A person known to myself, was giving me advice the other day (on a tram) regarding artistic inspiration. They mentioned how many artist make the trip to Hill End or Dubbo to fill their cup for new ideas and inspiration. Truth be know, changing your environment is a great way to find new creativity. 
However it made me realise how lucky I am. I actually do not have enough time in the day to actualise all the things I am inspired by, there is just too many. I would never get any sleep and I would then probably not like being creative. 


My cup is pretty full, and I do know that this is a very fortunate thing. Tapping into my intuition and having my eyes wide open, trying not to miss the "every day beauty" around me is my artistic secret. Reading and writing and experimenting with new mediums also keeps things invigorated. I also think it is important to not pigeon hole yourself to one thing. I love to paint but I always get pulled back to paper and collage....so I run with it as opposed to thinking it will diminish my painting. Eyes forward and eyes opened!


"Inspiration doesn't owe you anything. Once you've found a balance between fear and creativity, you still have to do the work." Elizabeth Gilbert 

The process of painting for me is very intuitive, what I like to call organic. I let imagery emerge in the painting without trying to manipulate it too much, an unconscious discovery of sorts. I have however (since my trip to Vietnam) been longing for a Louts flower to present itself to me. I have tried to paint them before but I have not liked the outcome and have hence painted over them or around them. So when the Louts started to form in my new work I realised I was in a state of "Santosha", not only with my painting but many aspects of my life. One of my yoga teachers described Santosha as a contentment with life. I certainly was feeling very content as I finished my art work and it was beautiful finding the right name for it.

If you would like to see Santosha it will be on display at Power Yoga Manly in reception from tomorrow, for any enquires you can contact me! 

I write a lot on my blog about wellbeing, creativity, gratitude and love. This has a lot to do with my practise of yoga which I took up on a serious level about 5 years. I have always dabbled in yoga but never quite found the right fit for it into my life. Over the last few years I have a better understanding of how yoga can support my life, it is a gateway to  all these things that are important to me, wellbeing, creativity, gratitude and love. 

Here is an article I recently wrote for Power Yoga in Manly, it's a little insight into how yoga has enhanced mine and my husbands lives. Enjoy!

Any form of success is not complete unless it is followed with gratitude. Gratefulness, to the support of friends and family and gratitude for those who are part of your definition of success, which in my case are the people who love my paintings so much that they part with their hard earned money to own one.  Thank you to the beautiful Sam from Late September for her ongoing and unwavering support of my art work. I am back at the easel enjoying being busy after she has sold all my pieces. Love and light to all.

I found this quote today and it got me thinking (how, on so many different levels) of it's truth. Not only of the people in our lives (as well as those that are not present in our lives anymore) but in my case with my paintings. Creativity is such a vulnerable and personal road, one that can leave you very attached (with love) to the end result. Each one of my paintings is like a little birth of something within me and over the last few months I have had to learn this lesson of letting them go, quicker than what is my usual practice (gratitude to Late September, as she has a clever ability in selling them).  My blessing with this quote is that if I know how to love, I will never run out! 

On Saturday I was so grateful to be a part of a Parent Wellbeing workshop at my children's school. The workshop was a way for parents to explore different tools in how best to care for themselves, both spiritually and physically. I ran a creativity workshop centred around collage. Collage art is a well known process to improve and enhance the physical, mental and emotional wellbeing of individuals of all ages. It has been found to reduce stress, as we move our hands it activates the frontal cortex, which provides contentment and joy. 


There was no structure to my workshop, the ethos was to let go and use your intuition. To tear, rip and cut whatever images appealed intuitively and to glue them to a large piece of paper. The process of ripping the paper was a very satisfying fine motor skill and reviewing all the "hidden" messages in the end result was very telling. By working intuitively, the collage couldn't be constructed by any ideals. The end lesson was to put the collage away at home and once a month pull it out and action something off it. So I am hoping there will be lots of walks on the beach, reading a good book in a cosy corner or even creatively cooking up a storm in the kitchen.......all wonderful tools to have in our tool box for our WELLBEING.

Some of my favourite things this week, the "Spiritual Warrior" tote bag from my Redbubble shop, "The Man" stickers inspired by my eldest and "Grateful" stickers. Not to mention my gorgeous Spiritual Gangster singlet, explaining the meaning of "Namaste".....LOVE!!!

Good morning, I did a yoga class yesterday that touched on the concept that the grass isn't greener on the other side if we just water our own grass. Watering our own grass means nurturing and growing our souls. It's important to not just show gratitude for what we have but to also give back to ourselves, wether that be a yoga class, time reading a book or maybe being creative..........what gift will you give yourself today?

Samantha from Late September posted this lovely photo of "Spiritual Warrior" on her Instagram account. I love my art hanging on her shop walls.