I seem to be having a frantic creative burst at the moment. A lot of ideas seem to be whirling around in my head lately waiting their turn to be made real. Now I don’t tend to sketch out my ideas before making but sometimes it’s necessary to jot down or sketch out a wee reminder in my little sketchbook/diary in case they flit out of my head never to be seen again.

I use my little sketchbook for a lot! It’s a diary, work organizer (I’m constantly writing to-do lists) and of course idea notes and sketches.

There’s nothing more frustrating than an idea that escapes, it sits just on the edges of my mind alongside the money I put in a ‘safe place’, the name of that person I just met and the numerous pairs of glasses I’ve lost.

I’ve been preparing for the Auckland Art Show coming up on the last weekend of June, I had a great time at the shows I did last year. I had a couple of masks I wanted to create to take up, so that’s done! It’ll be the first time I’ve gone up to Auckland for it and there’s a bit of cost involved with the added cost of airfares and couriers so hopefully goes OK.

I have decided though that I need to start getting into these things and take a few chances. I’ve been working hard to make sure I’ve got a good selection of works sorted, so just the final bits to sort, pack them up and get myself and the work up there.to pack them up and get myself and the work up there!

I had a couple of masks I wanted to create for the Auckland Art Show

The Otago Art Society also has their annual exhibition coming up, so I’ve been making sure I have a couple of works ready to put in that. I’ve been a part of the OAS for many years and always like to support the shows. I think it’s so important for artists to form supportive communities, no-one understands the need to make art like other artists!

Working on a piece for the OAS annual show

I’ve also put together some plans for a workshop and demonstrations coming up in August, which should be fun. I always have a lot of questions about how I make my work, and I do love to be able to share how I create it. Sometimes just a small tip can get someone started, I know I’ve always come away from other artist’s talks fizzed up and inspired, even if it’s just another way of looking at something.

An artist’s talk during last year’s Demonstration week at the OAS

Given that the weather has been a bit rubbish it’s a good thing I’ve got a lot of creative stuff happening. I always find I get a lot done in the winter as there’s just more time to focus. No tramping, gardening or summer holidays distracting me. ( ahhh, Summer, I fondly remember the sunshine…)

Alongside the ‘Wheelies’, I’ve been making more of my animals with little structure on their backs, there’s still more happening in this theme, and I want to make another larger one with a carriage. Also, I’m getting a glimmer of an idea around Buba Yaga (always like the idea of a house on chicken legs!)

I’m also still fired up about playing around with stop motion video and getting better with editing these little fun movies. Bit by bit I’m learning how to make these better!

So, with all this going on I decided to finish a painting I’d started a year or so ago and then started another! Well, it actually happened because I ran out of clay and was waiting for an order to arrive, while still in a frantic creative groove.

A work that has been waiting patiently to be finished

I was inspired by the last of my Dianthus flowers before the rain and lack of sun destroyed them, so hey, let’s pop out a painting! More so the colour, they were called ‘Strawberry Parfait’ (well, either strawberry or raspberry), and looked as yummy as the name. The flowers turned out nothing like dianthus flowers, but hey, I’ve never let being botanically (or anatomically) correct hold me back!

I find when the crazy creative gods visit it’s best to just run with it and simply enjoy the inspiration and get some mad making in. I do my best to tuck away some of the ideas for those times when I am struggling to get moving creatively.

It hits now and then, and I find instead of hurried sketches of ideas, I’m busy using my little sketchbook/diary for whining about how uninspired I feel. Sometimes there’s a lot of whining in my special little book!