Today in my workshop we explored collage and stencilling with canvas and acrylics. The room was the quietest I have ever heard, with 5 little creative souls concentrating very hard on their works of art. Thank you to everyone who came today, I am so lucky to get to share this with you.

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.

When the New Year approaches, I often feel like I just roll with it and into it. But the start of 2015 has found me kind of giddy with the prospect of 12 new months ahead! I will continue on my path of encouraging creativeness, making affordable art, hopefully inspiring those that think they lack creativity, teaching and most importantly learning. I wish everyone a wonderful 12 months ahead and look forward to hearing from you all, on the blog, or FB and Instagram! 

So much fun was had by 9 creative tribe members. Getting their creative on with glue, fabric and candy canes! Thank you so much for attending, it feeds my soul so much and your creative baubles where all so beautiful! Here are some pics.....

I have been away having a break and collecting "Moments".  Fishing, walking, swimming, exploring and celebrating my birthday, now it is back to more fun times, of creating and painting, Christmas bauble workshops and preparing for Christmas. More Christmas shopping inspiration coming soon! Redbubble SHOP

This week apparently brought World Rhino Day, and I just so happen to have a Rhino design on a tee, my new iPhone Pineapple case arrived, we got our creative on with 6 wonderful students for a workshop. There were some school holiday shenanigans, a 9th birthday and my lovely photographer friend came to visit (Kylie Carson).

Yesterday's Mixed Media Workshop was lots of fun, full of colour and smiles. We had elephants, hearts and anchors all being framed by the end of the day. Creative abandon was had by all! Thank you to the very talented Kylie Carson for the lovely captures. 

So much to do and explore around this neck of the woods. A clean out happened but it hasn't opened up any extra space at all, some writing and playing with elephants. A walk along a new undiscovered (to us) headland, I taught one of my beautiful boys how to make a Mandala and I am in love with the sultry tones of Sam Smith (and my coffee). Have a great weekend.

One thing our new generation does really well (and maybe a little too much) is "put themselves out there". With the selfie, Face Book, Tinder, Snapchat, and other platforms these guys manage to express themselves so easily. This is not about the repercussions of the next generation, but rather why do we, as artists find it so hard? 

We all dabble, I have a Web Page, Face Book ART page and Instagram but I am not as candid as many younger people are. I like to share, but really not too much.  I discovered today why. It's about being brave enough to withstand the recourse. No matter what people say on social media you can't "unread" it, you can go back and delete it but the conversation has already gone "out there".  It's great to put yourself out there but you have to be ok with the "feed back", it takes a strong person not to take things and comments too personally. 

Whether you are an artist sharing your work with the world or a teenager posting a selfie, just remember why it is you are doing it? Then, know that you don't need validation from the masses, validate yourself. 

I have been dabbling with imagery of elephants, I like to entrust my art with everyone because I believe the world can only be a better place when creativity and art are shared.