The Art of Travel

For the last few weeks, hubby and I have been busily wandering the streets of Paris, the halls of The Louvre, Versailles and many other wonderful places in France. We were offered a home in Paris to stay in for the month of August, and grabbed the opportunity when it arose.

As we wandered from The Metro station up to The Eiffel Tower, we were delighted to see this little friendly face from home, looming over us on a building.

It was the middle of summer when we arrived, and thankfully Paris wasn't yet in the grip of the heatwave that would finally arrive at the end of our trip.

We made our way to the Eiffel Tower, and found these gorgeous gardens and a rather beautiful merry-go-round, at the base of the tower.

Everything seems beautiful in Paris, from the Metro Signs to the street lamps or just wandering along the sidewalk.

On to The Louvre...

Image above courtesy of Wikipedia By Alvesgaspar click on image to enlarge

Photo above: the base of the pyramid at The Louvre Photo courtesy of The Louvre Website.

We found our way into The Louvre from The Metro station. The metro is a great way to make your way to any of the wonderful sights of Paris. The entrance via the metro takes you underneath the main building and you will find yourself surfacing under the pyramid.

Contrary to many of the warnings we had about large queues to enter The Louvre, the ticket counters underneath, had very few people lining up and those that were there moved quickly. There are quite a lot of automated ticket counters with well marked line barriers, so no pushing in to be experienced.

Sadly this beautiful fresco by Botticelli hasn't photographed all that well, the colours were stunning and the artwork one of my favourites from The Louvre. To see more of these frescos visit The Louvre - click here.

Winged Victory was amazing, the size and presence of the sculpture hushed the crowds of people visiting.

We and hundreds of other viewers found our way to The Mona Lisa... hubby managed to find his way to the front of the viewing rail, I got this close ;). I loved the photo that I captured of this fellow artlover dressed in red, we had a similar smile - or was that just Mona Lisa's influence?

Coming in a close second for favourites were the sculptures. There wasn't enough time to 'ooo' and 'wwwooow' over them. Again, the skill of the sculptors and the way the details are captured are truly amazing.

If you've been I'm sure you'll understand what I mean. If you haven't been to see them, I so hope you get to go one day.

Just look at that detail, I wouldn't have been surprised to see that foot move! Then again ;)

I wonder what lucky lady once sat here? I didn't have time to read all the details, we were really pushing ourselves to see what we did, in the 7 hours we were there.

A piece created in the 1500's - it still looked as vibrant as if it had been created yesterday.

So many treasures - and so little time to see them all.

"La Joyeuse" The sword of Charlemagne is the only one known to have served as the coronation sword of the Kings of France. Visit the Louvre to find out more - click here.

The staircases that once Napoleon walked down, Louis the X1V

The Louvre has to be seen to be believed. Allow yourself many hours and days if you have the time to see just a little of what they have in the collection. It truly is awe inspiring.

Take some time out to nurture yourself

Have you had time for yourself lately? Life is often so busy, that we can find ourselves forgetting to nurture ourselves in small ways that give us a sense of simple abundance. Perhaps it is a lovely soak in a tub, for another person maybe it is buying some fresh flowers. Make a plan to do some pampering for yourself today or at the latest tomorrow. Write a time and put it in your diary, just as you commit to others, make a commitment to you. We are often waiting for that special one to do something for us, and wishing that someone would notice us. The truth is, we need to look after ourselves in the ways that we want that special other to.

If you are wanting to hear someone say 'I love you', look in the mirror and tell yourself that. If you want someone to bring you flowers, go and buy some. If you want someone to give you a hug, place one hand on your heart breathe slowly and bring kindness to yourself. If you are waiting for a little gift, go and buy yourself something special, that book you've been wanting for instance - it doesn't have to be expensive. When you start to pamper yourself, you start to create joy and you'll find that your spirits lift.

Rainbow Surf

It was a magical morning at Lighthouse Beach last Saturday. The light was touching the crests of the waves and creating rainbows. At times the red of the rainbow would touch the water and for a moment glimmer. The next moment purple seemed to take the center stage.

My dear little Panasonic & I have managed to capture a few of the rainbows, I hope you enjoy seeing these delightful moments.

I spent a couple of hours in awe of the beauty of the colour that the surfers were swimming in, touched by the colours and trailing rainbows behind them as they surfed. No wonder surfers love this activity, I was wanting to grab a board and go out paddling myself.

So many people were focussed on doing their morning walks, and seemed oblivious to nature's display. I wondered how many of them noticed the magical beauty, I hope a few.

(Click on the images to enlarge them.)

Spark your creativty... iPad Art

What sparks your ideas?

The Creative Ageing brochure I picked up on an artist date at The Glasshouse the day prior to the festival, promised to Spark ideas, Lead to innovative ways to 'Ageing Well', Inspire achievement and Excite the imagination. I noticed that an iPad art class was on the following day so I called the library and...

luckily there was a spot left for me. I quickly downloaded a couple of the required aps and went along to learn all about using my iPad to create art with. A little excited I love learning new things where art is concerned. Mic Rees ran our course, we all wanted the day to just keep on going and we were back again on day two to keep learning with him.

Show and tell... one of my first attempts at iPad Art.
'Art is like chocolate for the brain.' ~ Quote by Dr Gene Cohen

Headlights painted at night Lake Cathie NSW - Painting on iPad using Brushes painting app - by Mic Rees.

What to wear in Port Macquarie by Mic Rees. Visit Mic's Website: www.rees digital.com

But wait, there's more - another fun workshop with Wendy Stokes was held at the TAFE. We had a lovely time playing with charcoal and learning about mark making.

The mosaic wall at Port Macquarie TAFE

Wendy invited us to play with charcoal

...and to experiment with drawing. We had great fun.

The creative ageing week in Port Macquarie was great fun, and yes it did Spark Ideas, Inspire Achievment and Excite the Imagination.

Australia Day 2016

Words on the art journal page are from Welcome to Country by Uncle Bill - William O'Brien of the Birpai Nation. I pay my respects to the Elders of this country both past and present.

My Country The first poem I ever learned at school, still my favourite.

The love of field and coppice,
Of green and shaded lanes.
Of ordered woods and gardens
Is running in your veins,
Strong love of grey-blue distance
Brown streams and soft dim skies
I know but cannot share it,
My love is otherwise.

I love a sunburnt country,
A land of sweeping plains,
Of ragged mountain ranges,
Of droughts and flooding rains.
I love her far horizons,
I love her jewel-sea,
Her beauty and her terror -
The wide brown land for me!

Kudditji Kngwarreye expressing his Story through the medium of paint. In this video you will hear Kudditji talk and sing about his homelands whilst viewing his colourful interpretations of said homelands in paint.

A stark white ring-barked forest
All tragic to the moon,
The sapphire-misted mountains,
The hot gold hush of noon.
Green tangle of the brushes,
Where lithe lianas coil,
And orchids deck the tree-tops
And ferns the warm dark soil.

Core of my heart, my country!
Her pitiless blue sky,
When sick at heart, around us,
We see the cattle die -
But then the grey clouds gather,
And we can bless again
The drumming of an army,
The steady, soaking rain.

Artist: Gracie Ward Napaltjarri Dreaming: Muntati - My Grandmothers Country

Core of my heart, my country!
Land of the Rainbow Gold,
For flood and fire and famine,
She pays us back threefold -
Over the thirsty paddocks,
Watch, after many days,
The filmy veil of greenness
That thickens as we gaze.

An opal-hearted country,
A wilful, lavish land -
All you who have not loved her,
You will not understand -
Though earth holds many splendours,
Wherever I may die,
I know to what brown country
My homing thoughts will fly.

~ Dorothea Mackellar

Artist: Nellie Marks Nakamarra
Dreaming: Travelling Through my Country
Painted in Alice Springs 2011

I so love watching Nellie Marks paint this - it is like a moving meditation.

Walking in This World

Walking in This World by Julia Cameron, is the sequel to The Artist's Way. Our creative cluster has decided to work through the book this year.

So I read through the first chapter and I got to the task at the end. I got myself all ready to participate, and then I read, 'Task: Do Nothing'. Do Nothing? Really? So that afternoon, I got a beach towel and headed off to the beach and sat - no book, no phone, just my towel and my doggie, couldn't leave her behind. Oh how lovely it was. As I write this I think of a friend I mentioned this task to. She said how difficult it would be for her to do, to have nothing to do. And I wonder, as I write this, how are you at doing nothing?

I invite you to take 15 minutes and join in, doing nothing. That's me resting in the picture above, as I bravely tackle the task of doing nothing. My brain told me it was time to redo my toe nail polish, but you know what brains are like, always coming up with things for you to do. So I thanked it for the information and refocussed on the task at hand.

"How beautiful it is to do nothing, then rest afterwards". Spanish Proverb.

Dr Ellen Langer - Mindfulness, Mindlessness, Art

"All it takes to become an artist is to start doing art." ~ Dr. Ellen Langer

So no more excuses, start doing your art today.

Over the last few years I have been learning about and practicing mindfulness. Recently a friend shared a video of Dr Ellen Langer speaking on mindfulness. Known as the 'mother' of mindfulness, Dr Langer has been working with mindfulness for over forty years. In addition to being an educator, author and researcher, Dr Langer is an artist.

Dr Langer defines mindfulness as, 'the act of noticing new things'. "Simply notice new things, that puts you into mindfulness."

If you are interested in mindfulness and creativity, I recommend watching Dr Langer's talks. Over the past few days, I have been looking for new things in my environment. In the walks I normally do, and with the people I am with. I invite you to join me and start to notice at least 5 new things each day.

Ellen Langer Part 4 from LIPTV 2 on Vimeo.

Ellen talking about Mindful Creativity...

Website: Learn more about Dr Langer and view her wonderful art - my favourites The Greyhound Bus - click here

Today in a list... I invite you to notice and write each day about what you noticed... one idea: write what you notice in a list.

Artist Date: Visiting Jason DeCaires Taylor

"For sculptor Jason deCaires Taylor, the ocean is more than a muse — it's an exhibition space and museum. Taylor creates sculptures of human forms and mundane life on land and sinks them to the ocean floor, where they are subsumed by the sea and transformed from lifeless stone into vibrant habitats for corals, crustaceans and other creatures.

The result: Enigmatic, haunting and colourful commentaries about our transient existence, the sacredness of the ocean and its breathtaking power of regeneration."

"Video documentary detailing the changes to the Silent Evolution installation including unseen footage of the process behind Jason DeCaires Taylor works."

Heart of a fish. Underwater sculpture figure.

Journal prompt: while watching a video or tv show, quickly sketch then colour something that you notice.

The Artist's Way Book Group 2016

If you would like to work through The Artist's Way this year, please let me know.

Our 2016 facebook group is now full and underway - however if you, or a small group, would like to work through the book with me as your guide, please contact me.

The Artist's Way is a book by Julia Cameron. It is for those people who wish to explore their creativity through a 12 step process.

Journal Prompt: Add a few things you are grateful for each day, to your journal.

How to create a better world... a happier world...

add some gratitude

Welcoming in 2016

Saying goodbye to 2015 and welcoming in the New Year

Early morning walk on the beach... I just never know who or what I'll meet on my walks...

A bright new 1st totem creation

1.1.2016 Beach stone and shell mandala

Welcome to 2016 a bright New Year.

May you be Well, May you be Happy.

If you'd like to bring more happiness into your life this year, I invite you to explore Mindfulness. Mindfulness has the potential to be life changing.

Mindfulness... the art of paying attention to the present moment in a particular way, and non judgementally. Want to try a mindfulness practice? Focus on your breath, as your focus drifts away bring your attention back to your breath.