Wild at Heart

I want to cry. I'm just bursting with emotion and it requires release. But don't worry, these tears are not those of sadness, but more of a sense of overwhelm that comes from experiencing the joy of untold beauty. All I have been doing to kindle this outburst of passion  is simply immerse myself in beautiful art on Pinterest.

There's so much inspiration out there that it fills my heart, fuels my desires and creates a longing to dive into a vat of paint then roll about over canvas. To squirt, smudge, tweak. To add detail, texture and crazy, wildly abandoned lines.

Art does something to me. How can the placement of line and colour on paper bring out such emotion? Perhaps it is because we see something of the soul of the artist. We are given a free pass into their imagination and this triggers a response in our own and forges a connection, an awakening.

Sometimes this makes me feel inadequate, a small dot in the pontilism of great art; but I try to just let it lift me on an inspiration thermal until the metaphors all become too much!

I just paused in writing this to read Kelly Rae Roberts story that she is sharing as part of the Hello Soul. Hello Business course. Reading of her realisation that Art would be her future and then seeing the fairy tale unfold just goes to prove that magic does happen to all of us if we just push ourselves out there and do a bit of personal wand-waving to make it happen.

I have known for but a short time that art resides in my soul. I often wonder how could I have left it dormant for so long? But then, maybe I just wasn't ready to embrace it. I know that it will always be a part of me and that creativity will be how I earn my living. I might not be making money as an artist but that is just the tip of the iceberg.

I have already alluded to some exciting news regarding an upcoming creative venture (you can sign up to be in on the news first at the top of my blog). Although I'm not quite ready to share all the details, I am a worker bee in the background preparing to unleash something for the creative soul in the next month or so. I am getting very excited and itching to tell you, but I want to wait until I am properly organised and decisions have been made. My branding is being created as we speak and thoughts of this project fill my every waking hour.

This week I am guest hosting on The Butterfly Effect. Weeks ago I determined on theme of Wild at Heart and I created this painting as a base from which I added more digital work. Today she feels particularly appropriate as I bare my soul to art and let the seeds in my heart take root and begin to grow.

The heart is more than life-giving pumping organ. It houses the portal to our soul from where our every emotion is wont to try and escape.

How wild is your heart?

A moment

In the last couple of  years I have amassed a steadily growing collection of books on art and creativity, mixed in with a few copies of gorgeous Stampington magazines and copies of Uppercase - I've even read some of them.

I found myself enjoying a 'moment' a few nights ago. I had gathered a stash of these weighty tomes from various points around the house where they had accompanied me on my thoughtful meanderings. As I was about to return them to their home in my bedroom, that little dreamer inside me (who hates tidying up) thought my time would be better spent having another browse.

So, I sat on my fluffy marshmallow duvet surrounded by the paintings of Waterhouse and Froud and instruction and inspiration from my art heroes. I sank into a deep bliss of contentment. Art makes me happy. Books make me happy. Life is good.

Branching out

I'm nearly at the end of the Kelly Rae Creative Business course - Flying Lessons. I have enjoyed the course though haven't been able to spend nearly as much time on it as I would have liked. Still, I can catch up on the material later. Biggest achievement has been to become a Tweeter or Twitterer or whatever chirpy name we like to give ourselves! I've also begun my Facebook Fan page. Well, I made a blank page... that's a start anyway!

I'm also really beginning to believe that I could so something here. With my sensible hat on it feels very much like a small something - an income supplement rather than a pot of gold but you know what, that is my goal for now. I have a 'proper' job I enjoy too where I get to write, write, write. Why not turn this artistic hobby into something that pays for itself and allows me a few treats along the way too?

I was trying to sleep the other night and thinking about this course. It feels like all Kelly's students (several hundred of us) are seeds ripening on a large tree. As the course finishes and the wind of change blows many of us are heeding her lessons and beginning our tentative flight out into the world. As is nature's way, some of us will fall by the wayside, distracted by other events and challenges, or remain stuck to the branches afraid to let go. Some saplings will begin to grow and reach out tentative shoots. One or two will become mighty trees with many branches. We all have the potential to be what we want to be. Sometimes the wind does need to be blowing in the right direction and lady luck be there to guide us to fertile ground, but we all have ambition and determination. We need to feed ourselves with the right dose and we'll make it.

So fellow flyers as we leave our teacher. Good luck out there! Let's all believe in ourselves, set those goals, take the rough with the smooth and take a firm hold of opportunity!

Image from Matt Hunt on Flickr. Look at how the seed carries a picture of its future self - Nature's own artistic impression. Deep inside we do too. I wonder what I look like?

What a goal!

It's OK, come back, come back, it's not a football post! Now that England have slunk back home from the World Cup with their tails between their legs we can all get on with life as normal again (and enjoy all those funny jokes that are doing the rounds).

So, GOALS. Yes, I intend to score this week. I am fired up and ready to achieve. Here's my list which I am sharing with the cyber world. Do feel free to check back and see how I am getting on and shame me by comparisons with a certain football team if I fail to make progress.

1. Complete VAT return well ahead of schedule. (I have to tell you that the mere thought of this actually makes me shiver with distaste...). This should not take long, but feels like a mountain. I think it's even easy and straightforward, yet anything to do with tax brings me out in a dose of the eebie jeebies. By committing to it here, I do hope I stand a chance of completing this one.

To achieve this goal, I need to: get all my finances up to date (no mean feat) - and to achieve that requires some serious tidying up of all paperwork. Ugghrrrr......

2. Create a drawing for the Diary Project. A fellow blogger (Hybrid J) pointed me in this direction. 365 (ish) artists are creating their own individual pages for 2011. It's an 'ish' number because I think there's extras on the cover and back... Entries must be in by Thursday. There are still pages available if you want to sign up. It's free and there's no obligation to actually buy the diary - but come on... how could you resist seeing your work in print?

To achieve this goal, I need to: Decide on a theme that closely matches my current work, practice a few times, sketch and then send off!

3. Prepare the house for ... drum roll ... my boyfriend moving in this weekend! Eek, how exciting! I have already cleared a 'little' space in the wardrobes sweetheart and a couple of drawers... You already have my heart! (what a slushy romantic!!).

To achieve this goal, I need to: give away all those clothes I haven't worn for years, try and consolidate my art 'studio' into just one room in the house, make him his favourite dinner...

4. Add to my current series of greetings cards I am designing - with a special one for my friend's 40th. You can see some samples in my previous post. Then see about how best to get them made into prints. This is an important step in the formation of my creative biz!

To achieve this goal, I need to: DO THE OTHER ONES FIRST!

This goal sharing was a wonderful idea that sprang from the Kelly Rae creative business flying lessons ecourse. Cathy has created us a page where we can share our links, so do pop along and add yours too.

Great minds...

... think alike. The Universe works in mysterious ways.

Yesterday I emailed a bloggie friend who runs her own creative business (and she also set up the Inspiration Avenue Etsy Group), to see if she would like me to interview her for my blog. I already have some great questions in mind. This would be my second venture into 'chat show' territory and I felt a regular slot coming on, maybe once a month interviewing an artist who inspires me. I rather enjoyed the last one I did with Amelia Critchlow and feel like I could hone my skills in this area. After all, now Jonathan Ross is leaving the BBC there is a vacancy open for a Friday night talk show host (one has to think big!).

So, there I was planning on writing a blog post this evening outlining my plans. But first, I thought a quick ramble through Bloglandia might be in order. Cup of tea on the side and the thinnest slice of Battenburg cake crumbling between my fingers, I set off.

First stop of the blog bus was the Wish Studio. I hopped off here for visit and what do I find? Why the delightful Carmen Torbus inviting me to answer questions in a mini interview format... (I should point out at this juncture that it was not me specifically she had in mind, you are indeed all invited to join in. Pop along and check it out.)

So, we start with the tables turned and yours truly being interviewed. It was very comfy in the Wish Studio. They had a pink sofa covered with fluffy cushions. I was served frosted cup cakes on dainty china plates and had a foot massage while I answered the questions...

And how about you? Are you sitting comfortably? Well, then we'll begin... Over to you Carmen...

Carmen: You’ve got some amazing things happening and I can’t wait to hear more about it! Can you tell us a little about yourself and the inspiration behind what you do?

Lisa: Well Carmen, life is pretty good if a little hectic. I took the plunge to become a self-employed communications consultant last year and I'm incredibly busy with that side of my life. However, I don't talk about that so much online. I tend to reserve my blog for another part of me. Lisa the artist. The one who dreams of running her own creative business. The one who has a Muse who visits her most evenings and helps her put pen to paper, paint to canvas and make a huge mess of her house.


Carmen: We’re dying to know, what inspires you more than anything else in the whole world?
Lisa: Gosh what a hard question! Other artists I suppose. And, I know it sounds really corny, but the online friends I have made through my blog. Taking part in the art challenges and being surrounded by a worldwide group of like minded creatives has opened up so much to me. I rediscovered my art about a year ago and it was like finding the key to a secret cave full of treasure that I'd lost many years ago. Since that day I've had extra copies of the key cut and hidden them all around, so I can be sure I'll never get locked out again!



Carmen: What is your big dream? Yes, the BIG one! The really, super big, pee your pants when make it happen dream. The one you feel a wee bit nervous saying out loud. Yep, that one!
Lisa: OK, now I feel all shy.... You see the thing is.... the thing is.... I'd really like to be a proper artist and have an exhibition of my work somewhere really posh. I'd like to sell out on opening night. I'd like to be invited to write a book about creativity. Oh yeah, and guess what I also admitted last week in the comments forum of Kelly Rae's course? I said I wanted to write for the Wish Studio!!


Carmen: Tell us how you’re going to feel when you make it happen!
Lisa: I'll be tipsy - because there will be champagne. I'll be stuffed on canapes. I'll feel floaty because I'll be wearing some delightful designer creation that would make Angelina, Nicole et al jealous. I'll be full of confidence, laughing, joking and bouncing up and down with excitement. I'll try not to pee in my pants though, because that would be just plain embarassing...


Carmen: What would you do if you knew you couldn’t fail and fear didn’t exist?
Lisa: Invent fear and failure. I think we all need a little fear to give us an edge. Where would the excitement be if you always succeeded? How could we possibly get that adrenalin rush from living close to the edge? Life would be far too dull. I suspect we'd end up doing nothing.

Carmen: What’s next for you?
Lisa: Tidy my bedroom. Make sandwiches for tomorrow... Hmmm.... I think just catch up a bit on myself. Everything is racing along so fast. Ask me that again in a few months.


Carmen: What are you working on right now that you could use some support and encouragement on?
Lisa: I like to keep busy (as I alluded to in the last question). Right now I'm taking part in Kelly Rae's Flying Lessons e-course and Suzi Blu's Piety & Passion (though the latter is on the back burner as I've got all summer to enjoy that one). I'm writing some imaginative copy for a friend's jewellery business. I've got an idea for a book mailaround (more on that soon). I'm reading Women who run with Wolves and was also wondering if perhaps I could find, or set up an online book group to work through it with me (any takers?). And, I've just realised I've done no preparation for Vanessa's Mad Hatter's Tea Party at a Fanciful Twist... Any words of general encouragement most welcome!

Carmen: What advice, tips, resources, and overall good-to-know information would you offer someone just starting out with regards to finding passion & inspiration and digging in?
LisaVisit all these wonderful blogs out there. The Wish Studio is a good start and then just follow links from blog to blog. Take part in online art challenges and indulge yourself in your creative dreams. Life is not a rehersal. There's no time like the present.

Just do it. Do it for yourself. You don't have to show anyone the output of your creativity and inspiration if you don't want to. If you never start, you'll certainly never finish. Sitting around thinking about it is a waste of good time. In fact, why are you still reading this? Go live your dream!


Carmen: Is there anything else you’d like to share?
Lisa: Plenty! Keep reading this blog to find out what!! Especially my upcoming interview series. (See now I've said I'll do it, I have to... stealth tactics to make my get on with it!)

Also, a BIG THANK YOU to everyone who has been a part of my creative journey, visited my blog and left encouraging comments.


Carmen: Where can we find you online and what is the best way to connect with you?
Lisa: Right here on this blog. I have a website for my consultancy business, Linked In & Facebook and keep meaning to start a Twitter account, but this blog is like my second home where I'm most comfortable. I'm hanging about most days, so just pop in for a coffee whenever you feel like it. Grab a paintbrush and create with me. At the moment you are in danger of being force fed holiday snaps, but I promise I'll put them away soon. Oh yes, and excuse the mess... I just find it hard to create and keep a tidy house.

Images: a few random shots from holiday - not a beach in sight in these ones!

Take off

Having set the scene with an earlier post this week, I will now attempt once again to tell you about the latest course I am taking - Kelly Rae's Flying Lessons - rather than another art course, this one takes me on the next step of making a success of my creative business (which at the moment amounts to selling a couple of paintings).

The thing is, my mind is already wandering... I'm thinking about my last take off. Home from holiday just over a week ago. Skiathos has one of those very short runways that end in the sea. Landing was an exercise in swift braking and reverse thrust. Take off was flinging you back in the seat and subconsciously lifting your body up with the plane before the tarmac ran out.

Sorry, where was I? Ah yes, creating my successful creative business... Now of course I can't think of a thing to say (I've gone back to Greece).

I admire Kelly tremendously. An ordinary girl just like me. She's not formally trained, she just fell into art and now not only makes her living from it, but inspires and encourages others to take the plunge too. Her generous spirit has made this course possible and she genuinely wants us to make it too. This week we've been dealing with the fear factor. Those old 'who do you think you are?' niggles. It's all about bringing Faith and Self Belief into your make up box. I should stop listening to the inner critic and instead heed the words of those who tell me I am an Artist. I am Creative. I am good at what I do. It always seems to come as such a shock when I receive praise. Did Rembrandt have this much trouble I wonder? Does David Beckham ever wonder if he's any good at football? J K Rowling if she's got a good imagination?

I actually feel really strange just writing this. Just half-heartedly admitting that I might have some talent that buyers might wish to part with their hard-earned cash for. It's embarrassing. I'm blushing. Why is it so wrong to put yourself out there and say "I am an artist". After all, if someone asks me what I do for a living (ie the day job) I have no worries about comfortably stating I'm an Internal Communications Manager. If I played sport in my free time, I wouldn't shy away from admitting I competed. Why can't I just say I'm an artist?

It's a funny old world. Good job the pilot wasn't so scared of taking off last week!

Flying... but slightly out of control

I'm having a strange week. I'm full of nerves, on edge and not entirely sure why. Perhaps it is a touch of culture shock after my week away in the sun. Day 1 back in the country saw me fighting round a supermarket that seemed to contain more people than the whole of Skiathos (and it was raining outside... and cold). Day 2 was driving for hours to deliver my son to his Dad for a week and consquently driving for hours home without him and then missing him like crazy all week. Then I was back at work - more driving - and filling my head with tasks, ideas, actions, things to do now, things to do next week...

On top of that I started another e-course (because you just know I can't get enough) - more on that later - and naturally had to watch the semi-finals of Britain's Got Talent most nights (my money is on Tina and Chandi the dancing dog).

By Thursday any beneficial effects of a week spent at a slower pace of life soaking up the healing rays of the Greek sun were but a distant memory. I felt like every drop of energy had been leaking out of me all week (probably though all those holes in my skin left by pesky mosquitos) and there was but a stagnant pool left somewhere in my left big toe.

The saving grace was the weather. A beautiful sunny evening yesterday prompted the boyfriend to pick me up, sling me over his shoulder and take me out for a restoring Pimm's in a canalside pub. I was still in bed by 10pm mind!

Well, this was going to be a post about me starting the Kelly Rae course - Flying Lessons - but it sort of got out of control. Rather indicative of how I feel this week. A fledgling chick just out of the nest on the cliff top - spiralling out of control with (hopefully) enough moments of control to keep me safely on the wing!

Might as well publish this then try the Kelly Rae post again later!!

An anthropological dig

I do so love words. I'm playing in the title (not making spelling mistakes). You'll see...

Now, in my blog ramblings I have come across what seemed to be something of an American love affair with a store called Anthropologie (couldn't they have picked something easier to spell?). Writers and artists like Kelly Rae and 52 Flea had me hooked with their words and delightful imagery of vintage/indie/boho/hippy chic. What was this wonderful shop and, more importantly, where could I find one?

Well it turns out that lady luck was smiling upon a happy shopper and she had waved her fairy wand and, hey presto, the first UK store was now open for business in London. Where did I go today dear readers? Well, our nation's capital of course. I was there for an exciting business meeting (hello Mark!), but managed to engineer an early enough arrival to warrant a small detour to Regent Street. (Sometimes these things just have to be done!)

If Pandora was a shop it would certainly be called Anthropologie (I can't type this too many times, may need to abbreviate soon). Wooden floors, beautiful assistants who write your name on your fitting room door and clothes, clothes, clothes, jewellery, sparkling things for the home, bits of old picture frame hanging off reclaimed timber tables, patchwork quilts that want to wrap you in motherly cuddles, dainties, pretties, sweet and fruity smells wafting from the furnishings, plants growing out of the wall, nick nacks, trinkets, silks and satins... Do you think I liked it? Readers it was wonderful, heavenly, a sensory delight.... Note past tense and use of italics....

I am sorry to say my love affair came to an abrupt and sorry end almost as soon as it had begun. At first I thought I had to be mistaken - surely this was a one off or mistake? But the more I turned and peered closely, the more my illusions were shattered. Every label revealed the same horrifying truth. The PRICE!!!!

No wonder they can afford a Regent Street three floor prime location. I envy those whose income is substantial enough not to flinch at paying what appears to be a 90% mark up on most items. The label 'made in India' fixed to most items give a clue. A feel of the fabric and close examination of seams and general quality reads further volumes. Anthropologie, your products are incredibly beautiful and desirable, the shopping experience is magical and I could quite happily live in your stunning store, going to bed every evening wrapped in your sumptuous quilts and bathing in your enticing aromas... but your prices???? I'm too disappointed for further words...

But I will try...

In my bag was a small purse (made in India) I recently purchased from a market trader for £1. An almost identical item was selling here for £18. Knitted toys which can be spotted at church fetes for £1.50 (or knitted by Nanas for nothing) cost an astonishing £20. A single 'vintage' playing card which had been placed in a plastic sleeve - £4; a t-shirt £44; an A5 notebook £22; a cardigan (that was already starting to unravel) £148; a chandelier made from unfired clay beads £1,200.

Beautiful as these items were, you can pick them up elsewhere (notably Etsy, or indeed Mumbai) for a fraction of the cost. Frankly I'd rather not be ripped off and shop in a store where the previous occupant of the fitting room had written their own name in graffiti on the wall than pay over the odds for Penny to write my name for me!

I'm taking my disillusionment and disappointment for a browse on Etsy instead...

Tootle pip.

Taking Flight

I so wanted to paint tonight. Something was in the air and as I hadn't managed to rustle up something for the Mixed Media Monday 'wings' challenge, that flighty subject seemed the very thing to wet my paintbrush.

Yet how I pondered... how I stretched and searched for the lift onto the thermals of inspiration. Then the words 'taking flight' fluttered past and I knew... I would like to say thank you to Ms Kelly Rae Roberts for her truly uplifting book - Taking Flight - and her delightful blog where she shares her insights into her creative soul. Kelly is one of those people who proves that YOU CAN DO IT! After years as a social worker and without formal training, Kelly is now a successful artist and writer with her creations reproduced as prints and stationery across the world. She had a dream. She went after it. She caught it and netted the rewards.

I've taken informal lessons from many artists these last six months or so and the experience and techniques lovingly shared by Kelly in her book have given me not just endless fun and inspiration but have also given flight to my creativity. So for this challenge I wanted to create a little something with a nod to Kelly but still very much my own.

After my foray into portrait painting last week I couldn't resist another go. This canvas block started life as a completely different picture which never quite lived up to expectation. Layers of acrylics, transfers and collage have been painted over leaving an intriguing background. I painted the girl who represents me (though she was never meant to look like me!) and made her wings from words because, for me, my words and art go hand in hand. I added some collaged hearts and got grubby with pastels and detailed with caran d'ache. I was pleased with the result. I feel like I've come a long way since I last posted a Kelly-inspired creation which I felt was far too much an inferior copy of her work rather than something of my own.

I think I like painting portraits!

Stretching wings

I feel strangely liberated today. I stayed up far too late blogging, yet woke refreshed and the sort throat I've been nursing for days seems finally on the retreat - get back with you varmit...

I've been working from home and knocked out a couple of pieces of work that I'm proud of - real knock 'em dead stuff. I've also been deliberating over my contribution to Theme Thursday - this week it's 'Wings'. With the strains of Mull of Kintyre floating round my head, I set to thinking...

I am reading a wonderfully inspiring book by Kelly Rae Roberts about this very gossamer subject. She is teaching me how to give flight to my creative spirit. Her encouraging words and fine techniques are lifting my soul. I'm also lapping up all the sweet artistic juiciness from the Art Journaling Supernova - experimenting, playing and generally getting messy. What better artistic creation for wings then, than a homage to what I've learnt from both of these.

Maybe I'm just getting old and don't remember, but I'm sure I never 'noticed' autumn quite so much as I do this year. Colours, textures, smells all assail my senses. I feel like a sponge in a 'who can soak up the most' contest and I'm lugging all this inspiration around careful not to spill a drop until it can be poured onto canvas or crafted into words!

This then is representative of my creative flight through Autumn.

I present my 'Creative Wings'. It really is very 'Kelly Rae', so I feel a bit like I cheated myself - it wasn't enough of my own creation. I wasn't too happy with the face - she looks slightly odd... but I can always paint or collage over. Mixed media on canvas board - acrylics, collage, oil pastel and a real oak leaf. I asked some real butterflies to pose just for the picture, but they flew off, fickle things.