I have been invited to take along some artwork to the Fairy Fayre at Petersfield this Sunday. I didn't know WHAT to take until these butterflies mysteriously appeared in my garden. Magically they then flew onto my canvas and colour blossomed! I think the fairies had something to do with - so I'm just staying schtum and taking them along. Come along too. Pixies, elves and gnomes all invited. Fairy Fayre
Sunday 4th May 2014 10am to 4pm Herne Farm Leisure Centre Petersfield GU31 4PJ
2 Comments
Commission for lovely Gaynor and her family and their newly made home. Brief: Reds, oranges, golds and nature. Art - good for the heart & soul and Haslemere Health Foods on Weyhill, Haslemere, have turned their window display spaces into an art gallery using some of my paintings. Current images represent the fresh, bright burst of Spring, with 3D butterflies made from music sheets. I will create new work throughout the year as the seasons change. Many customers are commenting on how these are bringing them cheer and I'm even more chuffed that 2 paintings sold within the first 24 hours of being installed! Each is £100, all are originals, acrylic on canvas and ready to hang. Would love to know what you think so please leave a comment below. Here's to Spring sunshine and flowers!
Another gathering of very talented local artists and makers showing our creations at the Oxmarket Gallery in Chichester, West Street. Entry is FREE. Please do come along and have a browse - dare I mention that Christmas is just round the next corner!
Am really happy that I will be exhibiting some new work for a second year at the MADhurst Festival 2013 (Music Art and Drama). Its will be on show alongside the talents of internationally renowned Philip Jackson and Andrew Bailey, Michael Chevis, Bronwen Cunnington, Wendy Farlane, Nancy Goodens, Jessica Harriet Howard, Sophie May Lewis, Chloe Dudman and Mervyn Mewis. Entry is FREE to the Jacobean Hall at the Spread Eagle Hotel, West Street in Midhurst, West Sussex.
Madurst is a week long celebration of all the creative, artistic and musical talent that we have in our beautiful town, Midhurst. To read all about it please visit the MADhurst website. ALSO, I happen to know that there will be an exceptionally good Beer Festival at the Pavilion behind Cowdray Ruins, organised by the Midhurst Sports Association. LIVE music, excellent beer, larger, wine AND food - and for £20 a head it's ALL YOU CAN DRINK! Apart from the live musicians I'm guessing that there'll be some alternative types of artist attending! MADhurst website. Watch this video. Work inside the box.
My husband has wood! A shed load of it as it happens - literally. I went for a potter (at the bottom of the garden of course) and discovered our shed full of wood 0ff-cuts - all shapes and sizes. "Treasure!" I gasped. "Something to paint pictures on." And with that I nicked a load, cracked open my acrylics and inks and got experimenting! This is my book, my new book. Bought for me by my family and chosen for me by my son. I love it. In it I shall write. I shall write about many things, many varied things, but mostly I shall write about stuff. Recently I have noticed that I think A LOT! To the point that it has become cringingly apparent that I begin many sentences with "I've been thinking..." So I've thought hard about this: I am more of a thinker than a doer - something which is clearly illustrated by looking around my untidy house and empty fridge. But what if this thinking is actually my "thing," my bag, my ultimate talent? What if this thinking is something else; more than just random millings and meanderings from one subject to another? What if there is a reason or a structure or, dare I say, a purpose for these seemingly constant mental conversations? What if I am in fact writing in my head? Ha, now there's a thought! So, I'm going to write down my thoughts - in my new book of course. This beautiful new book bought for me by my family, chosen for me by my son. The view from here (over looking Midhurst, West Sussex, early morning) Girls adding bubbles to the woods Love-art in the woods
Creative people - sometimes we just feel a bit lost. There are days, even weeks if we're lucky, when our heads are spinning with ideas like a creative kaleidoscope! Then there are times when imagination is so lacking that we can't even face a conversation with ourselves - for fear of it being soooo dull! Torturous times indeed. I still have way more than my fair share of these "darker days." I'll be honest - I hate them. My family probably hates them more as my mood can be, shall I say, less than my usual positive self! But what I am learning is that these phases (isn't everything just a phase) are often an important step in our creative evolution - the time in between vital breaths, the stillness before dawn, the pregnant pause! They are not the end but in fact the beginning of a whole new and exciting birth of ideas and activity. They mark the calm before the wonderful, whirlwind of a creative storm! Our hearts and minds are resting, getting our subconscious thoughts into order, making sense of them, linking them.....getting ready to blow everything clean out of the water! So try not to be disheartened, be kind to yourself and recognise that soon you WILL TAKE ACTION - you may even be about to produce your best work to date! It's important to be patient, sit tight but PAY ATTENTION to the gentle whispers of the creative cross winds, and as they get stronger you must set your sails accordingly, catch the breeze and sail out into the seas of opportunity. Or take flight to the skies as in this fab little video. There are some simple exercises that really work in getting the creative juices flowing and
I'll share some of these next time. What are your top tips for coping with a stagnant phase - please share! Happy Creating! x This morning it happened again. Whilst waiting for the kettle to boil, my wearily awakening eyes gazed through the kitchen window, past the (again flooded) garage roof and towards the gathering black clouds on the horizon. "Looks like we're in for yet another soaking" I groaned. But wait, the wonderful rays of sunshine then courageously burst forth across the sky, highlighting the edge of a cloud and showing me true, amazing beauty - a beauty that I may otherwise have overlooked and simply returned to my boiling kettle. So in my pajamas, I grabbed my camera.... So what's my point, well it sounds a bit old hat to say that every cloud has a silver lining, but every apparently bleak looking situation indeed can have it's good points - sometimes they just need pointing out to us. Just like the ray of sunshine making the smaller, fluffy cloud glow in the sky and reminding me that beauty is everywhere. Whenever it's a dark, dismal, miserable day, I always console myself with the thought that above the clouds the sun is always shining...even when I left the house this morning, without a coat, drenched through, I knew it wouldn't last forever and the sun would show her face again! I hope you enjoyed these pictures. As ever, like if you like, comment and share if you dare. x x
Here is a photo of my garage roof. Uninspirational I think you'll agree. But one early morning last week as I looked out from my kitchen window, thinking how forlorn and dull the roof looked, something happened - it got worse. It got darker and darker, then it rained and my garage roof flooded! "Oh dear" I thought "now it looks miserable, forlorn and will probably need repairing." But then something else happened, something magical - the sun came out and illuminated just one single frond of a vine on the roof (the one you can see in the middle of the pic) - and oh how it glowed! So, still in my pajamas, I dashed to grab my camera and capture it's beauty of light and reflection before the sun passed behind the big tree. Once outside I looked around my damp, overgrown garden and was grateful to witness yet more magic unfolding as the sun rose higher (see pics below). So, I guess inspiration can happen at any time and in the most unobvious places, such as my garage roof - and in just one single moment life can be transformed into something far more beautiful than you first imagined. If you liked this post then I would love to read your comments please! Happy creating, xx
This week I have made just one simple change to my life - amazing things are happening AND it feels good.
It really is simple - take a deep breath, trust, and say: "It's OK, everything is PERFECT." Repeat this often see the difference it makes. Go on, I dare you! |
Archives
November 2021
|