Art and Creativity

Finding freedom in commitments

Among other things I am a marriage celebrant, so I regularly see couples who are committing to each other for the rest of their lives. For many people, just thinking of the word “commitment” can evoke a wide range of emotions. Some people greatly desire commitment,...

Creating Creative Ritual

Art and Creativity, Ritual & Sacred Living

I love the quote by painter Chuck Close: “Inspiration is for amateurs. The rest of us just show up and get to work.” Real creative professionals know that creativity isn’t about a spark, or inspired moment. Sure those things happen, but they’re rare and can’t be...

Finding inspiration

Art and Creativity

It can be so hard to find inspiration at times. Especially for those of us who have a 9-5 job outside of art. We may be too tired to think straight, or distracted by our daily routine. In such situations, we have to search for sources of inspiration and creativity....

Finding your artistic passion

Art and Creativity

Making art is part of the human experience. Whether it is painting, sculpture, poetry, cooking, even the way you dress each day, it doesn’t matter, its part of who we are. I really believe that anyone who says “I am not creative” is wrong. Its more likely they haven’t...

Atelodemiourgiophobia

Art and Creativity

Can you believe this word? This is real – this word (that I cannot pronounce) means the fear of imperfect creative activity. It fits so perfectly with my thoughts of late. Its January, I am making a million plans about how much more I will paint, how I will start new...

Drawing Inspiration

Art and Creativity

How do you find inspiration for your pen drawings. It’s a huge world out there and there are a gazillion things to draw, – that’s right, a ‘gazillion’. It’s really a matter of picking something and getting started. It doesn’t matter your skill level; if...

The sweetest surprise

Art and Creativity

I had the most delightful surprise. I recently went to the Sunshine coast looking forward to a relaxing weekend by the beach. I arrived to find my own artwork adorning the walls of this newly renovated apartment. If you like the look of this, and want to stay...

Art as meditation

Art and Creativity

Many of us have heard about the benefits of meditation, but sometimes find it hard to do. Fewer of us know about the profound benefits of artistic expression. Creating art, however, is another way to access a meditative state of mind and the profound healing it...

Painting to music

Art and Creativity

We all need a passionate boost in our creative process once in a while. Creative writer Julia Cameron makes the point, “When I am afraid of my own creativity (which may be to say I am afraid of my own passion), I turn to passion and creativity of others whose...

Perspective is everything

Art and Creativity

You Tell Me It cannot be so you say… Simple hands cannot change the fate of humanity. I say humanity is a boundless, absorbing heart, Transcending death, and generations, and centuries, Absorbing bullets, and stitches, and tear gas, Enduring humiliation, and illegal...

Winning and losing

Art and Creativity

When I’m working on something, I just paint and play and paint and play till it feels like it’s in the right place. Today there has been some winning and some losing. Some parts of this giant canvas feels like it’s done, some feels like a mess....

Journaling

Art and Creativity

I’ve been journaling a lot lately, scribbling and doodling in my sketch book. I’m working on faces and colour. I finally have time to getback in the studio over the xmas period so I can’t wait to move from the little book to the big canvas. ...

I Can Fly

Art and Creativity

I’ve been painting in the last little while. This image is an experiment on wings. Giving space to my work is unusual. But I like it. Its really unusual to see a canvas so bare. In real life this canvas is very textured, It has layers and layers and layers...

Trust

Art and Creativity

I sat quietly and just let emotions flow through me. It was an interesting exercise. To look at it in real life it has much , much more texture and depth. here though, it looks a little flat. Part of my process lately has been very much to be in the present and allow...

My nest.

Art and Creativity

How do you describe the distance left by years of separation. The kind of distance that doesn’t grow, but rather, still feels like the pain of that first moment of separation. That emptiness, that feeling of something, some part of your body being ripped off...