One world, one heart, giveaway!

Imagine a room of ladies, piles of cakes and plenty of tea. Sweet little sandwiches on sweet little plates and tea sipped from delicate china cups. I spent the afternoon recently at such a party, when my talented friend Sarah set about baking and making tea for a few lucky friends.

It was so much fun Ive decided that the One World One Heart event would be the perfect time to host another tea party. So, come on in and make yourself at home. Pull up a chair. Have a cup cake, or perhaps you'd prefer a meringue? Tea? Now, have we met before? I'm Veronica. I'm a dreamer, a gardener, a baker, a sewer, a sometimes bicycle rider, but most of all, in my heart, an Artist. Its what makes my heart sing and what I want to spend more time doing. This little blog of mine is a chronicle of my creative adventures with a bit of other stuff thrown in the mix for good measure. Nice to meet you.

Now, some of you may be wondering, what is OWOH? Well, its a blogging event with the purpose of 'meeting' some fellow bloggers, kindred spirits and like minded souls, fellow artists, writers, photographers... the list goes on. Its a great way of finding some new and inspiring blogs to read, there are so many talented folks out there doing there creative thing and OWOH brings them all together. You can read more about it over on Lisa's blog.

So, thank you for your fine company, so glad you came by. Leave a comment letting me know you dropped in and on the 17th of Feb I will draw the name of one lucky visitor who will receive one of my little Art Block Prints as a 'door prize' Since its a tea party, it seems appropriate to offer you one of my teacup prints. Its a wee 4x4 inch print of one of my original mixed media artworks, mounted on a chunky canvas block. Perfect to sit on a shelf or hang on the wall.

Glimpses of her

Ive been working on this piece for so long now it seems. She evolves in stages and each time i set my paintbrush down I never know if she is finished or not. Until, hours later, I hear her calling to me again, just a little more paint over there, that part should be darker, or some other bit of useful advice. Her voice is becoming less urgent now, quieter, and I sense she is nearly ready.

Roses

My first post of the year comes a little late in the season, but thats just the way it is in summer isnt it?

Lately these summery days have been filled with roses. Roses on teacups, roses in books, and now, these lovely, vintage rose prints. Im not sure what I'll do with them yet, but when I found them I knew they had to come home with me.

Collecting Inspiration

There’s a soft hum entering through the open windows. Down the hill there, nestled at the water’s edge, the city slowly wakes. Its voice rises up on a gentle mist to greet me. I can look down on the city from here and see that today it is all awash with silver and white. Light, not snow. A summer mist. Not a breath of wind. The sunshine, shrouded, waits.

Inspiration. Where does it come from and where does it go?

As I began to ponder this question a few weeks ago my own inspiration slipped away. How curious. Perhaps this is not something that should be questioned? Considering inspiration and ideas has led me down some twisting, endless paths lately. I’ve only just begun to take the first steps on all their diverging trails.

I like to think that, so far, I have the beginning sketch for a map that I will eventually be able to fill in in detail.

A few marker points on my map so far…

Art

Other Artists and their Art

Nature as Artist/Designer/Creative force

Botanical Illustrations

Memory

Memory as history

Objects as memory / mnemonic objects

Inscriptions (on books and other objects)

Peoples personal stories

My stories

The traditions of discovering/recording/sharing knowledge and how it eventually becomes history

Cabinets of curiosities

Collections (public/museums and private)

Methods of display and labelling of collections of objects (compartments, boxes, labels, files -A container for everything)

Books (especially about nature, or novels)

Maps

Botanical Drawings

Letters (inc postcards and other communication)

Archaeology (lost or buried treasure or everyday items)

Myths

Knowledge

My research/learning about particular stories or objects

My research/learning about Memory/ Collections/ History etc

The Caravan Children captured my imagination years and years ago. I read and re-read this copy from my mothers childhood many times. Through out the story one of its characters secretly undertakes to make a 'museum' to record their caravan holiday. I think my love for objects as memory keepers must have begun in the final paragraphs of this book.

"And sometimes aterwards in the dark winter evenings the childern would ask Peter if they could look at his museum; and he would open his box and take out all the things he had collected. Then they would examine everything all over again and talk of the wonderful times they had had. They would look at the cloudy water in the little bottle and remember how deep and fast the water had rushed along the flooded river bed; and they would touch the piece of burned wood and remember how bright were the flames of fire at Melbury Farm. Then they would shut up the box and put it away, and hope very much that when the summer days came again they would be able to harness Dobbin the horse to the green and yellow caravan and drive away once more in search of adventures."

The Source of Ideas and Inspiration

Lately Ive been thinking about ideas and inspiration. Does inspiration create ideas, or do ideas create inspiration? It seems they are intrinsically linked, each feeding into the other in a perpetual cycle.

I've been wondering - where do my ideas come from? What exactly is my inspiration? How can I best use my ideas and inspiration to expand my creativity?

I think I'll assign myself a little exercise of naming my sources of inspiration and ideas as a way of understanding my creative process better. Once Ive done that I think I will be able to make use of my inspiration more effectively and direct the energy of it into my art with more intention. Thats the goal anyway!

Cutlery for Christmas

Detail of work in progress.

Ive just about completed three new pieces for the NZ Art Guild Xmas show.

Photoshoot

The harbour, flat, blue and bright looks like summer today. A few little yachts drift aimlessly out across the water. They're directed only by a little wind and the ocean's whim I think. Their sailors much surely be reading a good book or snoozing on the deck. At least that's what I would be doing if it were me out there.

I photographed my lovely (patient!) sister piled up with books and teacups today. Luckily she has an exceptional sense of balance.

My intention is to produce a small series like this.