Having a "Moment"

I have just spent the last few days in absolute bliss with some amazing creative people. I don't quite know where to begin, but there was so much of Artfest that was new and exciting and so much that was just like coming home.

That warm friendly feeling you get when you know you belong.

I checked into the hostel in Seattle this afternoon and my room overlooks the Public Market on the waterfront - SO FABULOUS.

I can hear the hustle and bustle below and couldnt wait to get out to explore. Looking beyond the big red "Public Market Center" sign, I could see the water I just travelled across from the island, enjoying my moment to reflect on the experience I was so fortunate to have, so much was learned, shared, experienced. I am so happy to of been part of this and finding many kindred spirits in this newly expanded creative community.

Am off to explore Seattle and Portland for the next week....heaven.

This week, be good to yourself and follow your artful dreams.....

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Artfest- Here I come!

Just a quick post to say I'm in Seattle YAY! and about to head off to Port Townsend for Artfest 2010. Sooo excited and thankful to be going on another art retreat. I'm completely going out of my comfort zone here and I'm excited to be learning some new techniques and meeting so many kindred spirits who I know are about to embark on their own journey. Day one, ill be learning about mouldmaking with Ty and Marica Schultz then day two and three I'm going to be taking Ornamental Stories with Nina Bagley (YAY) learning some fabulous jewellery techniques.

I'm going to completely submerge myself this weekend before taking a well deserved vacation to Portland, so be back soon. Wishing you all a creative week and to living in the moment. Enjoy.

Photo credit: Kelly Rae Roberts Artfest blogpost from 2006

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Yes! I believe in Signs.

Do you ever walk around your town and see “Signs” that you think are meant just for you and you alone? I do! Is it the universe giving you that gentle (if not almighty smack of) a push or maybe your inner guide just trying to remind you that the path you keep thinking about taking is
absolutely THE right one?

Well I was in the East Village, NYC recently pondering on my “dilemma” which I guess really ISN'T a dilemma as I know what the answer is, but it sure does challenge me to take a
LEAP OF FAITH……
but low and behold I look up across the street and see a “Sign”, a sign just
SCREAMING
at me, “Louise Louise look up here”
A sign to push me in the right direction, a sign to tell me its okay, a sign to say you can do it….. THANK YOU UNIVERSE!

I’ve been seeing signs all my life, as I’m sure many of us have….but have just let them pass me by…messages the universe sends us….not really taking notice or thinking about it…..missing those little things that enable us to take that leap of faith and “Become your Dream” Now I’m finally starting to live my life a little differently, in the moment, listening to whats being said in the unspoken word, believing there are many signs and messages and yes maybe IT IS a “coincidence” (I don’t actually believe in coincidences!). So give it a shot, live in the moment, take a breath, think about what this message means to YOU and you alone.

It Could be a sign to ENCOURAGE

(absolutely love Falafel for the Soul)
A sign to LIFT

(Chrissy is so inspiring over at Cul*ti*vate)

A Sign that you will make it, all you have to do is
BELIEVE IN YOURSELF
You CAN do it Cathy (aka Tinniegirl)

You KNOW WHAT TO DO
Anne Marie Still is making it happen by Evoking Art EVERYDAY

And signs like this
short movie
directed by Patrick Hughes that we all

Just.
want. to.
CONNECT.

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Digging the Digable Arts Festival!

So excited to be part of this 2 day festival being held at the Monroe Arts Centre in Hoboken weekend of 20 & 21 March. Check out the promo video here where I get a few words in!

There’s going to be over 60 artists, musicians & film makers participating. I’ll be there with some friends creating a series of collaborative paintings and encouraging the crowd to participate! Ill also be exhibiting paintings, prints and other items….sooooo excited!

I’ve not really collaborated on a painting before so we are just going to get our hands dirty, get the crowd involved and have lots of fun! I plan on wearing my apron from An Artful Journey as its far too clean for my liking! I’m also amazed to have my space in the main room where the bands will be playing so I’m really interested to see if our styles, colours and images change with the different genres of music filling our senses throughout the two days. I find chill music inspires the most creativity when i paint or collage...what do you think? Do you find your art changes if you listen to different music?

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A Burst of Spring & Creating My Clearing

Wow Spring has surely sprung here!……I have had the best few days and thrown some spring cleaning into the mix also…..the weather here has been gorgeous, everyone out in their tshirts and flipflops it feels so good. My “yummy days” started on Thursday - a dream come true with my first NYC show (photos here) then Friday night I decided to head over to Jersey City to check out the JC Fridays event held on the first Friday of each season! Art galleries, local restaurants, hair salons open their doors to show talent in the arts, we had so much fun exploring, meeting amazing people and reconfirming this is the life I NEED TO LIVE.

So with all this sun, relaxation, art and music I quietly contemplated International Womens Day yesterday and thought about all the fabulous women I have met throughout my life so far, you know who you all are! I’m sure many of you celebrated or reflected on what the day meant to you - I myself started to create a “clearing” by spring cleaning and throwing out some old clutter. I was a woman with a mission let me tell you! What I especially loved was putting 20 pairs of shoes (darn I didn’t take a photograph!) out on my front yard for lovely people to come by in the sunshine and find themselves a new present from the universe. I'll be throwing out lots more over the next few weeks, so I cant wait to see a smiley person walk past me with my sparkly shoes on.

I’m ready....creating the clearing for myself...inviting new possibilities into my life, spring is here and new life and dreams are to be born. “Dear universe I am ready to receive them. Bring it on"

Image above: "Burst" - from my "Greenlife or Greylife...?" series. Original and Prints available here.

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Greenlife or Greylife...?

Greenlife or Greylife....? My new art series (official opening reception tonight!) challenges us to think about how parks and green spaces are being sacrificed for buildings and concrete. How can some buildings and environments be changed with a little greenlife around them?

Prints of "Greenlife or Greylife...?" on Velvet Fine Art paper are available in my shop here

I chose this theme as I had read an article on regeneration of towns and how wild areas and small parks were vanishing to make way for concrete. As we destroy and rebuild many of our cities and small towns, I wanted us to think about how we don’t necessarily need to choose between green and grey. The featured painting above depicts this contrast of greenlife versus grey and how the two can also co-exist. This is my favourite in the series and I shot a video here and below showing my collage process.


My Greenlife or Greylife...? solo show kicks off tonight @ Klimat in NYC. YAY :-)

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Our Creative Community and Welcome New Sponsors

I wholeheartedly believe our artist community helps change lives and this has certainly been an amazing realization of mine since I started my own blog last year and met so many wonderful people, both online and in person. The recent retreat to An Artful Journey was like the Oasis of the virtual blogging world, where we all took a long taste of how amazing it is to create solidly for 3 days amongst gorgeous women who are heavy in heart, full of love, talented and so thoughtful. I felt like I had come home during that time away. Thank you to all my new found creative allies and to Chrissy for the photo above.

Growing community and supporting each other is something I've been longing to nurture...in doing so, I have added my "Dream, Inspire, Create" badge to many sites out there to help grow my own creative links, spread the love and also grow my own creative dream. So I'm pleased to announce, that I'm opening up Sponsorship space on my blog which will enable anyone who is growing a creative dream or business to get more exposure and support from me and also the great community we are building together. Sponsors get a space on the right hand side, a blog post announcement (aswell as on facebook too)and other opportunities we can also discuss based on whether you want to grow your website, blog or shop.

So I'm pleased to introduce and extend a warm welcome to my two new sponsors

Lisa Ferrante is a mixed media artist based in New Jersey, check out her Etsy store, where you will find some gorgeous paintings of girlies, so delightful, colourful and inspiring. Lisa will also be offering a giveaway next month on my blog so watch this space.


My second sponsor is Amelia Critchlow. Amelia is offering an e-course exploring art methods in an experimental way. Next start date is MONDAY 19th APRIL, so sign up fast as space is limited.

Wishing you all a wonderfully creative week. If you are interested to find out more about sponsorship, please contact me at louise@britcreative.com

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