Admittedly, I broke my promise.
Whilst I apologise and sincerely regret each of the occasions I longed to write and ‘just couldn’t find time’ or some greater personal force prevented me from doing so; now, from beneath a Caribbean palm tree, the scent of Ambre Solaire dancing in the air, with the first…okay, another strawberry daiquiri set before my bikini’d bod – All Saints illustrative exotic bird Zoriada print number, a surprise gift from my ever stylish vacation companion (ic swimwear range coming soon) – the unfamiliar gift of time presents the perfect opportunity to pick up where I left off.
Over the past four years in business, I have had the exceptional privilege of visiting an array of diverse locations around the world; travels which have inspired, informed and assisted me in building strong foundations for my little empire. Yet, the commitment involved in ensuring the first few crucial years count – preceded by four intensely energetic years at art school – have meant that proper cocktail-sipping, sandy-toed, Grecian-sandal-fabulous holidays have been sidestepped in favour of often seven day working weeks, peppered with the odd day trip to St Andrews – nothing beats a blast of sea air and an ice cream headache.
The tables, my dear friends, have taken a temporary turn.
As you can probably imagine, a dozen or more of my most treasured, well-holidayed comrades urged me to swap all wireless compatible devices in favour of a careful selection of fictional paperback and a Sudoku puzzle jotter big hefty enough to choke Carol Vorderman. Alas, I struck a gentle compromise, packing a bundle of non-fiction literature, one token trashy paperback, a pile of fashion mags, and a sizeable sketchbook….with laptop and b-berry usage confined to only an hour or so per day….’least that was the plan until a wee parcel of crucial, hotter than hot new fashion-orientated business cropped up mid holiday – all shall be revealed very soon!
Unexpectedly urgent business aside, and despite my initial apprehension; guys, I am absolutely loving it!
Before being committed to type, this wee bleather was blissfully composed under a poolside palm, prior to translation into type in a Wi-Fi friendly spot – surrounded by what appear to be a rather frightening Caribbean girl’s junior hockey team – within the hotel reception area. From a leisurely pre long-haul airport wait spent people watching, to sunny, bronzed bodied days (not mine) and balmy dress-up-for-dinner nights, I am in people watching heaven.
Whilst I am perhaps a little more likely to be associated with bird and animal orientated subject matter, I do continue to dabble in my passion for life drawing, ordinarily nudes. There is, without a shadow of a doubt, no finer beauty than in the human form, with its diverse array of mannerisms, dialects and dress styles – no matter what tone, shape, sex or……ahem, blood to Cuba Libre ratio. Despite the monster sketchbook calling to me to fill it’s pure pages with scribbled graphite torsos, limbs, expressions and giggle-inducing sun lounger poses; I fear undercover sketching may just be the quickest way to have oneself kicked out of the Caribbean. Palm tree doodles and eye-spy it is then.
iona (on location) x
