It’s nearing the end of winter here at LilliBean Designs studio, a winter of clear blue skies and savage morning frosts. My hope of growing frangipani’s away from the humid coast took a battering but we are still limping along….just.
My first solo exhibition comes to a close in two days which means I have to lug it all down. Although I think it will take me a far shorter time than it did to put up 😉
And the cherry blossoms are about to burst out – for a month or so my home town is awash of pinks and whites!
I love that at this time of year, I am actually able to witness and enjoy the sunrises. A morning person I am definitely not, so seeing sunrise is not something I do very often, but in the winter, I can watch the valley wake up from my bed!
And at the other end of the day we are treated with something equally stunning at the moment.
The colours from this time of year are so beautiful and I have been using them as inspiration for some of my paintings (Tillie and Circe in particular)
I have been working on a couple of projects lately that haven’t for one reason or another just not working for me. And rather than give up I have just put them away for another day.
This is one which I have been thinking about for a while now and it really isn’t working for me any more. I think it is because it is based on a very early painting of mine that I really loved and I decided to re-imagine it for now.
Sometimes you just need to let things be I think. I may pull it out again another day!
Another painting that had been giving me trouble was my version of Hermione Granger.
Since my DC hero’s + Villains paintings I have had so many people request this painting. So I decided that now was the time.
My first version was awful. I often say to my Kids Art Club kids that there are no mistakes in art. But there is not rescuing that version.
Bean came into the studio this morning and said “Mama! IS THAT HERMIONE???” I have never seen my chicklet so excited about a painting before (except of course her Wonder Woman painting!)
I am glad she is at least recognisable!
Speaking of my Kids Art Club, we have been smooshing paint, collaging, drawing faces and marble painting.
One of my kids said to me the other day, “you know I am finally over the fact that you make us use random pages in our books now!”
LOVE THAT!!
I said to her that I had hoped to free them of convention and drawing inside the boxes so to speak!
But it made me sad that this twelve year old had already become confined to the boxes that society loves to put us in.
But then I popped into my kids class rooms for education week and I see this painting by the Wee Beastie, and I know my girls will (at least with creativity) will not be confined.
Her painting was surrounded by very traditional pirates with traditional hats and colours.
And I realised that my greatest wish is to creatively free people so that they can create and play and explore and discover their creative squeak.
So I am planning and trying to think of ideas of how I can do this in the future.
But before I can dig my teeth fully into these ideas, I have to finish of the list of things needed for the coming market season. More paintings, jewellery, and prints!
I have several three o’clock in the morning ideas, and this is one of them. Which will end up being a desktop calendar for 2019.
Along side my normal wall calendar, I though a little desk one would be super cute as well.
And I ADORE how it is looking at the moment. I just need to wrap it up now!
Speaking of my jewellery, I will be retiring a couple of lines from my collection, so keep an eye out at markets and online for these specials.
Round here, we are in the state of change, spring is around the corner, and we will soon be welcoming a fur baby to our family and the terrible trio don’t know about him. On Saturday we will be taking a road trip with them to pick him up and I cannot wait for their faces when we tell them. You can also guarantee that I will soon spam social media with the pics!!
What’s happening in your neck of the woods? I would love to hear what you’re up to, what your excited for, what’s been goin’ on? Let me know in the comments or send me a message!
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