I had a small melt down this week (in great company.. inside a mastermind group I am blessed to meet with) about this smash book teaching thing… because it seems to be counter to creating art/painting/whatever (this is very likely the voice of my inner critic.. because it’s never happy, never thinks I do enough, or am good enough, or paint enough, or sell enough *&^*%*&* the list could go ON) … but… on deeper probing… I discovered.. that for me. my Smashbook is a self created safe space.. and it is this Opportunity that I feel compelled to share (that is.. HOLD SPACE for) ... it has the potential to be a self created safe space… and that is quite intrinsic to a life of an artist. (or human BEING for that matter) As I went into my beliefs around my creative process.. my self as ‘artist’... the thought also flitted past... that I wish I had been shown this as a child.. growing up... I recall some really harsh teachers.. and how rubbish they made me feel... they didn’t realise (or care?) at the time the turmoil I had going on inside me. So, in my workshops I always hope that I can create circles in which artists, mums, friends, sisters, daughters, sons, dads, people who are grieving, people who are healing, anyone's really.. can come and through the gentle process of intentional creativitea ….. enjoy a restorative space in time. The picture above is from my art table on Sunday.. I'm creating a smashbook called 'MOTHER LOVE'.. so I am putting in anything that reminds me of my Mum… and some things that relate to me as a Mother myself… when you create your own alchemical container.. you can decide whatever you like that will go in it.. and it's perfect. Perfect for you. 
I'm having a competition? no.. I hate that word.. I currently have a delightful opportunity.. for one dear person to win an Intentional Creativitea Session with me via Skype.. and a personally created Smashbook for them. You can find out all about that here. Entries close 1 Sept 2014. And… if you want to find out more about smashbooking with me… (visit info page here) I have two workshops open for registration being held at Doonan - up near Noosa..(Qld, Australia) on Thursday 11 Sept.. and another on Saturday 13th Sept. These will be held at LuluArt .. at a gorgeous super sized art table with seating for 8… and windows overlooking a beautiful dam.. and birds singing.. and water lily's floating. It's very retreat like… and as always.. there will be plenty of tea. #smashbookdd is what I'm using on my instagram to share pics relating to this. love Denise x if you can't be bothered moving to another page to read What is a Smashbook … I'll write it here too: What is a Smash Book? 
Here I am… a day after the end of THE 30 days. Yesterday… when it was the 'finale' day.. i spent much of my day on the phone and no time at all creating … today.. not a whole lot more… except this lady here. Since the Gypsy theme is on my mind.. for the upcoming retreaty/workshop at the end of July I have been wanting to do some playing around with this theme… I wasn't quite prepared for this sorrowful gaze… so I let the pencil tell me something . . . "It's not so easy being a Gypsy you know" my pencil wrote automatically . . . "yes we can feel wild and free, and without rules but all of us feel pain, sadness and loss - there is no escaping these human feelings. But, coming back to yourself and lovingly treating yourself kindly, you'll be ok." … this challenge has been a great reminder to just keep showing up.
so… now we are in July… and another 31 days are piled up like boxes on my calender… let's just keep going.. shall we? bye for now, love Denise. Today started well… quite special really…  I made a beautiful circle 'blessing symbol' as I sat out in some morning sun… I wrote more about that over on 'asipofmytea.com' … little aura in her disney chipmunk suit 'her sister' Alex bought her. :)  then… the day progressed in to shitville… and just because I'm 'creating something every day' to keep true to this challenge… you get to see my shitty journal page. Luckily I know … 'this too will pass'… and now it's time to go and cook dinner.  I guess it's what might be called a classic mix of the sacred.. and the profane… bye for now, Denise x later that night, I played with some golden open acrylics on a tiny wee canvas that I'd sort of started earlier in the day but had given up on… and this happened… trying out a new-to-me product .. was very satisfying after earlier feelings of 'meh'.  a whole lot of wondering and not much painting went on today… this was done over the top of some writing in a large journal.. a Woman arrives from who knows where… she seems African.. and the under paint was magenta pink.. and over the course of the afternoon it's gone sooo pink! 
realised the studio has turned into an energy sucking tip… so… cleaning out is desperately needed.
D x aaaah.. I'm late to post… but.. want to keep them in order.. so here's yesterday's 'efforts'. consciously wanting to break out of old patterns that no longer serve.. a desire for letting a little more wildness in … if not on the canvas… where? Surely.. I can allow any emotion to show up.. it's only on paper.. or board… let.. it… be. 
lower right is now she 'really looks' others are fab app's on iphone.
bye for now, it's Monday!.. I have to get on with that! love Denise xo and… HappyAnniversaryToPhillip&Me24YearsToday :) 
top left came after bottom right… same page… it seems to be changing to more angular.. masculine.. but probably not finished.
A bit of a melancholy start to my day.. pondering how it would have been my sisters 58th birthday (she died in '97) … and having a go with the loose style I've learned a bit from Misty Mawn.. so I keep trying it in my art journal.. funny how I can be much more free on the page sometimes…. maybe because it's not 'fraught with added expectations' . .. and as an astute artist I met said… "oh.. and you can hide it".
Day 14… and I am still keen to keep this thing going.. and w a n t t o f r e e u p s o m e m o r e bye for now, love Denise. Nooo.. I've almost got 'nothing to show' for today… sigh… I just did a bit of work on computer.. and 'wondering allowed' on yesterdays journal page. The result was quite helpful and profound to me… I am just LOVING the look in this woman's eyes.. and it occurred to me how well these figures can encompass how I am feeling sometimes.. and also the ongoing benefit and self care gift to myself that art-journaling continues to be. 
and some fun on 'hipstamatic app' 
til tomorrow,
love Denise xo 
A bunch of journaling underneath to process some intense feelings.. I'd say this guy is doing quite a good job of expressing how I feel. No comment.. just. arting it out. 
This too shall pass. xo Denise.
 "What a difference an app makes!"  'Lovers in the air' hehe Several hours on this painting again today and still the man's face and head look redonkulous. nope.. can't even share it. I'm having some fun though.. pouring lots of love into this painting.. it's like a gift to my marriage.. which may sound weird.. but all the love I pour into other paintings.. they're most bound for another location.. but this one.. if/when I ever finish it to a point i love it all… can hang in my house :) I mean.. who else is going to want a Chagall like tribute.. that includes a star ship enterprise.. and until a few hours ago.. a giant tea pot, tea cups and a large colourful chicken on that tea table.. GRRR.. see.. I painted over that chicken as it 'wasn't quite right' .. but (^(%(*&*( it.. sometimes I want to keep the .. not quite right.. interesting.. my fingers just typed that without me filtering … hmmm.. curious. Ok.. note to self… I have permission to put whatever the hell I want into this painting because it's for meeee.
find out more about the Retreaty Gypsy Workshop in JulyA smash book is an energetic Container for our ideas, hopes, dreams Anything we intend for it to Hold, nurture, grow, enliven Contain, bless, flourish. The one pictured below.. for example I have called "Beloveds" ... and my intention for it is to be a portable altar... each time I have a client/workshop booked in.. I can make a page dedicated to our time together. I believe very much in setting intentions.. 'Intentional Creativity' is part of what I have been learning through the Color of Woman course I did this year. Allowing our hearts desires, longings, and questions to come up and then to give them space to be is a powerful tool for real change/growth/enrichment and transformation in our lives. I am grateful to Catt Geller for teaching me how to make and teach 'Cosmic Smash Booking' you can find her blog here : http://streetlightpeopledotorg.wordpress.com I will be introducing some Smash Booking Workshops soon. Join the mailing list if you'd like to hear about when and where workshops are coming up.
If you have a group already who would like me to come and teach a Painting workshop or Smash Booking session, email your information and I'll see if we can make it happen in 2014. love Denise xo |
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