Please join myself and The Glass Child for a fantastic evening of Music and Art. On the 30th Jan I am so excited to have booked not only a rare and intimate live UK gig with the amazingly talented Charlotte Eriksson, but I also have the absolute pleasure in creating some live Art during the gig, which will be purely inspired by her music and songs on the night. The gig will be at the gorgeous I’klectik Art lab and Cafe/bar, Old Paradise Yard, Carlisle St, London. See the poster below and check out the FB event.
Check out our FB event here and let us know if you can make it!
Happy New Year to you all and lots of love and fun for anyone celebrating 🙂 xxxxx
Check out more about The Glass Child and her amazing music, writing and more at her website.
Hello and Happy holidays to those of you celebrating. Also happy solstice (for last Sunday) to those of you who acknowledge and celebrate the changing seasons.
Today I have been preparing for the new year. Planning some exciting events and new communication methods. From today you can sign up to my newsletter which from next month will be a monthly email sharing my current or upcoming events, any sales or competitions and news I have to share. If you would like to sign up, please use the form below!
This time of year is always lovely and busy, with lots of time set aside for seeing friends and family which I love. The time spent physically at my desk or easel has been less although I am taking in the atmosphere and love ready for when I turn back more to my Art in the new year.
If you have not seen my FB posts you will not know that I have am involved in planning an exciting event on 30th Jan 2015. Charlotte Eriksson and I will be performing together at I’klectik in London. She will be using her wonderful voice and I will be using my hands and my materials to create something while she sings. It is going to be so much fun!
If you can be in London on that evening I strongly suggest you pencil it in your diary now and keep checking back to my FB page and here for more info. It is likely to be a ticketed event but the rest of the details are to follow. Charlotte rarely does UK gigs so this is a fabulous opportunity to see her live and you can see how her music truly inspires me by watching me create something wile she plays and sings. I am so excited!
This past year has been huge for me. In my personal life and my Art life. I’ve experienced joy and loss, awakenings and confusion. We’ve moved, partied, had amazing family time and such sad family time too.
I’ve been spirited away by amazing live music, inspiring connections I’d never expected to make, through Art, Music, Publishing, exhibiting and collaborating. I’ve opened my online shop and developed my Art in so many ways that I get dizzy- but it’s fantastic and I love it! And it’s only the beginning.
And this is what it’s all about for me. Living. Loving. Family. Creating. Friendships. Partnerships. Taking life by the horns and going with it. Grasping opportunities, sitting and enjoying the moment, cuddles with my children – or jumping up and dancing when the urge takes me. Not being ashamed of who I am, but also being willing to stretch myself to see what else I can become.
We live in a constantly changing woprld with many constants and many fluctuations. Life can be so full and so free, even if it doesn’t seem so. Take a breath and look around. See some light or hear some music. A smile from a stranger, a drink or meal shared with a friend, some shelter from the rain, space to think or chaos to challenge you. Breathe it in and smile, make it yours. For what else is there.
The Dance of Winter image is available as a print from my shop. Click here
Wecome to my Wednesday Wonderings blog. This week I have been wonderfully busy sorting our new home. One of the most fun elements of this sorting was creating this chalk board – which was for my son’s room and has inspired me to do one for me too!
I constantly self edit, a left over element of my teenage years I am sure… or perhaps something that adulthood has forced me to do? Anyway, I try to think through what I say or write, forever over-worrying about what others may think. I often change my mind sometimes mid discussion, have incoherent thoughts and mutterings, and often doubt my knowledge. Writing a blog has thus been rather daunting… .. So a chalk board for a serial self editor like me is wonderful. Anything can be written, and then removed easily!
My Art on the other hand is a way I can fully express myself. I don’t feel the need to self edit. I just draw, create or paint what I feel. Sometimes that is raw or sensual, erotic, painful or pure joy….. but it’s a kind of exposure that I take pleasure from and safety in.
As I get older I’m not sure if I self edit more or less. It probably depends where I am and who I am with. I am constantly finding that my opinions are challenged, often by my own thoughts. The more I learn and know, the more I become aware of how little I know and how much there is to explore in this world. So through my Art I can simply express and explore. Asking questions, making a point or simply capture a moment or moments of my thoughts or visions.
So for those of us who constantly press delete, screw up the page or hesitate to speak, I give you Art. True freedom of expression, love, pain, joy and simply you.
Happy Wondering
Susan xx
If you fancy making a chalkboard then check out the simple steps I took below 🙂
You will need:
A frame including backing board, but no glass
Chalk board paint
Brush
You ‘may’ need:
Something to place under the frame to protect your surface
A damp cloth
Protection for your clothes
A mask
Get yourself a frame (without glass), it can be a blank one you buy off the shelf, or if you like ‘upcycling’ like me then grab one from your local charity shop, junk yard or tip sale! This one had a poster (Monet :)) stuck in it on the board which was quite damaged and dirty, but gave a smooth surface to work on. But you can simply use the backing board that comes in a blank frame too.
I had to give mine a clean, frame and board as it was quite dirty. i simply used a damp cloth.
Next get yourself some chalk board paint. This is the one that I used. Make sure you are in a well ventilated space to paint, I started in the house but had to move to the shed as the fumes were quite strong.
Remove the board from the frame and place it on the surface you wish to paint on. I used a large piece of packaging board. Stir the paint well and using a brush paint the first thin layer of chalk board paint. Then let it dry.
This first coat took about an hour to dry, but it was a cool damp day so it may not always take that long.
Next paint a second layer. Again, leave it to dry. I left my second coat for several hours as I was fitting it around my day.
Continue this painting and drying process until you feel you have sufficient coverage for the chalk board. I found three coats was enough. The paint I used is also magnetic but I wasnt looking to use it for this purpose. It will just hold a magnet, but to get a good magnetic strength I believe you would need at least two more coats.
Once you feel you have enough paint on (if you are not sure then simply test the dry board with chalk/magnet and see if it works) place the board back in the frame. I then used the fixings in the frame to replace the board and then used masking tape to fix the board in place.
And there you have your finished chalk board ready to use and looking lovely!
This week sees our long awaited house move for me and my family. After a tough few weeks with a huge loss in our family we are now all embarking on some new journeys.
So this week has seen my creativity put to use in a decorating sense. Finally having some walls of our own we can throw on the colour and allow ourselves and the little ones some freedom to make a house our home.
We’ve mixed bright colours for bedrooms, a warm sage green for some quiet space, some beautiful stripes in different colours chosen and painted by (with a little help :)) my 3 yr old, and the next mission is to make a chalk board for my 5 yr old!
For me, the most exciting part is having a lovely overgrown garden with two huge trees. Room for some swings for the little ones and light and space to play, lounge, drink wine and do lots of drawing and painting!
There are still three more image to come in my Winter Sale so keep an eye out for them and see if any take your fancy. All the images from the sale will be available as Prints from this weekend. The prints will be Giclee Prints on beautifully crafted paper, 10″ x 12″ at£30 each.
As the nights draw in and the darkness stays for longer, take time to rest, recharge and speak with those you love.
Check out more about The Glass Child and her amazing music, writing and more at her website.
