Wednesday 30 September 2015

Lost in translation... or transition... or something

I can't tell you how many times this changed...  I knew I couldn't move forward until I finished her.
As I journeyed through each new stage of this piece, it felt like a kind of journey in myself too.

Partly because I think I've been frustrated in where I am at and partly because I've been searching, deeply for something.  Even though I can't quite put my finger on what that is.  I loved the pattern making in the background and other aspects of this piece... like her face, to me her face was one of the most interesting faces I've done this year.  She holds something special... maybe it's just that she holds my truth.

I knew during this piece that once this was finished - I needed to find a new way.
I guess I've known this since July while we were away... All I do know is, I can't keep painting a lady, with beads and a hand... for my own self - I need to find a way to move beyond this.  I think I've felt a little stuck... and getting unstuck has felt a little painful, to be honest.

It requires work.

And hard work isn't for the faint hearted.
Like all things that must grow, change is imperative.
It is the one thing in this life we can always be sure of... change is coming.
And although it can be daunting, it's also pretty darn exciting!

Lubitel166 first develops... what's the verdict!


What can I say... 

I'm utterly in love!

In love with the photo taking and in love with the outcome!

So I've been playing around for a month on this divine little camera.
I shot on a 35mm spool {200}.  It was total hit and miss.
These were some of my hits and I'm blown away by these emotive shots.

My misses - I can't explain - my negatives were completely blank.
Like not even a shadow on them.  So currently I have a 120 spool inside - which is a 12 shot spool.
So I will see how we go but if I have the same thing - then I will go back to the drawing board.
For now - it's just so incredible to play and discover and learn.

#1FaceaDay - September is a wrap!


I absolutely loved September!
And playing with Graphite!
What a joy!

Nine months done and 3 to go
{273 faces done and 92 to go}

Yippeee!

Tuesday 29 September 2015

Something a little different...

So don't be too shocked but I am trying something a little different...

I've been studying different artists building work and I'm totally in love with the concept.  On my first visit to Orvieto on the sidewalk market day, I saw some of the local artist's building pieces and I loved the mishmash of buildings on top of each other.  I've known for the longest time, I've wanted to try this.

I'm no where near mastering this and it's definitely going to be a new journey for me - but I'm feeling delightfully excited by it.  Maybe that means I'm heading in the right direction {as my niece so wonderful put it}.

Personally - I'm delighted to be trying new things.  I've needed it so badly.  And to me, creative play is always so hugely valuable for growth... and growth has been calling out to me so much lately.

So just the first layers are down and I can't wait to build on this.  Yes, of course, I'm finding Italy in here. I am so looking forward to doing more of these... in different ways.  I want to also head into my city and see if I can simulate some of our building shapes, old churches and also I want to work with some of my own photography from Orvieto.  But for now... I'm painting and I'm playing and that's a happy day for me! 

Monday 28 September 2015

#TeaBagGirls.... getting framed up.




At last, I finally made time to pop into my framers.
I decided to go long and across as opposed to a neat square with these tiny TeaBagGirls.
And when I laid each one out I discovered I had 51 and not 50...

So I decided to pull out my very first from this #100Faces project and get her framed up as a special reminder of this journey.  Most of all I love her tattered little bag.

I stuck with an off white theme and rather old fashioned styled frame,
to match the old fashioned look of these pieces.

Now it's the hard part - to wait for them to come home!
Which will take a month or so - which is good - give me time to save ;-)

Delighted!

Wednesday 23 September 2015

#InTheStudio... The Music Maker


This was the inspiration behind this painting.
A wooden sculpture of one of Michelangi beautiful pieces, I found in Orveito, Italy.
I so wanted to turn it into a painting.
I loved the process and it really made me so happy to do this piece.

I've been struggling with creativity lately, mainly because I feel like I need to change what I'm doing and where I'm going but not really sure where that is exactly.
I guess I've really being searching....

I think I'm still figuring it out...
But hoping it is the start of something for me.
Happy heart tonight!

Monday 21 September 2015

Life....

My beautiful girls...
They captivate my whole heart!
Digs was away for 5 days so we spent some glorious girlie time together!
As much as we miss our beautiful guy very much when he's away - we do love these times to catch up with each other and be big girls.  A sushi date, movies on the couch, sleeping in and deep connecting, coffee dates and being photographers and capturing beauty. Long baths and deep chats.

So grateful that we have these times... 

Instant Lomography Love
We visited an old Anglican church this weekend.
We pass it every single day, twice a day, sometimes more and we have wanted to pop in for the longest time.  I love that my girls love capturing beauty as much as I do and they do so so beautifully.

Corks and Kitty's captures... some of my best captures are their handy work.
They both have a great eye!


Two books I'm currently listening too.
I watched Wild when it came out and I knew I wanted to listen to the book and it was a good call.  My dear friend, Rene Kruger recomended Aimee Bender's, The Particular Sadness of Lemon Cake to me... due to the fact that we have a sensory sensitive child.  I have just started this so I will let know how I go.  But I'm particularly excited about it.

A year ago today, I arrived in Orvieto with Renee, Dot, Misty and her family!
The next day, the rest of our classmates arrived.  For the past two weeks I have been putting my incredibly beautiful Italy Journal together and reminiscing so much!  I can't believe a year has passed, so much has happened and yet at the same time, I can't believe it's been a whole year already!

Midnight journaling in bed!

This week I bought lots of beautiful flowrs!
Spring is in the air and nothing like flowrs to get you feeling that.


While Corks worked on her art prac - I managed to do some painting.
And finally finish this piece.  I am so thrilled with the outcome of this piece.
Will share more about it in another post.

I'm happy to say our Digs got back today.
We miss him terribly when he's away!
He was away riding his bike in the mountains and forests.
He's come home exhausted and with loads of muddy laundry!
But with a happy heart!  Although he might want to hang up his mtb for a bit.

Happy week :-) !!!!

Friday 18 September 2015

#InMyStudio - #1FaceaDay September


Oh I'm loving September and these simple graphite faces.... we are on number 260 and have 105 to go!  Soon we are going to dip into the double digits... and then the days are going to start dropping off rapidly.

I'm happy to say I'm keeping up and I'm loving doodling, scribbling and continuous line-ing.  I think I needed this - to go back to basics and find the joy in simplicity.

Sometimes I think we forget the humble pencil but she has brought me much joy this month.

I've also loved the freedom of play on the go and the freedom to draw up wherever I am, in the moment.

Tuesday 15 September 2015

Creative play results...


It is perfectly wonki!
And I love that so very much!
And the blue and white - my favorite.

All I can say, is that I can't wait to go back and do more wonky work.

So stoked with my salad bowl tonight!

Monday 14 September 2015

#InMyStudio... someone got some work done....

Now                                                 Then

I knew this face on the right needed work.
And I finally found the time to tweak and add more depth and layers.
I wasn't fully happy with her neck and quite a few aspects of her face.
But I'm much happier with the more finished look.

I had a full weekend of studio time.
I would love to say it was all sunshine and roses but it wasn't.

I worked hard on a different larger piece that I felt still needed to be finished.
But we didn't make it.
There was much wrong with my prepared canvas and even though I'm a huge believer in saving pieces - I just knew no matter how much I tried to rescue this piece, the canvas prep wasn't a quality I would be comfortable with.

I was definitely quite something to destroy a piece.
It wasn't comfortable but it was kind of liberating too, not to be locked in or trapped in a piece that might endlessly frustrate me.  I have kept part of the painting that I did love, as a reminder to myself, of something, not sure what yet.  But for now... I'm moving on.

Before I start anything brand new yet - I am working on finishing two pieces.
It feels like a gentle journey back to my easel.

Sunday 13 September 2015

Ticket to Venice - Journal Play

I got to hang with my Kitty girl all weekend, who had been sick in bed with a bad head cold.
With all the school assessments behind us, the girls are mostly free agents.
The weather this weekend was warm and breezy, so in between studio time and life, I lay with her and watched movies, did some gardening and got to sit on the veranda chatting in the sun.

The quiet, slow days have been nurturing to all of us.

I've been playing in my Italy handmade journal and I'm ready to start writing down my journey.  Thank goodness I have my blog to help me remember the order, some of my feelings, thoughts and meanderings.  Can't wait to get some photo's printed up, to include in this visually beautiful book.  Just to be clear, sharing Italy will always be visually beautiful!

I think it may be the most beautiful place I've ever seen.


Reminiscing about Italy has made my heart skip a beat.
And the longing more intense.  I want to carry this book around with me everywhere I go.
I want to flip through it all the time.  Yip - I'm loving it!

This week I'm going to make myself a journal and try my own hand at Mary Ann Moss' tutorial lesson on Journal Binding.
Feeling so excited about that!

Saturday 12 September 2015

My little #1

She will always be #1 in my eyes!
So proud of this girl.
Consistency always pays off and she managed to complete the series with flying colors!
So proud of her and her commitment.

Unfortunately, this happened on Saturday... a little crash bash.
I'm glad I didn't see it because I don't really have the stomach for it.
But she was uber brave! A little trip to casualty for clean up and wrap up!
She was lucky this time!  But me, not so much... 
I've had to face those wounds, clean them and re-bandage daily.
And let's just say - even talking about it can make me queasy.

Special girl!

She managed to fight her way onto the podium from the back of the field, finishing in 2nd place but overall winner of the series in her age group!

Riding Buddies
Credit - H van der Merwe.

Sas and Corks have been riding together this year.  And their riding has solidified a sweet friendship.  Sas also came 2nd in her age category.  Truly awesome girls!

After this event and the hospital visit, Corks headed out to hang with her best buddies.
And the next morning, she completed the Sunflower FunWalk to raise funds for Cancer patients.

Full weekend for this girl!

Friday 11 September 2015

Young love...

Dig's sister stumbled across this pic and sent it to us this week.
It made us laugh out loud.  Omgoodness, we were just married and sooooo young.
I love it!  Eeeck.  I love Digz hair here - wild and wooly!

My girls love finding these gems.
I love hearing their squeals of delight!

Thursday 10 September 2015

Ticket to Venice...


I finally finished this sweet little course... "Ticket to Venice" by Mary Ann Moss
My dear friend, Renee Plains let me in on this little secret...
When we were in Italy, Renee had made us all a little handmade Journal.
And when I got home from Italy almost a year ago, I signed up because I wanted to put together a special keepsake and do Renee's journal justice.
While I was away, I collected lots of ephemera for this journey.
And last night I started to put my journal together and I'm so excited.
Eeeeck - sooo far so good.

Will share more....

Monday 7 September 2015

Spring is in the air... I think, maybe but probably not.

So we have been having some gloriously warmer days.  This fact has put a little spring in my step.  And given me a renewed energy that has been MIA all winter.  With a glimpse of spring in the air - means spring cleaning, right?

With windows and doors wide open and beautiful warm fresh air coming in, deep cleansing and clearing out has begun.  Lots of it... always so good for the soul.

With the recommendation from my wise friend, Renee Plains, I've been listening and working through this book. So far so good...


                                                        Waterfront drop off                      Corks race last week                                  Green garden

This weekend we decided to cancel our hiking trip, it wasn't an easy call to make because we were letting people down and because we love hiking. But after the week we had, it was a blessed decision.  Being home was just what my family needed.

The girls are busy!
With assignments, tests, school derbies, cycle races, homework and social events, we pretty much played taxis service all Friday afternoon and night and most of Saturday too.  But mostly in between life, we were home.  And I can't tell you how much I loved that.

I love her.
 Some of September #1FaceaDay

I think I might be addicted to making squiggles and marks.
I might even consider doing the whole of September #1FaceaDay in squiggly graphite.
Just for something different, plus I'm loving the ease of it.

As for spring - I know it's always wishful thinking.
Today is pouring with rain and it's cold.
But I will hang onto the few good days in between because they feel like hope.

And we can always do with a bit of hope.

Have a beautiful week!