Spring light makes the surroundings smile more. Glass reflects warmer, highlights criss-cross the shade with more contrast and ochre replaces grey as the bass note of the colour palette. I feel warmer, even with a chill.

Getting my work to market has been a strange mix of emotions: fear at what I am about to do - and how it will be taken; trepidation about the cost and the success of the venture; uncertainty about what and when to do this and that; but bubbling around all this has been a feeling of excitement and energy.

Sure the production line has been stressful - getting to grips with packing and presentation; not least on Caroline, who has the wonderful role of critique and oversight - not easy when I am in full tortured artist strop, cursing the world and it's minions. As well as the fact that she is better at packing, and thinking ahead so that the paintings can be propped up so that people can - y'know... see.

We've learnt how to protect work, the importance of a trolley, what people respond too (and what they don't), and I have the satisfaction of seeing that what I do out of personal whim and fascination can communicate to others too. We've even sold some of the paintings too!

Like the changing season the beginning of something new gives new impetus. Of course we've made mistakes - but that was always going to be part of the process. I can't describe the venture as a complete success - yet, but it helps to put the life determined in context. Maybe it's a sense of choosing my direction, maybe it's something out of the ordinary, but even when it rains on the market roof, or the wind blows along the platform I feel I am giving myself a chance to encounter and embrace life fully, and hopefully sell some paintings...?