Now when I say ‘drinking on the job’ I am not in any way suggesting I am sat in my office with a bottle of hooch under my desk (although I am sure that would make the world of Insurance far more interesting) more so, drinking in the midst of night with a paintbrush in my hand.

The painting featured here was created (you guessed it) in the midst of night with a glass of wine in my hand. I really didn’t look far for inspiration when I put this one together.

I was looking into the glass, watching the red wine move through itself, as I raised the glass to my lips I caught a glimpse of myself in the mirror, and all I could think was ‘Is this the life of an artist, staring into my wine in the middle of the night with 30 sketches of myself thrown around me’. So naturally, I had to document that thought. That moment. That glass reaching my lips, like it was the first time.

Was I hiding from myself, or searching for some sort of inspiration (not that I believe in ‘inspiration’ as such – but that’s another story). The answer… I’m honestly not sure. Creating a series of work can have its challenges, especially when that work is based on you, and your appearance. Becoming lost in a moment can be the art itself, It can be all you need to create another image different than the 30 before, and sometimes, just sometimes a glass of wine is all you need.

Drinking on the job when you are creating can go in one of two ways.

1. It can free your mind. Open you up and let the creativity flow so freely.
2. Or, it can paralyse your creative energy, giving you a creative block you feel will never leave.

That’s the risk, all or nothing. I am lucky in the sense that I rarely get the paralysation of my creative mind from the love and comfort of a good Shiraz (although it can happen).

Now I am not suggesting you neck a bottle of wine to ‘free your mind’, but if you enjoy a drink or two there is no harm in indulging yourself to get you going.