January: the misery of the freelance

Slow progress on the cyanotype embroidery

Why you should prepare for harsh winters to come.

January through to March are often diabolical. A freelancer may consider hunting squirrels or other small rodents to supplement their diet in these lean times. Vegetables are hard to come by, so veganism can be a dangerous choice. With some northern vegans surviving on a single Gregg’s vegan sausage roll for a full week.

This winter has been particularly merciless. The looming spectre of Brexshit striking fear into businesses of every calibre and size. Why should anyone care about the arts? Belts are being tightened across the land and socialism is dead. Capitalism paid off enough twats that Boris-thick-head-Johnson is prime minister, and Donald-dementia-Trump is president across the pond.

Cyanotype with embroidery

It’s atrocious, but it’s what we currently have to work with. So, on top of the usual post Christmas slump and pre-new financial year dip, we have the added problem that we are nose diving into a dystopian future foretold by Charlie Brooker.

This month I basically just dug-in to my nest and ignored as much as possible. I’ve been making embroidered artworks in the house. They have been remarkably twee so far, but I’ve been thinking about the Bayeux tapestry and it’s effects as the first propaganda campaign. And wondering if I could be making something more.

But, I’m not 30 nuns so it would have to be on a smaller scale.

Cyanotype embroidery

Using the excuse of no money or pressing deadlines for work, I have slowed down to nurse my personality back to human. Or, at least something similar.

If you are looking to break the cycle and fancy getting creative with me I have updated my workshops on Eventbrite.

Don’t feed the artists they bite. Buy work or come along to workshops so I can afford quinoa.

Cyanotype print for embroidery

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