Creativity Tips - Feeling Creatively Stuck

When you are feeling stuck and not sure what to do creativity, just play with your supplies, check out my latest video of one of the ways in which I get myself back on my creative tract.

Join me on Patreon

Pass The Brush Experience! 16th & 17th July!

Today and tomorrow the 16th and 17th July is the official start of Pass the Brush and Online Art Community Event

It is an honor to be paired with Laura Bassen - a talented cardmaker at @laurafadora on Instagram.  Over the course of the next two days I will be sharing more about me and my work on her Instagram feed.

The art community is hosting “Pass the Brush,” the artistic community’s version of “Share the Mic.” Please join us as we work to amplify black artists. The objective of this event is to show solidarity within the art community and to amplify black artists so their voices can be heard and art can be seen in a broader audience. Please follow the hashtag #PassTheBrushArt

The project was brought together by Rachel Bellamy and Dina Wakley to Unmute and to Amplify.  Tim Holtz is our Presenter over the next two days and it is going to be an amazing time of sharing within the Online Art Community

So Come and join us and get to know the artists that are taking part.

We are also having a series of Giveaways

Our Sponsors for the Giveaway

Artists Taking Part

Giveaway Guidelines

In an act of Solidarity and Community, Pass the Brush is hosting a giveaway with multiple prizes. The aim is to Amplify Black Artists, increase traffic and followers to guest artists, and improve engagement with guest artists channels to disrupt the algorithm and diversify the art community's feeds after the Pass The Brush event


TO ENTER:

1. Follow all Pass The Brush Guest Artists on their Instagram feed

I will also be sharing this link on Instagram so you can just click on their links to follow - 
@paperdivanoir @thekathrynwheel @opheliastaton @creationsbyjsheri @jannettesimmons @shemidixon @mzdanajoy @trenabrannon @iamclassygirl @reddragonflystudio @juicychristians @mystele1

@realityarts @craftsofadifferentshade @marticesmithart @rarebirds @confidentcanvas @iamsarahmatthews @letsdesigncreative @pocono.pam @tdmamm2012 @queenpreneur @kialagives @dnrenee @kreativekymona

2. Tag 3 or more friends on the main post on post to share the giveaway and encourage them to join you in showing solidarity within the art community.

3. Share this graphic in your stories and use the hashtag #passthebrushart

4. Once complete, go to [www.passthebrushcommunity.com](http://www.passthebrushcommunity.com/) and enter to win giveaway prizes from our sponsors.


Giveaway Details: Open to everyone, however, certain prizes are only available to U.S. participants due to postal limitations and costs.

I hope you can join us, stay blessed and be a blessing

Pass the Brush Giveaway closes 7/24/2020 midnight PST and all winners will be chosen from those registered by email. A list of winners will be notified by email with instructions about their prizes.

Wanted in Paradise!

It has been nearly 2 weeks since we have been back from Barbados, and it feels like longer, and a million miles away.  I thought I would share some of the pictures to warm up your cold December evening, and share some of the good news that accompanied the trip.

It wasn't a trip that we had planned, having been on holiday 2 months before, we were settling into our day to day routine, then came the call...

The BBC were putting together a series about people who had been considering returning to sunnier climbs and we were chosen to visit Barbados again to see if would be something that we considered doing.  The program 'Wanted in Paradise' is loosly based on the 'Wanted Down Under' series.

We were blown away by the opportunity to really see what it would be like living in Barbados, which allowed us to escape London for a week to see what things that we would need to think about and put into place.  This was an emotional journey as it meant having to think about those things that you take for granted, like being around family and friends, making your home in an unfamiliar environment and the ups and downs that goes with it.

We stayed in a really lovely beachfront apartment called Inchscape, and the week was spent meeting a range of different people and getting a side to the island that you don't usually think about when on holiday. 

Sekani got to visit the University of Barbados, and spoke with the Dean, and Alan met two head teachers and took his e-safety and cyber bullying program and ran a session in two primary schools.  It was an eye opener to find out how much they knew about e-safety and the work that is being done in schools at the moment. 

I got to meet the  Pamelia Brereton, the President of the Barbados Alzheimer's Association  and found out about the work that they are doing, and how I could possibly use some of the experience that I have gained from working with the Arts and Healthcare.  It was great to talk to Pamelia, who was able to relate to my situation with my mother as a carer, and gave some great advice.

President - Pamelia Brereton

I also got to spend the afternoon with English Born artist and author Janice Sylvia Brock, who spends half the year here in the UK and the rest in Barbados.  

She had a beautiful studio and home and it was great getting to talk to her about her work and what inspires her, living abroad, as well as sharing with her some of my own art work.  

Entrance to Studio

Janice's studio which also serves as a gallery space is so light an airy with some great sea views, I would love to have a creative space like this!....one day!

To see more click on this image

As we shared our love for the arts, it was great to hear about some of the ways in which she supports some of the different charities on the island.

We viewed 3 properties to see what kind of budget we would need to purchase a home, and made a comparison between the cost of living in the UK and Barbados to be able to judge objectively whether it was cheaper home or abroad.

Other highlights on the trip included spending time with Alan's cousin Mike and his wife Denise, they are a great couple who run Value Vacations travel agents in Barbados, and they are doing their bit giving back to the community with a variety of different ventures.

Alan with his cousin Mike and Denise

Sekani turned 19 years old in Barbados and we spent time with family and friends, it was his first birthday away from home, and we missed family and friends in the UK.

I have a lot of thinking to do, in order to make a decision, with no direct family in Barbados, and looking after my mum a priority, I have many tough decisions to make that will effect many people and can't be made lightly. 

Sea views

 Barbados has so much going for it, and a great environment, to inspire creativity and we have met a lot of lovely people!

Sunsets are beautiful!

The program will air in February 2015, to find out what we eventually decide you have to watch the program!, I will give you a heads up when it is on.

For now, stay blessed and be a blessing!