Daffodils in Vase. Tissue, acrylic and gutta. 30cm x 40cm on MDF board.

Oh My!  Nearly 2 months since my last post.  So much has happened.  I have purposely been trying to take life a little more slowly so made a conscious decision not to worry about my blog but to adjust gently to the move with a ‘come what may’ attitude.  And so……. we came, and so did life and lots has occured.  We got here in Derbyshire at the end of May, and it is a pretty place.  I do love it here.  The children are settling well into the Steiner school (with a few bumps along the way, but I think that is expected), and we too are adjusting as parents to the changes.  I don’t for a minute have any doubts that we have done the right thing.  Our kids seem to have become ‘fuller’ and so much more of themselves already.  They’re growing well with their new challenges.

Jamie's Space

Sue's Space

I have some studio space set up in the house this time, sharing a work-room with my partner. (Mine’s the messy end!)  It is nice having it back home again and I am getting used to doing ‘a bit here and there’ when I can, fitting in it with my role of motherhood.  I saw a link in Jane DesRosier’s blog to this documentary film concerning motherhood as well as being a creative.  I resonate with it all: www.whodoesshethinksheis.net

I only started to paint again last week as I have been so busy with home-making and putting down new roots for myself and the family.  So, here we have my first piece from my new space.  I must admit that the initial outburst of creativity came out of frustration.  A little bit of anger and resentment which I was feeling was due to the fact that I had worked like a dog since I got here and hadn’t actually taken the time to do anything ‘creative’, sparked this piece.  And then it just seemed to flow.  It just fell out of me.  I like this piece – I translated that enegy in to something joyous.  But the harsh lines!!!  Why do I always end up creating such rigid paintings.  I guess that is just my style – authentically me.  But what does that say about me?  Uptight?  Contained?  Orderly?  Contol Freak??  Who knows?  I keep trying to blur edges and then forget again and get back into the habit of definite out-lines.  Old habits die hard or what!  I took up mixed media painting about a year ago to try to get me out of the habit of being so ‘perfectionist’ about my art.  In my previous incarnation as artist I was mentally torturing myself with finecky details and actually not being that creative at all.  You can see my old work here: www.susan-rhodes.co.uk.  In Steiner schools they have a very interesting method of painting without lines, especially in the earlier years.  They just use paint (natural pigments), wet on wet, and everything blurs and blends.  I think they are trying to teach children to create without boundaries, which is a wonderful means of expression.  These paintings have an ethereal quality and a sense of free spirit.  They are really lovely, – I think I need lessons!  Here’s one my daughter made:

Steiner painting without boundaries

Well, it’s been nice to have touched base with you all.  Will hopefully keep my blog updated now.  Although……….my children do break up today for the summer holidays so I am likely (like all mothers) to have my hands full at this time of year.  Never a dull moment!!

Sea of Boxes!

Well, all this talk but it has finally begun happening.  We’re in the joyous throws of moving house!  (Quick snapshot from my Mac Book – Why doesn’t i-photo have a ‘flip image’ option?) I am literally using every hour of my waking day in which to pack while Jamie stays on top of our family business.  My hands are sore, and so is my throat from disturbing so much dust (yes I do have dust in my house you know – don’t be shocked!).  The boxes are mounting up and we will be heading South to Derbyshire over the forthcoming Bank Holiday weekend. 

I never knew we had so much stuff.  I’m generally fairly minimal and Zen-like when it comes to how I like my rooms (kids rooms are obviously the exception!) but I am shocked at how much stuff we have hoarded in the loft and the shed (not to mention the stuff we have been keeping stored at my Dad’s house.)  I’ve thinned it out a bit but it is so hard to get rid of my creative history and staggeringly there is lots of it!  Jamie reckons I need a house all for myself!

Have checked in with the Steiner school and they are expecting us on the first day back after the holiday break, so all is good there.  Will have to reconnect with people there over the break in the coming weeks to ease ourselves in to the community again.  Not that I feel like I have to ‘ease myself in’ really.  I always feel welcome there and so do the kids.  I don’t think it will take long for us to settle in at all.

Will keep y’all posted.  Now where did I put the bubble-wrap?

Pretties on the Catwalk made by 10 and 11 Year Olds.

Well,  just as we hoped – our viewer came back for a second look this weekend and has fantastically made an offer on our house!  Now SOLD (Subject to Contract)!  I am thrilled because as I mentioned we were down in Nottingham again this weekend visiting friends at the Steiner School and being there again just confirmed for me how much I want for my kids there asap.  There is such Spirit put into everything that goes on there.We stayed over night with our new and very generous friends Kath & Jule’s who have been more than accomodating in allowing us to use their house as a base whilst we have gone about our research there.  Kath has been a saint by organising Girly Sleepovers so that my daughter (who will be in the same class as her daughter) can begin laying down foundations for new relationships before we get there.  I am blessed to have had so many good people in my life who have appeared to come forth to help at just the right time!  Synchronicities abound!

The party of girls busied themselves with some good olde fashioned craft activites making Sock Pets and munching treats into the early hours.  I am amazed at the brilliant creations which came forth with little or no instruction.  They all merrily beavered away with such stunning results!

...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 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…….