Trying not to get discouraged here...

There's SO MANY amazingly 

talented creative people in this world. 

Because of technology and 

the internet I see it ALL the time.

It's hard not to get discouraged. 

Inasmuch, as I'm struggling to find my niche

I'm also stimulated by others creativity

so I feel I'm between a rock 

and a hard place, most often.

 A bit of assemblage going on here

..and some abstract faces.

Water-colour pencils on paper.

Now to add water!

I been doing more reading too.

Paul Klee intrigues me.

I think it's his keen interest

and connection with nature

that resonates with me. 

I'm also inspired by Munch work too.

I love the way he blends his colours

His freedom of application and his expression 

of emotion with medium on paper.

I so want that....

Some things that have inspired me...

 I think I could enjoy drawing this!

 Love the abstract shapes of the three on the right
They are what inspired my abstract faces drawing.

 Guess what this is???

The porch roof through 
red glass in my back door.
I love "seeing" these things!

Time: 6 hours

Resource 1, 

Painting, Drawing, Reading

Back into it...finally!

After last weeks enforced rest, 

I'm finally feeling better!

During that time I've been doing lots 

of thinking and reading

and trying to work out how to 

execute the ideas forming

 in my head as a result.

 From this photo I took several copies of my silhouette

 Traced the shaped onto foam

and adhere it to cardboard

and stamped the shape using acrylic paint

Of course nothing quite goes to plan

and I got paint all over the paint

so I'm going to cut around this 

and use it like a collage piece.

These are my cats eyes

 I enlarged it, pixel it and the drew it 

onto an A4 sheet of black paper

I had great plans in my head of using pastels 

but ended up, again disappointed with the mess 

the dust left on the black paper.

 So I thought I'd go back to trying paints

and hope I would make a mess of it

I realise that I'm not being very fair to myself

but can't seem to help it today...

so I'll just go with how it is and hope that 

some where, some way, some how

I'll actually be less fearful

 and more tolerant of my work.

Time: 4 hours 

Resource 1 (24/25 July)

Printing Techniques for Textile Design - Monoprinting for Gelatin Printm...

Week Four Update: Resource 1

Wednesday night I ended up at White Cross ER. I was in such much pain I just couldn't stop crying. X-Rays show no break so it's a tissue injury that I'm dealing with. Got prescribed some heavy-duty drugs (Voltaren and Panadeine) and went straight to bed after getting back home and taking the new meds. Sleep enveloped me pretty quickly and though I woke periodically during the night in pain, I'm feeling much better the next morning.  Once the drugs wear off..Boy, do I know about it! I feel stupid leaving it so long to get medical help. I don't know why I did that. Suffering for 10 days in pain doesn't make sense at all.... "I" don't make sense at all.

Thursday, had a counselling appointment in the morning. I talked about the pain, my frustrations with myself being in pain. Trying to carry on and ignore the pain..trying to cope with the emotional issues arising between my kids. Trying and failing because of the pain. I need to take care of me so I can heal. I keep telling myself it's OK for me to take care of me. That I'm not being selfish or self-centered....

So, I've been spending a lot of time here..in my bed.
Resting, with a wheatie (like a hot-water bottle)
 
..and when I've been up to it I done a little art.

Some doodling....

..some drawing and colouring..

 ..and some painting.Well, applying
water to the water-colour drawing!
I'm not sure about the background.
I quite like the "textured" look...

 

 Oh...and I love my tree!
 I used Indian ink on water colour paper.
The background, coloured a soft blue.

I've also been reading.

These books my neighbour loaned me about
Paul Klee have been really interesting.

 They are pretty "intense" and "deep"...

 but his explorations and explanations has
opened my eyes to a greater artistic understanding.

 I "get" what he means by looking at form vs lack of form (chaos)

of line and shape and movement.

He explores how art happens based on nature

 ..and life forces. I never thought about that!

 His investigations of primal art forms intrigue me

 as well as his research of and relationship to nature.

 
What is interesting is, until I read about Paul Klee's interpretation, I would have looked at the above picture and my first thought would have been "it's a patchwork quilt!" Now, I'm seeing it though Klee's eyes..a pattern of rotations in colour.

And this is not just a beautifully-decorated cake..

...but an intricate design of line and form in shape.

So I've purchased some art books from FISHPOND 
I've been able to get two of them second-hand
for only $5....How cool is that!
They are...

 

 

I'm very excited about getting them and know they will be very useful and a great source of inspiration and information.

Week 4: 10 hours 
drawing/painting/reading/
researching the principles of art and artists

More drawing and colouring with watercolours...

I've been do a little more drawing and colouring in this week

Can't do much else because of my sore ribs.

I'm quite happy with this pear but can't bring myself to "add water" just yet. How sad am I?? I just don't want to wreck it but I know I have to..no, NEED to push this through....

I don't want to be scared of trying new things

Another drawing inspired by this picture..

Photo of  the water sculpture at the Wellington Waterfront

I like the shapes and think maybe I could "do something" with this.

Maybe an abstract? Not sure, but watch this space...

 

Love this, too and very inspired by it.

Might use an a catalyst for one of my failed canvases

My sillouette..

thinking of using my facial outline

 for the study of mouths, eyes and profile

(Journey into Painting Exercise 10/11)

I'd like to "try" draw this tree..

..and really like theses little painted stones.