New Wall Art Piece - 2

My favourite colour palette acts as a safety net when it comes to my creations as my designs come freely and I know the finished piece is going to be as I imagined.  So, excited to create another wall hanging in a similar style to the one I made for myself, I decided to use a colour palette I wouldn't normally choose.  I had used it once when creating my handpainted bookmarks (middle bookmark in the below pic) and I loved the outcome.  Wondering how it would look on a much larger scale was what piqued my muse:

One good thing about painting the discs is as each piece consists of multiple layers which require dry time in-between each layer, I can work on them in short bursts which suits my schedule wonderfully!

I finished painting the discs earlier this week and pondered on what selection of beads to use and how it was going to hang:

And this morning, I finished linking it altogether using an array of Indian glass, semiprecious gemstones, Mykonos ceramics and Czech glass:

And it's all complete!

Have a wonderful week ahead :)

New Piece from the "Elements: Water" Series

On my work table I have clusters of beads I've pulled out whilst working on other projects that have piqued my muse to use "later".  Sometimes those beads sit, occasionally being picked up, turned over in my hand and then returned to its spot where it continues to sit for what feels like a lifetime.  Such is the case in this instance.  A wirework dangle, a lampwork bead and a ceramic droplet made by the wonderful Scorched Earth have been picked up, fondled, stared at, hoping the design would miraculously appear and yet they've been returned to their spot for two years and one house move.  

Two weeks ago, Heath and I wandered down to a local reggae festival where we crossed over a creek.  Stopping to see if it was running, I was so inspired by what I saw -- gently swirling water delicately gliding over and under sun-kissed river pebbles whilst dragonflies hover a bee's breath above the surface and the lyrebirds sound their meditative song through the magical shards of listening glistening amongst the tree canopy.  And when I returned home, I knew.  Finally!  And I finished it this weekend:

This one of a kind piece features my handmade polymer clay connector and spiral dangle, a Scorched Earth on Etsy bronzy droplet, seed beads, Acacia seed, coconut, lampwork, leather and hemp cording, Vintage Bronze wire and antique brass findings.

Hope you have a wonderful week ahead!

New Wall Art Piece

Today has been an awesome day!  You know those days where everything works out and there's sunshine and rainbows? Hehe. Yep, today is THAT day for me.

I started the day waking from a wonderful sleep-in with no alarm!  And I spent most of my morning having such a soul-filled conversation with a dear friend of mine which left me in such a great space.  I had planned to spend the whole day creating but it was such fantastic weather that I did some garden tending until lunch and spent the afternoon finishing off a piece of wall art which makes me tingle all over :)

See, I continue on the bandwagon of finishing my unfinished projects.  As each one gets completed in its due time, I'm buzzing to see ideas from recently or from years ago form afore my eyes.  Sometimes these materialisations are stonewalled as I get stuck not knowing how to continue and for some ideas, they just wait patiently.  So is the case for this one.  I designed this on 21 August 2003 carefully cutting out photocopies of my drawing to create the bigger picture:

So over our recent Christmas short break, I brought out my wooden discs again, painting each one.  Then I started the construction:

And last night, I finished the construction:

Then today was the fun part of figuring out how to hang it.  I wanted it to sit flat on the wall so after fiddling about for sometime, I ended up by dressing one of my canvases with Dupioni silk in the most magical sage green and affixed the piece to the canvas.  It is marvellous.  Well I think so anyway hahahha. So introducing "Sun of Yang":

Enjoy your weekend ahead :)

 

New Year to Try New Things

It's been some time since I last wrote and it's all the crazy season's fault.  However, despite all the madness, we spent a wonderful day at my sister's place who put on an amazing lunch and we all left with full bellies and warmed hearts. We were able to have a few days off work to unwind and just be.  To switch off from the world and not adhere to a schedule. Much needed rest was had to heal, reset and recharge.  

I spent most of my time in the garden working on our vegetable patch. Tending to plants is something I find great joy in and as it was also my birthday, we added my favourite berry fruits to our collection, growing it to 42 different varieties of food.  I had intended on building a beehive, however, I feel my knowledge of keeping bees is not enough so I wish to research more until I feel I can handle any issue that may occur.

I did spare enough time to finish my mixed media wall art piece that I started in the September.  For me to have completed 15 projects since moving to the farm is a massive accomplishment and honestly, I'm so proud of what I've achieved.  This mixed media wall hanging was inspired by the way I make my vessels.  I had wanted to try an inlaid coloured shape on a flat surface and I also wanted to see how a larger piece would hold together when done flat.

Embellishing it with shell, wood, sea glass and seed gave the piece more depth and I really love how it turned out, especially being my last completed piece for 2016.  It now hangs in our lounge room

So with the beginning of each year, I like to think about all the new skills I want to build on and new ideas I want to try out, in my growth as an artist.  As I've mentioned so many times before, the list will always be never-ending.  But one thing I enjoy doing is expanding on my ideas using different mediums. 

Continuing with the theme of my style of basket-weaving (btw, it is in no way a traditional method lol), I recently became inspired by another vessel I'm currently making.  I had just finished the base and thought it would look so cool as a pendant.  So I ran with it.

I had visions of it being the first in a new "Dream Weaver" series but I'm unsure if it's on the wrong side of too different. I like stepping out of the box but have I gone too far??  I've had some feedback from family and friends who say they really like it but I dunno.  We'll see.  I'm going to attempt another in a different colour scheme so stay tuned.

Enjoy your week!

Working Through The Pile of Unfinished Projects - 5

Following on from my last post, I've continued to work on part 2 of my "Spirit Beings" paintings and finished this one yesterday.  Wahoo!!!  As mentioned before, it's taken me 16 years to finish these and all I need to do now is work out how to hang them.  I'm thinking of using some handmade hooks where the paintings will sit in the hooks.

And here are the two of them together:

Enjoy the rest of your weekend :)

Working Through The Pile of Unfinished Projects - 4

So am back to finishing up half-done pieces after recently completing my new wall hanging.  I can't believe I have finished 12 pieces since July!  It's so satisfying as I really enjoy finishing things (despite how long it takes), but more importantly, I've been having so much fun!

I don't think I should include the below piece in the count.  Why?  Well I have a confession.....  this piece has been a long time in the making <eek>.  Sixteen years to be exact! 

So in 2000, when I worked in chambers, both of my bosses were taking a long lunch break and I didn't have much to do.  I'd been doing some personal research on alternative therapies and the night before, I had envisaged what I call my "spirit beings".  So I sketched out two designs for some soon to be drawings.

Two years later, I completed those drawings in my black and white bubble style with the hope of transferring them into a painting.

Thirteen years later, in August 2015, I was working through my pile of unfinished projects (as I seem to do haha) and decided to continue on this project and off I went.  The background of the canvas board came up beautifully and the depiction of the spirit beings was exactly was I was hoping.  And then I became stumped.  I didn't know how to finish it.  So I commenced the second in the series (still yet to be completed) whilst I contemplated how to finish them.  Then at the same point as the first, I hit the brick wall.  And so they sat. Until now.

This painting comes up rather ordinary and muted in its vibrancy in the pic as the many dots seem to distort the lens.  However, these paintings are the most meaningful to me out of all of my work I've completed since that day in chambers. And there is quite a collection hahaha!!!  Their meaning is deeply personal and to see the first one finally completed brings me heart-warming joy. I'm hoping to work on the second soon so will post a pic once it's done.

Enjoy your weekend!

For My Studio

For quite some time I've wanted to make a wall hanging for my studio.  We've lived in rental properties for quite awhile, and as you're only allowed to use already existing picture hooks, I've held off making something for me as writing letters to real estate agents for permission to knock a hole in a wall is a bit of a headache.  So in the process of brightening my studio, and now being able to do whatever we like, I thought why not!

Earlier this week, I shared on Instagram the main components for the wall hanging using acrylic on wood:

By midnight last night/this morning, it was done and I couldn't be happier!!  I'm unsure if it requires a fifth strand - what do you think?

Using a selection of wood, Irish waxed linen, gemstones, recycled glass, bone and natural seed pods, it's exactly what I had envisaged.  

Hope you have a marvellous weekend!