“Nature in their dance” minis in progress for the exhibition

It was so wonderful this past weekend, completely soaking myself in paint and color. It’s been so long since I had all my paints out, canvas all over the studio and just let loose.

I decided to get a start on some artwork for my upcoming “Dance” exhibition {with 2 other talented artists}, which is opening on Saturday June 23rd until July 15th. As many of you are aware, I am inspired by nature, so my interpretation of “Dance” is all about how nature dances in the breeze and has a natural dance of its own.

I had my studio windows open letting the cool sunny breeze flow through and light ambient music playing to set the scene.

It felt so good!

To get myself into my creative zone, I always listen to my own color meditations. The meditations are such a lovely way to relax, center myself and then get those creative juices flowing!

They always unblock and release anything that may be holding me back, so I can just “be”.

Color and creativity took over with a burst of energy.

I went a little wild and started creating patterns and color on 22 pieces!

The beginning stages of the “minis”

I love to work on multiple artworks all at once as I add a little to each, every so often and just let the color and creative energy take over.

Two larger 20×20 inch pieces in progress for the show

“Dance” will be held at the hobart co-operative gallery space in the Monroe Arts Center – June 23rd thru July 15th.

I’m really excited to see how they all turn out. {All to be revealed here in June}

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Fancy getting your own creative juices flowing?

I’ve been getting some lovely feedback from creatives who bought the color meditations during the special sale over the weekend, so am extending the offer of 50% off until THIS WEDNESDAY.

Click here to purchase and enter code: colorlove in the discount box to get all 7 color kits {kits include audio & 20+ page workbook} and 2 bonus meditations for ONLY $49.90.

Color your life and open up a creative word of possibility.

Creating a color palette from my own mixed media artwork.

OH MY GOODNESS!

I am so loving exploring all we are learning in “The Art and Business of Surface Pattern Design” course. I have been catching up on this weeks color and pattern lessons and dived straight into learning the adobe Photoshop & Illustrator software.

This is a HUGE learning curve for me. It was a little frustrating at first as I knew exactly what I wanted to create, but didn’t know how! I am so glad there are amazing technical workshop lessons from Rachael Taylor as part of the class otherwise I would be completely lost!

I decided to keep it simple to start off with and scanned in a few of my motifs from my sketchbook into Photoshop, which are below.

As part of the class, I learned how to create basic motif placement and add color!

My very first designs using the color palettes from “Blooms” as a guide.

I then played around with some other existing artwork with the same motifs

We are REALLY diving into more pattern over the next two weeks, so cant wait to share more of this exploration.

Which do you like best?

A pile of sketchbooks I’ve been looking through to gather inspiration for module 1 of “The Art and Business of Surface Pattern Design” course.

What was so great about being back at my family home in the UK last month, was digging around in my mums loft to find a wonderful selection of old sketchbooks {some over 20 years old} from my days at art school and ceramic design course.

Obviously obsessed with swirls 20 years ago! Taken from ceramic giftware ideas in my 1992 sketchbook!

What amazed me so much was how much inspiration I had gathered in those few years, long ago.

Pattern and color sketches from 1990 on my general art & design course.

I found color and pattern studies I had forgotten about

Nature sketches and a heart!

Sketches from nature and a re-connection with heART.

I think you may see an updated version of the heart in my first entry for the heART-Full Monday’s series here. Come join in!

Fruit studies! {1990}

It really inspired me to realize that once seeds are planted inside for ideas, they can sometimes take 20 years to re-appear!

Motif development and sketches from Module 1 “The Art and Business of Surface Pattern Design” course. Also incorporating color studies for the April Color Challenge

“Motif studies from existing patterns” More studies from ABSPD

*LOVE* “Perfectly unfinished”

As I work through more of the exercises in Module 1 of the course, I am feeling PURE EXCITEMENT for using some of these ideas and sketches.  WATCH THIS SPACE. :-)

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How do you capture your design ideas and sketches?

Do you have favorite sketchbooks you like to go back to for inspiration?

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Leave a comment below or even better a link to a blog post or piccies from your own sketchbooks.

My Full Moon Mandala this month is all about flourishing (my word for 2012!) I am back in the USA, getting settled and getting ready to work on some exciting new design projects. Back to basics, good food, balance and living life!

What are your dreams and thoughts for this Full Moon?

The Full Flower Moon {Northern Hemisphere}
What is flourishing and blooming in your life? How would you like to bloom?

Full Frost /Beaver Moon {Southern Hemisphere}
What are you inviting in to prepare for the winter season?

If you created a Full Moon Mandala/Dream board this month, please feel free to share the link in the comments below and I’ll pop by to say hi. Please also visit Jamie Ridler’s lovely Dream Board Circle to spread the love further.

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Next New Moon Gathering Invitation: May 20th
Next Full Moon revealing: June 4th
Northern: Full Strawberry Moon
Southern: Full Cold Moon

New to Full Moon Mandala’s/Dream Boards? Find out more here.

HELLO! and welcome back to First Friday Giveaways.

A monthly feature where I’ll be offering a fabulous giveaway from myself, sponsors or the universe in general!

This month is all about pink on the Color Challenge.

So of course our giveway is something lovely and pink!

There are two gifts this month for one lucky winner.

#1: handmade glass pendant by me.

{I just added lots of pendants into my recently re-opened Etsy store}

AND

#2: A lovely notebook to match

TO WIN: Simply post a comment below on what pink reminds you of. The winner will be chosen randomly and posted back here on Tuesday.

Have a great weekend everyone!

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UPDATE: THE WINNER IS –

Comment number 7 which is lovely Amanda @ Click. The Good News. I’ll be in touch to send you your 2 pressies!

Next First Friday Giveaway is Friday June 1st (I’ll announce as part of the color challenge post for June)

Gorgeous window display taken in Paddington, Sydney, Australia

Today is my 39th birthday and as I embark into my 40th year into this world, I’ve been thinking alot about my dreams and goals for the year ahead.

There are so many ideas swimming in my head and my biggest challenge is always focus! Taking time out traveling for 4 months, really did give me the space to quieten my mind, breathe, explore and enjoy every moment.

I love my vision board for 2012 {below} and seeing it everyday on my studio wall energizes my day and helps me focus on the path I know is the right one, one that I am focusing on for the next year. It was so interesting, creating this with my intuition this year as it really does have more on here about how I want to feel and how I want to express myself. The only image I am totally in the dark with is the little birdie on the bottom left corner, but I HAD to put him on there. So maybe he will reveal himself sometime over the next year. :-)

I love that!

2012 Vision Board

Most of the time, we think of goals as things we want to do, have or accomplish, when infact, its really about how we want to feel every day of our lives. The tasks and goals we set ourselves are just ways to help us get to those feelings, they are the strategies.

How would you like to feel everyday?

I want to feel:  Calm, balanced, energized, healthy, passionate, loved, inspired, free, secure….unlimited.

“I wish” taken at the Botanical gardens, Sydney, Australia

Wish [to want; desire; long for]

So with all those feelings in mind, I wish………….

To see my artwork, designs and patterns on fabric, interiors, china, walls.

To work with other creative souls who inspire me

To write {or be part of} a book combining color, energy, creativity and pattern

To travel to South America

To feel good about my body by nourishing and exercising it. {and fitting into all the wonderful clothes I have in my wardrobe}!

To learn to play the Spanish/Classical guitar and take singing lessons

To have a space that is a collaborate gallery, studio out the back and a place to have creative chat.

To continue to exhibit and sell artwork

To establish a life where I live between USA, Spain and the UK, seeing friends and family in different continents on a regular basis throughout the year.

I know there are many more, but keeping with my intentions….focus is key! :-)

How about you?

How would you like to feel everyday and what are your dreams to get there?

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P.S. Im also having a birthday sale in my ETSY shop.

Enter code:  “Birthday39″ for “buy one, get one free” on all prints. (let me know which one you’d like for free)

Enter code: “happy” for 20% off handmade books

“Pink Lillies” are one of my favourite flowers. {Photo taken in New Zealand}

I think I can honestly say pink is one, if not the most of my favorite colors! So am really excited for this month. I am back in my studio with all my materials and cannot wait to create some new work with this fabulous color!

When I see pink, it makes me feel all warm and fuzzy inside, it warms my heart and I love to wear pink out and about.

THE CHALLENGE:

• Create something using these beautiful colors with a combination of any of the additional shown above. (you can also include white or black in your creation)
• The colors don’t need to be 100% exact – the codes/numbers are listed for guidance and if you decide to create using a computer, you can grab these codes.
• Share it in the flickr group here
• Pop back here on the 28th where I will share mine. I will then invite you all to post a link to your work or blog post about it all and visit everyone who participated. Read more about the challenge and to sign up here

Some Prompts:

Here are some prompts to help you uncover these colors some more. Feel free to incorporate words or images from these into your work or comment in the comments below.

• How do these colors make you feel?
• What do these pinks remind you of?
• What are some of the things that come to mind when you see these colors together?

ENJOY! I cant wait to see what you all create!

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This month really felt like a challenge to me so I took it easy with creating a very simple motif I had sketched from the “Art and Business of Surface Pattern” e-course and added some mustard yellow! Find out more about this months challenge here.

How did you feel creating with this color?

{Add your comments in the comments section below}

Below are a few photos from my process.

Let’s see what everyone created! Use the linky section below to add a link to your blog post AND please also post a link into the comments as the linkytool seems to be having problems lately. Also please add one of your images in the flickr pool so we can all leaves comments and visit your blog post. You can check out the flickr pool here

Thanks to all who took part this month and the new challenge will be posted on Tuesday May 1st!

What made you smile this week?

I am joining the “Joy Jam” over at my other site “your heART makes a difference” to radiate some positive energy out into the world. I would love you to join me.

Many things made me smile this week and here are just 5:

Receiving a lovely note through the post. {Thank you Tanya Peters}

Being back in NYC and seeing all the gorgeous spring color.

Walking in the rain in Hoboken, seeing the bright colors on the ground

The birds nest and beautiful bird in the tree outside my studio.

Starting to get my studio back in order. {feathering my own nest!}

What made you smile this week?

Feel free to add your list to the comments below or you can join the Joy Jam link party over at “your heART makes a difference” this week.

Have a wonderful weekend all!