Somewhere in the mayhem...

...I found peace.

It felt like a miracle - after several days of major work and upheaval we have new windows and smooth flat walls in our kitchen - the rest of the house is still upside down but I managed to clear enough space to work today for a little while.

At the moment Im creating a class for a student Ive got next week, so its all go but in a good way. Im sending more prints out to the gallery and designing some new Christmas cards, but I expect it will be a couple of weeks before they are put together.

When I have lots going on, I can easily feel overwhelmed, I don't make time for myself as much because Im constantly running through mental lists like 'go to the bank and get the plasterer his money' and 'go to the DIY store to buy screws and new sockets and switches' as well as 'ironing, cooking and cleaning' and the big one 'keeping everything dangerous from the kitchen out of the way of investigative little fingers (which is pretty much most things - lol)'

So I plan extra long baths, where I can dream up new art work in peace. I have been listening to some great tunes on my ipod in the evenings to help me unwind and have discovered a somewhat unbelieveable distraction called Bowling Buddies on Facebook which has relieved me of some unwanted tensions (beware, if you seek this game out you stand to become addicted!!)

Another way Im coping with the strains of decorating our kitchen (perhaps the most utilised room in the home) is to look at the positive aspects of the experience - to visualise the 'before and after' that I have in my mind, to pick the soft furnishings, to browse cool tiles in shades of mellow sage and faded blues, to flick through shabby chic websites and choose wrought iron heart hooks, a new clock and french linen tea towels...its so exciting!

I can be creative amongst the worst mess!

Im taking pictures of the work in progress, when the whole thing is completed, I'll share here the creative project with you all.

Oh ~ a nice thing happened - I was put in the Etsy treasury! Well, one of my paintings was! Here's the link if you want to take a peek: http://www.etsy.com/treasury_list.php?room_id=11275

I'll check back soon...probably next week.

Sending soup mugs of warmth and crispy autumnal walks to you-

J x

Upheaval

This is just the beginning!
Rainbow beakers, egg cups, mugs, ramekins, garlic jar, bowls, plates....


We're having alot of work done to this little old house over the next week - new windows, a plasterer coming to deal with the horrible artex that has the kitchen in its present state looking like a scary lemon meringue topping! (bless the plasterer!)
Inevitably, things are moving out of the kitchen so the decorating work can begin and slowly taking over the dining area - I didn't realise how much stuff I had!


Needless to say, myself and the little one will be moving up to Nannie-Mums house next week so I don't know that i'll have time to post let alone paint anything for a week or so until the house is a little more habitable!

I'll be in touch - and if by some miracle I have time to share anything arty or faintly creative with you i'll stop by!


See you soon
Creative thoughts are bubbling - back soon x

Journeying through time

Taken from 'Bird in the Hand' available in my Etsy store as a print and as an original at http://www.juliacrossland.co.uk/

At the moment Im exploring feelings and meaning in my work - Ive been compelled to follow these ideas after watching my daughter at play with her art, and feeling my own need to let go of rigid ideas I sometimes have when creating my own.

I am really happy with what is evolving, this is the second of a series of fairy angel paintings which are depicting messages of positivity and joy.

I wanted to keep the work simple and playful - again I used a variety of mixed media such as glazes, crayon and paints etc and really 'let go' of trying to create a perfect piece of art.

I am using my angels as a learning experience, a chance to try and paint more freely (I can paint so TIGHTLY at times!), a chance to indulge my inner child whilst at the same time adventuring with more a illustrative style.

This is really working for me right now - I feel swamped by ideas and most evenings Im doodling furiously in my art journal before they evaporate ~ when you have to fit in art around a little ones schedule its the best thing to do as in the past I have had sparks of inspiration, only to have forgotten the detail a few days later without having a chance to get it down on paper.

Im also trying to be a little more organised with my time, instead of watching hours of mundane tv, Im being gifted an artists daylight lamp which means I can spend time painting and creating when my girl has gone to bed. I was thinking how much time dissolves away, on simple things like telephone calls, dealing with emails etc...Im trying to find a way of cutting these activities down to a minimum (no more messing about on facebook for long spells anymore lol) so that I can devote more of this precious time to what I enjoy the most - my art.

I hear alot of people say that they 'never have enough time' - but we each forget (me included) that we are the keepers of our own time, and it is absolutely our own choices that dictate how we use it.

Time for lunch.

See you soon x