It's happy days in May for moi! So far this month has been full of celebration which has included a ridiculous amount of gastronomical delight and a little too much indulgence in bubbly beverages. But you know what, it's been so good and I've loved every second! This week I've felt more myself than I have in a long time and that's in spite of the complications involved in trying to sell a house and organise what we're going to do with our future. This is a good sign, made even more-so given that I haven't been able to spend any time in the studio. Maybe the break has been good for me actually - I can tend to be very insular and hermit-like when I'm in production mode and that means overthinking. Anyway, today I feel like Stella has her groove back and I'm ready to tackle the big few months to come. Bring it on!
I've worked out that 2022's theme is 'transitions'. Physically, psychologically, geographically, domestically - this is a year of great change and I'm in it up to my eyeballs! Instead of trying to fight it, I've given into it, and instead of floundering about in the uncertainty I've been focussing on formulating a simple plan in my head and ticking off each step as I come to it. In doing that, something kinda magical happened - the anxiety lifted. When you can say to yourself, "this is what I want and these are the steps I'm going to take to try and get it" then you know you have done the best you can. Things don't always work out, but I'm ok with that if I gave it a good crack. Floundering is where the danger lies - I'm a floater by default but bit by bit I've learnt that the old 'go with the flow' needs to be tethered to something. So far so good.
When I have had time to focus on something creative I've chosen to do stuff that doesn't require much preparation, like drawing. This morning I decided to start a watercolour that I sketched up many months ago and it's been fun to dabble in the fluid world of watercolour again, if only for a few hours. I'm hoping I get a chance to finish this piece off later this week...
I was just thinking today that I kinda miss the old days of carrying around a paper visual journal in which ideas were jotted down, and inspirational images glued in. I used to dedicate pages to artists I loved and admired. I'd find images by them and print them, then cut them out and draw around them, write notes and detail what I saw in the work. It was such a pleasurable process. I'd get lost for hours and hours in the work of other artists. I have lost touch with that over recent years and though a digital journal isn't quite the same I thought I'd start sharing some of my favourite artists and creatives on my blog.
So, I'm starting with an artist I find completely captivating in every way, Vali Myers. She created these incredibly detailed drawings that captured her unique vision of the world. She lived a wild and free life, but also a deeply meaningful one. The thing I love most about her, and this is reflected in her work too, is her strong sense of compassion and her ability to display kindness and empathy to those who crossed her path. I found this old video on YouTube which gives a brief overview of her life and work:
Isn't she wonderful? I just adore her work. I have a limited edition print of one of her pieces and I get lost in it every single day - it's so dark, dreamy and complex. You can see more of her work on the Vali Myers Trust website.
Ok friends, I hope you are well! I best go and live the dream...big creative love hugs! xx
