We Pledge Allegiance - Exhibition - A Feast for the Eyes!

"We Pledge Allegiance" Curated by Oneka Small

This is one of those exhibitions that if you missed, you really missed out.  It was a real treat to experience the feeling of going into an Art Gallery and feeling like a kid in a candy store, with such a feast to the eyes, at every corner you looked there was a delight to be viewed.  

This was truly a brilliant exhibition.  Curated by Oneka Small, it ran from November 15th - December 17th at #1 Manor Lodge a 8,000 square foot space donated by Adrian Elcock. 

I had many favorite pieces

It was perfect, it was transformed from an office space to an art gallery in two weeks!  It was expertly filled by Oneka a very talented artist and curator and her team of people who gave their assistance to make this happen.

It was amazing, as soon as you walked into the space you knew that you were going to have every one of your senses inspired.  The space felt like it had always been a gallery and had breathed inspiration, creativity and talent, and you wanted to spend time there and you left feeling filled.

The location was ideal and it would be great if it could be used in the long term as a gallery.....

..... a space among us ....hidden in plain sight... there all along, housing the creative talents of the many artists living in Barbados!  It definitely is something to think about and the 'Manor Lodge Gallery' or the 'Elcock Gallery' has a certain ring to it!! (smile)

There were over 90 artists and well over 350 pieces of art by talented established as well as up-and-coming artists in Barbados - here are Artists that exhibited - 

Adrian Richards, Aguinaldo Belgrave, Akyem-i Ramsay, Alison Chapman-andrews, Allie Callender, Ancel Daniel, Anya Stephen, Ann Rudder, Anisah Wood, Arlette Sthill, Ashanti Trotman, Aurelia Walcott, Bill Grace, Catherine Forter Cheeatow, Cher Antoinette, Cherise Harris, Combemere School, Corrie Scott, Cy Hutchinson, Danielle ☥ Toppin, David Skinner, Don Small, Ewan Atkinson, Frank Taylor, Franz Phillips, Fred Odle, Gail Pounder-Speede, Graham Gill, Heather-Dawn Scott, Hedy Klineman, Henry Fraser, Heidi Berger, Heshimu Akin-yemi, Ichia Tiyi, Ilix, Indra Rudder, Ireka Jelani, Ras Jamonn Roberts, Jeena Chatrani, Joyce Daniel, Julia Seymour, Juliana Inniss, Kenneth Blackman, Kraig Yearwood, Leslie Taylor, Lilian Sten-Nicholson, Lorna Wilson, Lisle Warner, Marlon Ilion Skeete, Martina Pile Zahles, Margaret Herbert, Mathew Clarke, Na La, Nakazzi Hutchinson, Natalie Atkins-Hinds, Neville Crawford, Neville Legall, Nick Whittle, Oneka Small, Petra Toyin, Rae Garnes, Ras Ishi, Risée Chaderton-Charles, Rivenis, Rodney S. Ifill, Ronald Williams, Rupert Piggott, Sade Payne, Simbah Pile, Steven Haynes, Tandem, Israel Mapp, Taneisha Shepherd, Tracy Greenidge, Troy Romelle Bourne, Victor Collector, Virgil Broodhagen, William Cummins, Willie Alleyne, Woodpecker, Eileen Hamilton, Mary Armstrong, C Skeete, Norma Talma, Karl Broodhagen, Gordon Parkinson, Robert J MacLeod, Golde White, K C Hawkins, Bertalan.

Check out some of the names.  Luckily for you an online album has been created for viewing.  Check out the ONLINE GALLERY  Some of the work may still be on SALE so if you see something you like let them know.  

Once again, we were treated to  a really great exhibition, and I am looking forward to the next one!

If you want to keep updated with news check out the Barbados Visual Arts Event and you can Pop over to my Destination Barbados - Wanted in Barbados Blog for more creative ins and outs that I get up to on the island - a bit more of a taster.

Pantone Color of the Year 2017 and Visit to St Nicholas Abbey, Barbados - Greenery Inspiration

I am taking part in the Creative Arts Collaboration Facebook Group color challenge, which starts today and our posts and videos will be inspiration around the Pantone Color of the Year 2017 which is Greenery.

I shared in a previous post all the various things in my studio that share the same color HERE, and here are some of the images from the post, in which you can see the color and many shades popping up.

Greenery around the studio

I do find the color both inspiring and relaxing at the same time.

And I was quite surprised at how many examples of the color I do have around my studio space and that I use in my art.

Sneak Peak at some artwork in the studio

I wanted to share with you in this post a sneak peak at some of the art work that I am going to share with you in a few days, but to also look at a visit I made with my family to St Nicholas Abbey, Barbados.  We will look at some of the very obvious examples of 'Greenery' as St Nicholas is set in a lush environment, and the not so obvious examples of the color showing up.

St Nicholas Abbey is one of the islands oldest surviving plantations, set in over 400 acres of cane fields, tropical gullies, mahogany forests and formal gardens...... for more information click HERE

We paid them a visit to take in a tour of the grounds and see how the rum was made with brother-in-law Mike, hubby - Alan and Son Sekani.  

Enjoying the grounds we spent quite a while wandering round

We got to see how the rum was made, had a taste or two and walked leisurely around the gardens which was very beautifully maintained.  It is owned by Anna and Larry Warren who we met, and Anna showed us where they bottled the rum, all done by hand, the bottles engraved and enjoyed all over the world.

Anna Warren and Amanda Trought-Springer (St Nicholas Abbey) Surrounded by Greenery

Anna shows us some of the many things produced from the sugar and packed by hand

I do recommend that you go and visit if you are ever in St Peter, Barbados.  While I was at St Nicholas Abbey I looked out for examples of the - Pantone Color of the Year for 2017 which is Greenery and indeed it was all around.  I took some obvious and not so obvious shots.

We took in everything

I picked out the color every where I went, from the hazy green on the walls in the corridor, to the air exposed corrosion on metal which gave a pale green color...

All the little detail - the stories to tell..

Around the grounds we saw many examples of Greenery

an inspiring color

where the sugar canes were crushed and the juice squeezed out, machinery maintained, moss finding a home, blending in, memories implanted in the brickwork,

color in places you might not normally notice

 walking around the grounds, very peaceful hearing the wind dancing in between the leaves, telling a different story from long ago.  

take your time and soak in the environment

Seeing the color in the rum soaked scotch bonnet peppers, as they loose their redness  and fade to green to the delicate leaves painted on the crockery in the restaurent.  Look out of any window and catch the color!

Visitors always welcome!

Light hits the etched glass, reflections past and bounces off the leaves that danced and wave through the windows.

A final good bye at Cherry Tree Hill will pull you back so much more to see ... next time!

Last views at Cherry Tree Hill

Tour done, I end my day at home with a cup of Earl Gray tea and a little something sweet!

Might have to add a little rum in that...lol!

I hope that you enjoyed seeing some of the color inspiration at my visit to St Nicholas Abbey.  We enjoyed our visit and will go again, there is still so much to see and take in.  

Do check out my YouTube channel for my video inspiration around the Pantone Color of the Year on Saturday where I will show you examples of my outdoor garden inspiration and some of my art where I have used the color. If you want to see more of the Caribbean I have started a Destination Barbados blog for all of my Caribbean inspiration through photos and blogs.

Stay blessed and be a blessing.

31 Creative Things to do with Recycled Materials - Promarker Pen Holders - Day 7

Creative Recycling, one box/can/bottle/ at a time!

Do you have lots of pens all over the place that need a home?

Do you want to see what you have and don't want to hide them? 

Have you a small amount of space to work with?

Then look no further!!  Over the next few days as part of the '31 Creative Things to do with Recycled Materials' and the 'Ultimate Blog Challenge' I have a few 'pen' storage ideas to help you with your problem.

I have always had this problem in my work space when I started out, especially when I worked from the edge of my kitchen table.  Many moons later I have a bigger space but still need to be mindful about what I store and where.

Moving into my current space I wanted one of those racks you see in the magazines, but surrounded by so many milk cartons and boxes I knew that I would be able to create something to my specification and at a fraction of the price.  

Creative Thinking Cap on to do something with this little lot!

I wanted something a cross between the one below but that could fit on my desk. You can check out the one below and they also have others which may work for you.

 

The holders that originally came with the pens were these and these didn't work for me considering the amount of pens that I have and the space that they took up.  I am going to have to find an alternative use for them:)

I wanted to make an upright holder and began to think of the best possible materials that I had and the design.  I didn't follow a pattern, I just knew how I wanted it to look and then just kept going and this was born.  

This was the before and the after, quite a transformation!
 

The Before - milk cartons and cardboard

The After

 I painted it an gave it a 'shabby chic' look and finished it with varnish and gold metallic rub.  I am able to view all the colors and keep everything organised.  

The one thing that the pens could do with now is the color indicator on the top.  The pens that I originally brought were the old design, you can purchase some labels or again make your own.  

The top of the storage allows me to keep to hand the pens I am using in a project and the rest can be stored horizontally as needed.

I might add some swirls or stenciled designs to the storage container, but I am please with the results and the much needed storage that I now have for my pens.  Come back to see what I have done with my Alcohol Markers

For more inspired recycling ideas and useful tips check out Zero Waste Barbados and Journey to Zero Waste 

Have a look at some of my ideas on my Pinterest Recyled Board

Blessings

31 Creative Things to do with Recycled Materials - Birds - Day 6

Welcome to My Day 6 of the Ultimate Blog Challenge.  I am running slightly behind and hope to catch up with all the things I want to share with you.  I was inspired to make the ducks after watching Heather Santos on a course called Soul Food run by Mystele  There are always nuggets to take away in Mysteles courses for you to add your own spin on it.  Check them and their videos out they are both inspiring.

What is quite funny about watching ducks in the water is that they usually look so calm and collected on the surface, moving from one place to the other in the water, what we don't see is the action beneath the water.  Their feet are moving very quickly in a flurry to get them from one place to the next, yet here they are making it look easy.

Amanda Trought - Mixed Media Art - Sculptured Bird

After making the first duck I just went on to make a few more, and now love how you can transform recycled material.  The base for the ducks is foil which really compacts well, so if you are looking for a use for any foil you may have laying around here is a great example.  Obviously if you have used it to cover food or cooking you will need to wash it first.

Amanda Trought - Mixed Media Art Bird

Amanda Trought - Mixed Media Art Bird

The other thing I use is recycled paper, made into clay, and I found a great recipe online.  I altered it slightly to suit but it is archival, long lasting and another fun way of recycling.  The last additions were the embellishments to make them unique. I will be posting my recipe and a video of how I make the paper clay for you to give it a go.

Ok, so you met these three birds you'll have to be introduced to the rest of the family...(smile) at some point I want to share some of the tropically based sculptures that are beginning to show up, but that is for another time!  

Stay blessed and be a blessing!

In the meantime you can:

Sign up for a course I will be teaching on

Sign Up HERE

My Course Bonuses you get for free when you sign up HERE

Free Booklet - 25 Ways to fit Art and Creativity into your life!

Art Workshop, Over 2 hours of instruction - sigh up using the link above and get this free

Pantone Color of the Year 2017 - Greenery - Around the studio

I have been inspired in my studio by the Pantone Color of the Year for 2017 which is Greenery.

What is the PANTONE Color of the Year?

"A symbolic color selection; a color snapshot of what we see taking place in our global culture that serves as an expression of a mood and an attitude."

Who is the Pantone Color Institute

"The Pantone Color Institute is a color research and information center that shares its color expertise with professionals in a variety of industries including fashion, commercial/industrial, contract and interior design, graphic arts, advertising, film and education.

Pantone studies how color influences human thought processes, emotions and physical reactions, furthering its commitment to providing professionals with a greater understanding of color and to help them utilize color more effectively. Leatrice Eiseman, America's leading color expert, is the executive director of the Pantone Color Institute."

I am really interested in the way that color can impact on our health and well being.  I ran Art and Creativity workshops for a 4 year period with the elderly living with dementia, and encouraged my mother now 93 years old who has lived with dementia for the past 18 years and whom I was caring for to take part in creative activities. I saw the value of using color in an art activity, and the impact it made whether you were a participant or a viewer.  Check out my Arts In Health site and the resources of other organisations working in the field.

Creativity really touches parts of the brain that we just cannot truly understand and I found after the Arts and Creative activity the participants in my group became more focused during the rest of the day and they engaged with other activities, were more relaxed and they would talk about the activity that they took part in with others.  

Mum at the Art Session I ran at the day care centre

The work was displayed around the center and they were very proud of their efforts.

Mum liked patterns and lots of color - especially red

I was able to talk about my work in the Barbados magazine Better Health and shared my passion for the Arts and Health and the connection to our well-being.

Since hearing about Greenery as the Color of the Year, I thought I would see how much in our everyday the colors are being used.  It is amazing how once a particular color is highlighted you begin to notice it more.  I went round my studio to see examples of 'Greenery' and there was more than I thought. 

Can you identify any of the items?

After I began focusing on on the color I saw it everywhere, and obviously looking out the window it is all around.  

Some of the items are more obvious than others....

A lot of my supplies and tools have elements or shades of the color...

Some you may have seen....

I also use the color quite a bit in my paintings, and over the coming week will be sharing more about my creative process and where the color has featured in my work.

Some you may even own!

I will also be sharing more over the next week or so a trip I made to St Nicholas Abbey which is set in very lush surroundings and I took lots of photographs where the color greenery is evident and how it is used in the setting, from around the home to out in nature. 

St Nicholas Abbey - set in 350 acres!

I will also be sharing a video on my YouTube Channel - Realityart of 3 pieces of art work where the color and shades have featured quite a bit.  I hope you can join me, and perhaps it will encourage your creative adventure.

Sign up for my mailing list (on the side bar) and check out some of my other links listed.  It would be great to have you on board.  

Stay blessed and be a blessing!

31 Creative Things to do with Recycled Materials - Day 3, 4 & 5

Welcome back to todays post in the Ultimate Blog Challenge.  For the rest of the month I will be showing you what I have done with materials that can be recycled.  Rather than throwing them out I have given them a new lease of life.  Using a bit of imagination and lots of creativity there is so much we can do with the things that are normally disguarded and with resources depleting on the planet, we have to find a way to reduce what is readily thrown away and save some of the earth for generations to come.

With that said I am always up for a challenge and I have over the years found ways to save my self some money when it comes to the use of storage containers.  Using a bit of paint and a glue gun you can do wonders to any surface:)  Take a look at my Pinterest board, there are some lovely things that I would love to try - inexpensive solutions that look great.

Here are 3 very different storage containers that I have created

Storage Tin made with rolled paper

This one is made out of a tin covered in rolled paper, it makes for a very sturdy container, and I have added a border round the tin to stop it from falling over.

Plastic bottle container - looks unique!

Plastic bottle with the top taken off it makes a cup like container that is used to store all my pliers and Stanley knives

This is the top of another bottle that has been turned upside down and covered with the rolled paper.  It makes the container study and now I have a great place to put the rocks and stones I collect.  You can make them as big or as small as you like and decorate them either with a color scheme or something funky.

I have some great examples coming up so do come back tomorrow to see what they are.  

Stay blessed and be a blessing!

Saving Yourself - When you feel like your disappearing

Saving Yourself When you feel like your disappearing addresses the need for us to make sure we think about our own health and well-being on a daily basis.

Have you ever found yourself doubting your own feelings and emotions, or that your feelings didn’t matter? Do you even know how you feel right now?  You sometimes hear people talk about how you should be feeling based on their own needs, but they never really ask you, and never seem to have the time to listen to what you might have to say.

It is easy to feel as if 'you' don't matter, you’re not used to shining the light on yourself and you really don't want to make a fuss when people don't acknowledge just how much you have done for them.

Lots of us go through this problem, we've spent years caring for others, whether it is our children, someone else’s children or we've cared for an elderly relative.  We often find it difficult to think of what it is that we do like and it seems as if we have slowly eroded who we thought we were.  Often not being able to answer the question 'what is your favorite......?'

I can totally relate as I found that when I was caring for my mother with dementia and when my son was little I often felt that I didn't know who I was any more.  I spent the majority of my time trying to cater for the needs of another that I didn't know what I wanted, or how I felt and it has been a long journey to rediscover the 'me' I know I can be.

I found that when I didn't have some 'me' time whether it was 5 minutes or 2 hours, this was when I was more likely to feel undervalued emotionally drained and stuck just longing to be rescued somehow!

The easiest way to ensure that this feeling of stuck-ness doesn't happen is finding that much needed time, even if it is 5 minutes you need to schedule it and put it in your diary.  Let others know that you are taking the time, set your watch and go do something creative.

I have 5 easy things that you can incorporate into your day you can do all 5 or just one and this will help you fit creativity into your day and jump start your creativity

1.  Write down your ideas, you know you have them.  Find yourself a set of index cards, or write in a journal and list them, things that you might want to do, try out, go see.  When you start writing things down it helps take you to the next step of putting them into action.  Dust out those corners of your mind and see how many you can come up with in 10 minutes – you can give yourself 10 minutes right?

2.  Identify all the things that you can do in a short space of time say 5 minutes for you, list them, and these are the things that you will take the time out to do when you have shorter pockets of time to spend on yourself.

3.  Take your time – whenever you schedule time for yourself focus on what it is that you are doing, don’t try and do a whole range of things, value you in that space at that moment and really enjoy spending time on you!

4.  Where can you go for inspiration?  Think of places you can go, it could initially be around your neighbourhood, the local park, a garden, you might be able to incorporate a once a week trip to a museum, or gallery.

5.  Try something new! Think about the art supplies that you have and try something different, you might use them in a different way, or try a new technique, just allow yourself to play.

Once you start giving yourself this much needed time you will find that you’re not so stressed, and you can breathe again.  You might even be able to hear the birdsong outside your window!

What one do you think you will try first?

If you would like to have more tips and encouragement sign up for my mailing list

Stay blessed and be a blessing

Amanda