Confession and a minor Art Miracle

I love traveling and discovering new places, rediscovering new haunts, trying new dishes and spending time with wonderful people. But the reverse jetlag I get when I arrive home KICKS MY BUTT! urgh…

I always slip straight into the time zone when I am away on the other side of the planet. I bounce around, walk fast and talk even faster! But after that loooong flight home, I am like a clam. Sedentary and mouth slammed shut. I can’t sleep when it’s dark, and can’t stay awake when it’s light. It takes me a good 6 weeks to get my regular sleeping pattern back.

The problem is I feel super-creative, but I am feeling that way at 3 in the morning! When you burn the candle at both ends like that… well you know how that ends up? With the flu! And, no way dude, I have NO TIME to be sick because I have awesome stuff to crack on with…

I am just wrapping up the last three ‘Art Lessons’ in my Supplies Stash Series with Cloth Paper Scissors.

Then I am filming my portions of the two exciting collaborative classes I am involved with:

Radiant Faces

My theme for Radiant Faces is ‘The Nymph’. And I have a story to tell you about what inspired my choice.

When I was in London, I went to the Tate Britain to see two Pre-Raphelite paintings. ‘Ophelia’ by John Everett Millais and ‘The Lady of Shalott’ by John William Waterhouse.

What I didn’t know was that even though they have been on display in the Tate for most of it’s 117 year old history,  they have both been out of the Museum since 2012 on tour to Russia, Japan, Italy and the USA. By a complete art miracle ( mirarticle?), the two huge paintings  returned ‘home’ the day before my visit and were uncrated just as I was entering the building. By the time I walked into the gallery, there they were. Sitting on the floor. Still in their wrappings.

Did I cry? Yes.

Art that I love hits me like this. I am crying now just thinking about how LUCKY I was to see these paintings in the flesh. The dear security guard saw me standing there with tears rolling down my face and said how happy he was to see these paintings back too.  I asked “Are they your favourites?”. He laughed and said “No, but I have been asked every day where they are for the last 2 years!”.

Then he let me sneak in a little closer to the paintings and have a better look.

I went to the Tate to see these paintings because when I think of a ‘Nymph’ these are the paintings that come to my mind.  Salvador Dali captures my feelings into words: “The Pre-Raphaelite painters bring us radiant women who are, at the same time, the most desirable and most frightening that exist”. 

Although neither of the women in the paintings are nymphs, they have the yearning, the otherwordly beauty and stillness that I want to capture in my artwork for the lessons I have planned for Radiant Faces.

(Click the image to learn more and register)

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Studying Under the Masters

The concept behind this workshop is just so, so cool.

Jeanne Oliver invited 6 awesome Artists  to select a ‘Master Painter’ to be ‘Apprenticed’ under. We are each creating  tutorials  about the artwork of our Master Painter and how they can inspire and inform our own artwork. The Artists and our selected Masters are varied and WONDERFUL!

For this workshop I selected the amazing and inspirational Frida Kahlo. It’s going to be quite an experience! Of course I am a little nervous to be taking on Frida’s artwork!

I have a feeling I am going to go big for this workshop. So if you feel like getting out the canvas and broadening your painting horizons with me, please jump on in!
(click here for info)

Oh Frida, how I adore you and your arresting self portraits. She blows my mind with the alternating volume and flatness in her work. The  paintings are still but full of life. There are stories there. Brutal honesty mixed with flights of the imagination. The paintings are a jumble. A glorious jumble that I can’t wait to tease apart a little.

(click here for info)

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And in amongst the filming of these classes, I have workshops in Bali, the Sunshine Coast, the Central Coast and in Byron Bay ( details are under ‘Retreats’). Fun, Fun, Fun!

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So anyway, back to my Confession.  I have to admit to myself that my energy is not boundless ( who knew?!). Even though my heart wants to do everything,  I can in fact get bloody tired. So I have made some big changes to my plans for next year. Originally I had a 5 week trip to the USA in April planned, but that will just be too long.  So,  I have contracted my trip to Mexico to one week  and re-organised my commitments (Viva Frida Mexico City Workshop info here) so my trip is just over 2 weeks. My thinking is, that is not long enough for my body clock to get it’s knickers in a knot.

Cripes! On my trip to Europe I actually got homesick for the first time in my life. I cherish my life here. I adore walking in my garden. I love having my doglettes at my side as I go and pick oranges and lemons with Angus. I missed my studio. Dear god in heaven, I even missed my exercise and yoga routine (What?!!).

But equally, there is nothing I could have changed from that last trip, every second was wonderful. I just learned to make the next one shorter, that’s all. I have to keep my energy going for the long term, right?

Much love and much needed zzzzzzzzz’s

Jane/ Danger

p.s. I have so many pics and awesome stories from my trip still to share… stay tuned!