Saturday, October 29, 2011

Catching up with the creatives

A little bit about me.....for the wonderful course "Raining Umbrellas"...
I am very much a beginner at this, having had to work and re-work my posts a number of times. I want to get the hang of it!
Here goes:

First of all, I need to say that I love this course. Vicki writes beautifully and from the heart, a true artist in her honesty and mastery of her chosen love. I feel so inspired by her and by the students.
I have been trying to keep up with the exercises and assignments, making pages in my journal from cutting and gluing and creating images.
My main problem, I find, is not going off on tangents, and spending time on related,yet other tasks.... Which simply wastes precious time. I am painfully aware that the course will be over soon, and I will lose this exciting new thread of connection to you all over the world.
I do hope we can all somehow stay in touch.


I have been a painter for the past ten years, amongst other things.... I am a mother of three beautiful young people, each one makes me blush with pride. When I left school, I did nursing, which didn't last long (a story for another time :), before I went to live in Amsterdam. After a ten month stay there (2nd story for another time :) I began a bachelor of arts degree, majoring in film and television. 3 years later, I had completed the degree and got married. A few busy happy years followed, and three babies.
I had a small business with my best friend, called Berried Treasures. We had so much fun, painting fabrics and varnishing boxes, we were prolific! We had five children between us, and so many adventures...

I also worked with a well-regarded local artisan, assisting her in screen printing home wares for retail. I learnt a lot from her, she was a gentle soul, who worked hard.

I always was attending art classes and was yearning to become an artist. I imagined myself in ralls(dungarees) standing at a large easel with a paintbrush stuck between my teeth, rubbing and painting away at a large colorful canvas. This image made me so happy! So, I began, tentatively at first, but soon after with much more confidence. I started to sell my paintings, and planned a small exhibition at my brothers house. It was a success!
A year ago, I packed away my paints and got a "serious" job. I felt I had to finally be a bit grown up about my life (many changes having had occurred).

Suffice to say, I cannot feel happy unless I am doing something, creating, pasting, cutting, sticking, colour matching, looking at the design of something, being drawn to form and colour wherever I look. It's simply what I love, and I need to honor that.


Serendipity: how I came to do this course is serendipitous! I was doing something quite Else when I stumbled across Vicki's online course. I had no idea, no expectations or experience of this....and simply had followed my nose towards it.... It's what I do in life pretty Much, follow my heart or my nose!


Monday, October 24, 2011

Making the time:
This can be difficult of course... maybe a litle too much of lying around.....?
There are always so many things to do, so much going on, plus important jobs such as the washing to be hung out ;), and re-re-organising my work space AGAIN.... However, as I have discovered (rather late in life), beginning something/anything is usually the right way for me. It is in the Process of the making/painting/cutting where my ideas emerge, and I feel a calmness overcome me, and I really Achieve something. 


SETTING YOURSELF UP FOR SUCCESS:
I seem to be having to constantly re-arranging my work spaces, and will say to myself "yes, that's it".... then days later, I take a different approach, and change it again. I have boxes and trays and cases of cards, arty pictures, articles of interest. Bookshelves on magazines and poetry and art books. I think I may have come up with something I love now, it's workable, things are stored well, and easily accessible. Now, for wome real WORK.....


SPENDING TIME WITH LIKEMINDED FRIENDS:
This is so important, and I've neglected to do this. I aim to spend more time with creative friends. I'd love love love to be in a group of artists/crafters who gather to work together often. It's in collaboration that fantastic things can happen :)
Last week, I spent days painting my good friend's walls with luscious soft pinks and mauves and blues! We had so  Much fun

Thursday, October 13, 2011

Welcome to my blog, Driftwood

I have had a wonderful life so far,living in a beautiful city characterised by it's spacious coastal skies and turquoise ocean, with a beautiful meandering river which meets the sea. 

Over the last year,I have taken a long rest from exhibitions and full time painting to work and travel.

I was going to live in Mali, West Africa in November, but that future has dissolved in a happy mist, and I am once again free to explore my own dreams.......



.......... dreams to follow my inspiration to create art, in painting and blogging, love my life and my family, travel, decorate my living spaces and experience an exciting life.

A creative blog will help me to record my thoughts, ideas and experiences! Thank you Raining Umbrellas!!