An Uncomfortable Model

Later this year, my creative efforts and I are off to Bush Christmas - an exhibition showcasing the work of rural and remote artists and artisans, held in Toowoomba in December, and I'm pretty stoked to announce that yours truly is to be the Featured Exhibitor for Day One of the exhibition.

What that means, is that I'll be there, set up with some goodies from my studio, ready to chat with anyone who is prepared to stand still for a minute, and share the delight of colourful, fun materials. There is potentially going to be a product addition to my offerings this year... There is a book in the pipeline! But more about that, later.

For now, the fabulous Bush Christmas organisers need photos and information to update their website and begin promotion. 

This is my least favourite part of this job. As a model, I make a good cook; and I agonise for hours over what to write about myself that people will find interesting to read. Thankfully, my daughter-in-law, Caitlyn, knows her way around a camera, and proved skillful in sneaking some shots of "the artist at work in her studio" that didn't leave me feeling awkward. 

I think she did a great job, and I particularly love this photo, with DO IT NOW on the inspiration board behind me. Not only because the kick-in-the-pants directive is helpful; but the focus is off me! 

When our "photo shoot" was finished, I bit the bullet and wrote the 'about me' piece to accompany the profile picture:

In between knocking up mustering smokos, doing budgets and bookwork, and managing the office for our Central Queensland family farming business; I create artwork, write, and prepare art journaling classes for people who are keen to flex their creativity, but aren’t sure where or how to start. I believe every human possesses an innate desire and capability to create, and have made it my business to help others unearth and explore that desire. Their eyes light up, shoulders loosen and they smile. A lot. I have a passionate belief in the transformative power of creativity.

Gleefully abandoning an art teaching degree in the 80’s to marry my salt of the earth farmer, my city upbringing gave way to the adventure of country life, where I’ve spent thirty years raising three high spirited sons, while fine tuning my skills in fine art, photography, writing and textiles. Ironically, the art teaching I was anxious to flee from has become a source of delight and fulfilment.

I have a tendency to think a lot more than I speak - there’s lots going on in my head. I have a thing for funky cowgirl boots, yoga, and soulful conversations; and my grandbabies think I sing the best “Incy Wincy Spider” the world has ever heard. Others might disagree.

Over the years, Bush Christmas has been a catalyst for a lot of amazing opportunities for me, along with the many other talented artists and artisans who exhibit there. You can follow Bush Christmas on Facebook for a look at some of the clever work happening in sheds and studios all over rural Queensland, and New South Wales. 

I'm off to the studio to get busy... safe and secure in the knowledge that I won't need to smile for the camera for a couple more years!

Learning the Hard Way

Say Hello to Casper. He's an old man now - by cat standards, at least. Well into his sixteenth year, he - along with his brother Garfield - has been part of our lives for over half of our kids lives. He's an introvert. He hates lots of people, and new people freak him out so much, he's been known to quietly disappear to the shed when visitors arrive, only to return after three or four weeks living on mice and sleeping in the hay when he's sure the intruders have departed. Unlike Garfield, he is NOT fond of cuddles (or BBQ chips, but that's another story for another day), and might choose to come and sit close beside you if it's cold; or, if you're trying to perform a task which is made much more difficult by the appearance of a cat under your arm!

Casper pretty much does his own thing- as is the want of most felines - and provided he is fed frequently (he isn't actually all that good at catching mice) mostly keeps to himself and out of my way. Most of the time...

Which brings me to this:

This is my Peerless Watercolour Palette. See how the left side is all crisp and white looking? And how muddied and watery and splotchy looking it gets towards the left side? I guess it's my own fault, but, is the weird green pond water in my paintbrush water jar really more appealing than the fresh, clean water in your cat bowl, Casper? Apparently. So much more appealing in fact, that he not only drinks out of it, but knocks it over, all over the studio bench, drenching my journal, causing pages to run, and - most alarmingly - drowning my favourite watercolour palette and discharging all that delicious colour. 

As you might have guessed, I was pretty bummed about this. Actually, "bummed' doesn't put near a fine enough point on it, but it's somewhat unladylike and undignified to swear about it and put into print the words I uttered at the time. 

Casper has done this before - numerous times, but, I'd been lucky that nothing got damaged - usually just a puddle of nasty greeny looking water on the bench, and me muttering to myself that I need to learn not to leave the water jar full when I'm done in the studio, before the spill wreaks havoc with something special. 

Sometimes, we seem to have to learn things the hard way. Reminds me of that John Wayne quote. 

"Life is tough. It's tougher if you're stupid."

I'm off right now to empty that bloody brush water jar, before Casper decides he's a feline Michelangelo.

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.                                                                                                                                                                            

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!

Making Friends with Muriel - The Joy and Wonder of Art Journals

Making Friends With Muriel; Art Journal Page
©2014 Tracey Hewitt

Let me introduce you to Muriel. I think she is in fact a little older than she looks; and she is the face belonging to the voice inside my head. Some people would call her the "Inner Critic", there are probably a hundred titles we could give her. Please tell me you have one too? You know, the voice that tells you how much you suck; that you're too fat, too skinny, too loud, too.... you can fill in the space. That ever present nagging that you're not enough of the good stuff and too much of the not good stuff. A little while ago, she was getting real loud. It was time to deal with her. It started with some writing, and at some point, I burst out laughing, because I realised that she reminded me of my high school Home Economics teacher. This woman had a most unfortunate voice, and was possibly the most negative human being I had encountered in my fourteen or so years. She would hawk up some spit onto her fingers to wipe chalk from the blackboard, and, most unfortunately, would swipe her finger through one cake batter after another in the Home Ec kitchen, suck it off, and move on to the next bowl, until she had tasted them all - never washing that finger off. And yes, she probably had spat on it to clean the blackboard first. Toss in sarcastic and a tiny bit mean, and (not that I consider this a character flaw, but it affected my opinion of her back then) sorrowfully dowdy and dull.

But, back to Muriel. It was time, as I said, to put her in her place. A quick sketch with a water brush filled with Sumi Ink (which might just be the best fun you can have with any drawing instrument on earth), and suddenly, she was getting a makeover. Sparkly turquoise glasses, bright pink lips and a big, fat piece of my mind! Who knew that could be so much fun?

Again, I was reminded of the power of art. To start with a topic, subject or feeling that has negative aspects; express it with colour and movement, and through the process transform it completely. The great thing about it is this - it happens every time.

Muriel will forever live in my head, and sometimes, she has some useful stuff to offer - like "For heaven's sake, get OFF Facebook and DO something!" But, when she's being a cow; thinking about this journal page makes me smile, and quietly ignore her and get on with shooting for stars and aiming for awesome. (Neither of which I accomplish, but I figure it's good to set your sights high!)

Art Journaling - It Feels A Bit Like Therapy

 

Does this pile of luscious goodness look like fun to you?

 

 

How about all this snowy, fresh paper and clean brushes?

 

Wheel that trolley out onto my back verandah and into a gorgeous autumn afternoon, and the stage is set for some serious Art Journaling fun.

 

 

A while back, I sent out feelers to see if maybe one or two people might be keen to spend a bit of time here exploring a few art techniques and materials in the safety of their very own Art Journal. While I love where I live, it is a small community, and I thought I might be lucky if I could find any takers. To my surprise and delight - there were nine! All keen to excavate the creativity they hoped was buried in them someplace. 

 

Over the course of three hours, they were introduced to Dyelusions Sprays, Distress Stains, stamps, stencils and all kinds of markers and pens, which they used to create some really fun backgrounds and play with lettering styles. Of course, many of them (OK - most of them) looked a little horrified when I suggested it was time they write - in their own handwriting - in their journals. When I asked how many of them hated their own writing - hands went up all around the table. What I told them in essence, was this:

 

 Every mark we make, every word we write, comes from us. Is us. Our essence cant help but show up in everything we do. Hating our handwriting (substitute voice, thighs, drawing, tummy, crows feet, toes, teeth.... you get the idea) is to hate a unique and authentic part of ourselves.

 

I know we all do it (I am guilty of it often!) But, I'm coming to believe that we have more to give when we give ourselves a break. When we are OK with ourselves and our efforts.

 

 

I reckon they all found the tip of their creative icebergs. Which makes me really excited for next week, when we'll have a play with acrylic paints, try drawing faces and dedicate a page to our Inner Critics. I've named mine "Muriel" (apologies to any wonderful and beautiful Muriel's out there...) and she can be a real shrew. Should be fun to share our stories and see the portraits these great girls create of their own versions of Muriel.

 

Honouring The Ordinary

I recently stumbled across Brene Brown (the Internet holds endless wonders and discoveries, doesn't it?) whose research into the human condition is fascinating. A couple of videos of her TEDx talks are the worth the investment of your time (at least I felt they were worth the investment of mine!) The Power of Vulnerability and The Price of Invulnerability are thought provoking, heartwarming, and funny. She knows the 'stuff' we all do (and admits freely to doing it herself...makes her totally charming!) What I'm getting to here, is that she talks about the ways we can choose to live wholeheartedly, vulnerably... by, among other things, Practising Gratitude and Honouring the Ordinary. Which brings me to my point...Lately, I've been feeling a little less than enamoured with the ordinary (if I was totally honest with you - bored. Not bored as in nothing to do, bored as in uninspired, untouched and unimpressed). So, I set myself the task of looking at the ordinary with fresh eyes. A sunrise...very ordinary, in that there's one every day. But magical, and beautiful...I know I forget to notice that sometimes. Every day a new, fresh opportunity to appreciate things we take for granted.

My ordinary days include my family. With all the convivial chaos that that includes. And that makes me a lucky, lucky woman.

My ordinary environment looks like this...peaceful, quiet, yet solid and strong.

These guys visit my eucalyptus trees regularly. Some days, their chattering and partying can make it hard to think straight...but their enthusiasm is infectious.

One of my most favourite 'ordinary' things to do is write in my journal...a great place to practice gratitude. And one of the things I am grateful for is You. You honour me so greatly by giving up your time to stop by here and read my ruminations - Thank you!

Looking at your 'ordinary', and honouring it - recognising how special it really is - is something I thoroughly recommend....try it today.

Coptic Book Binding

A few days ago I had one of the best days in a long time...



One of the artists from our recent book collaboration, Ollie Bath, was the tutor for a Coptic Book Binding workshop, organised by Biloela Area Visual Artists - affectionately known as BAVA in these parts.

Ollie demonstrated how to cover the grey board to create the book covers...

and how to fold a delicious assortment of papers into 'folios' and 'signatures', mark, poke holes and - miraculously - hand stitch all the board and paper together to create a beautiful book.

Ollie, Judy & Liz surveying our days work...

Eight of us created these beautiful books with an assortment of handmade papers, scrap booking and specialty papers, tissue and mulberry papers, even sketch block papers torn out of the block and with the little holes from the spiral binding left on the edge (which, I have to tell you, is too cool for words when you flick through the book!)

Holding one of these in your hands imparts a kind of quiet contentment that is truly rare...It's hard to explain just what it is about these books, it's an intangible feeling. The weight of the book in your hand; the array of textures and colours...they have a special beauty I am clearly struggling to define!

I pick my new baby up at least three times a day...just to hold it and look at it. Soon I will decide what use to put it to - I think it is destined to be an art journal, but till then, I'll enjoy fondling it at every opportunity!

Thanks to Ollie and BAVA for a truly enjoyable day!

Something I really enjoy is to pore over photographs of the spaces where others live and work...especially artist's studios.

I've recently been enjoying the latest edition of Studio's, published by the Cloth Paper Scissors magazine team. It inspired me to have a bit of a clean up and sort out a few problem areas in my own studio, and I thought that if I enjoy checking these things out...then maybe you would too.

So, welcome to a quick guided tour of my creating space...now with all the drawers labelled so I can lay my hand on everything at warp speed!

On my painting/collage desk pens, scissors and satay sticks occupy a funky mug all the way from West Yellowstone, Montana. I love the moose and the colours... Brushes live in a rectangular glass vase, with smaller ones in another bottle, adorned with some glass beads put together by my Mum. There's a gorgeous little deck of cards given to me by my special friend, Ralda...the one on top just now says: "Nature does not hurry, yet everything is accomplished"

I just realised that this corner has a Ralda gift in it too! The mug holding my pliers has a bit of a girlfriend theme - I was broken hearted when it developed a crack and no longer held my morning tea...but eased my angst by realising it could be put to use here. The green page with the eyes is my most recent art journal page...I think there may be something revealing about my current state of mind here - if only I could work out just what it is!

This room is something of a haven from the clatter and confusion of daily life around here...filled with treasured books, journals, art work of my own, and - of more pleasure to me - many others. My Dad built the trolley you can see by the big window, a pew style seat and blanket box which serve as a spot to sit and contemplate, and the white shelf/hanging rack beside the sewing machine. My Mum decoupaged the old music case on top of the bookshelf - I'm just realising that it deserves a photo of it's own...you really can't see here how beautiful it is! There are photo frames from good friends, tiny ceramic drawers given to be by my husband's sister before she died...the more I look, the more special and wonderful things I find.

I'd love for this space to have a name...but haven't yet come up with one...have you got any suggestions?

1000 Journal Project

Today's photo is part of the Altered Book Page I did for Peta as part of our Altered Book Collaboration. I loved being involved in the collaboration - really enjoying the journalling nature of it all.

My parents recently loaned me a DVD they thought I might enjoy called 1000 Journals. They were right! I found it quite fascinating. Some of you may have heard or read about this project - a gentleman, going by the name of 'Someguy', created 1,000 blank journals and set about sending them out into the world, with their individual number recorded inside along with the website details to visit and 'report' on the journals location and progress. The idea is for the journals to be worked in by a variety of people and his wish is that at least some of them might find their way back to him when they are full. According to the documentary, he has had four returned and is working on getting them exhibited somewhere - no small undertaking considering there are 1,000 in the 'collection' and he has no notion of the whereabouts of the other 996!

First and foremost , it is a quite fascinating glimpse into human nature...the generosity of some, the selfishness of others, the ego and, sadly, even the cruelty that we humans can be capable of.

Some people drew, some painted, some pasted in bits of ephemera, others wrote...a fascinating range of styles, techniques, themes and ideas appear through out the story.

Here is what the website has to tell us about the Project:

About The 1000 Journals Project

The 1000 Journals Project is an ongoing collaborative experiment attempting to follow 1000 journals throughout their travels. The goal is to provide a method for interaction and shared creativity among friends and strangers.
How it Works:
Those who find the journals add something to them. A story, drawing, photograph, anything really. Then they pass the journal along, to a friend or stranger, and the adventure continues.
Unfortunately, you've got a better chance of winning the lottery, then of getting a hold of a journal. That's the problem when there are only 1000 of them. Now, you're best bet is to check out 1001 Journals where you can sign up for a journal, or launch your own traveling, location, or personal journals.

I enjoyed our collaboration so much, and a large part of that was that each month, I met a new collaborator on the pages of the book in my hands, and over time, came to know each artist better and better by seeing more of their work with each book. I wonder what it would be like to be involved in a collaboration where you might never see the finished product, or get to know any of your fellow contributors? I'm curious....curious enough? I haven't decided yet. What about you?

Altered Book Collaboration

The studio has been a bit quiet over Christmas and New Year, but it's time to get back in the groove and down to business! Along with a bundle of plastic bag beads; this book - belonging to Olga Bath, from Biloela, has been the first order of business...

"Who Am I?...I Am Who?" is the title, it's developing into a most interesting collection of visual biographies.

My pages are painted, handwritten, stamped, drawn on, collaged on, and I had a great time creating the little doorways (some silk paper there...)

The writing includes all kind of strange details about "Who Am I?"...I noticed that in different places I love the smell of rain, the sound of rain on a tin roof, and the feel of rain on my skin! I had to stop and wonder if I'd chosen the best possible place I could live?! It really doesn't rain much here! But, perhaps that's why I appreciate it with all my senses so greatly!

I found it a very interesting piece to work on - I have never met almost all the other artists in this collaboration (though I am coming to know them through cyber space) and contemplating how to answer the question Who Am I, makes one realise what complex and curious creatures we are (or at least I am!!)

Try it for yourself sometime...a blank sheet of paper, some magazine pictures, maybe a photo of yourself - or try collaging your face from an assortment of images that mean something to you - maybe write your answers to the question...I can almost guarantee you'll have a little moment of self discovery!

Thanks Olga - for an opportunity (and valid excuse!) to spend a couple of days totally immersed in myself. Now that doesn't happen very often!

Journal for Mandy

My "Cousin in Law" and friend, Mandy, lost her lovely Mum a couple of weeks ago. I set about covering a journal for her...to write her reminiscences, or whatever she pleases, as she experiences life without her Mum.

The cover is "fabric paper" - a technique Beryl Taylor has written about in her book "Mixed Media Explorations". I have layered some very old sheet music (Norma loved to sing), aged card and a transparency image; as well as adding some paper punched daisies, with coloured brads for centres. Across the top run the words:

reminisce (rem'.e.nis) to think, talk, or write about remembered events, usually with fondness

Seemed totally appropriate!

I've been hard at work on the Altered Book. I have actually managed to construct a real book from the covers of an old book; made pages from watercolour paper, printed with maps and the edges burned; which I tied together with painted satay sticks all lashed to the spines of the pages...It's not quite ready for it's glamour photo session, but is getting quite close. Lots and lots of fun!