Something new

I've been reassessing what I'm doing, kind of checking I'm going in the right direction. It wasn't a conscious thing - I guess I've been busy too - I stopped posting on flickr and instagram, stopped posting here.

I didn't do the xmas craft fair because I didn't have any new work to share and didn't feel good about taking all my old stuff. I didn't have anything to put in the Tactile Arts xmas show - little wonders. (Which is still on until December 10th)

It has been a bit scary wondering if I'll feel like making art again, wondering who am I if I  don't paint??

Then inspiration turns up - my teenagers make me listen to a lot of music, and sometimes I get hooked on something - I've been watching a YouTube video of DMAs singing Cher's Believe a lot.... and decided I wanted to paint the singer.

I can't really explain why. He's just this little guy in a too big shirt, he looks like that naughty kid who sits at the back of the class causing trouble, and then he opens his mouth and sings so effortlessly. Maybe it's because I have sons and the contrast between how they look and what their potential might be...

I'm so happy to be painting, just following my nose to what I'm interested in, and not worrying about whether it's suitable for a craft fair or whatever. I'm a bit scared to share it here in case everything stops again.

The paintings don't particularly look like the singer, I think of them as 'singing man 1' and 'singing man 2' hopefully there will be more.

Things that have been making me happy in October!!

1) Photos by Geoff Whalan on flickr. I haven't met Geoff but discovered his wonderful photos of Darwin on flickr. He takes photos of my haunts around Nightcliff and it's so wonderful to see my world through his eyes. He has a series called 'the nightcliff sunset ritual' - of the sunset over the sea and people watching the sunset!! I usually do my walks in the morning but he's inspired me to do a few evening walks, the colours of the sky and sea are so glorious and the sea breeze makes it more pleasant (bearable) than in the morning at this humid time of year.

Dogs at the beach high tide and full moon

2) Walking! My workplace has had a 10,000 steps a day challenge through October. It was interesting to clip on the pedometer and find out how many steps I do. I was very pleased to discover I do around 8,000 to 10,000 on a normal day, and really surprised that while my walk to work and back is around 4,000 steps altogether, the rest was made up of all that incidental walking - around the house with piles of washing, putting out the rubbish or watering the garden, even walking round the kitchen cooking a meal. A few times I have topped up my steps with a little walk in the evening (as above) and it's been a real treat!!

Walking by the park at dusk

3) Bon Iver. We have the car radio tuned to Triple J - my kid are teenagers, it's their choice. Now and again I hear something interesting - I check what time it's playing and leater search it up on the triple J website for another listen and to see if I like anything else they've recorded. Well I hit the jackpot with Bon Iver. I heard a sample from their new album, it sounded like a symphony, like choir music, like jazz with a saxophone like Keith Jarrett...I've listened to the whole album about 10 times now on youtube, and I keep coming back to it. It's pretty experimental, not pop songs! There's something 80's about the sound and if you journey on to the end you're rewarded, the last 3 or 4 pieces are gorgeous.

4) Embroidery. Happy to be doing some sewing :)

You're a star - pincushion

Thanks for visiting, and have a great week.