I have often been told by family and friends that I'm 'contrary' and I can't disagree. I just seem to end up doing things backwards, whether I intend to or not. For example starting a snowboarding season with a knee injury and coming out of it physically in better shape than I started. (Perhaps not mentally, but this was nothing to do with the snowboarding) And I have realised lately that I have been taking precisely the backwards approach to careers, as well.

It would have been far more sensible if I'd gone and got myself a day job as a programmer or web developer or somesuch thing that pays, and kept the art as a hobby, but no, I had to make ART the career and take up web development for fun. Still, having taken things the hard way, as ever, it actually seems to be working, and my interests seem to be complementing each other quite well at the moment.

My current pet project has been going since the summer (I know, I'm dreadful at keeping this journal up to date - I'll try harder!) - Jim & Tonic, or The Adventures of jim the Chaosbunny, a webcomic by Maxine Green - is an online cartoon series, updated five times a week at the moment and based on my own life. There's an archive for anyone who wants to catch up from the beginning, and I am already looking at plans for a book. Check it out at www.chaosbunny.com!

In other news: work is still happening on the graphic novel, though it's on the back-burner at the moment, particularly as I have a bunch of commissions to fulfil first, including my first album cover. (yay!)

What else? I'm back in London, happily single again and attempting to enjoy the British weather. I'm doing quite well at nearly everything except that last one.

Wish me luck!

xx

Wow, it's hard to believe that it's over a year since I last updated my DA journal!

It's been an eventful twelve months. I've gone from living in the balmy embrace of the Mediterranean to the grey and rainy streets of London, where I resided for precisely a year and a day, to the gloriously sub-zero temperatures of Canada's winter months, where I'm living in a hotel and alternating between painting and drawing and learning to snowboard. From +40° to -40°C in what feels like no time at all.

In the past year I have:
-been homeless and then homed, and then voluntarily homeless again,
-been jobless, then employed, then jobless again,
-been in love (again),
-become 'un-gaged',
-found places I belonged (and, temporarily, left them behind),
-gained the job title 'queen of IT', but sadly lost it again when the company ran into trouble,
-entirely failed to update my deviantart page, or my website

and in between these I've found time to do a little painting, create a series of little hand drawn books, a couple of which can be found in my gallery, and embark on an exciting new Secret Project. Details will be found here at some point, I promise!
In fact, my un-fiancee challenges and inspires me on a daily basis, and is rather good for my work ethic, so look forward to a great deal of exciting new work in the new future

When I do manage to update it, my website is to be found at [link]

Love to you all,

M.
x

Yes, that's right folks, I only manage to update my journal once every few months, and it takes something pretty big, these days.

On tuesday i am off to London to seek my fortune, taking a suitcase, my savings, and an optimistic outlook with me, to stay until I have made it as an artist or come up with something else I want to do more, or until I decide I hate it/can't afford it/could have more fun elsewhere. It's a big leap, and I will be on my own for the first time really, in terms of housing and finance. I have always paid or myself, but never without a safety net behind me. About time I proved that I can stand on my own two feet.

Packing is a bit stressful at the moment, as I left things fairly last minute and then managed to invalid myself again, having got stitches from slicing my knee open in a fall, and exacerbating my sprained right hand that i got on boxing day (once again i am glad i type left handed). There are gory pictures of the wound on my knee in my scraps.

Will try to update soon, once I know what I'm up to in London, and will be open for commissions as soon as I am back online.

Love to all,

M.

xxx

Wow. What a couple of months!

The move went pretty much swimmingly, although getting used to the new environment has been a little tougher than I expected, and I can warn you now that things will be unsettled for the foreseeable future - there are more big upheavals coming after christmas. (No, I'm not pregnant, in case anyone asks, but as for exactly what *is* going on, I will go into more detail as and when necessary.)

I'm finally almost finished unpacking, and have been receiving new work since I got here. I am also now teaching a life drawing class at the local education centre, which was a bit of a surprise jump for me - It was rather a spur of the moment thing agreeing to do it, and well out of my usual comfort zone, but an excellent thing to add to my CV, assuming the rest of the ten week course goes well (have done three classes so far, and I think it is getting easier!). It is only a couple of hours a week, but every penny will come in useful!

My partner went away for two weeks at the start of the month, leaving me to fend entirely for myself without really knowing anyone in the area, and with things a bit complicated between us - and that's when shock of shocks, I got not just one, but two Daily Deviations - one on this account ([link]), and one on my photography account ([link])
Three years on DA, and two seemingly unrelated features in the same fortnight, it's hard to credit, really*! -I am still recovering from the surprise, and I feel I must apologise to anyone who has left comments, or watches - I intend to respond to them, but it may take a little while! As for the s, I simply haven't the time, or the hand strength to go around and type out my thanks for all of those, but they were, and are, very much appreciated - every one of them has given me a little extra boost in what would otherwise be a very difficult time for me, so I thank each and every one of you in my heart, even if i don't have the ability to say it.



My other accounts:
photography
literature

My Website

*If anyone does spot a link between them, let me know!

Not been painting much lately, there's been a lot on my plate over the last couple of months, working towards moving with my partner to the Mediterranean for three years in July. After that though – there may be nothing but painting –scary thought! I am pretty much totally unprepared, but I think the only way to actually get myself motivated to succeed (or indeed to try and fail) as an artist, is to throw myself in at the deep end with no other options, and I’m extremely grateful to my love for making that possible.
I have set up an Ebay account, and will shortly be starting to sell my work online, originals mainly, as I have prints available through DA, but there may be signed copies and suchlike available as well. If you want to support my artwork, this would be an excellent way to do it! –More news will be posted on here or my personal website when I have my online store properly set up.

Newest work: :thumb33416030:
Based on: :thumb3460073:

-because I’ve had requests for various repaints of this from galleries –wish me luck in selling the new one (I have plans to give the original, but the recipient doesn’t know it yet)

Um yes, wish me luck with the move, and expect lots of productivity from August onwards!

x