This week • 09 FEBRUARY 2003

What a week!

The run-up to the opening of an art exhibition can be exhausting and chaotic. Ramona Depares catches up with Miriam Sorrell a few days prior to the opening of her exhibition

Monday: Up mid to late morning. No breakfast today but started painting at about 11.30 in the morning. Worked straight till 1.30, by which time I was starving. Made myself a snack at home, gave myself an hour’s break and then cooked supper to find it ready for the evening. Pasta tonight, I think. Afterwards back upstairs to continue painting.

Busy week ahead, getting the last minute paintings for the exhibition ready – the pressure is really piling now. Late evening had supper with Jonathan, my husband, and watched a DVD. I love movies with good actors – Woody Allen is a favourite. English drama is another genre I like, but I tend to gravitate more towards comedy. As long as it’s witty, of course, can’t stand sit-coms.

Listened to some Indian music before falling asleep, another favourite style. But during the day I tend to be versatile when it comes to music: while I’m painting I can listen to anything from Madonna to classics.

Tuesday: Up as usual and had some cereal to start off the day in a healthy way. At the moment am working on a large purple painting which I’m enjoying thoroughly. Got a surprise call from an Art Gallery in England – I had sent them an invitation for my exhibition. Now they’re telling me that they want to hang up one of my paintings at Christie’s in London. My painting will be part of an auction being held on 8 March in aid of cancer research. I can’t believe this great news, quite excited about it.

In the afternoon met Maria Grech Ganado, who is opening my exhibition and who I haven’t seen for twenty years. When first planning the exhibition I had immediately thought of her as being the ideal person to open it. We had a good, long chat and discussed which poetry she should choose for the opening.

Evening went out with Jonathan for a pizza. Piccolo Padre is one of my favourite places and we enjoyed it.

Wednesday: Started the day with a veggie and fruit juice. I’m very conscious when it comes to healthy eating – I try to balance out my smoking habit with healthy food. I also stay out of the sun and eat vegetarian food most of the time. We only eat meat about once a week in fact. Luckily, I know quite a bit about healthy eating since I used to run a natural health clinic before giving it up for full-time painting. I’m not sorry that I followed my heart, I’m very non-materialistic and what matters to me is that whatever I do I do it passionately.

Spent some time playing with my cats, grooming them and feeding them. They occupy a very high place on my priorities list. Jonathan and I are both keen animal lovers and there is nothing that makes me more depressed than a suffering animal.

Evening went around to St James Cavalier to take care of some organising. I’m having sixty two paintings spread in three halls, so it’s quite a job to settle everything. Stayed there until about 1AM, with just a small break to grab a burger – against my natural principles I know, but the burger place was the only one open at that hour and hunger won out.

Thursday: Lack of sleep has started to show. Got up very late, towards lunchtime. There are still dozens of things to be done at St James Cavalier but thankfully Jonathan has already gone down to co-ordinate everything. I’m very lucky to have a supportive husband as I couldn’t do it on my own.

Today is very much an extension of yesterday. Had a high-fibre fruit juice and then organised a massive clean-up of the house. This is the first day that I have no pressing need to get a painting completed and I feel a bit at a loss. However, the house has been neglected these past two weeks and it’s crying out for some attention.

Later did some food shopping and prepared some meals for the evening and for Friday. Had nice, long and relaxing bath and by the time I finish it’s time for a late supper.

Hit the sack straight after.

Friday: Up and had a quick breakfast. A friend, Mario Borg, gave me a home reflexology session as the lack of sleep has made me look exhausted. No time to rest afterwards but straight off to Douglas to get my hair done. Jenny put it up carefully and beautifully, producing a work of art on my hair. Taking into account the nature of the evening and what I would be wearing, she managed to pin up my hair in such a way that the pin holding my Indian tikka in place remained concealed.

Afternoon organised my outfit for the evening. Had just enough time for a bath and a mini-facial session. Put on my make-up and slid the tikka through my hair. I had prepared a veggie soup earlier so at least I could have something to eat before leaving. All of a sudden it was time to leave for St. James: although when we got there it was relatively early, people were already there. We were unlucky with the weather, it was so windy and cold but people still turned up.

Had a great evening: all went well, had some interesting conversations and met some new people. My only problem was that my boots were killing me.

After St James Cavalier, home to change into casual clothes and off to Porto Vino to end the night there. Found a stray dog and actually managed to find a home for it, with some wonderful people. A lovely ending to the day.

Saturday: Up very late, treated myself to a lie-in. Difficult to adjust to the fact that I didn’t particularly have to paint. Eventually force of habit won: had some canvasses lying around and did some work.

Had some friends over for the evening: a great supper with some interesting conversation. A relaxed day all in all.

Sunday: Very quiet day, much like yesterday. Enjoyed a traditional English roast for lunch and watched a couple of DVDs in the afternoon.

Did some paintings later on and started reflecting on my next exhibition, which will be held in June at Clelend & Souchet.