For some time now, I’ve had my suspicions that a blip in the space time continuum runs directly through my studio.

This has various effects, the most noticeable being the loss of vast chunks of day.

Recent events have strengthened my theory.

 

Weeks 5 AND 6 tumbled past in a heartbeat.

 

My book pile sits untouched,

A monument to good intentions and unachievable reading goals.

The tower of unopened volumes only disheartened me,

So I’ve hidden them from view for a few weeks and resolved to focus on making things for a while.

This decision to streamline my concentration has forced a guilty confession…

 

I’m a rubbish multi-tasker.

 

I know; I’m a traitor to my gender, my generation, possibly humanity as a whole,

But as much as I’d like to be able to simultaneously (or at least in quick succession) read a book, create artwork, research an idea and prepare a presentation,

I can’t.

Or more importantly, I perhaps could, but they’d stink.

 

As a concept, multi-tasking is pretty flawed.

I think it must be like dating lots of different people at the same time;

Lots of dinners and movies, but not a single meaningful relationship.

With multi-tasking you’re pretty darn busy but are you really doing your best work?

 

Why do we celebrate the inability to focus?

Why does flitting between jobs, never fully committing yourself to one, warrant commending?

Say you’re doing 3 things at once, surely each of these are only 1/3 as good as they could be?

It makes no sense.

 

For this reason, I would like to publicly denounce the silliness that is multi-tasking and declare that I will no longer buy into this conspiracy.

Instead I’ll channel every ounce of concentration, skill, effort and passion I can muster into one job at a time.

Make it amazing.

Make it my best work.

Mono-tasking.

 

***

 

For the last 2 weeks I’ve been embracing this new philosophy.

I completed my cuckoo clock collection.

The artwork is all ready to be silk screen printed and fitted with mechanisms.

 

I worked solidly for a few days on the first of my tattooed bodies.

Posca Pup (named after the pens that embelish hiim) is a white Weimaraner mannequin that I’ve been inking with floral tattoos.

 

 

(Don’t panic, his tail is added separately – he hasn’t been docked!)

 

I’ve got 3 bodies to tattoo, the dog and his 2 human companions.

The male’s body art is going to be loosely inspired by sailor tattoos whilst the female’s will take queues from baroque textiles and costume jewellery.

 

Once caught up in the detailing, I seem to fall into a trance-like work flow, an inky bubble.

It’s as close to meditation as I’ve experienced and it produces some of my best work.

 

And so I embrace my 3^rd week of mono-tasking;

Focusing my attention, dispelling the multi-tasker myth and creating (hopefully) my best work.

 

The non-inky studio pup.

 

Big thanks to Creative Scotland who supported the Sabbatical through a Professional Development Grant.