Art is not always about pretty things

Painting something or creating some or other thing, has always filled my need for escaping. Just to clarify my thoughts…the stillness of the moment, the unspoken conversation in a relationship with canvas and oils.

There is really something therapeutic about art. To get lost in something that can be perfectly imperfect. A thousand people can look at the same painting and all see something different.

It is like music, it connects and divides people. Etches stories into history and brings those stories alive.

I almost finished a painting tonight that I started on ages ago, just to find that I just didn’t like it. So I stripped it back and started again. It’s not so much a moment of failure, but another chance to turn it into something I love.

It’s so satisfying, the smell of linseed oil hangs in the air…for now, off to bed, but looking forward to tomorrow 😊

Grateful

Gosh, I must admit it has been a crazy few weeks and it won’t ease up for a while. We have been working on marketing for our daughter’s hockey team fundraiser for weeks. The annual art exhibition and sale was a success and had over 700 people attend.

I exhibited 3 pieces of which 2 sold within the first few hours, so I am very grateful. I have been commissioned to replicate the one for a customer and I’m quite excited about it. It was great standing silently as people discussed my paintings, touched the rough layers and took photos.

I have had an underlying cold that has caused me to have two difficult weeks of little sleep feeling very grumpy and took of today to try and get some much needed sleep.

My husband and I spent the morning taking down promotional posters and I had a good nap this afternoon before starting the process of looking for a new rental and checking up on work email.

As I head off to bed feeling no more refreshed and ever more tired, I have a great sense of accomplishment and feel very grateful to have survived the busy weekend. Met heaps of new people, have some possible new opportunities and got to spend all of it with my best friend, working alongside me all the way.

#grateful

Letting those creative juices fkow..

😀

3 Creative things I can’t go without.

 

I love LOVE so many creative things that it is hard to decide which rank higher than others.

My first love… Canvas without a doubt. I love painting, I don’t have much talent and just mess around, but I adore it.  Oil on canvas remains my favorite, with acrylic short on it’s heels. I haven’t painted anything that required great effort on my part in a while.  Recently I dabbled around with some kids art and some funny cows but nothing worth jumping for joy.  It was purely for the fun of it.  I have several blank canvasses waiting to be covered in glorious bouts of inspiration and color.

My second love…I have a new found interest is digital design, and working on some ideas. Hopefully I can get my hand on a digital drawing pad and express away… sigh.. would be bliss.  I think it might just grow to be my new favorite but will have to see. I do love the traditional way of pencil to paper .I love how my pencil feels over a rough paper surface and the sound that creates as I apply it. Then there is the smell of paper and all things papery and beautiful. But for now, I am looking forward on my new venture of digital expression, so will share those mishaps eventually 🙂

My third love…There is something soothing and at the same time exciting about fabric.  I feel the same way about fabric as I do about paper and canvas.  The designs that speak to you and create an explosion of excitement when your mind gets flooded by all that you wish to create and make out of it.  I have just found the most exciting online fabric supplier.  Clicking on image after image all I want to do is order, and get my hands on as many of the beautiful designs as I possibly could.  Sigh, I need to win the lotto.. fabric is so not in my budget lol.

It definitely lifts my mood when I can play around with all the things I love.  I’m counting the days till my sewing machines arrive and till the day I can go buy my drawing tab.  It will be most exciting and enjoyable.

 

Birthday Tatts

Sooo, my birthday turned into a birthday weekend full of spoils. We spent most of the weekend with all our kids, sipping on wine and relaxing. As wonderful as it was, I was looking forward to my postponed birthday gift from my dearest 🙂

Wha laaa 🙂 🙂

He went first … I considered chickening out, but mustered up enough oh-so-much-needed courage and after about 6 minutes I was branded for life 🙂  And YES YES, it did hurt! I am definitely not one for pain inflicted on purpose. Now it’s been about 3 days of healing, still looking a little bruised but healing well, so hopefully any discomfort and pain will soon be forgotten. I might opt for another one in future, but definitely not any time soon.