For The Children

Some things can't be rushed and it can take almost a lifetime to realise this. When I paint, some of my work can come out really quickly - Like the lead piece in the Pause Exhibition - 'Woman'. It took a long time in worrying my head, before I could break the barrier of making a mark on the biggest canvas I'd ever done! One metre square! But she actually took and hour or two to emerge in her all beauty! She sold in the first hour of the exhibition that I was able to hold at the end of the summer, and one of her slightly smaller limited edition prints is hanging in the treatment room, bringing me joy every day.

I've learnt not to rush.

Some new work that I have produced for the upcoming on-line Alchemy Collection, has taken years to bring together, but NOW is the time for it to be seen. The foundations are sometimes there in a piece I didn't like, but I haven't realised it. Maybe a piece that had become lost in a pile of canvases in the holding area - aka the shed - would end up being something quite spectacular?

Maybe I didn't like a piece because it was rushed, and I may have tried to paint something similar to one I had already created, thinking that was the type of work people wanted. A more commercial approach rather than sitting with the true essence of how and why I work in a unique way.

Leave things to settle.

I have realised over time that sometimes a piece just need to REST, so it can emerge and be transformed - just like us! I used to joke that a canvas would be on the naughty step while I worked on something else, but that doesn't give out good positive vibes does it? After all, it hasn't been naughty! It needed me to stop, settle, and listen. Not to rush and not to try to create something that wasn't needed.

The latest piece, 'For The Children' that you may have spotted on instagram, has been many, many things! It started life as commission in a soft pink and gold landscape orientation for the meditation room at The Scarlet Hotel in Cornwall. It just wasn't hitting the mark as I was trying too hard, and they ended up with a completely different piece.

I didn't want to waste the work I had done, so I switched it round to a portrait style, and added more texture. It became vibrant teal and cool whites, with the assumption that it would sit with two others in the most recent exhibition.

No, it didn't make it there either - it just sat back in the shed! It just wasn't singing to me.

Was I pushing too hard?

Maybe I was trying to create a piece just because I didn't want to waste a canvas, so I ended up painting over and over. I was also concerned that I had added far too much gold leaf in the process, and now maybe I needed to strip it back and start again. Such a waste! Or was it? Maybe the over-painting was the actual process needed for this powerful piece of work?

I'm an energy artist.

Being an energy artist means I consciously bring energy through my body and into the canvas or paper while I am working. I'm often guided while I'm working, and my logical mind doesn't get a look in. With this piece, my logical mind had completely taken over! I needed to stop and listen to what the canvas wanted.

It just HAPPENED. Just like that.

This piece was completed last week after I'd received a concerned text from a friend. She had driven by my brother in town, and was worried because he looked confused and disorientated. She would have worried all day if she hadn't messaged me, and little she she know that her text would be the catalyst for transformation.

Family Matters.

Many of you know my brother is autistic - late diagnosis as an adult, and then a psychotic episode about five years ago leading to a metal health 'Section'. He's been on medication ever since, for schizophrenia but chose to stop taking it right in the middle of our three month lockdown in the summer! He lives in sheltered housing in Taunton, looked after by an amazing team from Mencap, who were able to keep an eye on him, but it's been a tough few months! He hasn't been out much during the recent unlocking, and just before our LD2, he was isolating due to a staff member having a positive test result - but no symptoms - and now to be put into another country wide lockdown hasn't helped the situation at all! He lives in a tiny flat that would fit into my lounge, and has been stir crazy with the voices in his head getting louder and louder. This wasn't really helped by only being able to get a zoom appointment with a Psychiatrist who he has never met in person - not easy for someone who is autistic and doesn't understand tech. The things we all take for granted.

Thankfully, he has started some new medication and is back to his old self, which is such a relief!

The upshot of the story is that he finally started going out to the local Spar shop for food, and got caught in the rain. We think he was confused - Should he stop, go back or carry on? He doesn't like rain at the best of times, and he hadn't been out for weeks, so this would have thrown him into a bit of a flat spin.

The kindness and concern from my friend brought me to tears, and through those tears, this piece was completed. Every embedded piece of gold leaf, every brush stroke and textured mark contains the energy of transformation. A direct channeled name - For The Children - came through as I was placing the final pieces of copper and crystals. It's gone from being my naughty step nemesis, to being one of the most powerful pieces I have ever created - Yes, she is available, just message me if you would like a closer look!

Energy art at its' best - Alchemy is happening

Video below created by Lorrie at Simply Sig.

We are transforming. We have PAUSED and now we move forwards.

It's coming!

Look out for the on-line collection coming next month. It's a powerful one! Subscribers to this blog/newsletter will see it first - so if you are reading this through a social media post, please do sign up for regular monthly posts HERE

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As always, thank you for reading and the support! xxx