with me. I was! I kept thinking 'Good, I'm still alive!'. When I told this to Mike next morning, he said when he woke up early in the morning he checked if I was still breathing! (what if I wasn't?)

So ladies and gentlemen, this is the mask I was protecting. Alison Deegan, print maker friend, said 'that is truly suffering for your art?' Yes, it was!

He will be fired soon.

Despite all of this, Pumpkin the chicken is peacefully shielding herself from the strong wind in the garden. This is the view from my studio. She makes me happy!

Pumpkin's favourite place.