It has been a busy month and I am just going to sneak in this month's blog post at the last minute! I have been like a duck in water this month - gliding on the surface but paddling furiously beneath. I have been putting some new plans in place for the future. I have been aided and abetted by Brand Coach Ursula Kelly. As a solo business woman, getting someone else's guidance and a listening ear is invaluable for maintaining vision and passion.
I have been nurturing my students, and those on the Nature Sketchbook online course have been producing some beautiful mixed media work inspired by the season, growing their sketchbooks and creative confidence. I have realised that that is where my passion lies - helping you to create with authenticity, connected to nature, giving you the tools and techniques to grow creatively.
Mid month I had a sale, curated around the theme of 'Little Houses'. Thank you if you bought - there are still some originals and prints available. I am currently planning my next online selling event - It will be themed around 'Winter Magic' and feature work with moons and stars. I am currently making lost of new decorations so if you missed out last time, there will be plenty available. There will also be some originals and boxed pieces as well as new prints, cards and notelets. This Curated Collection sale will take place on Wednesday 25th November at 8pm with all work being available to buy from my online shop. If you are on my mailing list you'll be invited to a preview. You can join my mailing list here.
The year has sped past and now the nights are drawing in. Health and wellbeing have to come first as we head into winter. I am getting better at making decisions that keep me nourished. at home, the boys bubbles have been closed so life is gentle and hibernation has started early. I have started a porridge routine and I love making soup with the pumpkins from the allotment. this year there seems no excuse but to give in and have early nights. I am reading more and have just finished the wonderful 'Girl, Woman, Other' by Bernadine Evaristo. It is one of those books that you want to recommend to everyone! Ready for Halloween weekend where we are joining friends online to tell ghost stories, I have just bought 'Once and Future Witches' by Alix E. Harrow. I'll be lighting the fire to curl up with the cat and read that one.
How is your creative mojo in these unsettled times? Are you taking small steps to stay motivated? In my Grow your Art community, it's a regular topic, how we feed our creative soul and maintain our flow. For me it is about small steps and creating time - putting that 'me' time at the top of the priority list and sometimes acknowledging that a rest can open up the space to be creative.
I watched and Sam Jones interviewing Ethan Hawke (Episode 27, Off Camera with Ethan Hawke). I love that man, as an actor and writer, particularly his work with director Richard Linklater - Before Sunrise, Before Sunset and Boyhood. What sticks with me from the interview is his comments on Creativity v Re-creativity. When we have been taught in a certain way, developed a certain style or become stuck in a particular way of working, we can end up treading water, stuck in a formula. We end up re-creating rather than creating. Does that feel familiar to you? It is then that we lose joy in creating. It is then that we need to shake it up and try something new.
That's what I think about when I design my courses - finding new ways to bring pleasure back to the process of research and mark-making and design. I hope that I can help you re-connect to the source of creativity, help you reenergise your process and that will lead to new, exciting outcomes.
As more of us go into regional lockdowns, and our usual external pursuits and meet-ups become unavailable, I hope you can use the time to create. I find it so important for wellbeing. This month I am running a play-day sharing how I create mini-works of mixed media art as affirmations and as trading cards for art swaps. You don't need any drawing skill, it's a day of paint, texture and collage. Find out more here.
And if you are looking for a day to kickstart some Christmas creativity, I am running a Christmas Card Inspiration play-day with access starting on November 19th. I hope these will be gentle classes to share some of my techniques and give you structure for your creativity.
See you next month!