Creating Slow

I have noticed over the last few weeks that my life and work patterns have changed. Things are slowing down, settling into a new, gentle structure.  I am noticing too, that these changes have affected me in a very positive way and I feel far more content, and much calmer than I have done in a long time.

During my break in the summer, I began to realise that something needed to change.  It wasn't just the business side of things, I felt off too; listless and laden with apathy.  I remember noticing how the self imposed demands of social media were making me feel (both drained and irritable).  Somebody had told me that we need to post content every day to stay in the loop and in people's feeds, and I had adhered to that idea for the longest time, fearing that it would all go wrong if I didn't.  However, I continued, somewhat foolishly,  to ignore my intuition and plowed on regardless, churning out content and slowly losing the love for what I do, and naturally it wasn't long before this feeling seeped into other corners of my life too.

There wasn't a huge lightbulb moment where I woke up one day and suddenly declared 'something needs to change!'; it was more of a gentle spiritual nudge, of slowly coming to an understanding of what those feelings in the pit of my stomach meant, why I felt so tired and uninspired.  And that's when I knew I had to stop and take a break.

I barely went on my social media over the summer, pretty much seven weeks or more elapsed before I shared another post and in that space and time I created for myself, I understood what needed to change.

My life looks very different to what it did four months ago.  I am no longer hurling myself through my day with barely a moments pause for breath.  I am no longer cramming every waking moment with chores and things to achieve, and I've let social media take a back seat too.


The biggest difference for me now, is choosing to live with more intention.

For me this means using the hours of my day carefully, checking in with how the online world makes me feel, and spending more time outdoors in nature.  It's making time each day for some kind of movement whether that's a walk, a jog or some yoga.  I also try and meet up with friends each week, knowing that connection is as important to me as my solitude.

My work patterns have changed too, I no longer work like there's no tomorrow, painting and creating at what now seems to have been a frantic pace.  I make time to research my subject matter, I enjoy taking photographs, creating mood boards on Pinterest, playing with colour palettes and sketching in my book.  My creative pace has slowed right down, meaning that all these things combined makes each moment more mindful, and it feels like ease and contentment has finally become a part of my life.

Another thing I have started to do is to be more mindful, and feel gratitude, every single day.  From the simplest moments of noticing the thin silver fingernail of a new moon in a dark indigo sky; a bird singing outside the studio, to picking the last succulent green beans from the garden. Giving thanks and noticing how these simple pleasures make us feel help to ground us and create a little hit of dopamine, the feel good chemical that our brains release.  It's also helping me to feel more in tune with the season, I'm really aware of the colours in nature, the feel of the cold wind on my face as I walk around the reservoir and the warmth of my thick woollen jumper.

Choosing to live slowly doesn't mean existing at a snails pace, it means embracing each moment with purpose and intention, and making sure each day encompasses the things that make you feel happy and healthy.  It means creating a space where you feel comfortable and safe, whatever that looks like for you.  Its cooking hearty, nourishing food using seasonal vegetables - my current favourite thing to do is to make a big pot of soup and warm a baguette in the oven to slather liberally with thick, salty butter.  Sitting down to enjoy this with my family is a simple pleasure and one that brings us all together at the table to share stories from our day.  And now with the darkness returning, I light candles and put the fairy lights above the fireplace on each evening.  These small rituals help me to return to the moment, to notice the seasonal changes and feel cosy and safe.

I'm also going through my things and letting go of stuff that I don't need or use anymore. Creating space in my home is like letting out a big deep sigh of relief, and while I've still a fair bit of sorting to do (and will never be a minimalist), I am aware of the benefits of a decluttered home and will continue to work on this, one small corner and cupboard at a time.

This didn't all happen overnight, and is more about a life change than just a fad. Each day is a blank canvas, to fill with what brings you joy and what feels good and with winter approaching and the days getting shorter I am more conscious than ever of how fast the days can sometimes slip by, making it all the more important to me to make each one really count.

June Journal - this month so far

Symphony - original acrylic painting on canvas

June has been a damp, mostly dismal and somewhat cool month, interspersed with hopeful rays of feeble warm sunshine.  

A couple of weeks ago I took this painting to the framers, quite a few people told me that it reminded them of music and I had to agree, hence it's name.  I like the movement and energy in this piece very much, I like how you can follow the almost ribbon like streams of colour and lose yourself in it.  I'm finding abstract painting to be very meditative, and very healing.

At the beginning of June, we found ourselves in Suffolk having a few days at my sisters.  We had a wonderful time, it felt like a mini holiday as the weather was just perfect - warm, dry and sunny with giant blue skies.  This was taken on the beach at Lowestoft, what a gorgeous place that is - I especially like the old world charm it seems to retain, and the mile upon mile of soft creamy sand.

Abstract in the making...

Warm up exercises on watercolour paper.

The finished painting: Confluence, a meeting of streams, flowing together, the middle.

The studio.  I have been entranced with these gorgeous peonies that I found quite cheaply at a local supermarket.  I don't often have flowers in the studio as I'm quite good at knocking them over, but I couldn't resist.  They are the epitome of summer days, unapologetically beautiful - and fleeting.

On Father's Day we went over to the east coast, to Scarborough.  It's one of my favourite places and doesn't take that long to get to.  It has everything I love: beautiful beaches, clear seawater, cliffs and seabirds, a harbour, boats and lovely cafes and shops.

It was sunny so we managed a picnic on the beach, but the wind got up so we didn't linger as getting sandblasted isn't all that much fun.  We walked around to South Bay and my daughter made me go on a very fast ride in the tiny funfair by the harbour which was hilarious and exhilarating!  Later on as we walked back to the car we got caught in a deluge, but all I really recall is the sound of the kittiwakes calling from their nesting sites on the cliffs, and the scent of the sea in the rain.

Explorations of colour, with watercolour on Cass Art Smooth watercolour paper.  I went to their gorgeous shop over in Manchester on Monday 17th, it was a damp, misty sort of day and we traversed the Pennines submerged in a watery gloom wondering where the hell summer had gone.  However, our spirits were lifted as we entered this artists paradise, at 55 Oldham Street - suddenly immersed in rows and rows of paint, sketch books, and other utterly tempting supplies.  I may have bought new things including their fabulous smooth watercolour pad, some Liquitex soft body acrylics and an art board.

When the solitude of working for myself turns insidiously to isolation, I take myself out to where there are people, coffee shops and WALLED GARDENS, because I absolutely adore being in a walled garden!  I will not forget in a very long time the jaw dropping beauty of this stunning wild flower meadow, it was just the most stunning tangled creation of daisies, poppies and sweet peas you ever did see and I wish there were some way of conveying how intoxicating the scent of it was.  Had the gardener not been so close, I may have laid down on the brick path amongst them all, with my face to the sun breathing it all in for a while.

And lastly, I have a lovely new product in my online store!  I am very excited to share this professionally printed canvas art print to 'Shallows'.  It is printed onto 100% bright white cotton canvas and stretched onto a handmade pine frame.  The finish and quality is perfection, and upon opening the sample I received, I was astonished as to how like the original it was.

You can find these in my shop priced at £35 GBP here.

Chat soon.

Julia x

Deep Dive and Shallows

I'm still really engrossed in my journey of exploring abstract art.  It's a totally new avenue for me, as those of you who have followed for a while will know.  For many years I painted coastal scenes, things and places you would recognise.

Some time last year I felt the call to try something new, to work in a looser style and yet I just couldn't commit to taking that leap, and so persevered with my familiar style.

Working like this, very much from the heart and soul is proving to be so revealing in many ways.  I am understanding how art really does have the capacity to create space in the mind, and to heal.

This piece is called Deep Dive, and it's an acrylic piece on a wooden panel.  I used a flow medium to make those glorious puddles of colour.

Much of this painting is led by intuition, I allow myself to be directed to colour, shape and pattern without trying to influence the outcome.

Shallows

Choosing to work with a minimal choice of colours, I built up many translucent layers of paint, it reminds me of staring into the shallows of the ocean, those beautiful turquoise shades, lilac and blue, and soft sandy tones.  I was really happy with this piece, and feel I'd like to explore this layered way of making art further.

Wanderlust and Tide Pools

Wanderlust

A feeling of adventure, of sea and sky, journey and landscape.

This piece has a gorgeous deep edge, so you could display this painting either freestanding, or hang on the wall.  I also like the serendipitous paint run down the side, how about you?

Tide Pool

Colours and movement of a tidal pool, fluctuations of seaweed undulating in the water and the surprise of marine life hiding in the shadows.

Painted on a deep edged white canvas, this piece is so utterly mesmerising.

What I'm learning as I create these pieces is that they come from somewhere deep within.  There is no expectation of any outcome as I paint, it's a journey of sorts - and each painting is a revelation, like a revealing of the soul.  Working intuitively with colour is both mindful and meditative, I am seeing that this work could be (and perhaps already is) deeply healing.

Shorelines

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Shoreline

I seem to be forever drawn to painting the sea, although recently I have crossed over from illustrative representational work to abstract work, this piece was created in acrylics with a flow medium, and I wanted to convey the feeling of movement and energy where the tide meets the shore.

Whenever we get the opportunity we love to go over to the Yorkshire coast, although it’s May here, temperatures had plummeted to just 5 degrees hence the winter coat...the views were worth it though, at both Bempton Cliffs RSPB and Scarborough.

The Shape of Water

 After a long absence, I'm back on my Blog.  I have decided to intersperse writing helpful tutorial, sharing advice and stories along with Journal type posts, sharing what I'm up to in the studio, with behind the scenes pictures, on a more regular basis.

Back in March, I hit a bit of a wall - you could call it a dark night of the soul if you wish because I stopped painting for weeks and weeks, and at times I honestly didn't know if I'd ever pick up a brush again.  Everything felt tired and done.  Did you ever feel that way about things you create?

It was a tough few weeks, I questioned where I was going in my business, and wondered who I was without art - was it even possible to imagine a life without it?  

If we resist these times of change though, it becomes harder - if we soften and allow ourselves to let go, we can get through the pain and journey through to the sweet new beginnings that await us on the other side.

I had no idea I would ever make art that looked this way.

My friend encouraged me to go back to the studio, and to just have fun.  I took her advice, found a wooden panel and played with my acrylics and some flow medium.

The piece at the top, which I created while thinking about the feeling of water was where it all began.  I discovered that I was enjoying the concept of making art for fun, using the theme of water to explore mark making, shapes and texture.

Painting this way is completely different from when I paint in an illustrative way.  I am allowing my deepest, subconscious feelings to manifest on paper.  I allowed myself to really immerse myself in the shape of water, the feeling of water and the energy and movement of it.  These pictures are the happy result.

I've been surprised by so many kind comments on my social media, I honestly wasn't expecting them.  In some ways I was nervous to share this new work, I think when you have worked in a certain way for so long, people come to expect that and this was a complete departure for me to suddenly be sharing abstracts.

I'm still curious to explore this more intuitive way of painting.

I've done a couple of new vlogs too, all about this process.  I shared about what happens when you fall out of love with your art (Episode 13) and what happened next (episode 14).  You can watch them over on my 

You Tube Channel here. 

Behind the scenes :: life behind social media

I was on social media a couple of days ago, scrolling through and admiring all the beautiful pictures and I thought, wow...this all looks so wonderful and...well, perfect (which of course it does, people usually only share their best images with us).  And I thought, I wonder what my feed looks like to other people?  It shows me painting in a nice studio, I share pictures of places I've been, my work in progress.  I suppose thinking about it, to some people looking in it might look like a fairly peachy lifestyle going on there.

So it led me to write this blog post today, to share a bit from behind the scenes.

In real life, I live in a small terraced house, built in the late 1800s on the edge of a village near the Pennines (this is a vast area of wild and bleak moorland in the north of the UK).  I often dream of living by the sea (and one day I will again) - the amount of people over the years who have asked me if I live at the coast is amazing - I'm guessing it's all the coastal work I've done that might make somebody think that, but no, we have a humble little house with a leaky back door and a broken gutter that for now, is home.

I try to organise my day as best as I can so that I'm making the best use of the time I've got before my daughter comes home from school.  Some days are great, and I feel very efficient and on the ball.  These are the days where I might do a couple of social media posts, and a bit of work in progress films for my Instagram Stories.  I enjoy my days when they are full and rewarding, I like to cook and take walks, notice the small stuff like flowers blooming or a sudden sky full of swallows diving and swirling above. 

Other days don't look like that.  I sometimes struggle with fatigue and migraines, and instead of pushing through (as I used to) I have learnt to allow time to feel better and practise a bit of self care to replenish the energy levels.  On days like that it can feel frustrating when all I want to do is crack on, but in the long run I know that a rest, a bit of yoga or a nice walk with my family will pay dividends.

I sometimes get anxiety or feel a bit flat, especially in winter.  Winter is my nemesis and each year I try my best to navigate this difficult season as best as I can.  In the last few weeks I have instigated a new routine of walking three times a week, whatever the weather.  I tend to develop hermit like tendancies come January, but I am committed to keeping this up, and on really dark days will perhaps go swimming instead.

Some days, I don't have any inclination to paint at all.  As I shared in last weeks blog, creative funks can appear out of nowhere and at first are disconcerting and the cause of much anxiety as I fret and worry over what's going wrong.  Apathy is an unwelcome visitor and at times like this, the last thing I want to do is post pictures of my work, as I feel so detached from it!  It's something I'm learning to handle, rather than dwelling there for too long, but it still knocks the wind out of my sails when it happens.

I have an eleven year old daughter who has just started high school.  She is an absolute sun beam but like all children, has her own growing pains which need tending to.  Family life is very rewarding but it can also be super challenging at times too.

Hurdles still show up for me, and they will continue to do so, because that's life.  It's a journey of highs and lows, and we are always going to find ourselves in negative situations with people, or just with ourselves and our own state of mind as we go through life.  These moments for me are not instagrammable, and to be honest, I wouldn't enjoy scrolling through my feed if it were full of depressing content!  I like to feel inspired and uplifted by what I see.

These days I recognise when I need to detach from social and give myself some breathing space.  I leave well alone for a bit and come back when I've got something positive to share.  I'm not going to start posting super personal or depressing stuff on my social channels because I don't think it's professional or relevant to why I'm on there, my aim is to inspire people by what sharing what I do and how I do it.

I suppose the main message of this post is a gentle reminder that behind every photograph is a real person (even I forget sometimes as I compare my life with the photoshopped perfection that I see daily).  Social media is a place where people share their best bits, and it's wise to remember that as we scroll.

Inspiration and Where To Find It

Yesterday, for the first time in what feels like such a long time, the sun shone and the sky was blue.  There was a cold wind and the birds were singing and flitting about, that delicious feeling of Spring arriving washed over me in a happy, joyous wave - how I look forward to this day when suddenly it is a given - despite all the foul weather and the cold - things are happening and growing, the light and the warmth is returning!

I spent a good hour or so tidying the garden feeling rather blissful about it all, I don't do winter very well, although I try my best to appreciate all the seasons.  I'm a person who craves light and heat, and in the darker months I feel myself retreating and lying low.  Perhaps this is necessary, a modern hibernation to regenerate the spirit and develop new ideas.  Spending time in the garden always relaxes me and lifts my mood though - it's such a tonic to work with plants and earth - and it was a pleasure to have that time where I didn't have to really think about anything else other than the tasks I was working on. 

After my gardening spree I headed off to the shops to pick up some groceries and stumbled upon these gorgeously scented tiny daffodils, and sprigs of pussy willow - does it remind anyone else of soft rabbit tails?

I brought them home, and instantly knew that I would want to paint them.  I spent some time faffing with them, rearranging them and enjoying their fresh perfume.  I could picture the painting in my mind, and it seems like a good one to start as I carry on with my large commission job (I love commissions, but I also like to have something of my own to potter along with too).

When the idea to paint these flowers arrived, I felt instantly excited about it.  Inspiration doesn't always strike so vividly but this as I've discovered before, is the best way to let it happen.  The trouble is, you can't force it, or manipulate it.  This kind of vision comes out of the blue, somewhat randomly and very unexpectedly.  You need to seize it when it does because the energy of it doesn't linger.  Get the idea on paper, photograph it, write about it...keep it alive in your journal or your camera if you cannot get on with it straight away.  It's essential to capture the magic of the new idea, and by doing these things it means you can come back to it and refresh your memory with the feelings it initially provoked.

You see, you can spend hours on social media or Pinterest and so on, admiring what other people are doing or purposefully seeking out something to emulate or do.  This is fine, we learn as we go from what others have done before us but there is nothing as original as a bolt of inspiration that you create with your own imagination and feelings.

The trick to receiving these is to be mindfully aware of what's going on around you.  Start to take notice of the ordinary things happening in your life, take time out to breathe in and out, to notice what sounds you can hear, scents you can smell, what the weather might be doing...how does the sun feel on your skin? How does the birdsong make you feel? 

Taking a walk is usually a catalyst to firing up the inspiration channels, it works every time for me in some way - problems are solved, ideas magically appear.  It's about switching off from our routines and letting our bodies soak up each moment. 

You'll know when the magic is happening because you'll feel a firework of excitement go off in your belly, your whole being will light up in anticipation - it feels right and good, and you know you're on the right track.  Start taking a few moments in your day to tune in to what's going on around you, immerse yourself in your tasks really paying attention to the smaller details and see what magic comes up for you.

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Happiness

I have a new range of prints and cards coming to my shop very soon, titled Happiness, it is such a bright and joyful picture!

I'll keep you posted as to when these are available; to keep up to date with new painting releases and news you are welcome to subscribe to my mailing list, you can find out more details here.

How Our Expectations Stop Us Being Happy

I sometimes come across people who say things to me like "Oh I could never do what you do", or "I wish I had time to paint or create but I'm SO busy..." and it got me to thinking about how the way we think creates our reality.

Things like this happen mostly on a subconscious level, it begins with a simple thought that flashes through our mind about something, like for example, making art.  Perhaps you haven't picked up a pencil or a paintbrush since you were at school?  You might be feeling a bit nervous, or out of the loop and so you tell yourself 'Oh come on, I couldn't possibly do that' because you fear the outcome, you fear looking silly in front of other people, of failing.

And that one single thought seems to lodge somewhere in your mind, and that thing you really want to do, well you think about it a lot because deep down it calls to you and you would LOVE to give it a go, but your critical inner voice is telling you no, no you can't do that - what would your husband say? You don't have time! What if it looks bloody awful? For crying out loud YOU ARE TOO OLD TO START SOMETHING NEW!!!

And that one single thought becomes a belief, and that belief becomes an expectation.  We teach ourselves not to expect to have time to follow our creative dreams, we teach ourselves not to expect a positive reaction from a loved one to our new idea, that age is a barrier to experiencing joy and a fulfilled life.

And when we teach ourselves to believe these thoughts, they become deeply ingrained in our subconscious, our lives follow the pattern of our thoughts you see.

We are the creators of our thoughts - it took me quite a few years to understand that what we focus on becomes our reality, and in turn, our chance to be happy.  Or not.  We limit ourselves with our self imposed belief systems, we tell ourselves we aren't capable or good enough, rich enough or thin enough.  We tell ourselves these stories that shape our lives without us even realising it.  We make ourselves small and in turn, our lives shrink and we become miserable.  We might even stop one day and think - I didn't want it to be like this!  This isn't what I wanted life to look like.  I've had these very thoughts myself, I've stood rooted to the spot and looked around at my life and wondered why I'm stuck, why I haven't achieved what I wanted to achieve?  And it all breaks down to this:

We fear failure, we tell ourselves we can't, we stop expecting good things, that this is as good as it gets.

So, how to change?

It starts with gratitude.  It starts with being in the moment and allowing yourself to be grateful for all that you currently have in your life.  When you start to practice gratitude for the things you already have, you will start to notice life opening up in new ways for you.  You will discover opportunities appearing, and you will feel happier inside.  Gratitude also helps to dissolve fear, it helps us to see how amazing our lives are, and encourages us to say yes to experiences that will enrich our lives further - therefore increasing our level of expectation for more good stuff to happen.

So you have the power to turn it around.  It takes practice, and it takes time.  Your belief systems may have been ingrained for many years and so it's going to take a little time to change your thought patterns.  But it's doable.
Expect daily miracles, expect good stuff to happen, expect to feel good and to feel happiness!

Watch each day how things begin to change when you focus your attention on consciously creating your life by choosing to appreciate what you have and expecting more good stuff to come your way.

You might have a blip - that's ok, and natural - the positive thing about a blip is when you notice it and change your thoughts to get yourself back on track.  Each time you do this you're re-wiring the hardware in your brain to create new neural pathways, which in time will become new belief systems, which in turn, become your life.

Before I go...

My Christmas Hearts Workshop is now filling up - tickets can be purchased through Eventbrite, priced £37.00.
Click here to find out more about this event, and to book your place.

Enter code: get my ticket

Hope you can make it!

What I Did On My Artist's Date

Some of you may be familiar with the work of Julia Cameron, and her concept of an Artist's Date which was something brought to life for me about 12 years ago when I first read her best selling book, The Artist's Way.  The idea is that you take yourself off on a solo adventure somewhere, to do something that pleases you, inspires you, lights your creative fire.  This is what I did yesterday, and you can read a little more about the concept of it here on her website.

I have had a funny couple of weeks, I think my soul felt rather battered and weary from the constant drip feed of horror and sadness brought about by the two recent terror attacks here in my homeland...and then the barrage of politics on social media and TV as we ran up to a General Election.  I made myself turn it off, it came to a point where I had to stop looking and absorbing.  Enough...enough...my soul called out, and I listened but my heart felt heavy; emerging from so much anger, confusion and noise takes time.  

Remembering that love and peace are what heals, is what helps.

And so yesterday, I decided to take myself off to one of my favourite local spots - the Yorkshire Sculpture Park.  I would make it an Artist's Date, and allow myself some time to be gentle and switch off, to come to surface again.

Henry Moore

I took a note book and pen, in case I felt inclined to write or draw, but mostly it was a morning of wandering and sitting.  The weather was kind, overcast but warm and the air was heavy with the sweet scent of flowers and the lambs who populated the parkland.

Tony Cragg

There were exhibitions to enjoy, including sculptures by Tony Cragg - bubbling, ergonomic shapes made from wood, metal and glass and I felt soothed by these soft sculptural shapes which were in the gallery and also outdoors around the grounds.  

The YSP is a very special place, a modern building nestled in a beautiful, peaceful landscape.  There are trees, lakes and walks, and my favourite - the Skyspace, housed in an old deer shelter.  I sat for an age in here, and not another soul came in during my time there.  I was left to watch the ever changing drama of the Yorkshire sky above me, with only the sound of the birds and buzzing of insects for company.  

How many shades of grey are there in a cloud?

I found myself asking this question, and I found many.  Observing this soft, gentle shape shifting was a balm to me; time slowed down and my world was reduced to that simple square of light and sky above.

I walked for miles around the parkland, choosing to make it a mindfulness walk where I listened to the tread of my sneakers on the ground, tuned in to all the different bird songs in the trees above.  I noticed light and shade, texture and colour.  I took in the shapes of leaves and grasses.  I soaked it all up, and when I got to the lake I heard the sound of crickets in the tall grass, saw bright yellow wild iris and watched a grebe who silently dived below the dark surface of the water.

My walking meditation ended with lunch at the YSP cafe, peppermint tea and a sandwich on the veranda, enjoying the warmth, feeling that the tender parts had in some way been repaired...and I sat and watched as a sheep bothered a family down on the grass having a picnic, a woman flapped her arms wildly trying to shoo it away from their goodies.  It made me laugh out loud!  

I didn't write or draw this time, I didn't really need to but my mind is coming alive once again with ideas and plans.  The simple pleasures of nature had done enough to fill up my well, and I couldn't remember quite why it had been such a long time since I did this for myself.  I am planning another Artist's Date very soon. 

Why not take yourself on an Artist's Date?  You don't even need to be an artist to do this really, at least, I don't think you do - I believe allowing ourselves to indulge in a few hours of something that will inspire or just simply delight, is both necessary and good.

Where will you go? What lights you up?

Why not share your stories with me here?