Season's greetings to you all, may 2015 start as a fresh new canvas and the prospect of a year filled with much success. I must confess that a new job and it's demands have kept my studio door closed for 15 months. I can only offer one small watercolour as an attempt to honour my motto, "creativity demands expression". Of course I knew that this may happen but did not realise just how much time and energy would be consumed in the process of "getting my feet under the new desk". This year, as it starts out, it is with a renewed focus on creativity and expression that I walk into my studio. I have had a re-organisation of materials and equipment, hoovered and dusted and carried in fresh chopped wood for the wood-burner in the corner. This feels right and it feels good; the juices have begun to flow and the smell of oil and turpentine (or equivalent) are once again in the air. I wish you all a sense of excitement and enough creative energy to carry you well into 2015. Stay in touch on Twitter and keep the photo's of your work and projects flowing, they really are inspiring and an important part of our journey as people in the creative mix. All the best. It does not seem to matter how many documentaries you have seen or how many holiday magazines you have read in the dentists waiting room. Frankly nothing can prepare you for your first view of Venice as you emerge from Venezia Santa Lucia Train station. The feeling is certainly akin to stepping into a parallel universe because one minute you are struggling with your rucksack in the train station and the next you are being plunged into the bright Venetian sunshine and a scene which can only be described as astonishing. So it was for my wife and I as we emerge from the station onto the marble steps leading into Venice. I love the idea that we are all connected, that there is a big picture and that just as it is with a jig-saw, we are all connected. When I started connecting with other artists through various social media platforms I don’t think I fully realised just what a rewarding experience it was going to be. It was not long after I first joined Twitter that I began to realise just what a powerful medium this social media platform is. At first I was following everybody and their mother, until I attended a brief social media training session. I don’t remember a lot of what the course involved and most of the content shot straight over my head. The people attending the course all seemed way ahead of me and from their language I discerned that most of them were very “professional”. I only remember one bit of information and it was liberating for me. The presenter said this: “ follow everyone out of courtesy but set-up a select list of the people you believe will add value to your journey and will advance your cause and only read their stuff” This little tip has been invaluable; it has allowed me access to the work and philosophies of some great artists. From that moment on, Twitter has proved to be a stream of inspiration and encouragement, not to mention a showcase for my own work, ideas and conversation. In this short blog I want to highlight the work of one specific artist and the world of Plein Air which she has introduced me to. This year I am committing myself to shorter and more focused blogging, twittering and Facebooking. In fact all of my communications this year are going to be sensitive to the fact that everyone’s time is as valuable as mine. The more I engage in social media the more I realise what a responsibility I have to anyone who either reads the stuff I write or follows me. Brevity is the name of the game for 2013 and beyond. I really benefited last year from a few blog sites which added great value to me as an artist and formed part of my personal development. I found two things in common with these sites, firstly the bloggers really did have something to say about the passions they had for their subjects and secondly they conveyed their enthusiasm, encouragement and knowledge quickly and concisely, in a word, brevity. |
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