Art Saves - Book Review - Arts and Wellness Wednesdays

Welcome to the blog, hope it finds you in amazing health.  I had been away and will be sharing more about my trip over the coming week.  In today's post I will be sharing a book review.  The book in question is Art Saves Edited by Jenny Doh and if you click on the title it will take you Amazon.  It is a collection of stories and prompts by some inspiring artist and I hope you will be encouraged by it

You can listen to the podcast recording below.

If you are interested in other Arts and Wellness Wednesday 
 posts I have listed them below.







Stay blessed and be a blessing.

Paperless Post - Customizing Designs

Pastel Paintings

I have been playing about with the card designs on Paperless Post and as well as having an amazing selection of card designs, there are unlimited ways in which you can customize the cards you create to suit your own preferences.  I use their card layout designs in several different ways;

• Sending as cards and just changing the wording - there are some lovely images that they include in their designs.

• Customizing the cards by changing the images, as in the design below, this is in their wedding section and I wanted to use the layout and add my own images.  See my previous post - (There are many free designs and some you have to purchase coins to use).

• Cards can be sent via email or printed - on your own computer or using their printing service (minimum order of 20 cards)

• You can use their card designs in other ways - and I will show you how I edited some of my images to use the design below - You can check it out on their site HERE

Original Design - Starts at 2 coins

 This is the card that I chose because I wanted to include several images that I have made into prints from a series of Pastel Paintings that I had completed.

Customized using my own images

In this design I added a selection of images and changed the wording, it is very simple to add your own photos to the designs and there is also a very useful support section that runs through the steps for you to follow.  To save it to my computer all I had to do is click the right mouse button and save.  I then started to experiment further.

No Filter, Black Border

In this on I added a black border.  Paperless post comes with an assortment of backgrounds that you can use with your images, I thought the border set it off quite nicely.

Black and white filter

There are also a series of filters that you can use on your images, so I used the black and white filter on this next one, and again used the black border.  I wasn't able to change the color of the gold outline, but I felt that it made the wording stand out so it wasn't an issue for me.

Varied Filters, Black Border

On this design I used several different filters, including sepia, technicolor and black and white.  There are additional motifs that you can add to your design.  

The possibilities are endless, so have a play around and see what you come up with.  The other great thing about these are I can schedule the cards to go out to a select list of my collectors as online cards, send out printed cards or use in my social media.

I hope you give it a go!  Stay blessed and be a blessing.

Out and about - Exhibition News - Msanii

Msanii Exhibition Sept 2019

I have been spending more and more time taking videos of exhibitions that I attend and where possible speaking to the artists.  I have found it to be a great way to connect with the artist and their work and it is always fascinating to hear what inspires fellow artists. 

I attended an exhibition presented by Artist Alliance Barbados and the work of Hebron Chism and Friends and met some new friends and ones that I knew many moons ago (the world is indeed a small place)

Catching up with new friends and ones I hadn't seen for soooo long!

The Artists participating in Msanii are Rolrick Donovan, Marville Alleyne, Darran Newman and Hebron Chism and was a mixture of Mixed Media, Watercolours, Acrylics, and the definition of the word Msanii means Artist/craftsman   

Take a look at the video

There was a great turnout at the reception and the exhibition continues until 21st September and is open Wed-Sat 11am-4pm - Norman Center, Bridgetown, Barbados.

The Artist Alliance Barbados organises several exhibitions and popup exhibitions around the island and you can find out more about the work they do and previous exhibitions.  The Curator is Oneka Small and she works with a team who share her vision for promoting and encouraging the arts in Barbados.  You can check them out HERE

You can also find out about events by taking a look at the Barbados Visual Arts Magazine published by Corrie Scott each month.  She curates monthly all the art events going on  each month in an online magazine, which you can check out HERE

Angel Walks - Arts and Wellness Episode - 127

Angel Walks - Arts and Wellness Wednesdays

Listen to the podcast

In Episode 127 - Arts and Wellness Wednesday I share information on the sculpture that I created called Angel Walks

Each week I will be sharing a piece of art, it is so important that we share what we do and tell our stories.

The sculpture like some of my other pieces has the apprearence of bronze, but this has a wire and clay armature and is made from fabric.  I really enjoy using these materials and creating a flow, and the way that you can get different effects from the different weights of fabric.  I also use fabrics in wall hangings and other pieces of art.

This sculpture won the NIFCA silver award which I am very proud of

Angel Walks - Amanda Trought

The arts is something that is so important that we all take part in and I hope that my work has an impact on the viewer in what ever way possible, not only being in the physical presence of the work but also viewing it.

Angel Walks - Amanda Trought

Angel walks reminds us that we never know the number of people who come into our lives that are angels in disguise.  We all have the ability to speak love and hope into other peoples lives and be a blessing and you may not realise that just by doing the things that you take for granted can be a real blessing to others and help uplift and change the course of their lives.  Listen to the podcast recording to hear more about the Sculpture.  

Angel Walks - Amanda Trought

Think about your own journey, and the times people impacted you life, those people that blessed you, the things that you did to be a blessing to others.  Think about the things that you now regret saying because it had a negative impact, and whilst your not always able to go back and make things right, think about how you can pay the blessing forward.

Angel Walks - Amanda Trought

Stay blessed and be a blessing, visit my website to see some of the other sculptures available