Tennis Player. 6" x 4" Acrylic on Canvas.

Aye Up! (As we say here in Yorkshire!)  It’s been a busy last two weeks.  The house move continues and we are set to be gone on or before the 29th of May to Derbyshire/Notts, even though we still officially have no-where to live!  We have seen something we like and are working on securing that, which will be lovely if we get it – right next to a park for the kiddy winkles.

In between the melee, I have had some fun and felt inspired by meeting and getting to know a little of Ann Drury. Ann is a lovely young singer-songwriter who is the ‘weekend girl’ at my friend Rita’s bubbling little Fair Trade shop in the pretty Bronte village of Howarth – Sonia’s Smile.  She was manning the shop while we nipped out with Reet to help sort a few of her IT problems. After closing time Ann came back to Rita’s house where I had the honour of getting to listen to some of her music. I was amazed!  Not only is her music typical of what I would go out and buy anyway, but much of what she played to us was recorded a few years ago when she was only 13!!  An incredidbly talented youn lady – Ann I sincerely hope and believe you will go far!!  You can listen to Ann’s music here: http://www.myspace.com/anndrury

On a painterly front I managed to create another girly – this time a very active character for you sporty types!  I designed and hand painted in acrylic the image which spreads around the edges of the canvas to create something interesting to view on all sides.  Fancy ‘courting’ her?

Tennis Player Side View

The Bradford Lot!

The Extended Bradford Lot!

So, it has been Easter.  I’ve done very little on the art front since it has been school holidays and I have had my little gremlins to tend to.  It has been a welcome break to not have to rush all the time and it has been a real pleasure to spend time with friends whom we have not seen for a while.  It will probably be the last time we see some of our Yorkshire friends before our move to Derbyshire/Notts, although we still don’t have a date yet, and still don’t know where we are going!  If all goes smoothly it will come into fruition probably within the next month.  Over the holiday period I have been reading Eckhart Tolle again, ‘A New Earth’.  I am also following the classes he put together with Oprah Winfrey on-line.  There is a quote in his book from the philosophical speaker J. Krishnamurti who announced near the end of his life that he had a secret, which he said was “I don’t mind what happens”.  He was talking about out-comes and our attachments to them, and in being attached to specific outcomes we generate ill-feeling in our bodies and in the world at large.  Eckhart brings it to our attention that when we can accept a situation, ill-feeling subsides (on an inner and outer level), and out of that space miracles can happen.  I am following his advice, and I feel a lot better for it.  More peaceful inside throughout a time most people would be expecting stress.  I am remarkably chilled out now actually!!  Ha hahah!  Even though the kids are running riot downstairs while supposed be cleaning out the pet hamster!  I guess I had better go see where they are up to.  Easter Blessings everyone!

...and 'All That Jazz!' 23 x 30cm on 13mm deep MDF board.

‘Arazamataz! It’s got plenty of Jazz!’ I’ve experimented here with tons of new and unfamiliar techniques (to me!) including Golden Modelling Paste (for the background texture) and stiff foil which I indented and boot-polished. I’ve also added cheesecloth (around the foils) and embellished with silver thread and recycled old buttons from Mama’s sewing box. I think some of them have been around longer than me! 

All That Jazz! Close-Up

This is just a quick post today as I am off whizzing down to Nottingham. Going to the Steiner school Festival of Work for a visit to keep our kids familiar with the place before the Big Move there (hopefully) soon. And going to view some more houses too – ooooh excitement! We’ve got 2 viewings here at our on Sunday, one lady coming back for a second viewing! – So fingers crossed. x x

Me & My Gal.

I’ve completed this painting with such ease!!  And I have of course, (as expected) really enjoyed the process.  Making sure I have achieved being ‘in the zone’ before I have started has helped me work better and I have done this through my intentions (thoughts), listening to audio (music and spoken word) and setting the correct working environment with little distraction.   I’ve been trying hard this week to keep myself grounded and I have felt in touch with myself (my true self!) most of the time, which I feel is an achievement with so much uncertainty around me at the moment.  We went to view nine houses at the weekend and had four viewings of our home last week!  I think we have got definite interest in ours but we still have no where to go.  We are travelling down to Nottingham this afternoon to view another house and I’ve got a really good feeling about this one!   I’m excited!  It’s hard to stay in the moment and prevent oneself from living in a future projected world in times like this.

Whilst I have been painting in the last week I have been listening to John Demartini audio – a seminar he gave on ‘Business’.    It has taught me the importance about being inspired by what we do as work, and in turn inspiring other people through it.  He says “When we can’t wait to get up in the morning to serve, the world can’t wait to get our service.”  He also said “I found out whenever I am studying something that is inspiring to me and I can’t wait to deliver it, somehow the Universe brings more people to get it.”  This all struck a chord with me and even ties into what I developed as my purpose in life statement a year or so ago “………….(to) maximise and experience my human potential, moving out of the ego and into enlightenment, which in turn will help provide enlightenment to others which will help me (to)…………….”  I saw that my intentions would loop as a perpetuating cycle of improvement for everyone including myself.  Lets hope I am right. x

Me painting outside today!

So busy!!  Not much time to make or do much of anything.  Today (and most of the past month) I have been tied up with painting the house inside and out in preparation for putting it on the market.  We’re currently residing near Leeds but plan to soon be moving to the Nottingham area.  We have 2 children for whom I really wish for them to attend a Rudolph Steiner school.  My eldest child is due to go up to high school this Sept but I am left cold by nearly all of the state schools I have visited and even those that exhibited promise don’t wholly put me at ease.  I’ve been aware of Steiner Waldorf education for some years now but seeing as though our local primary school has always been a fairly safe and supportive environment for our kids, I haven’t seriously considered it until now. That said, I have often wondered about the amount of challenge V support and nurture!  My daughter is working hard towards her year 6 SATs this year.  She feels the pressure from school but I know not from us.  Of course we are keen for her to do well but the last thing I want for her at 10 years old is to be feeling stressed or that she has to measure up.  One thing I heard from a Steiner publication is that competition is within the child as an individual and not with each other.  I liked how that resonated with me.

The catalyst for our planned move was meeting a couple (now very good friends) who moved their son from a state school into a Steiner school and have witnessed dramatic positive change in him in only a year.  I want and need that for my children, and indeed for all of us as a family.  They say he can’t wait to go back to school now.  I wish I could say the same for my 7 year old step-son who loathes every morning he has to go.

Only today I have heard another tale not too far removed from here of an attempted child suicide at 15 and it makes me shiver.  What is so wrong in our society, within our systems and families that children feel such sadness and compelling despair to do this?  These disturbing accounts are becoming more and more commonplace and I don’t want this for my kids.  We are putting a lot on the line to make this huge life change happen, but for the future of our children’s happiness I believe it is worth it.  More to follow in due course…….