Serious Fun

Seriously. Fun is serious stuff.

This little tin came into our lives as the packaging for a rally car drive gift certificate. And no, it wasn't me doing the rally driving! I leave that thrill seeking stuff to the man in my life (the one I married - though the ones I gave birth to are all up for that as well, as I think about it!) I was, however, quick to grab the tin, and squirrel it away in the studio, because, really...what could be better than to open your traveling art supplies tin and be reminded that what you're doing is Serious Fun? 

There is a group of Serious Fun seekers hanging out here with me on a Sunday afternoon lately... I'm teaching them the basics of art journaling (and art, as well, with a focus on low pressure and low anxiety) and, as is inevitable when one teaches, they teach me things as well. One of the important things I keep discovering is what a great benefit it is for grown up women (and men!) to set aside their responsibilities and obligations for a couple of hours and just muck about and have some fun. To play. They leave looking somehow lighter, and brighter; and seeing that is Serious Fun for me.

This trolley (which my Dad made for me many years ago) has seen duty in my life for all manner of purposes. It's current role is by far my favourite. All those drawers are chock full of inks, sprays, pens, pencils, pastels, paints, stencils, stamps, watercolours, tapes..... so many opportunities for Serious Fun in there; and it can wheel out of the studio and onto the verandah, where all my Serious Fun seeking companions can dip in and share in the fun with me. 

Play is recognised as being critical to childrens development... and there's more and more evidence that it has powerful importance for adults as well. (Check out the writing of Brene Brown if you need  any convincing). I know for sure that I've got more to give and am much nicer to be around if there's been a little play time in my day. How about you? What counts as Serious Fun in your world? I'm always on the lookout for an opportunity to have fun - tell me what works for you!

Sometimes, You Just Have To Do It Your Own Way  Art Journal Page

©2015 Tracey Hewitt

There’s been a lot going on here over the past week. Most dramatically, a shed fire. Another one. It’s been a while since the hay shed went up in flames – seven years, I think – but, surely one shed fire in a lifetime is enough for anyone – right? Maybe not. This one had no hay in it… but it did have an old Toyota, a ride on lawnmower, and a few other very useful bits and pieces; as well as a tractor parked right beside it. Not anymore. That thing’s now a pile of molten metal and ash.

However, my precious daughter-in-law and granddaughter, who were the only ones around for quite a distance when they noticed they had an ENORMOUS campfire - and no marshmallows - are safe and unharmed. Their house, which was closer than any of us would have liked to the fire, is also safe and sound. Bullet dodged, fire out, and heavy sighs of relief heaved.

 

The fire has nothing to do with the next thing on the agenda - but everything to do with this journal page - which is teaching another round of ArtJournaling classes, which might be some of the best fun it's possible to have! The page you see here is the result of some preparation sample and demo pieces for the classes. It also started with some writing about that fire. This is what is so transformative about the Art Journaling process (well, really about any creative process, but I love art journaling, because it truly is accessible to anyone). You can write out your worries and your woes, get lots of crap off your chest, and proceed to obliterate it with funky colours, patterns and scribbles, transforming that icky experience completely. You can still see snippets of the writing in odd places, which ultimately become just another layer of line and form.

 

Detail:  Sometimes, You Just Have To Do It Your Own Way

This was put together using mostly spray inks, stencils, and a mask I cut based on a photo of Keelan on his wedding day, as he was walking toward the altar. (Or, to be more precise, the gate and arch set up in front of the garden bed in our backyard for the ceremony.)

 

The stencil had been cut, waiting to be used for a while, and I grabbed it without thinking too much - just needed to get the page done, and I was keen to see how this mask would come up. It morphed from an account of  blazing destruction; to cool, strong colours carrying a great sense of independence and hope for the future. I don’t know about you, but that feels pretty transformative to me.                                                                                                                                                                            

Try Something New

What does it say about your personality when you have an idea to try something you know bugger all about, and think "I can't do this, but I'm doing it anyway?" I don't know, either, but here are the results! For a long time, I have thought that adding a few videos of works unfolding and techniques in action might be fun for me, and interesting for you. I have a lot to learn, and will possibly need to relocate to an area where I can access a much bigger Internet data quota (apologies to the Aussie Government, but this NBN thing isn't working out so well for us out here), which isn't such a realistic idea. I think there is a lot of research and education in my immediate future if I'm to follow this notion any further. 

However... this was fun for me, and I hope you find the video a little bit interesting. It's a time lapse look at creating a background with tissue paper on canvas for a mixed media work. The background was done without any firm idea of what the focal point might be. That realisation came a little later.

Small Wonders 

©2015 Tracey Hewitt  Watercolour and mixed media on canvas

After the addition of some acrylic paints to introduce a little colour, it occurred to me that this would be the perfect background for another challenge I'd been hankering to take on. A photo of our Granddaughter, Payton, in a rare moment of stillness, had been whispering it's longing to be drawn or painted for a couple of months. For someone who, a few years ago, wouldn't even attempt to draw a face or human form, because "that's not my thing, I just can't do them"; I'm pretty excited to have captured a resemblance to a human being, much less enough of a resemblance to a particular human for her parents to know she was the model!

 Her features were sketched in, with Derwent Graphitint pencils. These babies might be my favourite art supply. (Even as I type that, a hundred other little special art supplies are clamouring in my mind to be named favourites, as well!) These pencils - as the name suggests - are much like a graphite pencil, with the added appeal of a range of beautiful, subtle colours, as well as being water soluble. They're not as intense as some of the other water soluble pencils out there, so the results are soft and delicious. A little watercolour for the pink in her dress and lips, a few touches of inky black for details, and she was done.

That little butterfly she's so intently looking at? That is a perfect example of the glorious serendipity of layering materials and media. It wasn't until after I'd drawn Payton in, that I noticed that little butterfly on an underlying layer of tissue paper, perfectly placed to seem to be sitting on her hand, and the focus of her rapt attention. Sometimes, there are forces at work when we create that simply cannot be explained. Happens to me all the time. And, it's the best feeling. 

A Tale of Three Art Journal Pages

Just One Heart Art Journal Page
© 2014 Tracey Hewitt

One way and another, the art has been struggling for attention lately. What with plotting ways to spoil a new grandbaby, end of financial year, and a tiny change in our farm business structure (how is it that a tiny change necessitates a thousand phone calls, pieces of paper, and forms to fill in? It will forever remain a mystery...) just to name a few; the time available for creativity has been limited.

 

There are, thankfully, Art Journals. Smeared with paint, spattered with ink, heavy with bits and bobs glued in, and carrying no pressure to come up with anything special - just to pick up a brush, pencil or scrap of paper and slap something on a page. Aaahh.... balm for a careworn soul.

 

As I'm writing this, looking at Just One Heart up there, I realise there should be a comma after the word blooming. Oops! (As a self confessed grammar Nazi, that's going to bug me quite a bit!) The page was created with Dylusions Ink sprays, assorted stencils, a few bits of paper, coloured pencils, stamps and marker pens. The Art of Whimsical Lettering by Joanne Sharp delivered the inspiration to have a crack at some fancy lettering - which was tremendous fun!

 

Worry Art Journal Page
© 2014 Tracey Hewitt

So much fun, in fact, that there was more on the next journal page. Worry is a Misuse of your Imagination. I need this tattooed inside my eyelids! Not only a misuse, but probably a terrible waste of imagination as well. Constructed in a quite similar fashion to the first page, with acrylic paints instead of ink sprays, and a hand cut stencil. Manilla folders are infinitely more interesting used to cut a stencil than they could ever hope to be in my office.

 

Ink Calf Art Journal Page
© 2014 Tracey Hewitt

As life's path seemed to be walking me more and more towards cows and tractors (which I shouldn't complain about - that enterprise kind of keep us fed and clothed), and further away from the studio, I engaged that imagination, and decided to try bringing the farm to the journal. This little guy is brushed in Sumi ink (my current infatuation) over a stencilled, ink sprayed, and scrap paper collaged background. He's funky, but I think I love him.

 

 

A little story, for your information: I often add links to products, books, artists, places - pretty much anything that I think is great. Only because I use it, love it, just plain cannot live without it; and to make it easier for you to find more info about the things I'm waffling on about. No one pays me to give them a plug - it's all about the love!

Why Online Classes Rock My World

 

My Mum recently took me to task about the lack of interesting activity here on the blog. OK, the lack of any activity at all. She had a point. (You've got to love Mums for keeping it real and calling you on your shortcomings.) There hasn't however, been a lack of activity in my world - as my middle prince would say- lots of cool stuff (OK, so he wouldn't say stuff, he'd say another word that starts with s...but I'm sure you get the idea) has been going on.

 

In amongst a bunch of other 'stuff', I've been working away in an online class with the irrepressible Jane Davenport. It's not the first of her classes I have enjoyed: Supplies Me is a wonderful journey through a vast assortment of media while she teaches the nuances of drawing faces and figures -things I long ago swore off as being 'not my thing' and something I believed for a long time I just couldn't do. The lovely lady above was the result of my explorations in "Ink Week", where Jane's students discover the joy of Sumi ink in an Aquawash pen. I have to tell you; that's the most delicious, free feeling media to work with and I can't believe it's taken me so long to discover it! It was quite difficult to stop drawing, which goes some of the way to explaining how she comes to have a couple of mouths and a nose on her chest and shoulder.

 

 

Most recently though, the "Print and Scan" class has held me spellbound. For a very long time, I've been keenly aware of a limited understanding of digital file sizes, types and manipulation. I lost track of the countless times I told myself I needed to learn this 'techie' stuff. Then, *cue violins and blinding bright light* I read that Jane has created this class - the very one I need, with all the skills I need to learn! It's Jane's first Professional Development class; and the investment paid for itself in the first class. The image above is a scan of a 2 page journal spread. We learned how to manipulate the image to get rid of the 'gutter' in the middle of the pages, and lots of other techniques to show the artwork at it's glowing best.

 

 

 

After a small mind explosion (don't worry, it didn't make much mess) - and a bit of practice - the lovely lady made her way onto the journal page; and changed the colour of her face - all in the innards of my computer, with information streamed to my computer desk via the wonder of technology and the Internet.

 

What's great about Jane is that she delivers this in artist speak, not techie talk; though she has extensive technical knowledge. What's great about the Internet delivery is not having to drive for hours (and hours...and hours..); You can stop and start that video and toggle back and forth between your image manipulation and the instruction, so you practice it as soon as you see/hear it; you can work on it at whatever time suits you; and - possibly my personal favourite - you can hang out in your paint stained shirt and yoga pants. (Have I ever told you just HOW much I love my yoga pants?)

 

In honour of Carmel (my awesome Mum) there will be effort made to post stories of more of the cool 'stuff' going on around here. Right now though, it's time to go and log into the Print and Scan classroom for some more mind exploding fun.

Feeling My Way In Cunnamulla

..

"Feeling My Way" exhibition  at the Cunnamulla Fella Centre Art Gallery

I can't quite believe it's been 6 weeks since this:

I'm pretty sure I promised a report on the exhibition... somewhere I seem to have lost some weeks (I do in fact know where they've gone, and over the next little while, I might even get as far as telling you about some of the things I've been up to!) But, for today, a little step back in time to Cunnamulla.

My beloved came along (it was an eight hour drive, so the company was great for a start!) I have to say, at around three o'clock on the afternoon we were hanging it all, I was overcome with thankfulness to have him. His skill, care and attention to detail with tape measure, screwdriver and ladder made me fall in love with him just a little bit more (if that were, in fact, even possible!) It's a good lesson for those of us who are the 'creatives' - it's of tremendous value to have as your sidekick, someone who has a natural inclination to practicality and order. A 'thinker' as opposed to a 'feeler'; if you're a follower of Meyers Briggs Personality Profiling. Whilst I am perfectly capable of locating my practical brain, while I'm deep in creative brain mode, it's more of a stretch. I learned some very interesting things about myself out there!

But, enough about me already! The gallery space at the Cunnamulla Fella Centre is, as you can see, just beautiful. It's a fabulous facility; part of the centres museum - which is brilliant and well worth a look as well.

The staff - Carmel, Sally, Courtney and Mike were everything you'd ever hope for - friendly, helpful, kind and fun!

It was great to meet a few locals while we were there, and I was super excited that sales on opening night were beyond my wildest imaginings!

We had three nights in Cunnamulla, and the recount wouldn't be complete without a shout out to Pieta and Pitisi at the Club Boutique Hotel . Have you ever had a vase of fresh roses on the bedside table in your hotel room? That's just one of the things these girls do in order to make their guests feel welcome. It truly felt like coming home to our family at the end of a day. We discovered Pitisi has a great appreciation for tractors - and my art work - which enamoured her to both of us!

Thanks so much to everyone at Cunnamulla - we had a wonderful stay, and I couldn't be more thrilled with how my fist solo exhibition turned out. 

If you're out that way, you still have a couple of weeks to see it - it closes on the 24th May. While you're there, would you say hi to everyone for me?

Thanks.

Cunnamulla... I'll See You Soon!

In a month, I'll be off to Cunnamulla! A town in South West Queensland, which I have never visited, to hang an exhibition in the Cunnamulla Fella Centre Art Gallery. I'm a bit excited, a bit nervous and kind of busy.

Some of the pieces that will be getting loaded into the car:

Keeper of the Mystery 101cm x 76cm
Acrylic, tissue, oil stick, lace and pencil on canvas
© 2013 Tracey Hewitt

If you've been visiting here for a while, you'll know that the human face is not something I generally look to for subject matter. Keeper of the Mystery certainly didn't start out with any intention of a person appearing, yet, as it evolved, she insisted on making an appearance! (My family of practical males are bewildered when I suggest that an 'inanimate' object like a painting  might be telling me secrets, or what is to happen next...but, that's how it works sometimes). And, I have to tell you - she knows the answer to all those questions that we mere mortals struggle with. But, no matter how hard I look into her eyes and plead with her to share them with me - she doesn't. You see, she's not called the Keeper of the Mystery for nothing!

I've been having a great time with resin, as well. This lovely ring (I keep wondering if I can, in fact, bring myself to part with it? I LOVE this) has a bunch of tiny millefiori glass pieces set in it. How cool would this look with your jeans and favourite white shirt?

My awesome framer, Les Rigby, is currently weaving his magic with this piece, as well as a number of others. This is a concoction of woven felt strips that had all sorts of goodies applied which was then dry felted with a machine felting technique. Have to give a shout out to my sister here - that triangular piece in the top centre was in fact one of her earrings in 1986. ( If you hang onto something long enough....)

This one is in need of a name - any suggestions? Coming up with suitably engaging names for a number of works is just one of the things that will be keeping me busy over the next month. (Containing my excitement about the wedding of our middle son is another - but that's a story for another day!)

Do you know anyone in Cunnamulla? I'd love you to share with them that the exhibition "Feeling My Way" will open there at the Cunnamulla Fella Centre Art Gallery on Friday 5th April from 6pm; and I'd love to meet them!

Creating Texture - With Old Tomato Paste Tubes!

Sometimes, I do weird things. 

It's kind of fun, and keeps the people around me shaking their heads...

Today, it's been reclaimed tomato paste tubes. (Yes, I cut it open and washed it carefully first - after we ate the spaghetti bolognese, which was awesome, by the way...)

The inside of the paste tube is the loveliest, soft, buttery gold colour, and it's easy to bend, fold and generally manipulate. Here, it's got some painted vliesofix and a chiffon scarf ironed over it, which gives it that orange-y colour in patches. Keeping it company is a piece of copper shim, with many holes poked through it with my trusty - and very blunt - awl. Don't worry, I keep an old awl just for nasty, tough jobs like this. There does exist another pointier, sharper, better looking awl for the tasks awls were really designed to carry out. 

The copper shim becomes a kind of 'claw' to set the glass bubble in, and after a bit of free machine embroidery (plus three broken machine needles and countless broken top threads), the end result looks like this:

This little lumpy treasure is destined, along with some other lumpy treasures, to be the focal point on a canvas that's been evolving in the studio.

If you promise to eat all your vegetables, I might even show it to you when it's finished. (Yes, Carmel* - that means you!)

*Carmel is my Mum - who is awesome - and also happens to be the worst vegetable eater in the history of the universe!

Tea Bags, Doiley's and Linen Napkins

Lillian's Legacy 101cm x 76cm 

Acrylic, tissue, damask, tea bags, silk, oil pastel and paper collage.

© 2012  Tracey Hewitt

For the longest time, I have had these panels tucked away safely - waiting for the wonderful day when I might finally know exactly what to do with them. (It's embarrassing to even mention how long...)

I am very lucky to have had a Nana who kept special things - like boxes and boxes of hand embroidered doiley's and damask napkins, which she enjoyed giving to me to 'do something with'. One of the napkins made their way into a natural dye bath. 

And waited. 

One of the doiley's was used to take rubbing's on used tea bags. 

They waited.

Until one day, some silk strips from the natural dyeing episode came to join them, and they were fused and seed stitched together.

As a pair of 'panels' they waited....for many years.

Lillian's Legacy - detail

Every so often, they'd get pulled out, caressed, admired, promised something special would be done with them, and carefully put away.

To wait some more.

Finally, their wait is over. I've been wrestling a bit with work for the next exhibition. I'm not sure where my muse had been on holidays...but when she came back, this was what she brought with her. Quite a bit more subtle and restrained than my usual works - yet it feels good. There's much more to explore here - I'll keep you posted!

"Worthy...Of Love and Belonging"

Worthy... of Love and Belonging
hand felted panels on paper
© 2011 Tracey Hewitt

A while back, I was commissioned to create a piece of work for our local doctor and his wife, as a gift from his staff, in honour of their 30 years of service to our little community. It was a special opportunity to pour a little of my own heart into a piece that, as well as honouring his dedication to this community, felt like a personal thank you note. Doctor Bruce - as he is fondly called (technically he is Dr A.B.Chater) - has delivered babies, counselled troubled souls, mended broken bones, stitched open wounds, fished metal fragments out of eyes, removed injured or diseased toe and fingernails, dealt with 
anaphylactic shock, torn ligaments, bad backs and more - and that's just for my immediate family! He's a very busy man.

Yet, when the tricky things happen - and, for some reason, they have happened often around here over the years - he's there with a smile and a reassuring voice, and immense skill, to put the pieces back together again (A bit like all the King's horses and all the King's men really!)

So, "Worthy... of Love and Belonging" came into being. A series of hand felted panels, embellished with turquoise chips, beads, hand stitching and even some recycled, re purposed beer bottle caps attached; mounted onto watercolour paper.

Here's an excerpt from the artists statement that went with the piece:

The felt panels – to me – represent diversity. The diversity of characters in the patients you care for; of the illnesses and accidents you minister to; and of the medical services you offer at Theodore Medical. All three categories broad, extensive and varied. The panel concept started in my mind as felt banners, or pennants – like the sports pennants of our schooldays - representing achievements. There are no doubt nowhere near enough here to honour all your achievements, but hopefully the whole is greater than the sum of its parts!

The turquoise band represents the Dawson River. An integral part of your lives, and the life of our whole community, and - like the Dawson - it binds the elements together. I chose turquoise gemstone chips as a reference to the belief of many ancient cultures that turquoise holds great powers for healing.

You’ll notice the repetition of some elements four times on some of the panels – recognizing your four sons who call Theodore home.

Worthy...of Love and Belonging was mounted on white matt board and framed in a simple white frame. (which isn't in these photos, because I am far from having mastered the art of  photographing art work under glass. I'm sure there must be a way....have you got any tips for me?) 

Thanks to the staff at Theodore Medical for giving me the opportunity - and having the faith in me - to create this piece. I loved every minute of it!

A Special Celebration for a Very Special Lady

This lovely lady is my Mum, Carmel. She turned 70 a couple of weeks ago. Because she's awesome, and we wanted to do something she'd love, my sister and I took her and Dad off to Byron Bay for a little holiday (and she did love it!)

The totally delicious Chocolate Hazelnut cake was made by Charlotte from Let Them Eat Cake in Brunswick heads (I have to give Charlotte a plug here, as I don't know a soul in that part of the world to recommend her to - and my word - she does deserve recommending. That cake was ah-maze-ing!)

Deb and I also put together a little book for Mum, in honour of this most auspicious occasion....

If the "ooh's", "aaah's" and eye leakage were anything to go on, I think she kind of liked it...

Especially this page, where each of her Grandchildren and Grandchildren-in-law wrote her a message on a luggage tag - each one as unique as their authors - all precious in their own way.

The journalling part was left to work on while we holidayed...and a lot of happy time was spent reminiscing and cooking up the very best stories to commit to the pages.

We created some special memories while recalling special memories - how cool is that?

The pages were created on watercolour paper, with water colour paint over old letters and handwriting from her Dad; Starburst Stains sprayed over stencils, some stamping, photos transferred using Transfer Artists Paper, and a few bits and bobs of paper and ephemera collaged on.

Happy 70th Carmel...we are so lucky to have been blessed with you as our very own, very special Mum.

More of What Lies Beneath...

Do you remember a post a while back about "What Lies Beneath"? I decided to take Sarah's advice, and tackle a series, based on that piece.... Here is What Lies Beneath #2...

What Lies Beneath #2 ... Fear  25.5cm x 30.5cm   mixed Media on Canvas
(c) 2012 Tracey Hewitt

This one began with the word Fear ... not a theme typical of my work, yet exactly what this series needed to tackle head on. The original word is totally obliterated - which feels like a good thing, yet the piece has a  dark and broody feel about it. I'm quite uncertain what the face in the top left corner is about - but he was there, and refused to leave! Does he freak you out a bit, or is it just me? (and by the way, don't ask me why he's a 'he' with such red lips...but there's no doubting it in my mind!)

Even the birds, which to me are a symbol of freedom and lightness, have a heavy, menacing sense to them....

I'm not too sure how I feel about this piece - 

What Lies Beneath #2 ...Fear - Detail 
(c) 2012 Tracey Hewitt

Except that it feels important to have created it. I'd love to hear what you think of it - love it or hate it?

The Angels Anthology Evolves onto Canvas

After drawing lots of practice faces for Pam Carriker's Angels Anthology class, I finally felt ready to tackle the canvas and paint. Firstly, a few bits and bobs were laid into impasto gel , which also had some marks scraped into it...along with the word: Grateful.

I missed taking photos of the stages between the first photo and the finished piece - I may have gotten just a little caught up in bringing her to life, and forgotten to pick up the camera. (By the way, her weird looking eye is a reflection picked up by the camera - she actually has pretty normal looking eyes in reality!)

She's not the Mona Lisa, by any means, but I'm pleased with the result...it looks recognisably like a face!! 

And while I don't know that I'd go so far as to say I conquered my fear (of faces); I will say I gave it a swift kick in the butt - and am keen to continue to give it a good shake up.

More Whispering

This will be the second last Whisper I work on in the Chinese Whispers Collaboration...I'm feeling a little sad about that - I've come to enjoy the monthly challenge of interpreting a theme from the artwork of the previous collaborator.

These pages belong to Jen, and they are folded in such a nifty manner that I had a little trouble working out how to refold them and send them on! You can see some of the fold lines in each of the images...

As always, can't tell you too much about the the pages - just share these little clue squares with you, and tell you that they include acrylic paint, photo transfers, Xpandaprint, metallic wax, coloured pencil, graphite pencil and a few collaged paper elements. Oh, and a tiny bit of machine stitching on this one, too.

The Xpandaprint is fun stuff - quite like puff paint that was the rage years ago - paint on, heat, and it 'puffs' up - I get it from The Thread Studio - either black or white, and as you'd expect, I have both! The textured areas you can see in the photos are the result of stamping it on to the page, heating to 'puff' and then touching ever so lightly with metallic gilding wax. Delicious.

While I wasn't necessarily expecting it - I like the way the photo transfers have cracked and crumbled along the fold lines...Which is a good thing - not sure what I'd be doing now if I hated it!

My own book has evolved in an interesting manner - quite appropriately in keeping with the game that inspired the collaboration - Chinese Whispers. I started by 'whispering' my theme to someone...and it has gone around the circle, morphing into something quite different, yet with recognisable elements....I cannot wait to share it with you! 

The Latest Scarf

How good is your imagination? Can you imagine this scarf wrapped around a living human beings neck, rather than around the not-at-all-humanoid form of the citronella oil burner? Mabel, the dress form, has been called to perform a higher purpose, which has been fine - right up until I wanted to share the latest scarf creation with you, and had no model. (I'm kind of frightened of that hold the camera up in front of yourself and click style of portraiture...basically the camera is too close, and at that range there are too many wrinkles and saggy bits. I care for you way too much to subject you to such an ordeal!)

I'm a bit excited about this scarf...

Finally, some of that lace that's been languishing in the lace box for who knows how many years, is finding a home. I discovered a great paint - on dye from The Lace Cottage, which has given colours that worked really well with this vintage look ... Added to dyed silk tissue, and a somewhat random assortment of yarns and silks - It turned out pretty much as I'd hoped.

All that's missing is a model...I enjoy 'my girls'* company so much that when I have them here to visit, I don't think of suggesting we stop chatting (and laughing and drinking wine or eating choc chip cookies) to do a photo shoot; so I'm left with the outdoor furniture to do the holding up of the latest creation.

I guess I could always ask Garfield to help me out... the colours would flatter his complexion, I'm sure!

*FYI - 'my girls' are in fact my handsome princes significant others...I'm blessed to have them in our home often, and after many years of being the lone female in the herd, it's a treat to share these baffling males with some equally baffled- by- them women.

Whispering Time Again!

Do you have any idea how badly I want to show you the entire page in Peta's book?

 This round of our Chinese Whispers Collaboration belongs to our fearless leader Peta Lloyd, who created the cleverest pages. This has been so much fun! I can't divulge the theme...but what you can know is that included in this is a silk paper pocket (complete with treasures), handmade paper, a microscope slide, skeleton leaves, paint, stamps and embossing...among other things!

The studio looked like something had exploded in there by the time this was finished. It's possible that every container had been opened and the contents spread far and wide in the hunt for the perfect 'bits' to grace these pages.

Each time I post these snippets, I wonder if it's remotely interesting to any of you...or really only significant to those of us in the collaboration. Yet, the challenge of each month attempting to decipher the latest theme with nothing more than a few visual clues is quite consuming and I'm enjoying the stretch and learning that's accompanying the process. This however means that there's a little less time for producing other work that I can share in it's fullness with you.

The important thing I want to suggest to you is to consider being part of a collaborative process...you will bend, stretch, get a headache and grow! It's a wonderful, fun thing and a wonderful way to get to know people in a way that we don't always get an opportunity to.

Consider yourself encouraged to give a collaboration a go!

Whisper for Sarah

The time has come for the next whisper to be completed and sent on. This one will join it's brothers and sisters and make it's way home to Sarah Larsen (Sarah is the generous artist who visited Theodore and offered us the Art and Soul workshop earlier in the year).

We're now 3 artists removed from the original artist and their original theme, and I suspect, in the spirit of the childhood game "Chinese Whispers", that our collaboration is based on...we're getting a little off track - at leat I have a strong feeling I am!

Sarah's pages are an unusual shape - which you can't see here, because I can only show you a tiny hint...There's gesso, acrylic paint, tissue paper, stamped images, gold and black pen and charcoal used in this one. This rubber stamp of kids swinging in a tree is one of my favourites...and there are a lot of stamps in that stamp drawer in the studio! It reminds me of a late afternoon swing as the sun sinks low in the sky...I get a peaceful feeling just looking at it. That, however, is no clue as to the theme.

And I guess this isn't either.

This is the desk next to the piece as I finished up a minute ago. You can see a little bit of it in the bottom left hand corner. Does that help you?

I have to confess that I can't say what this theme is in a word or two - this one has more of a general feel about it. I hope I'm not too far off the mark... I'd love to hear your guesses as to the theme...