Wednesday 26 August 2009

photo-a-week and the artist's way check-in

HI everyone!

yes, i'm still here...

it's been so crazy this past week! appointments, celebrations, distractions - good and bad. plus i was barely at the computer all week due to being knocked back to almost dial-up speeds on the internet for four whole days!!! this was all due to my darling sons going a little crazy this past month with downloads thereby putting us over our monthly download limit. i was not a happy girl being without my daily blog fixes. it was sheer torture for me but now i'm looking forward to catching up with everyone's blogs over the coming days.

the timing worked out well though because i received a custom order last week and, with no internet to tempt me away from the studio, i was able to devote some precious time to working on the order which is almost finished. i have yet to paint the writing on the scroll but, when finished, this wooden plaque will be gifted to a dear, sweet lady for her 80th birthday.


work in progress
click on any image to enlarge


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MONDAY PHOTO-A-WEEK (late again, sorry)


my mum and dad celebrated their 54th wedding anniversary on august 20th so bradley and i decided to take them out to lunch. michelle and alex, plus my brother and his wife, were also able to come along and we all enjoyed a lovely lunch and afternoon together!


here is a pic i took of the family group



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THE ARTIST'S WAY - WEEK ONE



RECOVERING A SENSE OF SAFETY

this week, julia cameron asked us to explore some of the monsters from our past. monsters who have effected the way we view ourselves as creative beings. a hurtful or tactless statement from someone, whether it be a stranger, teacher, family member, or even a friend, can seriously wound our inner artist to the point where we can feel crippled creatively.

i can still remember one example in my own life quite vividly. i had proudly shown a friend my very first art piece that i had painted in a class and she responded with fits of laughter. she smugly stated that i had wasted $10 on learning how to colour-in. of course, there was so much more i had learned in my first lesson.....working with acrylic paint and brush control being two of the main things. this friend continued to laugh and make fun of me and her words made me feel so small. i bravely held back the tears and told her that i didn't need that type of friendship in my life. while that incident stayed with me, i chose to focus on the enjoyment i felt when i was painting and, over time, art has become a huge part of my life. have you recognised similar patterns in your own creative journey?

then, julia asked that we remember the champions of our creative self-worth. another school mum, also a friend, was the champion who taught me the basic folk art techniques all those years ago. raya, if you're reading this - THANK YOU! your encouragement and praise meant so much to me and you helped me to believe in my creative abilities to the point where i was able to continue painting and learning from art books when you left the area.

my family have also been champions of my artistic adventures and i'm so grateful for their support.

i discovered the world of blogs over the past couple of years and i have since been blessed with even more champions and i am deeply grateful to each and every one of you. yes, you know who you are. THANK YOU!



THE ARTIST'S WAY - week one check-in


yes, i did write in my morning pages each morning for the past week.

but, no, i didn't get a chance to schedule in my artist's date with having so much on my plate. it was a VERY busy week!

were there any issues that may be significant to my recovery? YES! as mentioned above, i received a custom order a week ago but the client needed it finished and ready within two weeks. as i'm generally so busy in my life outside of art, i normally require at least four weeks to allow myself time to create the design, paint the design, varnish the finished piece, and then allow some time for the piece to cure before wrapping. as the client is a friend of the family i told her i would try to finish it in time. anyways, i had nothing but drama from the get-go....the painting process just wasn't working out and i was panicking big-time! i started from scratch at least three times until i was finally comfortable enough with how it was looking. during the whole process, i was very derogatory to myself and my capabilities as an artist, so i'm wondering if my own name should be added to the list of monsters who diminish my creativity?


feel free to read what other artist's way participants have to share at this link.


love, light and peace

19 comments:

  1. I am so conscious with my son as to how easy it can be to knock back his confidence and creativity. I can very well understand how you felt. It is hard enough showing other people what you do without getting that sort of reaction. I'm so glad you continued and have encouraged your children to do the same

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  2. Those flowers are delightful! And the heart shape, so sweet.

    Congratulations to your parents on their wedding anniversary. Lovely family picture. :)

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  3. Hi an s so good to know you. Your plaque is lovely, I am a rose person.. there is something so glorious and timeless about roses

    I stopped doing commissioned paintings becasue They always seem to dtagnate me..so unless its a special favor..i dont do them anylongerYour family is wonderful.. arent you fortunate to have them in your life

    Good Artist Way work,, I think maybe yor family outing was your artist date,,it fed yur soul

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  4. The heart-shaped plate is gorgeous!! I'm sure the woman will love it.

    Sorry about all you internet problems but it sounds as if you made good use of your time. I got a very slow start on The Artist's Way but have really buckled down this week and am focusing!

    PS - that one so-called friend sure didn't know what she was talking about when she made fun of your art! I think you do fantastic artwork. I haven't seen one thing I haven't liked. I'm a huge fan!!

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  5. Welcome back...missed your posts. The artist's way sounds really amazing...can't wait to see what comes out of it for you.

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  6. When I read about how you had the presence to stand up to your "friend" (I love the young people's word frenemy) I was just so proud of you! So even if you have been too hard on yourself at times, you have persevered and become The Artist You Wished To Be. Congratulations.

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  7. nice photo of everyone :) happy anniversary to your parents!

    I think most artists at one time or another are their own monster :/ its something that can be so hard to get over and be creative instead

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  8. The painting is lovely Mum, I am sure they will love it.

    It was a great day out with the family. I had a great time!

    The Artist's way is such a great journey. With all the stuff going on it sounded like you really needed that artist's date.

    I am so glad you never let your "friend" stop you doing your art. Go Mum!! For standing up for yourself.

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  9. The plate is so beautiful! I'm almost on dial up all the time. :(

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  10. Good to have you back Serena...I missed your cheery presence online. Although I'm not doing The Artist's Way right now, the topics and questions that you're asking yourself, are good reminders for all of us.

    The plate is just beautiful and will be treasured by the recipient I'm sure.

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  11. Blogger has been giving me so much problems lately so I have not been able to keep up to date. I got in at last today. What a lovely plaque. I am sure it will be treasured. Greetings to your mum and dad on their anniversary. You are so lucky to be able to get together on such important family occasions.

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  12. Hello Serena! Beautiful plaque you're working on:) Sounds like you have been very busy lately! Good to spend time with your family, especially on such important occasions :) cheers,Maria

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  13. Awesome post!
    Good for you for not letting anything diffuse your love for art. (You really are super-talented).
    What an amazing celebration for your parents - to be married and together for all these years...I love it!
    :)

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  14. Beautiful work on the plaque!

    Your post helps to remind me that I'm no different than anyone else on this artistic journey. We all have those around us that will try to take us down with their comments. Sometimes I forget that others have "friends" like this too! It also reminds me to be thankful to the ones who build us up!

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  15. Serena,

    I love the plate. It has such a beautiful old fashioned feel to it.

    I really enjoy reading about how you deal with everyday life and your art. You have lots of talent and I hope you will continue to share it with us:~)

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  16. I agree with JudiPatootie--anything that feeds your soul qualifies for an artist's date in my book. Congrats to your folks. :)

    The world is filled with naysayers--and I think you're right--sometimes we are our own worst critics. The plate is really beautiful and I'm sure she will be thrilled with it.

    Even if I am not doing the book with you (lent it out to somebody?)--I can remember as you go along and remind me. Thanks for sharing! :):)

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  17. Miss 376 - Thank you! After being hurt in that way, it has made me even more conscious of encouraging and supporting my kids with their dreams.

    Paula - Thanks! Mum and Dad certainly have achieved quite a milestone.

    Judi - Thanks! I feel the same about commissions unless they are along the style of painting I'm enjoying at the time. I feel stifled when it involves art I no longer do. I much prefer to just paint what I want and if it sells, all well and good.

    Janet - Thank you! That was very sweet of you to say. I do believe I was meant to continue painting as my art has progressed so much over the years. Just think, if I had allowed my friend's words to stop me going any further....I would have missed out on so much fun and enjoyment.

    Caroline - Thank you!

    Lisa - Thanks! I like the term 'frenemy' too....it can be very fitting in some situations.

    Jennifer - Thanks!

    Shell - Thanks, darling girl! You kids have been my biggest supporters and helpers. xo

    Carla - Thanks! OH, my heart goes out to you.....I can't believe I used to be on dial-up speeds. I managed back then but since websites and blogs are becoming more graphic intense, it makes it very challenging to view them on slow speeds. I just didn't have the patience to wait forever for pages to load. My hat is off to you!

    Kate - Thanks! I will be heading over to catch up with your blog the moment I finish posting this comment.

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  18. Shashi - Thanks! Sorry to hear you've been having a rough time with Blogger lately. Shell and I noticed a few problems with Blogger a couple of weeks ago....I wonder if they are doing maintenance here and there.

    Maria - Thanks! It sure has been crazy busy here with the art order, doctor's appointments and family stuff. I might need a week off just to get over it. lol

    Boho - Thanks for your supportive words. It means a lot!

    Chocoholic - Thanks! It sounds like you have 'friends' like that too and, agreed, it's important to appreciate the true friends who support us.

    Sara - Thanks....I'm so glad that you're enjoying my blog.

    Rita - Thanks! It will be interesting to see how the Artist's Way journey treats me the third time around.

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  19. Hi, Serena, I adore yr painting so much as I'm doing 3D folk art with Acrylic colour too, but not as good as yours, i think i should learn more from u......I do clay art also and I like gardening as well...

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