Mixy's Art Blog

wobbling, blurry…

It’s all metaphors, right?

As I look at what I do I try to pick out clues as to what I mean and feel and understand.

Already in week two of this selflove365 day project (and LOVING it, btw).

The pictures are fuzzy. They mirror the way I’m fumbling my way into the new year and this new project.

I’m finding my feet.

How do I interpret Self Love?

I’m defining it to myself: until recently I wasn’t aware of it even being a thing in my world. It’s new and a little confusing, I’m taking it on as a project: here in this book, here in my life.

So far, this is what it looks like….

Starting out with a literal expression of the theme. First thoughts… It turns out 1″ square is both larger and smaller than I expected it to be. I can squish more into the space than expected, also it’s also more squinty to look at and to photograph than I expected.

I went to see Star Wars this day. It was fab. (Apropos to nothing at all.)

What’s this? – like a tunnel into the future? IDK. I’m still consumed in confusion from the holidays. It’s still a blur. It’s been a Sunday for a very long time now.

This was the day I would have gone back to work if I hadn’t spent it flat out on the sofa, back home, recombobulating. I was watching a lot of YouTube. A lot of Kyle Cease. He’s reminding me to re-establish a daily meditation practice. I’m reading Gretchen Rubin’s Happiness Project. She’s reminding me the same.

In terms of the daily practice, I’m beginning to see how the squares can join up to become a bigger picture. I’m beginning to get a grip on things again. Thank fuck for that.

Finally got into the year. Five days in… I’ve done than that worse before 😉

Last year’s book seemed to be full of eyes. (My word for the year was FOCUS, it that kept coming out.) Also my art often has eyes in. So here’s an image who is looking back at us.

Today I began another year long project. I’m feeling more comfortable with commitment than any time before in my life. (Strewth – I’m not becoming like an actual adult am I?) (NO)

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I hope the first week of the year has been gentle to you, dear friends. I look forward to reading your plans and adventures X

Y is for Yes!

And Y is for Yellow is a course being run by Carla Sonheim – she of the adorable imaginary creatures – which must have lodged in my subconscious when the idea of made up animals came to me last summer (more on them later)

I read about Y is for Yellow a while ago and wrote myself a note to decide about it nearer the time. It’s about creating a body of work for mixed media artists. Well – that’s what I am and what I need to do.

Then suddenly we’re almost a week into January and it turns out the course begins in just 2 days. I thought I’d missed the beginning: this is an omen.

Y is for Yessy Yes Yes this Year for me. I signed up straight away!

Another new community of artists – another year of new art challenges – I just know I’m going to love this!

where’s my muse gone?

Y’know the thing, where you’ve cleared some time, you’ve made some space, you’ve got peace and quiet for a reasonable stretch of time. All those obstacles that prevent you from creating in the usual day-to-day-ness of life………….

……….. and where’s your muse gone?

…… when did that perpetual freaking flood of imagination dry up?

*the thing I was going to do that involved torn book pages and photos. Erm… Meh…*

Sometimes (I think) when the ideas sense you’ve made space especially for them – they simply evaporate. ‘Perhaps’ (they think) ‘we aren’t as wild or breathtaking as we seemed from a distance.’

They get shy and they hide. And they lurk, hushed, round the back of your mind, behind the mis-rememberings and the fluff. Where it’s quiet. They fall asleep there.

So It feels like your muse has abandoned you: but all those ideas just need to be coaxed back to the foreground where they can shine again.

In all my years of being and spending time with creatives I’ve seen this happen over and over. And I’ve learned a few ways to entice them back:

Check out these top tips to Reconnect with your Muse I put together for Dirty Footprints Studio.

back to life

During the daytime I’m usually found in this small office, tucked away behind the main road. Close to town, yet invisible to the world. I like it here.

I have my computer, kettle, all kinds of tea and more than enough music to accompany all moods and mental spaces – for soothing or wakening, for focussed thinking and for daydreaming – something appropriate to every volume these little speakers can kick out. I’ve got a stash of podcasts that accompany me in the more mundane non-thinky tasks. I’ve got spare socks and cardigan for the winter days when the little heater isn’t oomphy enough.

There’s a very fluffy cushion to remind me there’s always space for comfy-cosy in a world of the sometimes-serious when I have to pretend to be a real grown up.

The clutter levels are balanced between the parameters where I feel at home.

This is where my routines live. They aren’t tightly rigid, and they aren’t always effective but they are the best I can do, and I get by.

Today is the first day I’ve been back here after all that drawn out midwinter kerfuffle and general confusion period.

I am so glad to be back.

Happy New Love

Toward the tail end of last year I fell upon #selflove365, a daily drawing practice, meditation, and focus. I chose the book I wanted to use, I drew a grid of 1 inch squares, and I waited for January to begin.

Here we go.

Two days in, I’m finding my way.

“Now”

Reflecting forward

I want to take all I’ve found and uncovered in 2015 and shine it forward into the new year.

It’s been a year full of contrast, acheivements and acceptances. And so many new beautiful souls I’ve met and befriended. Wishes of love and magic to you all, X

Heart Wide Open 3 of 3

The final chapter of the book

“I believe in the good things coming…
More pages more words to my story,
More grace, more meaning unfoldin’…
Everything’s already alright,
Everything’s already alright…”

~ Nahko Bear

Find all the book here……………..

~ Part 1
~ Part 2
~ Part 3

Heart Wide Open :: Part 2

Yesterpost I showed you the first of three chapters of my book. So without any further fussing, here’s the next one.

~ Part 1
~ Part 2
~ Part 3

The Year of the Heart Wide Open

Earlier this year I embarked on an art project that crept up on me and took me unaware. I didn’t see its approach – no rustling in the background – no warning at all.

One moment it wasn’t there at all in my world, then BOOM it was there: front and centre in my field of attention, large as life, impatient to be made. Suddenly the biggest most important messy painty colorful thing in my life was this book:

The Complete Short Stories of W Somerset Maugham (volume 3).

I’m not sure where it came from, but somewhere down the line I rescued this shabby orphaned volume from an uncertain fate.

It’s destiny now was to become an ingredient for ART.

Along with the stacks of magazines I set to work on filling the book with colour and collage.

Over the course of a few months this book became my retreat from the doubts and the obstacles in the outside world. When ideas weren’t showing up for me, I dove into the book and let my unconscious put together shapes and words. When in doubt, play.

I’ve shown you some of the developmental stages already, but now the book has got to a point I’m calling pretty much finished I thought you might like to see it altogether in a flip through.

The song, from whence I adopted this title, is by Winterbloom* and is in the movie Indie Kindred. *since I put together the video a couple of months ago the Winterbloom website seems to have fallen off the interwebz. Such is the constant moving and changing of the world.

When I watched the film this song got caught up in the wheels of my mind. It’s all about creative collaborations and the mutual support of the tribe, which mirrored a lot of what’s been going on for me lately. And this year I have felt my life open up to a new phase. This book is one of its illustrations.

With more than 40 pages the flip is separated into 3 episodes. I’ll share them over the next few days by way of something bright and fun as my holiday gift to you, dear digital friends. With much love X

~ Part 1
~ Part 2
~ Part 3