Tuesday, 17 January 2017

Fear, Regrets, Life, Reflect...Begin - Life is still too Short

What you going to do with the life you have left?


Why are you hiding yourself away, are you caught up in your thoughts, are there things you are going through right now that you want to to talk about but can't speak to anyone until things pass? Is there someone that you can talk to and share your thoughts? what do you do.  

I sometimes have these spells where things don't make sense, things happen and you're not sure how to address them, or get a handle on them.  You might have previously been on a roll, and in the flow but then you get knocked for six.  We had another friend die.  Out of the blue, sudden, no sickness or anything.  Last year 2 of my cousins died - mother and daughter within 2 months of each other 2 other friends died and 2016 saw me at a total of 4 funerals.  



When I am 'feeling it' I don't feel like writing on my blog and I retreat somewhere that I can gather thoughts and reflect, wanting to share, but, you know how it is...... it can be hard to say how you really feel, try and keep it all sweetness and light and carry on as if business was as usual. 

For those who came back for the 31 things, I am sorry, but I dropped the ball for a moment, we all do sometimes don't we, nothing to feel ashamed about, forgive yourself and move on. I had to step back and allow the process to run its' course, or something.  

No Regrets

When you think about your life what is it that you would most regret not doing?  Think about those things that you currently take for granted, the things you wanted to try, the places you said that you would visit, the relationships that you wanted to make better or spend more time in, and ask yourself just what is stopping you at this very moment and what would it take for you to be able to put those things in place.




If you were told that you had a year, month or week to live what would you do with the time that you had left?  How would you spend each and every moment knowing that you would never see the faces of those people that you loved one last time.  

With so many family and friends passing away suddenly, we cannot make head nor tail of it, and each year wonder when there will be a break in the heartache that ensues, when you will get an ease - then another one goes.  We are now our parents position of going to yet another funeral, but it seems more frequent now, people dying younger, hidden agendas? conspiracies?!! reaching out for an answer, a reason, why...why?



Each year I say to my sister; we have to get fitter' healthier, stress less, value our time more. It is something that we all have to do - take our health and well-being in our hands, live and love more, appreciate, and look at those things that we are grateful for... don't wait till someone gets sick before you tell them how much you appreciate and love them.  

Express Yourself

As an artist I express myself in my art, but sometimes I don't want to share - worried at what people may think is the long and the short of it, but no more.  We are all given something to say, to share, to encourage, motivate or bring about laughter and more.  Who am I to play small, to shut down my voice because of what I think someone else thinks about what I am saying?


I want to encourage you that whatever it was that you were thinking of doing, sharing, creating, playing that you share it anyway, that you don't wait for approval, acceptance, or anyone else to tell you how you should do it. You don't know when you will breath your last breath, or the last time you will ever be able to tell someone you love and cherish them, don't wait for the 'right time' or 'when you retire' make plans, sow the seeds, put something in place .......do it now!



See the adventure in life, the joy, possibilities and things that you can do, the little things that mean the world to someone, that brightens their day and helps them to feel like maybe they could shine their 'light' as well.  

Don't waste another minute 'belly button gazing', feeling sorry for yourself, YOU CAN DO IT.  Life is too short to play it small, you will never get another chance to use the minutes that you just wasted so what you going to do with the life you have left?


I decided to go for it, to share, express, and live the life I want to live, be the person I want to be and share my joy, peace, encouragement with the world, and the bits in-between.  In some corner of the world someone is waiting for my words,  who will read to the end of this post and get encouraged when I write and inspired by my art, and I will not hide.  2017 is the year for being All I was called to be, and use the time fully not waste another moment being fearful about who might be watching a using each and every moment like it was my last, no regrets....  

Over to you..

So what are you going to do?  If you are living your life and being the person you want to be I congratulate you, if you express your love to others and are ALL you know you can be, well done.  If you are living fearlessly, grabbing hold of life grateful for the minutes I applaud you!  

If there are parts of you that you want to work on, you want to live life to the full and you are going to go for it regardless, I am in your corner and I am one of your cheerleaders who knows you have the ability and I will be there alongside you as we make the changes together....so come back on the blog tomorrow, sign up to the mailing list, let me know what you are going to do/say/try..  we got this!  Who else is with me?








Thursday, 12 January 2017

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.

 Wanted in Barbados


Wednesday, 11 January 2017

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.

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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.

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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.  
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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.


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

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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.

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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...

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All the little detail - the stories to tell..

Around the grounds we saw many examples of Greenery

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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,

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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.  

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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!

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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!

http://www.pantone.com/press-release-pantone-unveils-color-of-the-year-2017-pantone-15-0343-greenery
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.








Tuesday, 10 January 2017

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





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