What about the VLOG? Episodes 1 and 2

Alright, so I dived right in and have started to VLOG!

Yes I have started small, and hope to do a hourly, daily, weekly ok at the moment a sometime vlog talking about the things that are coming up at the moment, and more.  When I started I wanted to do it daily, but life, time, and over promising myself got the better of me, so I totally stopped. The desire to do it was still there, so I decided to break it down a bit, take the self imposed pressure off and do it as a weekly-ish Realityarts Vlog

I moved home had to do the packing and unpacking - I am on my 4th studio space, will share more soon.  I had courses and exhibitions to deal with and lots of other things that seem to be vying for time, and I want to share some of it on video, but I really underestimated just how long it would take.

Join me anyway on my YouTube channel, are you on your own creative journey and want some inspiration, or want to break-in, don't quite know where to start?  Well over time I will be providing some of the answers (from my perspective). I will be sharing what excites and motivates me, and inspiration from other artists - you accompany me on a creative tropical adventure. 

I will also cover in my VLOG the highs and lows of relocating that we found and how we adjusted to a new way of life, answer questions, tell you about new techniques and courses that I am involved with and so much more.

Episode 2 Series 1

Episode 1, Series 1

The third episode which is well over due should be with you this week and perhaps that will be the regular viewing date, I am trying to keep myself to a schedule - (a work in progress), rather than like sniper fire.

Anyway I hope you enjoy, and join me on the creative journey, we only have one life, why not live it to the full and step out and do the things that bless you and can inspire others in some way.  Go on, I dare you!  High Five..... I'm daring myself so you can't leave me hanging!

Do check out some of my other social sites, that seem to take up so much time....

Instagram

Facebook
Website

Pinterest - don't you just love all the different boards, no more piles of magazines with circles around things that inspire you or that you just like..

Anyway, thanks for getting this far, stay blessed and be a blessing

Amanda

One BADASS Art Journal Course - Week 5 - Late Night Conversations

Welcome to my interpretation of the class led by Cristin Stephenson in the BADASS Art Journal Class.  For this class as with the others I did 3 pages, one double spread and then two that came after that could either follow the same theme that I had worked with in the main page or be totally different.

Magic at midnight

For my main page below I started out with random shapes on the page, then as I thought about the late night conversations the song 'Dancing in the Moonlight' by Thin Lizzy came to mind

That connection with the moon, the music, and the sea also came in as well.  My characters that came out on the page seem to want to go on an adventure, perhaps a Thelma and Louise type of adventure in a car on a raft on the ocean with the music blazing...and free.... who knows

Adventure awaits

Some times you have to take that leap of faith, not knowing how everything is going to work out.  Some times we prevent ourselves from doing things because of fear. It is either we fear failing or we fear changing and things working out so we don't fit in our neat little boxes.  Fear to laugh and be yourself, fear to say yes to something or no.

Follow your dreams

Listening to a speaker called Lisa Nicols she was talking about her life and saying that fear can paralyze you and that you should use it instead as your fuel to get you to where you want to go.  We can sometimes fear using a particular art material, or fear that creative play because of what might reveal about you.  You can put anything in there that you might be feeling fearful about, and think about what the worse that could happen.

It is time to let go, step out, step into but make that change!  This page then came out of all of that, she chose to step out and be who she knew she could be, she stepped out and is 'Dancing' as well, not worried who might be looking or that 'its always been done this way' or about anything else that could get in the way.

Come join me next Friday and see how I interpreted the next lesson

One BADASS Journal Workshop - Week 3 - Explore, Dream, Discover

Week 3 of the One BADASS Art Journal workshop was called Explore, Dream, Discover with teacher Tracy Scott.  You can still sign up to this workshop as you get lifetime access.  Why not check out some of the other class bundles that is on offer.  You can check them out HERE 

For this painting I worked on black card and started out creating the flowers on the page.  I love creating faces with a story and so this character came through to tell hers.

I called the page Escaping to the gardens of the mind.  Working in an art journal can be very therapeutic and I find that the pages that I create usually have some bearing on either something I am working through or needing to put to rest.

An art journal can express many different sides to you, and those who have visited my blog from the 1st April to the 30  of April will see some of the different types of art journals that I have created in the blog series 30 Days of Journals that I am doing as part of the Ultimate Blog Challenge.

When you want to escape to a place that is nurturing you don't always have to go far, turn to your journal.  Sometimes I can be sitting for hours working on different pages in my journal, playing with color and different textures and expressing those things that I cannot yet put into words.

As I mentioned in last weeks post either side of the main page I will be painting corresponding images that pick up elements or sentiments of the main journal page.

Remember that the journal that you create or alter is entirely for your use, you decide how you want to use it and what you want to have in it, so dive in and have some fun.

I will be posting another page from my BADASS Art Journal next week Friday, but you will also see my A-Z challenge that is also being done in April, going to be quite a busy month, so do stop by, there will be something practically every day.

Stay blessed and be a blessing.

How To Art Journal Interview with Kiala Givehand

A couple of weeks ago I spoke to Kiala Givehand about my work and creative practice as part of her How 2 Art Journal YouTube channel.  It was great fun and I thought I would leave the video link for you to take a look.

Been busy with other things this month, a few exhibitions to prepare for.  This week has also found me making some videos for the #1min1take video challenge with Holly Gillen.

It has been great to let go of the pressure of having to edit the video, and talking for one minute goes so quickly, so learning to be concise is becoming a great lesson.

Check out my YouTube channel to see some of the videos I have made, I hope that you will be encouraged.  Here are a few of the ones done so far

Hope you are having a blessed week so far, Friday tomorrow, need to find time to focus on the things that mean so much but can often get neglected.  That said will share some of the other things I have been doing in the studio.

Hang tight till then, stay blessed and be a blessing.

Art and Health in Barbados - Magazine Article

A few months ago I was given the opportunity to talk about the impact that Art can have on our health and well-being in a monthly magazine called Better Health. Each month they cover a variety of topics that highlight a wide range of health issues and gives the readership in-depth information and sign posts them to resources to enable them to be proactive in taking steps to improve their own health and that of their family.

I shared my story about my journey and it is funny when you look back over your life and see the many different roads you could have gone down.  I could never have foreseen my current move that brought me to Barbados and I know that every step of the way has brought its highs and lows but in each situation we have to see what the gift is in the lessons we are being shown. If you’ve followed my blog and read some of my posts you will know that I’ve worked in a few diverse fields before becoming an artist.

I think that the common theme that runs through each of the areas of work is wanting to help others  I worked for many years as an Executive Secretary in education, design and then in the NHS before doing my degree in Complementary Therapies.  I focused on Nutritional and Massage therapy because I could see the link between the food that we ate and how we treated our bodies.  I had also lost my father and brother to cancer and my mother was diagnosed with dementia, so looking for a holistic approach to health has been vitally important for me.  I further saw the impact of massage therapy and later art and creative activities including music, dance, theatre and even horticulture, and started to do more research.

I found that art and creativity consistently had a big impact on individuals who either viewed activities in the 'arts, say by going to a gallery as well as those who took part in creative activities, and it really enabled people to express themselves in ways they were unable to verbally, and people were able to say how they felt using a range of different tools and be involved with a creative practice that brought about the feeling of well-being.  This was also the case for those who took part in my 3 year project with the elderly who had varying degrees of dementia.

If you have taken any of the classes I have run as part of either The Journey Within, One BadAss Journal or My Color is Beautiful Art, I try and create lessons that not only get us learning a new technique or creating a lovely piece of art, but also to get us to ask ourselves the questions that we often try to avoid.

Art for me is an integral part of my life and it was such a pleasure to share a part of it in the magazine.  I see art and creative activity as a vehicle for sharing the stories and acting as a bridge between what is told and what is left unsaid and brings out the richness and the passion that is handed down and that captures the imagination of generations.

My journey here in Barbados has only just begun and I hope to share more of our journey, insights, highs and lows of taking that step of faith.  If you want to read the article in the magazine, send your email address to amanda(at)realityarts(dot)co(dot)uk and I will send you a copy.

I would love to hear how art and creativity has impacted on your life and the way in which you use it to tell your story.