It's not often I actually like my own work enough to have up in my house but if I could I would have this printed as wallpaper for my bedroom.
But until then I will have to console myself with a few other little treasures I have up my sleeve, Chalk Hill is about to finally blossom!
My favourite place, the inspiration for my website name, where even the weeds are pretty.
I had a bit of spare time to myself last night; kids were busy and quiet for a change, the other half had a pile of paperwork to deal with so I snuck away whilst no one was looking to have another shot with Illustrator. The thing I'm most interested in is blending the textures I create so easily in paint and collage into my line drawing and digital work. Vector art is not something I have the patience for (whoever says digital art is cheating and easy clearly hasn't tried it or isn't doing it properly) but Illustrator has tools that for a jack of all trades artist like myself that are like an aladdins cave. All I have to do is work out how to get the genie out of the lamp!
So I think I got a step closer last night - the above piece is by no means complete, I see it more like of of my journal pages. I am already familiar with transparency layers and have worked with them before with photos and line work but Illustrator's trace and fills offer up other possibilites that really excites me.
Anyway I am digressing - the title of this post refers to a new flickr group I was delighted to be invited to by the wonderful Gilfling. It seems that everytime I hit another hurdle I find a group or blog or project (or it finds me, I'm never sure which) that helps me over. And this one is no exception. Called 'Persistant Threads' its about finding the common themes that run through your work and other personal influences, photos you've taken over the years, older work, life.
I've rambled on plenty before about how I feel my work isn't always connected or consistent so this will be an interesting task - I've already come across old sketchbooks from college days and spotted themes I had started to explore that have continued to this day so lets see what else I can dig up! The flickr group is here, go and be inspired!
I vaguely remember saying I wasn't going to do anymore craft fairs this year but when I got an email for a new craft tent at the local Strawberry Fair I couldn't say no. It is one of the busiest events in Cambridge and as it turned out lots of fun! Kali from Lush and Lovely was there too and I met a lot of new people such as the fabulous Tony Mills. Already looking forward to the next one :D
This climber has been busy propping up our fence and I've hardly ever noticed it the whole of the 18 months we have been here. But today I was sat with my cuppa, enjoying the sun (in the shade) whilst pondering, and took a brief glance at a single flower that happened to be nestled against my elbow. The flowers are small and predominately green and white that merges into nothingness amongst the mass of leaves, but on their own they have such beautiful and complex shapes, and a creamy pink tinge that give them a delicate almost porcelain feel.
There have been a number of occasions lately that have made me take a step back and look at myself and my place in the world and pay attention to the little things. To treasure what we have however small and fleeting. To remember that often events do not happen in isolation but are stepping stones to greater things. To realise that acceptance is the only way to truly let go.
I am being cryptic but this is pretty much how my life is. Nothing I can quite put my finger on but every now and again things shift. My view changes much like shedding a skin. I see things that I hadn't noticed before, realise I already have the answer to questions I had forgotten I had been asking. I've never quite understood my purpose as an artist, I don't need to paint my inner feelings or draw what I see or have any particular message to get across. It's intangible, subtle and evasive. But never completely disappears. Like an itch I can't scratch. But I've come to realise over the years that it doesn't matter so much. Having children and watching them grow into happy healthy vibrant people is far more valuable and satisfying than my own needs, artistic or otherwise. That I can be more than one person, that it isn't all about me, that I am one fragile flower amongst many. Complex but delicate, strong but dependant. Loving life and in need of another cup of tea.
It's been a while since I worked on a canvas. I tend to have a rush of inspiration that dies quite quickly then I'm onto something new but I am finding as I go on (down to age/experience/maturity/laziness perhaps) that now I am able to stay on the same path and keep developing. I don't panic when I come to a dead stop because I know it's time to go out and look for new inspiration that will allow me to continue and stay fresh without feeling like a failure. Or a fraud. Or going out and working for a supermarket instead.
This particlular piece I have been working on for a year now and finally it is finished. I have 5 brand new ones on the go too, they may be completed soon, they may not.
It's good to let go, you should try it sometime.
I don't really blog about music, which come to think of it is a bit odd as I am obsessed with music. It is on all the time and heavily influences my mood and my art (when I get time to get the brushes out) but as is such a part of my life it doesn't occur to me to talk about it. It just is. Anyway I thought I would share this little video I uncovered after seeing her on the TV the other day, it's absolutely adorable!
Carolyn from CeeGee Jewellery wrote a lovely post about Chalk Hill a few weeks ago so it's time I said thank you and returned the favour.
Carolyn works with the finest quality beads and gemstones and has recently started learning how to use PMC clay - I think she has found her calling because her first attempts are fabulous!
You can buy her work direct from her website http://www.ceegeejewellery.com/index.htm and read her blog here http://www.ceegeejewellery.blogspot.com/
Look what dropped through my letter box this morning, a little belated birthday pressie from a close friend, I love it - thank you Larissa! BTW you must check out her photography and crafts, we met a college some 15 years ago now and she is a very talented artist and designer. www.giggleicious-photography.com
I've spent years wrestling with my style and trying to focus and as a result created a few identities for myself and a gazillion websites along the way. But now its time to stop. No more umming and aahing and tooing and froing as it is exhausting and I end up chasing my own tail. So here we are. We are Kala online, Karen in the real world, my shop is Chalk Hill and I am artist, designer, illustrator, jack-of-all-trades. Me. One person. And it's time to get rid of the surplus websites and blogs and shops and move forward.
So here we are. As I barely post on my Chalk Hill blog because I can never decide where my work should go (who'd have thought that would ever happen!)I am shutting it down and moving everything to here. I will carry on redecorating the place as I go so expect a few alterations along the way, just don't lean on the wet paint :D
I feel like my journey is just beginning. I have packed a flask of tea, my sketchbook and a few biscuits and off we go. Happy and free and truly excited for the first time in years. Funny what a little mid life crises does to a person. I have always been the pick-myself-by-the-bootstraps type and this is no exception. So before I get carried away with the corny one liners I am off to draw more flowers, see you soon!
Here are some of the missing photos from our trip to the beach the other weekend, we are back in business!
May day is my day. And what better way to spend it than sitting under apple trees eating homemade apple pie and drinking tea, with twittering robins and sparrows bombing around waiting for crumbs to feast on. After my pre birthday jitters the world suddenly felt right again. I felt right again.
My daughter has just turned 4 and after spending months talking about what she can do at 4 she is now set her sights on turning 5. (I fear it's going to be a long year!) As soon as she grasped the concept of time she has been plotting and planning - time means doing things she likes and she doesn't wait for things to happen she will find something else to do in the meantime, whilst badgering me with questions. 'Is it tomorrow yet?', 'What time is it now?', 'Are we there yet?', 'Now?'. Of course I will steadily reply 'No, not yet, later.' 'Ok mum.' and off she runs.
I can remember being young and wanting to be older but I was happy to wait until I got there. There was no great rush, I had plenty of time. Now faced with being in a 37 year old body with a head still stuck in 1998 I am very aware of running out of time. All the things I want to do I can't quite do quick enough. And I think back to the 20 something me who had all the time in the world and feel like giving her a kick up the butt and tell her to get a move on. It's not that I'm afraid of getting old, I just want to be able to look back whilst sitting in my beach hut and know that I've achieved what I wanted to.
Ignore me, I'm having a mini mid life crises, I will be over it tomorrow :D
(PS. I have 2 hours and 25 minutes before I have to pick her up from playgroup, so what shall I do first....
I was hoping to show you pics of our trip to the beach at the weekend but sadly my camera died and I can't get the photos off until I get a more up to date card reader. So we will have to make do with a pic from my trusty old camera phone of the pebbles I bought back for now.
Despite the death of my camera it was a fab day out, we found a stretch of beach as yet untainted by nasty amusement arcades and doughnut stands but adorned with gorgeous little beach huts and the cutest little lighthouse I think I've ever seen.
It's not often I find a place that tugs away at me but I am already pining to go back. I can see myself retiring in one of those beach huts with a little radio, a whistling kettle and a huge pile of books to read.
Oh and don't forget the chocolate biscuits.
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