Symbols

Life has been busy with work in the Shoe Store and College.  I'm loving Transpersonal Art Therapy. It's just amazing!  Learning incredible stuff and extending myself all the time.

Painting has stalled for the time being and I have kind of slowed right down.  This is ok with me.  I seem to be in an outward looking phase, not an inward one.  Good for me I believe!  It feels natural at this point in my life.  I am still creative in other ways though, still journaling when life calls me to put pen to paper.

The above pic is the remnants of a ritual performed at college.  Birds were my symbol for the ritual.  Lots of transformational power in there!  What would your symbol be if you had to choose?

fishes, fishes, fishes!

This painting I almost didn't like.  But in spite of myself, I do like it!

It was experimental and there is a mix of techniques.  Importantly, I took a few risks, essential if we are to grow a little!

Today was an errands & rest day, tomorrow a hair cut & movie day, the next a work day.  The combination of all these things nourishes me beautifully!

Magnolia II

Magnolia II

This creation was a commission for a friend of mine.  Magnolia's hold special meaning for her and I hope she absolutely enjoys having this large triptych hanging in her home.  It was my second attempt and I believe it to be the better painting of the two.  Glad too to see it finally dispatched.

My ankle has healed well and I am walking again and driving my car again, so back at work a couple of days a week.  It's good to be out in the flow of life again!

What Lies Beneath

Another painting for you to have a look at.  Also a little different to my usual style, but I do like it.

I have begun walking again on this re-furbished ankle of mine and things are going well, if a little slowly. I shall persevere.  Winter is here in Australia and today we are surrounded by sunny blue skies and it's definitely very cold out there!

I'm looking forward to sitting in my comfy chair in the corner of my sunroom this morning and catching some lovely rays.  I hope you have a beautiful day too!

In Spirit

This is my latest creation and a new kind of style for me.  I really enjoyed this more abstract painting and I'm in the middle of another one.

This is a laneway in Morocco with the light shining through doorways and magical lanterns hanging down reflecting off the tiles.  I've never been to Morocco (except maybe while watching the movie Casablanca!)  but whilst I was painting this I was absolutely there in spirit!

Magic & Mystery

Here is another painting from Bliss Fruit Studio.  I love mermaids, they are full of magic and mystery!

I have lots planned for the future and am excited to be getting close towards walking again.  I miss my independence!  However it has been great to have so many weeks to incubate new ideas and directions in life, so I'm not complaining too loudly.

Creatively it has been such a great time.  Time off means I've had loads of energy to spare.

More paintings to come!

Best Meditation

Vase of Flowers

More canvases arrived from art supply shop last week and so I settled in to paint some more.  Today,  a vase of flowers.

Windy weather kept me indoors this time and I listened to the radio or sometimes just to the sounds around my neighbourhood.  The best meditation of all is to just listen!  That, and being absorbed in painting means all of your worries simply slip away!

Mother's Day has come and gone and I managed to catch up with both of my children, so I couldn't be happier!

The good news is the Doctor says I can bear weight on my ankle, so walking again is just a couple of weeks away.  Yay!

I hope you too have had a creative day in some way, shape or form!

Painting up a Storm!

Blue Bottle

 

 

It's been stormy weather around here on the outside (for days now) and I've been painting up a storm inside my studio too!  I will need to pause for a while, since I need to wait for art supplies to be delivered.  Patience is required!

 

Funky Tree

However,  there is always the art journal and I've signed up for an E-Course called Spectrum.  So that should keep me out of mischief for a while!  Take a look, you may wish to join too!

Autumn Moon

 

 

Imagine sleeping under an autumn moon! 

 

 



 

 



Or walking down a wet street after the rain!  Journaling can take you anywhere!

 

 

 

Surreal

This painting was created back in 2010 and afterwards I decided that I didn't like it.  Who am I to judge?  Now as I look at it, I feel that it was not too bad a painting.  I named it "Opportunity - An Open Window".  It has a surreal feel to it! The table dressed with a shawl is on a tilt and the glass plate that the fruit and vegetables sit on is extra large in size.  The bird has snuck in through the open window and is keen to taste the feast that awaits him.  Large jungle-like plants surround the windows.

I remember setting up my studio with capsicums and avocadoes, cucumber, apples, strawberries, grapes and a handful of blueberries.  At the time I was looking seriously to move house and spent a lot of my time looking at real estate.  Maybe that is why I decided to throw the painting away, it brought up so many memories of a very stressful time in my life.  Things did feel quite surreal back then.

I have a few paintings in my studio that need to be thrown away (lack of storage space) and I will be careful about those that I choose to part with.  I wish that I had saved this one.  I like it!

Words to Paint By

I found these words on the back cover of Michael Leunig's book of artworks called The Holy Fool that I mentioned a couple of posts ago.  I am reminded of Julia Cameron's "Artist Child" and love this way of painting!  I'll be pasting a copy of it into the journal to keep me inspired!

~

"The most joyous painting is not done for the art world, it is done for the inner world; it is a self-delighting, other-worldly thing – a getting lost in regression and solitude, a sub-literate, semi-delirious way to be with the spirited little fool in the depths of one’s being for a while…..

 …….. It is a way of painting.  It is a way of living.  It is a way of transcending the banal inhibited self and finding the divine.  It is a struggling downward journey – this stumbling, daring and devout pilgrimage back to mature innocence and raw beauty; to the sublime joy, the natural intelligence and the mysterious wisdom of the holy fool."

 

- Michael Leunig

February Tree

I painted this tree in my journal back in February, hence the name.  I chose it to be the first pic of my art to be stamped with a watermark, better late than never!

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Our garden is looking its Autumn best, having its last growth spurt before winter comes along and I'm enjoying the view from my window, though the above pic was taken last week during a series of sunny blue sky days.  Today it is soaking up the rain that is falling heavily and it's good to be all cosy inside, painting, listening to music and catching up on all the things (like watermarks) that I never seem to have time for when I'm working. 

I hope you are enjoying your day too!

Inspired!

 

 

 

I was quite inspired this morning to paint some pages in my journal.  More than usual that is!  I've been browsing through Holy Fool a sensational compilation of artworks by Michael Leunig.  His art touches my soul in a big way and I am inspired to paint like no-one is watching!  It's crazy how cramped you can feel creatively if you worry about what people think of your art, or if you simply respond to what the 'market' wants to see.  I love the absolute freedom to simply be me!

I have my painting table set up in my dining room that overlooks the garden, a room with lots of natural light.  I purchased some more paints recently too, meaning I am using a slightly different palette of colour.  Some of these journal pages will become paintings on canvas as soon as I can make my way back into my studio!

Not bad for a mornings play!

Time on My Hands

A wealth of journal pages!  This is what happens when you have a lot of time on your hands.  My leg is up on a pillow.  Crutches by my side.  Though my life is a little microcosmish (new word!)  it's amazing what is possible when life seems to contract.  I often think of Frida Kahlo who was a creative amazon despite her physical difficulties! And I only need to worry about an ankle.  Puts it all into perspective really!  Two weeks till I may be able to place weight on ankle, I'm counting down the days!

I felt the need to practice faces.  Originally, underneath this face was a blue cat that didn't work out.  So I collaged some torn newspaper and gessoed over the top. Then this woman just appeared!  She looks a little sad and worried!  Happy faces next time, I promise!

Who doesn't love hearts! I love the creative life! I hope you are inspired to journal too!

Back Again!!

 

 

I have decided to come back here to Bliss Fruit after quite a break!

 

 



Breaks are good I'm thinking!  I have a lot more to offer here now that I have time on my hands!

 

I have had an ankle operation - an ankle fusion to be exact, to get rid of pain as a result of osteoarthritis.  Years of playing netball have taken a toll!  However, thankfully I am on my way to recovery, though will still have quite a few weeks yet off my feet!

 

I welcome you back to my blog, I appreciate you being here!



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