I Give You The Sketch – The Last 31 Days

December 1, 2016 Annette12 Comments

Hello December!

Good morning Summer!

Who knew that when I decided hundreds and hundreds and HUNDREDS of days ago that I wanted to draw every day in 2016, that I’d actually do it? Not me, that’s for sure.

Yesterday was day 335 of my #IGYTsketch adventure, and with 31 sketches left to create, I’m pleased as punch (why not Judy?) that I’ve continued to put pen or brush to paper for 11 months straight. Well, almost… I have missed days, and played catch up – which is silly, because actually there are no creativity police out there!

The point is, I’ve kept going, not because I have to, but because creating has become part of my life. It makes me happy, relaxes and challenges me and puts me in touch with something bigger than myself. Art opens me up.

I have had great ideas that I couldn’t quite pull off, and drawn more leaves than you could poke a stick at in a deciduous wood. I’ve drawn by the beach, at work, at home, in bed, in cafes, anywhere I’ve found myself.

It’s all very Jack Dawson a la Titanic – I have air in my lungs, a pencil, a scrap of paper and now I’m here with you fine folks!

Let’s take a little screenshot trip down memory lane, shall we? I posted all my sketches on Instagram, using the natty hashie #IGYTsketch, which I modified to include the month.

To kick the year off, I sketched along with one of my now favourite artists and illustrators, Lisa Congdon.

Lisa taught a month long class online through CreativeBug, and it was a great way to find my feet with the daily habit of creating. Love, love, loved watching her videos and seeing how my brain and hand translated what she drew.

I think the absolute BEST thing about drawing 335 pictures (so far) and posting them online this year has been the way that’s connected me with other artists. I have met so many sensationally talented, lovely people through creating, it’s really helped me feel like part of something bigger, even though I’ve spent most of this year at home by myself.

I bang on about people’s generosity and kindness a lot on this blog – I know – but it’s because that’s my experience of life online and off. Whether I’m writing or sharing art, people are overwhelmingly kind and encouraging. That’s RAD.

Thank you so much people of the interweb. I have needed you this year and you’ve been here for me.

I hope I’ve returned the kindnesses I’ve received, in some small way.

Let’s continue our screenshot tour through the past five months, shall we?

When I look through these snapshots of each month, I remember lots of the days I drew these things – flowers and abstracts, huts and shells and things from the IKEA catalogue, and SO many leaves, and I feel so damn grateful that I signed up for that little online creativity course Inspiration Information, I think back in July 2014.

I had NO IDEA where that one decision could lead me. No idea whatsoever. I believed wholeheartedly that I could not draw when I started that course. I was wrong!

Hmmm, seems to me that I need that reminder right now, and maybe you do too.

We don’t know what’s ahead of us. No matter how much we plan or make New Year’s resolutions or how secure we feel in the world, we just don’t know what’s next. And the limits we put on ourselves, sometimes they’re total bullshit.

That one decision, to sign up to a course that I think cost me $50, has altered my life. I was going to write, altered my creative life, but I don’t think it’s right to rope it off, to put one aspect of who I am over there, sectioned off from the other parts of me.

With 31 days left of 2016, I plan to keep giving you the sketch. I hope you’ll see something that makes you smile or triggers a memory or brightens your day.

I have made myself happy on crap days by picking up a pen and sketch book. I’ve looked up more than I ever have and seen more than I ever knew was around me, and within me this year, thanks to drawing and painting.

Not bad for a girl who spent 40+ years thinking she wasn’t artistic.

I wonder what you’re wrong about as far as your talents and capabilities. I know this, you’ll never know until you have a crack.

Got air in your lungs? Got a pencil and a scrap of paper?

You know what to do next.

As Jack said, make it count.

Much love to you,

Annette xx

Here’s my favourite sketch of the year, little me, drawn from one of my first memories.

Edited with BlogPad Pro

A meet-up at the NGV

July 20, 2015 Annette21 Comments

Good morning fair blog readers.

Yesterday I went on a little adventure and so, good blogger that I am. I shall now regale you with the tale.

It was a freezing cold morning in Melbourne town, the temperature had dipped below zero, and yet, when my alarm went off, I gladly threw back the covers and readied myself for an outing.

What force could draw me from my cosy, cosy bed, out into the frosty morning light?

A meet-up! I was off to meet some of the people I’d done an online course with precisely one year ago.

You won’t be shocked to hear that the course was facilitated by author, blogger, maker, doer and be-er (may not be an actual word) of all things crafty and ace, Pip Lincolne. This course was called Inspiration Information and it was a month long adventure into unlocking your creativity.

We created collages, we painted, we used pastels and pencils, we read books and watched documentaries and discovered old crochet projects. We created little studios on our dining room tables or in the living room. We talked about loads of creative people, from Patti Smith to Sister Mary Corita.

It really was inspiring and informative, every single time I logged in to the course, I was encouraged to try something new, and to disregard my inner critic’s sly words about things being childlike or wrong or not very good. Creativity is good, in and of itself. That’s what sticks with me.

We chose the NGV for our meeting place, which turned out to be absolutely perfect. Where better for a group of people who met exploring creativity, than the National Gallery of Victoria?

Tables were snagged, hugs were exchanged and we spent a couple of hours getting to know each other, face to face. Deanna organised the day, and she, Carolyn, Emily, Karen and I had a ball.

We talked about creativity, about books, about Pip (the general consensus being, we are PRO-PIP!), we talked about our families, kids, parents and parenting.

We talked about literary speed dating (who knew that was a thing?) and making space for creative pursuits.

We talked about drawing and dealing with cranky people, the tyranny of housework and being consumed by the mundane. I believe I uttered this decree: “Fuck skirting boards!”.

We talked about how creativity is part of our everyday lives.

The BEST part of the morning was how easy it was. We already knew each other from the online classroom and our Facebook group, but it was wonderful to translate that to chatting over coffees and chai teas.

As we sat chatting, I looked around at the interesting, diversely experienced women I was with, and thought about how enriched I am by the time I spend tap-tap-tapping on Facebook or here on the blog. To sign up to an online course about creativity may seem strange, but I think the old adage is true – you get out what you put in.

I am certain that each of us would say that Inspiration Information gave us amazing gifts. I wish I’d asked everyone that question now. Oh, why don’t I? Hey, if you read this girls, tell us what II meant to you in the comments please.

Inspiring Ladies — Inspiration Information Gals – Deanna, Carolyn, Emily, moi, Karen.

As we hugged and planned our next catch up, I decided to explore the gallery, as I hadn’t visited for a few years.

It was WONDERFUL.

If you’re in Victoria, or visiting, you must come. There’s so much inspiration and beauty, and diversity in the NGV collection.

Here are some of the works that caught my eye.

Wall of works — 18th & 19th century paintings

I lingered for a while in this space, it really is something to sit in front of a wall if works painted hundreds of years ago.

The victory of faith – st George Hare c 1890

Oh, these ladies are exquisite.

This Turner stopped me in my tracks, I actually turned around and came back to it… so, so beautiful. The photo does it very little justice. So much happening in the colours and brush strokes.

This was painted in 1845. Yesterday, 170 years later, it caught my eye as I passed it and drew me in.

That’s nothing sort of incredible.

The moral of the story here… create, you never know where it might lead you, or who will be drawn in by it 170 years from now.

Oh, and make friends on the web, it’s great!

Cheers,

Annette x

Edited with BlogPad Pro

Taking Stock – January 2015

February 1, 2015 Annette7 Comments

I know I’m not alone in this, but gosh, how fast did January seem to zoom past us? We’re already one twelfth into 2015. Seems an appropriate time for a Taking Stock post, given that Easter eggs are already on sale.

Have you succumbed and snuck a sneaky six-pack of hot cross buns into your trolley yet? Those marketers want us to rush from one holiday to the next don’t they. You’d think they’d put the Valentine’s Day stuff out before Easter stuff.

I’m going to pump the brakes on February for a minute and take stock of the first month of the year. I’m using the list that Pip always posts at the end of her Taking Stock posts on Meet Me At Mike’s.

Here’s what’s happening in my world. If you want to get on the Taking Stock bandwagon, you can use the blank list at the bottom of this post. Credit it back to Pip please: credit where credit’s due, it’s easy and nice to do.

Making : Lots of art, and enjoying it so much. You can follow my ‘progress’ here.

I’m also doing another round of an online course called Inspiration Information, and I’m joining in with a month long creative challenge called #Tinkersketch, which you can follow on Instagram.

Cooking : I roasted a couple of capsicums today, I think I’ll put them through some pasta. I also made my first ever lamb roast for Straya Day. It was super tasty and fed me all week long.

Drinking : Soda water & cordial. I haven’t had a drop of soft drink all year. Feeling lighter.

Reading: how to look at a painting by Justin Paton. It’s a great book about art, and seeing what’s there.

Wanting: Work. I just ticked over a year of unemployment. Sheesh, enough already.

Looking: At clouds, everywhere I go. I’m obsessed by their shapes and colours.

Playing: If I can find a recorder, I’ll be playing With Cat Like Tread for Eden. I hope I can remember it properly. By the way, have you been watching Eden’s weekly newscast? You totally should. It’s awesome – check it out here.

Deciding: I’m trying to decide whether to write a bit about the highs and lows of being on Newstart.

Wishing: For a money tree, those bills aren’t going to pay themselves, and Newstart doesn’t cover them. Not even close.

Enjoying: The cooler days. I’m longing for autumn!

Waiting: I’m waiting to hear back about a couple of jobs I went for last week. Come on!!

Liking: Instagram – there are so many great creative people out there.

Wondering: Whether I’ll ever be able to accept the generosity of others without crying. It’s one of those things that is wonderful, and difficult. I’m looking for the lessons in it. I’m sure there are lessons in this season and I want to learn them all.

Loving: The sky. Instagram. Bed. Creativity. Making things.

Pondering: What else I can do to create some kind of income stream…. am I brave enough to try copywriting, offer my services in organising/decluttering, or maybe I should join a travelling band of ragamuffins.

Considering: How much I could make as a ragamuffin. It might not work, I’m a bit of a homebody.

Watching: The Block Triple Threat, for now. I love Scotty Cam, but all the redundant editing could be too much to deal with!

Hoping: I’m hoping to continue to be hopeful. Hope is a choice. I choose it, again.

Marvelling: That my blog is almost one year old!

Needing: Quite a lot, and not much. It’s a paradox.

Smelling: The aroma of #sundaybakingsunday – today’s scent was zucchini bread.

Wearing: Fave trackies today, with my trusty #teamstripes 17Sundays tee.

Following: A bunch of artists and painters on Instagram.

Noticing: That once you open your eyes to it, beautiful things are everywhere.

Knowing: This too shall pass. Most days I have pretty easy access to that mindset, some days, not so much.

Thinking: How great it is that I am part of an online community of people who practice encouragement, kindness and generosity. Their juju holds me up.

Admiring: Taylor Swift’s songwriting abilities. I’m an out and proud TayTay fan. #shakeitoff

Sorting: I still have to sort through my shoes, but I think #hoistthehangers has been a great success. Did you follow along? You can read about my adventures in decluttering here, here and here.

Buying: Just the essentials. Yes, essentials often includes chocolate. I’m settling for the Coles brand at the moment, it’s two-fiddy.

Getting: Ready for autumn, it’s my favourite time of year.

Bookmarking: I’m not much of a bookmarker, I’m a Bloglovin kind of girl.

Disliking: Counting every cent, every week.

Opening: This week I know I’ll be opening some awesome mail. I’m so excited about that.

Giggling: The babies in tunnels videos that are doing the rounds are pretty cute.

Feeling: Calm again. I’ll be okay.

Snacking: on #sundaybakingsunday goodies and corn relish dip and crackers.

Coveting: New bed linen, or trying a new moisturiser, or being able to buy anything that catches my eye. I miss being able to shop for pretty things. Speaking of which, I wouldn’t say no to this awesome dress by 17Sundays.

Wishing: For instant recall of every person who has done me a kindness in the past year. I’d love to be able to list you all. I really would.

Helping: Naomi pass time at the Apple Store last week was fun. You can check out her January Taking Stock post on her lovely blog here.

Hearing: Harry Connick Jnr today, while I was reading. I’m loving him on American Idol.

Would you like to take stock too? Go for it. You could do this on your Facebook page, or on your blog if you have one, or you could even take photos of all the things and make it a photographic essay on Instagram or Tumblr. Here are Pip’s latest prompts. Remember, credit where credit is due…

Making:
Cooking:
Drinking:
Reading:
Wanting:
Looking:
Playing:
Deciding:
Wishing:
Enjoying:
Waiting:
Liking:
Wondering:
Loving:
Pondering:
Considering:
Watching:
Hoping:
Marvelling:
Needing:
Smelling:
Wearing:
Following:
Noticing:
Knowing:
Thinking:
Admiring:
Sorting:
Buying:
Getting:
Bookmarking:
Disliking:
Opening:
Giggling:
Feeling:
Snacking:
Coveting:
Wishing:
Helping:
Hearing:

That’s all from me for now.

How are you enjoying 2015 so far? Tell me just one thing, or all of the things, that you’re enjoying or working on so far, in the comments.

Cheers,

Annette x

Paint is a verb

January 9, 2015 Annette18 Comments

Last year, I did some great creative courses run by the fabulous Pip Lincolne of Meet Me At Mike’s. I learned SO much great stuff, stuff that’s changed how I look at the world, and how I spend my time. You can read all about the courses Pip’s offering over the next few months here.

What has really struck me, as I reflect on my year of online learning, is how much of what I’m excited about and enjoying in my life now, wasn’t even on my radar 12 months ago.

One of the best things that came out of doing her course on boosting your creativity, Inspiration Information, was that I went out and bought art supplies. I’ve never done that outside of needing something for an assignment at primary school – anyone remember going to buy craft paper at the newsagent? That was in a time called ‘the olden days’ when children wrote out assignments on big coloured pieces of card, and stuck pictures from magazines on them. When Google was a big row of books at home called Encyclopedia Britannica. The good ol’ days!

Buying art supplies, then enjoying using them, even though I felt awkward at first, has been a real life lesson to me.

Just because I hadn’t painted since I was about 15, and I’d never thought I had much talent for it, it didn’t mean I couldn’t take up painting now and find it really enjoyable.

With Pip’s encouragement to just explore and PLAY, I have discovered that I really enjoy painting with watercolours. I’m no Picasso, and I still can’t draw an apple convincingly. Heck, I’d hardly even rank myself an amateur, but I am an enthusiast, and I think that’s something that often we consider ourselves ‘too busy’ to be.

I mean think about it, what do you do, as a grown-up, that’s just for fun, for play?

I can almost hear your response to that – ha, play, who has time for that? Between my job and running around with the kids and laundry and study and paying the mortgage…. who has time for play?

Playing is powerful. Playing is fun. Play makes you forget about the work stresses, the mortgage, the laundry, even if it is just for 10 or 15 minutes. Try it. Go on, your life isn’t so full that you can’t find 10 minutes just to play. And if it is, well, that’s a whole other blog post. At first, it may feel very strange, or even ‘self indulgent’. It is absolutely not! It is good for you.

People may not get it. That’s okay. People might be bemused, and ask you why you’ve got the paint brushes out. That’s happened to me.

Here’s what you tell them – I’m playing.

Just let it hang there, ‘I’m playing’. No end game, no master plan, no ‘reason’ other than I’m just playing.

And I feel so good while I’m painting, it wakes up my creativity. And the good feelings continue after I’ve painted.

Once I could switch off my own ‘what for?’, and just allow myself to play, I was hooked!

I proudly play now, I paint! Paint is a verb.

I’ve decided to share a painting on the blog once a week, not for critique or praise (or to have eggs chucked at it), but simply to remind me to continue to play, to access that part of my brain that comes alive when I get out my paints and paper, wet the brushes and just dive in, with no idea what’s going to come next. It’s so relaxing, and enjoyable.

Maybe by the end of the year there will be some ‘improvement’, maybe there won’t. That’s not the point. The painting itself is.

So, ladies and gentlemen, without further ado, here is work 1/2015.

Don’t forget to play, okay?

It will make you happy, and who doesn’t want more of that!

Do you play? What do you do, create, practice? I’d love to hear about it.

Cheers,

Annette

You can check out my paintings on Instagram, I’ll be using the hashtag #paintisaverb.

PS Don’t forget to check out Pip’s online courses – right here – that’s not at all sponsored, I’m just a student and fangirl!

Sia versus the rest

July 17, 2014 Annette23 Comments

Good morning blog-world!

Today I have a few thoughts to throw around – don’t worry we’re not talking reinstating the draft, kale versus spinach or anything controversial of that ilk.

Hang on a second, I just have to stop here and point out the idiocy of people saying versing instead of versus, a habit which seems to be taking over in certain circles. You’ll see I’ve written kale versus spinach, not kale versing spinach. When you compete, on Family Feud or in a game of footy, its you/your team versus your opponent. It is NOT EVER versing – if it’s a word at all – it is what poets do!

Everyone clear on that? Okay, let’s proceed.

As I was saying before that knee-jerk diversion into a grammar lesson, I want to muse about a few things today and I’m hoping you’ll join me and share a few of your stories. This blog is a conversation, not a monologue!

Right now, I’m listening to Sia’s latest album 1000 Forms Of Fear and it’s SO GOOD. Some of you may be rolling your eyes and thinking, ‘hello… Sia has been rocking my world for years’. I’d sung along to Titanium when it came on the radio, but I’d never delved further into the creative genius that is Miss Sia of Adelaide.

The reason I’m listening to Sia is because of the amazing Inspiration Information course I’m doing, run by cheery lass and creative life coach extraordinaire Pip Lincolne. Pip does not sponsor every (or any) mention of her on my blog, she’s just been really ace and influential in my life lately! Everyone needs a Pip, even if her name is Shirley, or Gary, or Eugenia.

So, as part of the Inspiration Info course, Pip introduces us to creative types to broaden our ideas of creativity and expose us to new artists, thinkers, creators, and artistic champions. The list has included Patti Smith, Charles & Ray Eames, Sia, Wes Anderson, Bjork – authors, painters, musicians, designers… living and dead, diverse, and wonderful.

Listening to Sia got me thinking about how the stuff we listen to, read, watch on telly, download, and talk about gets on our radar.

I think a lot of it is by osmosis, maybe we hang out at our friend’s house and they’re listening to an album, and a week later we’re downloading that album. Maybe we make the connection to where we heard it, maybe we don’t, but either way, we become fans of a new thing.

Cool, right?

Sometimes we deliberately put ourselves in a place to see and hear new things, and entertain new ideas – by signing up for an online course, or taking a class at the CAE, or going to a gallery opening, or out to dinner with our friends and some of their friends. There are loads of ways we can broaden our horizons, with or without a passport.

So in the spirit of that, here are my questions. Pop your answers in the comments, so everyone can benefit from our collective wisdom, or at least our eclectic taste.

What are you reading, listening to, watching, and talking about?

What’s got you inspired, grossed out (Wicked Campers, anyone) or enthralled?

Should I watch Game of Thrones?

What was the last book you read and couldn’t put down?

I’ll go first – my viewing recommendation is The West Wing. I am conducting an ongoing experiment to see if you can wear out DVDs – so far, so good. I still laugh at Aaron Sorkin’s brilliant writing. I’m still moved. I love those characters. Any show that revolves around a team with a lofty goal, and I’m in. The West Wing, The Newsroom, Grey’s Anatomy… sold.

I’m reading The Fictional Woman by Tara Moss. It’s intelligent, timely and topical. Get thee to a bookstore.

So, over to you, what’s on your radar? How did it get there?

Go!

Annette

I Give You The Verbs

Tag: Inspiration Information

I Give You The Sketch – The Last 31 Days

A meet-up at the NGV

Taking Stock – January 2015

Paint is a verb

Sia versus the rest