Sunday 25 January 2009

Birds, home and the search

Here are a new set of pictures - an exploration of themes around birds. The symbolism of birds is great for a creative spurt isn't it - thoughts around flight, freedom, searching, soaring, singing a unique song. First came this...

Searching
then this, which reads ...like the birds be content to sing your own song...
You're Unique
and then I think my favourite, which reads in the calm of the night you sing to me possibilities that free my soul ... ( I love coming up with sayings to reflect my feelings when making a piece of art)

Freedom Calls


I have also decided to share some images of my little cocoon here as my plans for organising my Flickr site have so far fell by the wayside - I am not too sure what i've been up to but the time just flies with work, daily chores... sometimes meeting friends and family.. sadly watching TV and loafing on the sofa too. Today i thought I'd show you my....



studio! This is my little corner of productivity - my art table, which is actually an antique draftsmans table that my husband got me for a tenner...I was and am still chuffed with it. I can then whizz full circle and stitch away if i fancy. I love sewing now - I 'm not sure why cause I got F- at school for my sewing classes! Then there is....
....the chest at the back is supposedly an old apothecary cupboard, that Paul also purchased for me :). It is perfect for storing my lovely things (ribbons, buttons, tools, inks, paints and stuff). It has helped me stay organised, and so it must be good cause i have a tendancy to be pretty untidy (see there's a stray ribbon, the cushion is all floppy and mess on my desk...doh).
Then, dare i say it, another cupboard got for me by... yup... Paul! He got this off ebay but unfortunately it was not a tenner. Again it is fab for helping me keep tidy and able to find things. It is just a bit of a greedy cupboard and likes to be fed very regularly with lots of paper...like lots!

then there's my little inspiration board which includes little treats from kelly rae roberts and danita art; I've not mentioned danita art but I love her work, i could happily buy one of everything...


Anyway I don't want to overdo it - however, this week I am going to show pictures of my dining room and kitchen. Excited? Don't worry if it's merely a glimmer of anticipation...
I so want to commit more time to my blog, my art and making some connections. I have not started to learn about making the art dolls, I ve not started my Flickr or Etsy site. I so have an urge to forge a new and creative path for myself but I just don't know what or how. This time last year I was in the middle of finishing my MA dissertation - I had no real desire to do it, it was on my work appraisal and i was pursuing it only because I thought I'd had a 'sign' that a creative and/ or art-based path was not for me, so i was left thinking my currrent job must be my real vocation, even though I wasn't (and still don't) feel it. The 'sign' happened in January 2007 when i started to test out a creative life for myself and did a london trade show - in at the deep end... i knew nothing :-O. I had some potentially exciting interest, sold enough art and art cards to cover the show costs, and met a well-established business woman who was really excited about my work. A later three hour meeting and tour of her business left me thinking i had started on a new path ( maybe becoming an in-house designer for a while, maybe travelling to oversee product development of my licensed work), but then things happened in her business which meant nothing came of all the plans discussed. I read that as a sign, that i wasn't meant to be on a creative or art-based path and went back to telling myself that my day job must be my vocation after all. So, back to the MA which I had planned to postpone/ give up....now, one MA later I am unsure of how it is of use to me, or how or where I go from here. I just know I feel an urge to do something where I feel I fit, where i feel joy and purpose and that's just not happening for me. Does anyone else feel like this....seeking but not finding, or may be finding in such a slow and insiduous way it feels like inertia? I don't know...do you?

5 comments:

Sauntering Soul said...

Hi Samantha,

I'm here via your comment on Kelly Rae's blog. I love your studio space! I'm moving soon and one of my goals is to find a place with more space for a studio. I dont' share a lot of my art on my blog (it's more about the craziness that makes up my day to day life) but feel free to stop by if you'd like. I look forward to seeing more photos of your house!

Anonymous said...

hi, samantha.

you are a step ahead of me in having a designated studio space. congratulations on that - and making it lovely.

Anonymous said...

ps - i found your blog via kelly rae's and will be back.

thanks for sharing.

Anonymous said...

hi, samantha!!! i love your cocoon and i am a bird freak! love your artsy birds. thanks for the sweet words, and i'll be surwe to stop by often. take care!

Brandi said...

I feel like this all the time!! Is an "MA" your masters degree? Not sure if it meant the same thing over here in the US... :)