Friday 30 October 2015

two images










Found I had pinned both these pictures on the same day just these two images, without noticing the similarity between them. I wonder what attracted me? Colour and shape usually.
Sometimes leaving things a day you come back with fresh eyes for something that was right in front of you the first time. 







Sonia Delaunay, 1925 
and 
unknown architecture detail

timing










This past month has been all about timing for me. How important it is to trust the timing of your life, and that things come to you when your ready, not when you think you are ready but when the universe says you are. I have so much to share but have to wait till I do, but I am excited and also nervous with what is coming ahead. 
I have 24 days till my show, and it is already teaching me things about myself. One being that I defiantly like to work alone on projects, as I find consulting others to get things done just bug me. I also know I can achieve most things I set out to do, and I have to stop and acknowledge that and say well done. And in the process things that I didn't need have naturally fallen away. 
Like in life things that weren't meant for you do naturally fall away and if they haven't they are there to teach you something that you are still learning. I know there is a few things that keep recurring in my life that is making me look more to see what it is I need to know. But right now living in the present and benefiting from things that have resurfaced from the past really rings true with one of my favourite sayings, 
It might take a Year, it might take a Day, but what's meant to be will always find its Way.








Vija Celmins, Night Sky No. 22, 2001


Thursday 29 October 2015

5 to 7








I saw this trailer for 5 to 7 pre summer, waiting for it to come out. Still hasn't come out but I still watch the trailer from time to time. Probably because it is about Love. Also obsessed with the song in the trailer, go to track 3






5 to 7 screen caps from you tube

in awe







olwyn bowey








At the summer exhibition at the RA I always seek out Olwyn's work. I love the simplicity of her work, just painting what she sees. She is from an era that has gone I feel. Her work reminds me of Pierre Bonnard painting everyday compositions, with such individual style it is instantly recognisable. 

Nice little article about her on the RA site. Her studio is in a greenhouse! thats the dream people. 









olwyn bowey - bags of geraniums

Tuesday 27 October 2015

reading










In my last post I mentioned that I read wellbeing websites, here are a few of my favourites:

ashley neese - I especially like her posts on giving up complaining. And crystal posts

free and native - modern guide to holistic living

the sphinx and the milky way - every time her moon readings. I even emailed once to ask where was her reading as I had been impatient waiting for her to post. 

the numinous - cosmic thinking, she also gets interviews from very interesting people.

the chalk board mag - very on the ball with the latest health and fitness tips.

free people blog - I check on a Sunday for my horoscope. My main reason for looking at this blog.

Reading before bed this book - Eastern Mind Western Body

Buying crystals from and reading her blog - the colourful dot







Simone Leblanc


comparison is the thief of joy.









I noticed something about myself just now, while I was procrastinating, finding something to read or look at. That I have stopped looking at other peoples work and carers. When I was at uni I would constantly be looking at other illustrators other artists to see how they are making it in the creative industry. Thinking ok if I make some cards and sell them on etsy that will help, or if I enter the same competitions thats what I should be doing. 
I did that for a few years, even though I had my own style it still wasn't what I wanted to do, it was commercial but again still too different it didn't quite fit in. It wasn't till last year when I gave up my illustration carer after a succession of people I had been working with turned out very sour. 
At the same time as this happened personal issues had arisen as they do, (I find things come in waves). I shut down my Facebook, I was tired of the negativity that I was absorbing from this site. The best thing I have learnt is that comparison is the thief of joy. 
Zoning out of all this comparison, I noticed I started to follow my own journey. My own style developed, big commissions started to come in, and the people who were contacting me to tell me how much they liked my work, was something I could only dream of two years ago. 
These days I look at pinterest of course, but more of a way of organising my thoughts. I read wellbeing blogs, and go outside walking! My inspiration comes from my emotions and when I stopped taking on others emotions I was allowing myself to be true and work true. 








Aurora Borealis Glass Objet | Kindred Black

Monday 26 October 2015

flo morrissey










Listening to Flo Morrissey on repeat, can't get enough of her music. Her lyrics are beautiful. She has an awesome aura and sense of style too.








flo morrissey - pages of gold music video

Friday 23 October 2015

speaking out








On Monday I got fired from the pub job I work part time at. I have never got fired from anywhere, and catering is in my blood, been working as a waitress since I was 14, as I grew up in the catering industry. My parents owned a restaurant. I got fired from the pub because I couldn't make my 3 hour shift. Basically I cancelled it as apple called me last minute and wanted to meet in London. So I got cover for my shift and rushed off for maybe a meeting that could change my carer. Would I do it again, yes I would. 
I was also told that I was being difficult at work. This got me thinking and becoming slightly paranoid that am I a difficult person? As one of the staff did point out, is that I speak up for myself and thats what gets me into trouble. So it is not really that I am difficult its because I speak up for myself, defend myself. I did think if I didn't speak up for myself I would of never made that connection with apple I would of never got noticed by one of the largest companies in the world. If i stick to being quite, taking the shit, taking the flack, I would probably still be working in that pub, instead of chasing my dream. 







bohemian diesel

two Generations: Ink Art by Peng Xiancheng & Peng Wei










Spotted this on the Sothebys website. Some really stunning ink drawings. Asian art is one of my influencers for me.

Tuesday 20 October 2015

hommage à Douanier Rousseau











There is something about this picture I am really taken with. 







Hommage à Douanier Rousseau by Edouard Boubat

nettle









When I started this blog again, I knew I wanted to keep it as a journal more than an announcement page, or a solid feed of just pictures I like, thats what my pinterest is for. I thought what would I like to see from the artist I like? and I would love to see what they are thinking about. Inspired by the tv series what do artists do all day. I wanted to say what I am looking at, thinking about, keep it honest. My work is honest, it is what it is, and thats what I am like. 





Le Rayon Vert, Eric Rohmer

good things








I am rebuilding myself after knocks I have taken. I would say the last 5 years have been tough. And sweeping the problems under the rug haven't worked, I defiantly burnt out. Seems so young to have done already and I am only 27. There was a time where everything merged, I had a serve illness which gave me seizures everyday (first year without them), then recovering that found myself with a very abusive boyfriend who put me down all the time, and played a lot of mind games. Then breaking into the art world hasn't been exactly easy constant rejection, and then a few companies I have worked with haven't exactly been dream teams to work with. However even though I am tired mentally, and probably quick to anger a little more than I like to be. I think that is ok given what has gone on, and that as I mentioned a few posts ago to stop being hard on yourself and give yourself time to heal.

I heal through finding the positive in the situation, if I have had a tough day or week, I write down all the good things that have happened. From all sorts of things and then at the end of that list guarantee I am smiling again. 

past fortnight good things:

- signed a deal with Anthropologie US for a two year contract to collaborate.
- successfully made chia breakfast pots had them for breakfast 3 days in a row now.
- had an excellent yoga class with my teacher Simona at Yoga bodhi
- loved the latest episode of Downton abbey. 
- spontaneously met up with the guy I fancy.
- had a lovely day out in London with my mum.
- another person from apple got in contact with me about my work. 
- autumn is looking stunning. 
- scanning in my work for my show and had a huge moment of pride, for what I have achieved. 







 Romance Sentimentale, 1930

Tuesday 13 October 2015

wisdom








I have exhausted my playlists and all music at the moment I have switched to listening to audiobooks in the studio. I tend to listen to books that I can learn something from.

- The Art of Creative Thinking, Rod Judkins
- The Gifts of Imperfection, Brené Brown







aernoutover beeke

that moment









Portrait of William of Orange as a prince and his future bride Mary Stuart
 (detail) 17th century, Anthony van Dyck.

a clean slate








As the day looms closer to my show, my self esteem is dropping fast. If we would meet I come across as a very confident person. That is because I am confident in my thoughts and opinions and I know what I like. I am an extremely feisty person I will stand up for what I know is right. And I will focus on something till I get it. However my sensitivity is heightened when I start to fear the fall/fail might be too much. Doesn't mean I will give up but I will be overly sensitive to everything, that is going on at the time.  Doubt for me is my Achilles heal. When I doubt my own heart, I start asking any one and everyone for the answers. And I never find the one I want because the answer I need is from myself. Also by asking too many people I add to my worries, and usually the answers I do get play on my insecurities. 

I was reading the moon posts of sphinx and the milky way and it just hit home this first section
 'No one can escape what they are being asked to face in their life right now. Know that whatever is coming up for you is important to your soul's growth. I also strongly believe that everything that is coming up right now is about the past'
This to me was profound. All the little things I am stopping myself going ahead with comes from an emotional place which is from past hurt. 

I have been trying to think how to overcome this. As your past sculpts how you are in your present? To be honest I don't want to be stuck in the past, I have had some really shitty things happen to me in my past I don't want to be anchored by that. You can't forget and when people say move on from it, I think fuck them its not as easy as that. But I do think being kinder to yourself is the first step. Allowing your life to breath. Also making sure that each experience you face, give it a clean slate. 






Lapis Lazuli: 
a powerful stress relieving stone that also unleashes inner spiritual energy, and facilitates the manifestation of deep personal truths and spiritual power.




Friday 2 October 2015

lbw








These are two photos which my friend Lily Bertrand Webb took of me. I wanted to get some 'proper' photos of me. And in the world of selfies and everyone being their own photographer I wanted someone to actually capture me. I am very difficult to photograph as I hate having my photo taken. Two reasons I came to the conclusion in my teens I looked shit in pictures I am self conscious of my looks so that always makes an awkward/ugly photo. And b) I hate being fake in photos, posing all the time its just not on really I rather I just have one really good photo which captures the mood of the time rather than 100 pictures that look staged. 
These photos were taken on a chilly day in November last year, and I will cherish them forever. Thank you Lily. x







norman








The BBC did a really good series of half an hour documentaries on what artists do all day. This is my favourite, which is of Norman Ackroyd. Northern, stylish and unbelievably talented. 






you tube

artists at work










Found this article of a series of videos of masters at work. I find it quite hypnotic to watch the way they work. 






rodin in his studio