IBA artists reflect on Lockdown: 2 Sheila O'Brien

When the first lockdown arrived I was in the throes of moving house, not the best time for moving. I spent the summer packing boxes, digging up most of my beloved plants and trying to find a removal company. Any form of painting went out of the window as I was too stressed. We. Eventually moved in August last year. We had downsized our house but had a bigger garden. I now had no where to work as the house seemed to be constantly full of workmen and besides I now didn’t have a studio. My passion for painting had left me. I decided that there was no point in stressing about it and that it would return eventually. I decided to put all of my energies into the garden so I started designing, I dug and I planted and all thoughts of anything else went out of the window. Now a year on I have a beautiful garden. 

My thoughts are now turning to creating some artwork even though I still haven’t decided where to paint. It will have to be the small bedroom or the kitchen table. I do have a large shed in the garden which I had thought of using but not in the winter.  Anyway, my small bedroom stands empty apart from a single bed and how often will family and friends come to stay these days? 

What lockdown has taught me is to stop getting stressed about things that you cannot change and see it as a once in a lifetime chance to do whatever you want without feeling guilty. Most of us find ourselves saying “ I must do this or I must do that”. Stop for a second and ask yourself WHY! We have all been affected in different ways as Artists, some of my friends have created the most amazing paintings, others have taken degrees. I instantly felt guilty and thought “ I have achieved nothing” but do you know what? I now feel stress free and happy with my life, and I am ready to do battle with my paintbox once more, so watch this space!