Denise Daffara
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blog : another
​'sip of my tea'

Safe Space - Smashbook

5/8/2014

 
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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.  
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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?
It's like an art journal.. but much more.. it's about creating a connection, connecting with your inner guidance. You will listen and create from the space within that knows your truest hopes and dreams for yourself.  Because of the SMASHING aspect… you may meet up with the perfectionist self.. who then can make way for your bold self and brave self.. your freedom seeking self … I will hold space for you.. as you create a space for yourself with these pages.. that you will take with you.  A Smashbook encourages CONNECTION, celebration, play, wonder, validation, mess, TRUTH, self healing, colour, collage, embellishment, possibility, dream tending, memory keeping, and best of all . . . FUN. 

a creativity manifesto

1/2/2014

 
Good morning friends,

This makes me want to write one for myself… do you have one?
I shared the link to an interview in another blog post in January, but having listened again in the car this week to Jamie's and Tami's chat I heard again his 'Creativity Manifesto' and I wanted to keep it, read if often, and share it with all & sundry. 
As I begin February, and the Year of the Wooden Horse, this realllly spoke to me, I have had a shit time this past week dealing with my hyper vigilant perfectionist, mild anxiety associated with my creativity resulting in feeling frozen and not painting, it's a new month, I'll be addressing it for sure, and this kind of truth telling (Jamie Catto's creativity manifesto shared below) goes a long way towards helping me release the crappola and move into some kind of grace, a space for self forgiveness and self love.  
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Insights at the Edge.  
From a podcast called: Breaking the Approval Addiction and Expressing Our Creative Gifts
Tami Simon: " OK, here we go. So this is from Jamie Catto’s "Creativity Manifesto:"

"We need to collectively admit that we’re not fine, we’re not confident and balanced and good. We turn up to work every day pretending we’re not neurotic and obsessed and insatiable and full of doubt, and we waste so much energy keeping up this mutual pretense for each other because we think if people saw the truth, if people really knew what was going on in our heads, all the crazy truth of our dark appetites and self-loathing, then we’d get rejected. But in fact, the opposite is true. It’s when we dare to reveal the truth that we unwittingly give everyone else permission to do the same. To stop holding their breath for a moment and actually come into the room. Be here, present, vulnerable and authentic.

"We’re on a mission to make self-reflection hip for just a moment, just long enough to save us. If we can all collectively acknowledge our insanity, shrug and roll our eyes at each other at how nuts it is being a human, let alone having to pretend every day that we’re "normal," the amount of energy we’ll inherit that has been wasted on the mask will be enough to creatively solve any global crisis."

Jamie Catto: "I’m in. I love hearing you say it."

full transcript of the interview can be found here:
http://www.soundstrue.com/podcast/transcripts/jamie-catto.php?camefromhome=camefromhome
with love,
Denise.

Out beyond the ideas of wrong doing . . .

6/7/2013

 
.. “Out beyond ideas of wrong doing and right doing there is a field. I'll meet you there” Rumi
As I embark on the newest little part of my creative ventures... mixed media works on wood and paper ... I hear 'those' voices... "Oh this isn't real art.. you should be painting every bit of it" ... "What... you're using cut out pictures in there" ... "this is crap... this really will not do" .... "grow up" .... Oh the list could go onnnnn and on.  
But with the strengthening of my Muse voice... or my listening to her... I'm hearing other whispers too... really quickly.... following on from the mean bitch voice... like,
"This is a new adventure"... "we're here to have fun"... "if it's bringing you joy... then... hello... do.. it" ... "this little piece of art you're making.. is not going to hurt anyone.. and if you're filling it with such enjoyment then maybe someone else might actually love it too" ... "try it and see" ... "experiment" ... I'm taking a new bunch to the framer this week... and they'll make their debut up at the gorgeous gallery that has my work.. and if anyone has a critical comment to make about them... well... let them say it to my face and hear about the 2 years of being blocked and depressed about it.. hahaha.. that'll learn them!
I'll post pics of the new ones once they've been revealed at the gallery. ... I can maybe show some snippets . . .
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I am returning to a place of play as much as I can when making these pieces... and that feels like a really good place to start.


with love,
Denise xo


ps.  They'll be on display at Tiffany Jones Fine Art Gallery later this month.

Painting for our life.

11/6/2013

 
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I was inspired to write this as I was heading to sleep last night.
off to pick up the brush,

love Denise xo

Begin it now . . .

18/1/2013

 
I recall some quote ... action has boldness in it ... or something like that ...
Well, goodness, gracious, me!  I have surprised even myself today... I have had a desire to make a vlog for sometime... or at least give it a whirl... when I watch other favourite artists of mine chat into their camera and share their thoughts and feelings about life I JUST LOVE IT!  So... I wanted to dip my toes into that wwworld.  (you'll see below.. I did it!!)

I will show you a couple of art exercises that I have done ... in the last few days actually!!  I'm taking an online class called Lifebook .  The first exercise we were asked to draw/paint our Fairy Art Mother, we were to write down whatever our inner critic was coming up with and have our Fairy Art Mother speak KINDLY to us  ... the teacher Tam did an example and this is my version of that very first lesson:
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What did my inner critic say to me you might ask?  "Returning to childlike art is stupid, you're making a fool of yourself".
Yup... so my Muse (superior Voice who I am enlisting for her ongoing assistance, clarity and all round kick ass fabulousness), had me do this:
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Yes, I swear.  Sorry about that, as a wise friend of mine said to me, if we didn't need that word then it wouldn't exist.
Next, ... we were given another lesson by Tam depicting our journey in 2013 ... we were to give ourselves a 'vehicle'.. write our current blessings on the clouds, and our goals on the flowers.  I realise this is totally out of all proportion, my head doesn't seem to fit that body quite right... but WHO CARES... I am making this adventure in Lifebook about giving it a go, a red hot go and not getting all precious about perfection... read above for fairy art mothers advice!
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Then... we had a delightful example of using stamps and pictures and words to make a 'doll' .. depicting us and the words it would take to 'give us wings' this year.  I am certain my Muse came to the fore for this exercise.. I almost heard her shouting the word WILD at me ... and so... I dived in to some magazines (didn't have enough cool stamps) and whala... this happened.
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And YA KNOW WHAT????
only a few days after that .... today... I created my very first vlog ... it kindof got more serious than I intended but it is a beginning... so I'm happy with that. 

With love

Denise xo

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    “There are very few human beings who receive the truth, complete and staggering, by instant illumination. Most of them acquire it fragment by fragment, on a small scale, by successive developments, cellularly, like a laborious mosaic.” 
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all images copyright Denise Daffara 2020
  • Home
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    • Teacup Cards
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    • Paint with Me
    • Creativitea Time for Grief
    • Creativitea Time Online >
      • Creativitea Time Online
      • Draw Like No-one is Judging
      • Buy tix Draw Like No-one is Judging