Blessings in disguise

When things do not go to plan, it tends to sap my energy, but I am learning to look for hidden blessings. There are currently various "niggles" to address: A portfolio item called "Life force" 'forced' itself into someone's bag at the recent exhibition, frames for the Petersfield exhibition must be redone because my backing tape dislikes the humidity and heat of recent weeks, and half a tin of blue household paint escaped from its tester tin.

The latter is a case of bad habits catching up with me. I have the tendency to leave lids ajar... The blue paint created a miniature lake in my storage box, spreading over several other tins: A right old mess - I reluctantly interrupted my framing job to see whether I could rescue some of the paint.

And I enjoyed getting my hands dirty, rolling half-congealed paint around the collaged background I had prepared last week. As many artists say, the first marks are often the hardest when facing a blank canvas, and this was a quick and fun way to create something I can now respond to. Without the accident, the canvas may have remained untouched for weeks or even months.

I also found that I had renewed energy to tackle the re-framing tasks afterwards. Another confession: I find framing fiddly and time-consuming... Whilst I have not yet found a way to make framing more fun, I was reminded of the importance of interspersing chores with play.

I also tell myself that I will become better at framing the more I do it. (I am also aiming to become better at closing products properly!)

And the stolen portfolio piece? I try to see the theft as a compliment in disguise: My work stands out, and someone considered "Life Force" a real "steal"...

I also want to use the experience as a catalyst for bigger pieces. I am inspired by nature's resilience and how new life seems to spring up overnight and have been thinking for a few months that this is a topic worth exploring on a grander scale. Now I have an extra incentive to create at least one "life force" artwork that is too big for anyone's shopping bag.

I wonder what is helping you to cope with unexpected obstacles and roadblocks?