Last night, I was invited as a guest tutor to teach a lovely art group who have been meeting for twenty years. I decided to use the two hours to attempt to teach something about Alexander Technique in relationship to art making. An experiment for me and a bit of a risk as it was…
Tag: creativity
Just Drawing
Sometimes I just like to sit and draw… to develop my cast of characters – horse trees, ponies, dandelion clocks, cats… Simply drawing, developing fluency, like a pianist running fingers up and down the scales, faster faster… I have draws full of drawings. A hoard of used paper hidden in the dark. Is drawing a…
Feather Paintings – Painting with Spirit
The lovely thing about painting with feathers is I feel a connection with the bird and its energy, its spirit. I haven’t painted many birds, just a few African ones, so am enjoying this new subject matter immensely as I spend the summer observing them in the garden. I am trying not to overwork these…
For all the ‘Weirdos!’
Here’s the thing! When I went to art school in the early 80’s it was ‘where weirdos go!’ I was regularly told as a teenager I was a weirdo for liking art, dressing up weird and my music choices – ska, blues, punk! And alongside, told I would never make a living as an artist…
Creativity is Mistakes
‘Self Consciousness is crippling for an artist’ Grayson Perry I find social media somewhat excruciating! There! I’ve said it! For all that it is lovely too, connecting with wonderful people all over the world, sharing my art is a challenge to me. I find it embarrassing! However, I won’t give in to being ‘crippled by…
Oil Paint versus Acrylic
Mother Africa, The Low Hanging Fruit are Easiest to Pick – Oil on Canvas, 150 x 100 cm Oil paint is honest! It’s substantial holding it’s rich, beautiful, natural colours but needs space and time available to dry, whilst releasing its toxic fumes. Acrylic is a dishonest bugger! It dries thinner than you’ve applied it,…
The Joy of Not Setting Intentions
Hey – it’s a new moon, set your intentions for the month – a five year plan, perhaps? It’ll be new year before you know it, time for more resolutions. How do you intend to make the most of today? Are you intending to get fit or get rich? Me, I am rebelling against setting…
Would you go to a car mechanic if you had toothache?
Fountain, Marcel Duchamp 1917 (signed R Mutt). Arguably one of the most important and influential artworks of the twentieth century. Would you go to the a lawyer to buy lipstick or the builders merchant to have a swim? Would you make an appointment with your doctor to get your lawn mowed or phone a plumber…
No Room For Doubt!
No Room for Doubt! ‘There is no room for doubt in art!’ Sean Scully The opposite of the word doubt is confidence. Other words to describe the opposite of doubt include belief, conviction, trust, definiteness, faith, ease, truthfulness, solution, calm, clarity, knowledge… At art school we were encouraged to be bold, to be confident, as…
Make Art Not War – Weapons of Mass Creation
At art school a tutor commented that my brushes looked like they had been at war. A comment that stuck with me, but I did not really understand. Twenty years later whilst painting I was listening to a Radio 4 programme on post traumatic stress disorder, previously known as shell shock and realised that…
Artists Statement
As a painter my interest lies primarily in the process of painting – brush strokes, mark making, colour – the surface texture of paint, the flow of a line, the feel … However, what lies behind the feel, flow and joy of painting is something I have started blogging about this year. That is,…
Writing a blog is better than talking to yourself!
Cartoon of negative chatter that gets in the way of creativity I have been writing blogs! And it is interesting to me because it has now become part of the creative process. A bit of a revelation really and something I would recommend to any artist. Totally vulnerable making for sure, but it moves…
The Drama of Art
Recently a friend suggested I like drama …I do! As Shakespeare put it ‘All the world’s a stage and all the men and women merely players. They have their exits and their entrances and one man in his time plays many parts.’ (As You Like It) I used to teach Alexander Technique to actors too…
‘Be More Maisie!’
Maisie photo bombing with ball … Ever since I was given Maisie, my Cockerpoo, as a 3 month old ‘please have her we can’t cope’ pup, I have been saying to myself ‘Be More Maisie!’ She was wild! She still is highly energetic and completely obsessed with catching her ball and making sure…
The Field of Intention – What is it?
Maisie and Me in the Field! What is The Field of Intention, other than the name of my next painting exhibition and workshop that I will be giving at The Findhorn Foundation’s Moray Art Centre later this year. The Field of Intention is my name for the magical creative IT! It is not…