But it is has become a bit of an obsession of late with me and I don't handle obsession very well LOL. It has started to pervade both my personal and working life and I have had to think very carefully about how to deal with this.The Charles Dickens story 'A Christmas Carol' has a clear message for all of us and I have been a little bit like Old Scrooge myself recently, locked up in my own world with no consideration for those around me. Art will always be one of my greatest passions, but I have to control that longing to allow me to give time to those that I love and that love me back. I am their rock and they are mine too
It is then with a heavy heart that I have to say au revoir to you all and I wish you all a Merry Christmas, a Happy New Year and best wishes for the future in all your artistic ventures :) I leave you with this final offering. This is a pen drawing I did on layout paper, way back in 1994, shortly after I started my artistic journey, and so I think it is a fitting farewell gift. I will leave my blog up and open for comment for a while ... and please remember, I do love to get comments :) I will certainly try to visit all your blogs too, but please do not think I am being rude by my lack of comments or equally by my lack of replies to your comments. I'll still be lurking around here in Blogland from time to time ... but only when I get the time :)
Thank you all! Good luck to each and every one of you on YOUR journey.
Michael xox
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| 'We Walk The Same Line', pen and ink on layout paper |
Wow Michael, that is a bit of an unexpected shock! I'm sure I speak for everyone: we will miss you very much! But I can understand your decision, as blogging can become an obsession and can take away precious time from your loved ones. I have enjoyed your paintings, I have learned a lot from you, and I have appreciated all your advice. Thank you so much! I hope that your artistic journey will continue! All the best wishes!
ReplyDeletexox Judy
This is a big surprise Michael, but I understand your position. A pity that in future we can no longer enjoy your work. I hope that you continue private drawing and painting. Maybe you even have an exhibition with your paintings. Who will say. ;-) I also wish you all the best. Thanks Michael.
ReplyDeleteAaaaaaaaaaargh! Does it really have to be all or nothing? I will miss you...you inspired me to get out my watercolours again. Oh, flip, sad day!
ReplyDeleteOh .... ! you will leave a void here in the bloggosphère. I understand, not easy to self-discipline, I say it myself, too, sometimes ... subject themselves to a time, unique in the week to manage my blog and I often slips. Keeping time to the ones you love and yourself is very important, however, continues to take pleasure in painting and good road.
ReplyDeleteMichael, we have been there. Too much time with any one thing is not good... Moderation, not obsession.. is a key word.
ReplyDeleteI'm surprised and saddened by your decision.. you've enjoyed it so much and we've enjoyed you, your art, your little stories.
I do hope you'll consider at least a bit of visiting... Good Luck , Merry Christmas and a Happy New Year.
BJ
Michael, Michael, Michael ... I am dismayed at your decision to step away from blogging, but completley understand where you're coming from. Our hobbies and online activities will always take second place to our loved ones. I have 2 websites and an active forum in addition to my blog and I really struggle to keep on top of them all. Thankfully for me, reducing my work to part time has helped enormously but I too have been feeling the pressure of trying to keep up and often find myself on the verge of making the same decision as you have made. The biggest thing for me, and probably most of us, is that we can't be practicing our art while also tapping on the keyboard. It is always a choice ... catch up with some blogs or do a sketch.
ReplyDeleteWe shouldn't have favourites but I have to confess that your blog is one of my favourites. Whilst feeling disappointed that you won't be around as much, I can fully respect and understand your decision. Hopefully, one day you will find yourself able to restart your blog and when you do please make sure I get to know about it.
Best wishes for the future. John
PS ... I love that pen drawing (damn it!!!). ;-)
sorry to read your post and decision to stop blogging michael ...wishing you and your family a happy christmas and 2012 .... super sketch
ReplyDeleteI know how blogging is time consuming. i understand well your desir to dedicate your time to your familly and to your art.
ReplyDeleteMerry Christmas to you and bonne continuation.
Hi Michael, I'm really sorry to read about your decision to stop blogging. Hope it will be a temporarily decision. We will miss you!
ReplyDeleteI wish you and your family a Merry Christmas and Happy 2012. Tito.
PS : before retiring I worked for a Company named Sealed Air which has a big factory in St.Neots. I have spent days and days in this area for my job, staying in Huntingdon, St.Ives, Cambridge, Buckden etc etc. Nice to have now a water-colorist colleague there.
Oh Michael - Really? I understand how you are feeling because for a while I found myself stressing if I didn't post for more than a week, but then I realised that I can't practice art all the time I am in front of a computer, so I made the decision to just not stress and to post when I have something to post and not to draw something just so I have something to post. Now I am concentrating on much larger, more complex paintings, so I am sometimes not posting for two or three weeks! Some bloggers just post once a month even and that's okay because quite honestly, it's really hard to keep up with the ones who post every few days. Maybe you could rename your blog 'Monthly Bytes', lol!
ReplyDeleteOh well, if that's not an option and you do close your blog I fully understand and I am really glad to have seen all of your lovely work over the last few months. Just make sure that you don't stop painting!
Have a wonderful Christmas and a very happy New-Year!!! :0D
It's a funny old World. Michael, you have reached the same decision I did in September for very similar reasons. For me it was tough at the time and I can tell you are feeling as I did when I made my announcement to stop blogging. I am sure that what I did was for the best and I expect you will feel the same soon. In the meantime there will be a feeling of isolation but your friends will stick by you and pop up from time to time by making email contact.
ReplyDeleteIIf you look at something and think about how you draw it, I think you're an artist ... forever! Michael See you soon!
ReplyDeleteI'm sorry to read about your decision, Michael! I know exactly what you mean, maintaining the blog and writing comments and feedback can take all of one's free time (not to mention a part of the work hours too), and it does become hard to control. When we get a comment, we feel obligated to reciprocate. But it really shouldn't be all or nothing. Maybe you will still want to share some of your work now and then. I, for one, will not feel offended at all for not getting comments. But would be glad to get a glimpse into your artistic journey now and then.
ReplyDeleteHave great Christmas holidays!
I was saddened to read of your decision Michael. Through your blog I have come to appreciate a fellow artist with a wonderful sense of humour. I shall miss you.
ReplyDeleteThat being said, of course your family and loved ones should take precedence.
Wish you well, in all you do.
Have a fabulous Christmas and a wonderful New Year.
love and blessings
Pat xx
Sad to see you stop mate but I understand completely why. It's been really interesting to have a window on your world and into your painting journey. (this last one is a cracker!)I wish you and your family a very happy Christmas and a creative 2012.
ReplyDeleteGood morning Michael.
ReplyDeleteFirst of all, this pen and Ink drawing is brilliant my friend. I`ts worth a frame around it and up on someone`s wall. Michael, I cannot believe that you are leaving us. Please think again about this. I for one will miss our postings and our chat`s. When I first started blogging,
I posted nearly every day. But now I can only manage about one a week. So I know what you are talking about, finding time. And I`m retired, amazing is`nt it? God bless you Michael and I shale certainly miss you my friend. Happy Christmas to you and your family my friend.
Vic.
Thank you all very much for your kind words of empathy and advice ... I'm so lucky to have such lovely followers.
ReplyDeleteI'm sure you're all aware by now, I'm back again, but I'm going to be taking it easy for a little while :)
Nothing can compare to the pleasure of real life. I recently realized that days/months I spent blogging could be invested in painting and learning and seeing my friends.
ReplyDeleteBut blogging helps me to socialize and not to feel lonely, to feed my interest in my art presentation. It is so easy to do when sitting in front of monitor)). But I realize that it is addiction and strong one.
So at a moment I decided to slowly decrease time of blogging, to fight this lovely disease.
I wish you to feel free and happy in your real life. Happy Holidays to you and yours!
Thank you Rose. We do walk the same lline indeed ;)
ReplyDeleteThank you Irina. Happy holiday to you too :)
Sorry it has taken me so long to get to this Michael. I was complaining to John(JWJ) that I should be more dedicated to my blog, but when I am at the PC my priority is to paint.
ReplyDeleteI know exactly where you are coming from here and I am lucky that my husband is a TV lover, I am not. He sits in the Den here with me sometimes and watches TV whilst I paint ... and blog!
If you are disciplined enough to walk away (which we hope will not be the case)then maybe you can discipline yourself to putting aside a set time to paint, blog etc ... something I am trying to do. My aim this year is to get out walking more and have a hill walk planned for the 29th. You are a valuable member of our blogger family and I would hate to see you disappear down the path of that beautiful Pen and Ink drawing! Happy New Year to you and yours Michael ... Slainte! :)
Hi Ingrid. Thank you for taking the time to catch up! It has been a very busy time for me in both my work and personal life lately, but I am finally beginning to see the wood for the trees LOL.
ReplyDeleteI hope to be posting more like this again soon - watch this space :)
Michael...the drawing seems wonderful! : )
ReplyDeleteHi Sadeu, so sorry I'm late at replying :( Thank you for your lovely comments - they truly are appreciated :)
ReplyDeletedon't worry, it is difficult to be in everything ; )
ReplyDelete