Color is Everywhere.

Color is an integral part to all types of creativity, it influences our moods and emotions, it’s linked with our memories.

Colors have been assigned meanings and connections throughout history and around the world. Sometimes these overlap and sometimes they are contradictory. Color is a great metaphor for so many aspects this wildly paradoxical trip we call life.

Looking out for colors is an invitation to observe the world around you on a new level.

It adds to the richness of the everyday places and things, and brings back a childlike sense of fun and wonder.

All these images are everyday things, in isolation not that interesting, but together they can make a patchwork of colors.

Art is everywhere when you begin to really look for it.

When we tune our eyes in to notice the colors around us, life becomes a little bit brighter and more vibrant.

Month by month through the year I’m exploring one color at a time in a project I call TWELVTY.

Beginning with yellow I’ll share what I’ve been making here in this blog.

If you’d like to create your own version of TWELVTY then sign up for my Studio Musings Newsletter & get your free TWELVTY Guide ebook.

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Soul Food for you

“Soul Food” Book Launch Blog Tour & Giveaway. A few years ago I took a year long online course called IGNITE… This is where I first met artist and writer Carol Lowell. I was entranced as I watched Carol’s idea for a book ‘Soul Food’ blossom and take shape.

“Soul Food” Book Launch Blog Tour & Giveaway

A few years ago I took a year long online course called IGNITE run by the lovely Connie Solera of Dirty Footprint Studio, the following year I was invited to return as a peer mentor to the new students through their year of learning and discovery.

In these two years I met some wonderful, inspiring, creative women from around the world, who have become great friends.

This is where I first met artist and writer Carol Lowell. I was entranced as I watched Carol’s idea for a book ‘Soul Food’ blossom and take shape. So I’m super excited to announce her book’s publication, and to have her as my guest to tell you more about it.

Dear friends, please meet Carol Lowell of Kindred Spirit Studio

Thanks for hosting me, Mixy! I’m excited to share with you and your audience my new book “Soul Food”, the contest and Free Book Offer that goes along with my upcoming book launch March 26, 27, 28 on amazon.ca, amazon.com and, for International orders, on my website!

Colour!!!

It is a passion of mine, and most of the artists I know. We all have our favourite colours that we are drawn to time and again, yet every colour tells and inspires a story all its own.

Rainbows

When I was a kid, settling on a favourite colour was way too limiting. So I chose rainbows! And the collection of rainbow items began … pillows and bedding, mugs and stationery … even a pair of denim overalls (does this date me?). The magic in nature where light refracted through raindrops, or crystals, creating this wonder of colour made my heart swell. It still does!

Our natural world brings so many treasures and delights … feasts for our eyes! But we need to create time and stillness to be aware of all the magic that not only surrounds us, but is within us.

A Journey of Self Discovery – Using Colour

In my book, “Soul Food” I wanted to support people, whether they are artists or not, to create a daily practice that allows them to know themselves better and to get in touch with their hearts. Having fun playing with colour is a key to following your heart.

Choosing Full Colour

When I created my book, Soul Food, I knew from the start that I wanted it to be in full colour … to welcome the participants. It is just too yummy in full colour!!

As a self-published author/artist, the cost of 312 pages of full colour was pretty massive. But I would not compromise, and so I followed my heart and did what I knew in my heart mattered. The pages of Soul Food, that welcome and encourage the mark-making of the book’s owner, bringing their own sense of colour, is just what this book is for. The journey of discovery is as unique as each one of us. And each Soul Food book, will uniquely reflect its owner.

Mixy loves colour too!

Her year-long online course, Twelvty, confirms her dedication and understanding of colour. She encourages and inspires her own version of self discovery through the deep-dive into colour. And Mixy’s various feasts for the eyes are so yummy too! I am grateful to be participating on this journey with her and other creative souls.

May bringing colour into your daily life inspire you, bring pleasures and even, perhaps, make your heart swell. This is just some of the magic available to us when we pay attention!

With love and best wishes,

About “Soul Food”

Soul Food is a 90 Day Journey of Self Discovery While Building Nourishing Habits

Soul Food is an interactive “play book” to help establish heart-centred habits in a gentle and positive way.

The first 30 days focuses attention on gratitudes, doing something you love, your Top 3 Priorities for the day, as well as some mandala colouring to help relax and rejuvenate you.

The next 30 days expands the practice by adding body and health focus, as well as a beginning meditation practice.

From there, the final 30 days builds another layer of your foundational practice by adding daily journaling prompts to take you even further inward for some soul reflection. Towards the final days, you have the opportunity to create your own mandala designs.

Each month, as you gradually and progressively build on the previous month’s groundwork, you can easily deepen your communication within. You will discover your soul voice that is as unique as you are.

After 90 days, you will have created a daily practice that suits you, your interests, and your schedule. Each book will become as unique as the person working through it and making their marks. Most important of all is who you will become while on this journey!!

Please visit me on my website www.kindredspiritstudio.com, email me at carol@kindredspiritstudio.com, or follow me at the following links:

FaceBook Goodreads Instagram Twitter Pinterest

For more giveaways, visit me on my website here

About the Author

I am a mixed-media artist, author, life coach, quilter, photographer, book maker, wife, mom and explorer who lives in North Vancouver, BC, Canada.

Through the regular practice of creative endeavours and connecting to our spirit, I know that we can embrace and live our best life… through the expression of our unique gifts… our soul voice. It is my desire to help others find that voice and to give it strength, courage and love.

As someone who loves to gather and to share, I live by the mottos “The More, The Merrier” and “The More We Give, The More We Receive”.

My greatest passions are my family, the discovery of new things, and living with an adventurous spirit. I love to encourage others to find what makes their heart sing and to live from that soul-centred place… a place I try to always reside.

Win a copy of “Soul Food”

I’ve set up a bunch of ways for you to enter my contest inside Rafflecopter.

The more times you enter, the better chance you have of winning 1 of the 3 free copies of “Soul Food”. When you purchase a copy of “Soul Food” during the book launch dates of March 26, 27, 28, you will be sent a copy of my eBook “Meditative Mandala Making”! This is a companion book to “Soul Food” and walks you through the process of making your own mandalas.

Rafflecopter giveaway

Soul-Food-by-carol-lowell-1000X1000-Clear-BG (1)

Meditative-Mandala-Making-by-carol-lowell-1000X1000-Clear-BG

Soul Food is available at Amazon.ca / Amazon.com & kindredspiritstudio.com

Are you ready?

I’ve worked my socks off to make this as fabulous & fun as I can, I’m really proud how it’s come together. So much so, if you don’t think you’re getting value for money by the end of the first segment, you can have your money back.

Ready for an adventure in color?

We begin TWELVTY 2018 on Monday 5th February!

Join Here!

Just £97 for a whole year of color (or 3 instalments of £33)

I’ve worked my socks off to make this program as fabulous and fun as I can, and I’m really proud of how it’s come together.

So much so, if you don’t think you’re getting value for money by the end of the first color segment, you can have your money back in full without a single quibble. Srsly, not even a little one!!

Join me and a group of wonderful creative spirits to share this adventure in color ——-Y’know over half of the 2017 group are returning for a second trip around the color wheel (some signed up before we’d even finished last year!)

I’ve even reduced the price, to make it accessible for everyone there’s the option to pay in 3 instalments.

Join Here!

Just £97 for a whole year of color (or 3 instalments of £33)

Guys, I don’t know if I’ll run TWELVTY again – it’s fabulous fun, but it takes over my life, so do join now if you don’t want to miss out.

Go on… we’ll have so much fun! it won’t be the same without you 😉

Join Here!

Just £97 for a whole year of color (or 3 instalments of £33)

Would you like to get regular updates on my thinkings and doings delivered right to your inbox? Hop onto my email list right here.

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12 Reasons

I have to impose strict ‘signing up to’ rules on myself, before I skit off in a giddy rush, happily clicking on any promise of more color and fun and artsy inspiration in my life… I don’t expect any different from you.

I have to impose strict ‘signing up to’ rules on myself, before I skit off in a giddy rush, happily clicking on any promise of more color and fun and artsy inspiration in my life… but resources and time are finite, right?

So I don’t expect any different from you.

But here’s the thing, guys, I don’t want you to miss out on TWELVTY 2018. I’m not sure if I’ll run TWELVTY next year, it takes all year and whole load of prepping for, so this could be a now or never moment!

Here are 12 reasons why this is a chance you don’t want to miss:

We focus on a single color over three weeks, and we explore all the aspects of this color – so you have a wealth of content and information to choose from, but you’re not obliged in any way to ‘do it all’! You take the parts that interest you, and the rest you can leave, for another time, or just leave them!
Unlike other creative courses, you don’t get specific assignments; instead you get a framework and guides to use in your usual creative projects, so you can integrate what we explore in TWELVTY into your usual creative practice.
I ran TWELVTY for the first time last year, and over half of last years group have rejoined for a second trip around the color wheel!
This year it’s way more polished, I’ve tweaked the format and got two creative projects lined up that will run all through the year that I encourage you join in as well.
I reduced the price from last year! – even though the previous group all said it was great value, I don’t want anyone to miss out because of the cost. It’s just £97 for the full year, with an option to pay in 3 instalments. Just click here!
We’re a small group, so your voice will be heard. You can feel totally cool with sharing photos of what you find and make, and you can feel totally cool if you prefer to watch and learn from the sidelines. There’s no pressure.
The time commitment is flexible: I send you the content at the start of each color segment, and share my process in the creative project the following week. It’s your’s to go through in your own time. If you have 2-3 hours a week you could easily fit TWELVTY into your schedule!
We have a private Facebook group, so if social media is your jam then you can use this platform to get to know artists and creative folk from around the world. I’ve made some of my best friends through groups like this.
You’ll build on the knowledge you already have about color, its use, symbolism and its history, and develop a collection of resources that you can keep forever, and keep coming back to.
There’s no better way to hone a craft or creative skill than to restrict the color you use. It stretches the imagination way beyond it’s usual edges!
TWELVTY is what you make it, but it’s much more than just color! We explore connections and develop a deeper understanding of our creative process as we go. (This is my third time of a year long color project: I’m still learning, and I enjoy it more every time.)
Actively noticing the color around us hones our focus. The world is so busy, the days and weeks and months slip by. This is a way to slow down the pace and properly see the beauty that is everywhere when we learn how to see it.

So guys – we begin the introduction on Monday!

Are you in?

Join the adventure here!

Meanwhile, you can always keep up with my colorful antics by signing up to my newsletter. It’s monthly right now, but I’m switching that up to weekly next month.

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wanna see what a year full of color looks like?

Over the last 12 days I’ve shared the individual colors – this is the whole book

In case you missed them – these are the colors one at a time: Yellow – Yellow-Green – Green – Blue-Green – Blue – Blue-Violet – Violet – Red-Violet – Red – Red-Orange – Orange – Yellow-Orange

If you’re interested in understanding more about color, get my ebook A Year full of Color as well as regular monthly updates on my latest colorful antics, delivered right to your inbox:

<a href="https://mixygecko.wufoo.com/forms/z1pfxfus0jq7ftl/" target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer">Fill out my Wufoo form!</a>

Your email is utterly safe to me. It will be guarded by the deity of your choice and a small dragon.

TWELVTY is adventure you can join too.

By exploring the color wheel and each of the 12 colors, I share my creative process plus a feast of resources about color I’ve collected for you.

You’ll learn about the history of how color has been used, not just by artists, but as part of different cultures around the world. You’ll discover the meanings linked to the colors, how there are connections through the ages and around the world.

There are even playlists of songs and music relating to each of the colors! (I said it was thorough, right?)

In 2018 I’m introducing a new element to TWELVTY – a shared creative project that we’ll work on together as we traverse the color wheel.

Find out more here

Registration for TWELVTY 2018 is open now!
Find out more & join here

A life full of color

Some lifetimes ago, a sixteen year old version of me failed to get the place in art school that she’d pinned all her early hopes to.

Dismissed by the grown ups who’d repeatedly explained: ‘being an artist isn’t realistic’ led to years floating adrift from my calling.

(They were wrong. And this isn’t what I do, I’ve come to realise, it’s what I am)

Some lifetimes ago, a sixteen year old version of me failed to get the place in art school that she’d pinned all her early hopes to.

Dismissed by the grown ups who’d repeatedly explained: ‘being an artist isn’t realistic’ led to years floating adrift from my calling.

(They were wrong. And this isn’t what I do, I’ve come to realise, it’s what I am)

A few years ago, rattled by some mid-life reminders of mortality, I finally fulfilled my life long ambition. But being an art student was as far as I’d thought this plan through. After spinning around in a self made feedback loop of regret for two decades, while I loved my time at college, I’d completely lost sight of the purpose.

My confusion was confounded when my course was cancelled after the foundation year. Before I’d time to consider my options my personal life fell apart, as a few weeks later my mum died.

Now I was free falling and had to find something to grasp onto, something simple I could rely on to slow the descent.

I needed a project to latch my focus to. I needed a subject I could immerse myself in. It had to be something creative, it had to be something colourful.

It just had to be color.

I hadn’t the bandwidth for anything more complex. I needed colors, but one at a time. No other rules. Just me, a book, and whatever paints and pens and things I had to hand. In just one color. I began with the color I felt most drawn to at the time, which was red-violet, magenta. It was soothing. It was all I had space for.

I took that year, one color at a time, one month at a time.

After another family bereavement a couple of months into my year long color project, I knew I needed some accountability, some way to keep this project afloat. That’s when I started this blog.

By the end of the year I’d created a this whole book full of color.

It’s still with me in my studio as a resource for inspiration – (that’s something I didn’t foresee when I began this project.)

(You can see it page by page here)

12 in 12 from mixy gecko on Vimeo.

As I showed my book of 12 colors to more of my artist friends, the idea of revisiting a year full of color began to develop. And they wanted in on it too.

So in 2017 I invented “TWELVTY“, a way of sharing the adventure around the color wheel with other creatives as an online program.

It’s been an astonishing journey, (which isn’t over yet) and I’ve learned so much (more on that in another post).

I didn’t expect to run Twelvty as a program with others again after this year – it’s been all consuming and I had other plans for 2018 – but Twelvty has plans for me too, it would appear.

So here we are, in preparation for:

We begin the journey in the new year, but registration is open from November.

I think it speaks for itself that some of this year’s Twelveteers have already joined up for a second trip around the color wheel in 2018!

There are a limited number of discounted places available to folks on my mailing list. If you aren’t signed up already – what the hey?!! – scoot down to the end of this post to add your email before they’re all swooped up!

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Flashback: Color, Color, Color!

Last year I had the great pleasure of producing an online class for 21 Secrets all about color. (If you know my art – you’ll know this is my thing!)

In the class I teach you how to make a really fun variation on a color wheel, using collage and mixed media painting techniques, to inspire new ways of combining colors in your mixed media art. This would be fab as a school holiday project for creative little ones!

And another 23 teachers (yes – this time there are more than the usual 21) share how they use color in their art.

This week there’s a Flashback Sale!

From 1am PST on Monday July 3rd
(CLICK HERE for time zone conversion)
to 11:59pm PST on Wednesday, July 5th

You can grab Color, Color, Color! For just $77
(a discount of $21).

Click Here & Enter Coupon Code: FLASHBACK

(By purchasing through the links in this post, I receive a small commission at no extra cost to you.)

All through this summer I’m offering a special discount in my Etsy Shop to all the folks on my mailing list – so clickety-hop aboard today if you want to snag a bargain!

<a href="https://mixygecko.wufoo.com/forms/z1pfxfus0jq7ftl/" target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer">Fill out my Wufoo form!</a>

(and I’ll send you my ebook A Year full of Color as a thank you for joining)

gecko-versary

This week marks 5 whole years since I first posted here, since Ephemeral Gecko was born.

For reals? Yup.

This blog is the ongoing project of documenting those in between stages of my art – the ephemeral places – that places buried beneath layers of paint or existing just briefly before being deconstructed and reconstructed. Why gecko? idk…Just because.

collage_mini_quilts_door — Marlene Glickman

So here’s a thing:

When I looked back I found my very first post here was about a textile artist – who I recently connected up with on social media – Marlene Glickman.

I love when life circles back on itself like this.

I first saw Marlene’s work when I was researching artists at college. I fell in love with her colors. There was a quote from her that really struck me:

“Making color and design decisions is sometimes difficult so I challenge myself to use only one color from the color wheel each month during my daily design exercises.”

I was so taken by this idea, I set upon a year long project of playing in just one color each month.

At the time I began this blog I was just 1/2 way through my third month, and that’s what my first post was about.

And now, here I am 5 years later — a whole lot of adventures and changes and challenges and life later — here I am: 1/2 way through the third month of the same project again.

This time it’s bigger, I’ve called it TWELVTY and I’ve got others journeying along on this adventure with me, but I’m in a parallel place again. Life moves in spirals.

Would you like to get sporadic updates on my thinkings and doings delivered right to your inbox? Hop onto my email list right here.

<a href="https://mixygecko.wufoo.com/forms/z1pfxfus0jq7ftl/" target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer">Fill out my Wufoo form!</a>

(and I’ll send you my ebook A Year full of Color as a thank you for joining)

Your email is utterly safe to me. It will be wrapped up snug and nestled with a hot water bottle & a kitten until the spring arrives. I will bring it tea if it wakes up.

contrast

Sometimes I take sideways look.

A change of perspective is refreshing and replenishing.

I’ve always surrounded myself in color, it lights me up and brings with it so many of my ideas.

And I love contrast.

I’m someone who thrives on change and novelty. I bounce along with the momentum. So alongside all the bright clashing colors I wrap every day in, I get a big zing from zebra stripes, dalmatian dots, and nothingy neutrals too.

So here I am.

After 3 months of prepping and planning and immersing myself in TWELVTY the year full of color, followed by a frantic fantastic cram-it-all-in-three-day-trip to the color-drenched delight that is Barcelona (more on that in a future post) my eyes and mind were full to bursting of full color.

I had to restore some balance before I could move forward.

Which is why, earlier this week, when I was up to my elbows in deadlines and adulting duties I had to spend time making this.

For so many reasons.

So, so many.

A slow learned life lesson for me has been fully grasping the importance of taking a few hours out of a really full day – counter-intuitive as it may seem – as this time will more than repay itself. Always.

It replaces the hours otherwise spent spinning aimlessly between tasks in the appearance of being really busy but not achieving anything. Apart from more confusion.

Cos while I work like that I only get bits of jobs dome, I don’t remember where I left off and have to do them again anyways. And it’s exhausting.

Y’know the old saying:
Too busy to find 10 minutes a day for mediation? Then you need to meditate an hour a day.
It’s how it works.

So I made this.

The book I used is the art journal I’m working in throughout TWELVTY. Each month this year, which is dedicated to its own color, has a few pages for single colored doodles. At the end of the year it will be a rainbow of mixed media, not unlike this.

I used a page toward the end, so in a few months time when its time arrives I’ll add some color to it. (Some time in the autumn, which will be in the Orangey-Red season – watch this space!)

Want to see this all coming into life? Here it is…

What’s your best way to keep swimming through the chaos every day life keeps throwing at you?

Have you got a creative practice that’s a sanctuary for your soul? I’d love to know.

Would you like to get sporadic updates on my thoughts and drawings delivered right to your inbox? Hop onto my email list right here.

<a href="https://mixygecko.wufoo.com/forms/z1pfxfus0jq7ftl/" target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer">Fill out my Wufoo form!</a>

(and I’ll send you my ebook A Year full of Color as a thank you for joining)

Your email is utterly safe to me. It will be wrapped up snug and nestled with a hot water bottle & a kitten until the spring arrives. I will bring it fresh socks every three weeks, or as required.