Susan Merrick – Susan Merrick

February 11, 2015February 11, 2015

Wednesday Wonderings #14 Attitude and FREE E-books!

Hello!

Thank you for joining me for my Wednesday Wondering…. my space to wonder, wander (around topics) and write about my Art and anything else that happens to take my fancy.

This week I am starting to make some big changes and it’s all really exciting, the kind of exciting that makes me a bit giddy and look like I’ve had too much coffee…. which I often have.

It’s been a really exciting week too because I released two FREE e-books last Friday. Have you seen them yet? See below for more details!

I’ve been reading a lot about attitude recently, and how important our attitude towards life is in terms of what we do, and how we feel. How we respond to life and everything in it is so important, and it’s so simple.

I would love to say I am an ultra calm person and respond to everything by taking it in my stride…… hmmm, I like to think I am. What I can do though is reflect on how I respond and try to learn from it. This is very much how I approach my Art. Sometimes my Art is a proactive creation, but often it is a ‘reaction’ to something. A thought, a feeling, a glimpse of an image in my mind. It doesn’t always have a well thought out response, but that is often what makes the most exciting images. What is important for me is to reflect on it. Reflective creativity can be a real self awakening, sometimes a shock even. But it is a really important part of my process. Probably a bit like this little blog of mine. A reflective wondering about the past few days……..

Be creative, look at your responses today, reflect, smile and have a coffee (or fruit tea/beer/whiskey if you prefer). I hope it surprises you nicely.

Much love

Susan

Get your FREE e-books!

The first is a printable sample of some of the holistic colouring pages that are in the larger colouring book I co-created with The Mother Magazine. The images are really sweet and we have had some great feedback from the children (and adults!) who have enjoyed colouring them.

The second e-book I am giving to you absolutely free is a book of my recent exhibition Music, Art and Passion. The book pulls together all the images and my inspiration for the exhibition, sharing with you the work that I was pulled to create in the build up to the wonderful live gig with The Glass Child.

To download these free books simply click on the FB link above and enter your name and email in the newsletter sign up pop up. Alternatively you can do the same on my home page. In addition to the e-books you will then also access my monthly newsletter which will be the place where I announce any new work, images or gigs and from time to time offer you some great deals.

December 3, 2014December 2, 2014

Wednesday Wonderings #4 Chaos and Creativity

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.

Warm wishes and wonderings,

Susan xx

April 20, 2014May 21, 2014

Makeup Free Month Conclusion xxx

So that’s it! I did a whole month makeup free and I didn’t wake up this morning and rush for the mascara! Is that it then? Am I now makeup free? No, I don’t think so. But as I said yesterday that’s more about my love of creating, playing, dressing up rather than feeling I needed to on a daily basis. I’m looking forward to receiving my homemade makeup and having some gentle products to dip into when the fancy takes me. But I am so relieved to finally be comfortable to wash and oil my face, and go. Being barefaced is liberating. It’s exposing, it shows your flaws, but it can remind you of your good points too. It has at times make me care less about my appearance and relax a lot, and other times it’s inspired me to try new looks with my hair and clothes. My skin feels great and looks better than it has in ages and as I’ve not just covered it up I’ve been more aware of looking after it with the oils I’ve used. I’ve learnt that when I drink more water my skin feels better, that my complexion isn’t as pasty as I thought, that freckles can rock and pale eyes don’t always look alien! I did this month initially to have a place to introduce my street art video. To ask the question ‘what do we put in our skin?’, and in turn it’s really made me question my own makeup routine. It’s made me question my reasons for starting to wear makeup, where this came from and why I wear it now. I’ve touched on the history of makeup, feminism, sexuality, judgement, professionalism, media and beauty norms. There is so much more on this topic. A few great online sources for discussion on cosmetics and the range of issues that it brings up are

http://www.makeupmuseum.typepad.com/

http://www.the-beheld.com

http://www.starkhechara.com

So thanks for reading, and I dare you to try being barefaced if you normally don’t! I will be back very soon with some more cosmetic based paintings, to feedback about the gentle makeup I discover and to let you know about my future creative projects! Much love Susan x

April 18, 2014May 21, 2014

Makeup Free Month Day 30: The homemade makeup I’ve found!

I love to smell good. So whenever I find hair products, oils, creams that smell good I want them.

With my current reduction in chemicals I’m still finding gorgeous smells. The shampoo and conditioner I use smells amazing and is very gentle.

I haven’t looked at chemicals in perfume. I feel like pouting my lip and saying I don’t want to! I love a good perfume and how it makes me feel. Elegant and fresh…. Yep, the adverts have truly had their way with me! I haven’t used any this month and I’ve actually run out of my last one.

So id love to hear of any recommendations. For products to buy or make? I’m a big fan of essential oils already so if I can be advised of some good mixes that don’t make me smell like a spice shop please? Fresh, light, maybe fruity? I love lemongrass, I use it in my skin scrub but how can us use it like a perfume? Add it to oil and have it in a spray dispenser?

Ive also previously mentioned the homemade makeup company that I spotted online. They are called A&B Homemade and here are a couple of examples of their products and ingredients to compare with the website I shared on Tuesday.

Their Lip Care Set Includes:
Honey Lip balm
Peppermint Lip Sugar Scrub

Ingredients: Coconut Oil, Beeswax, Raw Sugar, Essential Peppermint Oil, Raw Honey. That’s it!!

They also do powder/bronzers/blushers which list ingredients such as cinnamon and beetroot!

For example, their Translucent Powder states ingredients as:

Potato Starch
Cornstarch
ARROWROOT
COCO POWDER

In terms of other makeup they do bronzers, powder, mascara and eyeliner, eyeshadow, lip balm and blushers. It’s all made to order and at a reasonable price.

Here is a link to their etsy site-
https://www.etsy.com/uk/listing/184042083/all-natural-charcoal-eyeliner

Id like to be clear that I haven’t yet tried these products so if you do try them or have done before I do, please give us a review! Once I’ve received my order I will let you know how I get on!

Another blog I found recommends homemade makeup too here

http://www.missmake.com/2011/04/homemade-makeup-bella-faith-cosemetics.html?m=1

And there are larger companies who supply makeup from natural and organic ingredients although sometimes their lists of ingredients still become baffling. Perhaps it’s a regulations thing and they really are very simple products, but I’d prefer it if they could just state that! For those who are interested there is a lovely lengthy list of companies that are said to be natural/organic.

http://www.naturisimo.com/ourbrands.cfm

That’s it from me today, I will be enjoying my long holiday weekend at home with family but will take a bit of time to round up my make up free month. Although this won’t be the end! This month I’ve a night out with homemade makeup planned, the best way to try it out I think! And my old makeup needs to be put to best use by creating one or two more cosmetic only paintings for you!

Susan xx

If you haven’t yet seen my Street Art video – Skin- please take a peek!

If you would like to donate to Macmillan Cancer Support please do so via my Just giving page or via text as described below. xxxxxx http://www.justgiving.com/Susan-Merrick

or text MMFM 50 £1 to 70070

April 16, 2014May 21, 2014

Makeup Free Month Day 28: Fashion and Makeup

Makeup, like anything else has fashions, and it seems to go hand in hand with clothing and hair fashion. Including through history for example roman thick kohl on the eyes, plaited hair and headdresses and delicately wrapped tunics, through to renaissance huge dresses, powdered faces, red lips and giant wigs!

In the previous century makeup and cosmetics became more widely produced and available and with the advent of television and film, fashion as an industry seemed to explode. In the 20th century many of us can pinpoint a decade (and some I’m sure can be even more precise) depending on clothing, hair and makeup style. As clothing fashions change so do hair and makeup. What’s current can often take precedent over what suits an individual, but it can also push people to try new ideas and styles that they may find works well.

I LOVE fashion, and especially playing with mixing fashions! I love vintage clothing and finding pieces in my wardrobe, on the high street, in markets or charity shops that come together to make a funky, chic, elegant, classic or random look! Sometimes I get it wrong and sometimes it works. But for me it’s so much fun.

As a teenager I did this too which was occasionally mocked at school. At a time (early 90s) when most my age were wearing either jeans and trainers, track suits or big shirts and dr martins I would choose platform shoes, wide leg trousers, floaty blouses and lots of vest layering. I would scour J17 and other teen mags to see what the models were wearing and pull together what I had to try and make my own idea of fashion. On one school trip I wore some top shop fitted flares with photos of sunflowers all over them, with a white sleeveless blouse. It was the first time I really realised that others may laugh at my clothing choices. It certainly dampened my style for a while. I would stay safe until almost at UNI… When I realised I could wear what I wanted and sod what others thought (even if at times they may have been right!).

So now, in my thirties I am trying to find the balance between my age and being a mum, whilst still wanting to explore with fashion, clothing hairstyles and makeup.

This month without makeup I have at times played it very safe with my clothes and not done much with my hair, feeling that it would look silly to have myself done up without the makeup too. But as I’ve gone through the month I’ve realised that I CAN still feel confident in my clothing and hair styles without wearing makeup.

Yesterday I completely decluttered my wardrobe. 25 items of clothing including 3 suits, 5 dresses, several tops and trousers all going! And I’m doing shoes tonight. Anything that I don’t really wear, or feel crap when I wear it. Anything that looks as old as it is, or looks dodgy on me…. Gone. The best part was that it made me look more closely at what I had and I’m sure I’ve spotted at least 10 new outfit combinations in the wardrobe!

At the end of this week (the end of my makeup free month) I will do the same with my makeup. All of it will go unless it proves to be good for my skin/ work well. I do think that it will all go (into my painting kit) and I will buy a few select new products to replace it.

I dare you to do the same. Declutter your wardrobe and your makeup. Be really strict and feel good about what you have afterwards. I today went to work wearing a dress that I hadn’t thought looked right, so had been sat in my wardrobe for ages, but it has strong colours so for me without makeup it actually looks great. Here’s to having more space in my wardrobe, and to clothes that feel good!

If you haven’t yet seen my Street Art video – Skin- please take a peek!

If you would like to donate to Macmillan Cancer Support please do so via my Just giving page or via text as described below. xxxxxx http://www.justgiving.com/Susan-Merrick

or text MMFM 50 £1 to 70070