my creative 2013 …..

I have had pause to reflect on my creativity, or lack of creativity in many ways, from last year.  Like Fiona I am making a habit of looking back over the years - albeit that I have not quite reached my second year of blogging so the habit is quite infantile!  It will grow, baby steps and all.

It wasn't a good year for me in many ways even though I was lucky enough to have a couple of amazing trips away - one overseas to Morocco, Spain and France, and the second through some of outback Australia, crossing the Simpson Desert in 4WD's and camping.  I think the highlights for me would have to be about the creativity of the year - limited though it was.

Last week I posted on the envelope project I had been part of for twelve months and all the first  photographs are various bits I made towards this endeavour - many of which inspired further work, or were inspired by things I was already working on in the studio.

The photographs of our 'mail' project are in no particular order.  All images are of my work - I will post again next month on the second half of the year, showing the group images.

I actually managed to finish this collaborative piece.  Fiona posted hers some time ago, mine was only completed recently.  It is the longer of the two pieces.

Starry Starry Night - a collaboration of Fiona's and mine with some of the pages below.  I really love the way this book turned out and it is actually best read by lamplight.

Another collaboration piece which we both were surprised by - it works really well as an unbound book as the images can be arranged in numerous ways making it read differently every time.

This wedding book and double perspex cover took days to make but it was well worth it in the end.

Ode to Fallen Angels - is definitely one of my favourite creations this year.  I made two books out of engravings I had made years ago when a very special friend of mine died.  The techniques I explored in these books actually led , and will continue to lead, into a whole body of work using similar techniques.

These small prints from my In Between Dreams Series - led into more an more exploration of layers  and further visual ideas which in turn led onto much larger work which I think will become part of my permanent style of working.

 

These larger pieces will soon be for sale over the internet, and an assortment of 'Vessels' as well - you will see from my posting a couple of weeks ago I am experimenting with blues and lighter tones of greys and beige.

One thing that really strikes me as I look back at the favourites of my work this last year, is the monotony of my palette.  And though I really, really enjoy working with these colours, I am determined to bring variety into my work during 2014.  I also plan to work far more diligently and to take on only those projects which really let me explore my work more fully and profoundly.  This certainly doesn't mean I will not have fun in the Studio - it just means I plan take my work more seriously and push it a little further this year, and a little further the next.

Next week Fiona and I will both be posting on the meeting of our latest collaborative books, always a highlight of my creative work, and it seems both of us have spent an enormous amount of time on these books.  Can't let you have a sneak peak as we really enjoy the complete surprise we have ourselves when the books meet. 

you've got mail …..

Happy New Year all my creative friends.  Hoping that this is a wonderful year for us all …

Last year I was privileged to take part in a delightful exchange project.  Each month of the year five of us in three different countries, made or decorated an envelope and made a small insert as a creative gift. These were then posted monthly, including one to ourselves, and each month we had the enormous pleasure of receiving this mail through the post.

I cannot convey the depth of pleasure this brought to each of us …. the anticipation of receiving 'art mail' in amongst all the drab letters that usually arrive (bills mostly!), the shaking of the hands with excitement as the envelope was carried away almost secretly to a quiet corner for fondling, turning this way and that and taking in all the external delights of the envelope marks and hints, then once a decision was made on how to open the envelope, the gasp of pleasure as the treasure inside was revealed.  Unwrapping this often meant unwrapping crisp layers of tissue, revealing the next layer which may be tied with glorious thread revealing yet another delight beneath, only to realise there was yet another something tucked away inside. Sigh!

I have been reliving all of this haptic and visual pleasure today, going through the bundles and examining each treasure again, taking photographs.  And so on.  Photographs in the end are merely photographs and cannot possibly explain all those emotions and the joy each month's mail released.

The project was year long, but the cherished friendships that have been made over the year will grow.  Five like minded creative souls who have formed a special link across the miles.  A little like pen pals of old who become so important to us, without ever having met the correspondent, is how this project became.  Strangers coming to know each other through sharing their creativity.  I think the success of this project is that those who were invited to join in the group had been singled out as being creatively like minded …. and of course, behind that artwork lay souls that were meant to forge links.

Although the project was totally delicious, the commitment was large and having reached our year's goal, it was decided that we would set it aside to make time for other work.  We all seem to have busy creative years ahead of us but I can say with certainty, that this has been something special.

Here are some photographs of the first six month's of mail …  the next instalment will follow soon.

January 2013

February 2013

March 2013

April 2013

May 2013

June 2013

wedding gift tick …..

Anna and James (who were married in October and whose wedding book I made and posted on) have just been here and chosen their engagement and wedding gifts!  Those of you who follow my blog will know that I have been sweating over this ….. not that I am not really happy Anna wanted my artwork for her gifts but the responsibility of offering up artwork that may or may not be loved and cherished is huge.  Commissions. Ugh!  Anyway, I came up with the idea of doing a number of different things …. settled on offering a choice of four pairs from the 'In Between Dreams' work and some of my vessels.

The 'cool' versions below were chosen, and two of my vessels which compliment each other nicely I think.  I am really pleased they went with the cooler version of the work as I have worked with earth colours for so long, but seem to be drawn to blues and more subtle tones at the moment.  Of course there is always the 'dark' which seems to be a signature of my work.  Will have to try and lighten that too - all sorts of creative changes in 2014 perhaps???

Watch this space!

These images are approximately 30cm x 30 cm and in the flesh there is more to be seen, and the blacks are deeper.  Because I have used graphite in a couple of the layers of work, it makes it more difficult to photograph. The photographs are a fair indicator of how they look however.  I am just so glad the choice has been made and the work appreciated. A good end to 2013.

These Vessel are each about 18cms x 11cms

This and the image below formed my favourite pair.