Birds of a feather... Flock together

I'm besotted with her...

Considering she almost didn't make it and I almost gave up on her 3 times, I'm amazed at how connected I feel to her.  From the beginning I wasn't happy with her at all.  She felt clumsy and her neck was too short and thick and her face and body proportions just felt so off for me.  Creating birds around and above her head, gave me the height I was after.  When I was rebuilding her, I completely overcrowded her with birds so much so that I had to remove some of them to make her less cluttered... yip a struggle all the way through.

Seriously though, her hands and her tender-hearted face, was worth every hour I tried to rescue her.  Up until now all my hands have been the same color as the bodies but I wanted her elegant hands to be seen as they added so much emotion to her story.  It was the first time I painted hands and it completely transformed her.  The birds took about 3 different coats to settle on the color that I loved.  There is no doubt, she was hard work and she made my earn the right to her presence.  Maybe that's why I love her so much.

She will be in the Triumph and Survival Auction in October.

There is so much symbolism in her for me... 

Her gentleness and empathy outshone her imperfections.  She is a reminder to me, that we are all worthy of saving no matter where we find ourselves.  She is courageous in her resilience to be found and seen.  She is so gentle and kind that even the birds feel safe around her.

I filmed most of her rescue for my The Soul Bearers workshop... how even in the ugly messes, you can find your way back.

Love, me

Photos prohibited...

Corks took this picture while she was in Italy. It's my favorite image from her European trip and might quite possibly be my favorite capture from this year, for sure.  It's classic and timeless and if it wasn't for her reflection in the window I might not have believed she had taken it.  I could possibly have thought she found this old picture on the Internet.

I absolutely love everything about it... From the bearded guy in the chair, right down to the sign and posters on the window. 

xoxo

TinyBagsofLove - Beautiful works

Beautiful works in my TinyBagsofLove class continue to pour in.  What an incredible experience and to be part of such a wonderful group of artists.  I've been so blown away by the level of work, participation and love in our little class.  I just want to say a huge thank you for showing up and loving what you are doing.  The most incredible thing for me is seeing how everyone has gone in their own directions, from typing on teabags to using plaster to a variety of incredible different things.

Finding their own way in the intuitive process... YES.

Much Love, Me

Could this be any more precious - Robin Laws

The class is still open for registration and time for you to join in with all the TeaBagLove.

I'll keep growing this gallery as they continue to come in.

Exciting News...

The Soul Bearers

After many requests to share my process of how I make these precious souls - I decided to put together a little workshop for you, exclusively about making and creating these soulful beings, with a story... their story.

I'm calling my workshop - The Soul Bearers.

Together we will create 3 different soulful beings using paper clay.  It will be about finding your own Soul Bearer with what you have around you and inside you.  I hope you will join in and journey together with me as we create and find our sacred, beautiful beings through the imagery and stories buried within us.

Triumph and Survival Auction... in October.

I'm so excited to be part of this incredibly deep and moving auction in early to mid October 2016.  The theme is Triumph and Survival with the focus on incredible women overcoming adversity.  We have been asked to come up with around 15 pieces for the Auction.  That usually totally freaks me out and makes me want to hide away but I have to say I've been loving showing up.  Getting to paint big and with my big brushes has made me so happy and I'm really loving working to a theme and schedule.  I am little deadline driven so for now it's working.  I'm around half way and I know I have to stay focused to finish strong... but for now I'm in my happy place.

Not only that... I get to hang with some pretty amazing artists in this group.

If you are keen to follow, here is the link... Triumph and Survival Auction - 12 October 2016

Finally finished her...

I'm thrilled to say I'm finished this beautiful girl and I'm besotted with her.  Her buildings remind me of Orvieto, Italy.  My favourite is her profile view and her 3D buildings from all angles.  

So thrilled.  xoxoxo...

Being vulnerable...

I made this little one a while ago but I wasn't feeling her.  I felt there were some issues with her proportions.... but I sat yesterday trying to save her.  From the start I saw her covered in swallows and I wasn't sure how to do that - but last night we found our way.  I can't wait to paint her to see if I can salvage her.  The most incredible thing is I had a dream last night about a new figurine... since the beginning these incredible little souls have come to me in my sleep and once while I was in the shower... I physically see them in my mind.  I have a journal that I draw them in and then try to find them in the clay... it's such a joy to me.  Something I never expected...

So grateful for them... they have been such a blessing to me.

xoxox

Jeanne-Marie

2am duty calls... it's the final countdown

Digz and I sat up until 2am offering moral support to this girl of ours, to help her finish her Preliminary Art Practical this week.  It was about the "Fragmented self"... uber hard work and long hours and hectic showing up was required in a time where showing up is more than a challenge.  So proud of her for finishing strong.  For Digz and I to walk along side her this week and stay up with her all hours - was deeply special and bonding.  There was lots of laughter, quite a bit of stress but seeing it come together was fantastic.  Beside the art piece itself... it was just another huge TICK off the list of things she has to get through as we power on to the end of this massive year.  All of which is just 18 days.  This week coming will be full of big ticks as she hands over her Chairman badge of the photographic club and her Cross Country Captaincy badge.  Let the final countdown begin...

Final push baby girl...

xoxox

The Bearer of Tea...

I started by painting this piece on the body first and then proceeded to do the teacups and teapot and then moved onto the Tree of Life, front and back.

I wasn't feeling that connected to the piece and the colors and I wasn't sure about her at all... until I did her face which for some or other reason I left until last... it's something I never do.  How bizarre.  But just in that single moment when her face started to come through - the whole piece arrived all at the same time for me and I knew it was love.

I'm totally besotted with her.  And of course I want to keep her but she's going towards the Triumph and Survival Auction in October.  I know this for sure - she's going with my whole heart.

This figurine had been calling me for a while and I knew after my TinyBagsofLove Class I wanted to make her.  Her armature sat waiting for me for about a week.  All I knew is that I wanted her adorned with teacups and a teapot in the theme of my class and I wanted to honour the teaMaker, I needed to.... "Blessed is the TeaMaker".  She feels so sacred... like you might come across this Bearer of Tea if you took a slow walk into the quiet still forest and if you are lucky enough to come across her she will offer you tea and tell you her sweet stories.  I want to sit with her and drink tea and be still and listen because she carries wisdom inside of her.

Beautiful class work...

How amazing is Janet Reid's beautiful work.

I've been so blown away by her beautiful delivery of her #teabaggirls.  I got a sneak peak into Janet's journal, whilst working through my TinyBagsofLove class on Instagram and I'm so deeply touched.  It's how I approach the classes I take.  Each class I do has it's own journal and I fill it with class information.  Thank you Janet for just going for it.

That totally made my day.

If you are still interested in creating beautiful #teabagart, there is still time to sign up for TinyBagsofLove.

Great listens...

I know I'm a little late to the party with both these books - I guess I like to do things in my own time... but I'm glad I finally showed up - they were both amazing.

I've listened to all Brene's books and of course I loved this new one just as much as I did her other books.  I'm a huge fan of her work and my best is that both authors read their own books on Audible.  This is the first book I've listened to of Elizabeth's and the rumours are right - she is a beautifully gifted writer and of course, she's speaking my language.  It's the way they both deliver their truth that resonates so deeply with me.

If you are late to the party too - I can highly recommend both.

The Forgotten Birds...

It has been a few weeks since I finished a painting... well at least one bigger than a teabag.  My big canvases have been calling me and I have been desperate to just play and get completely lost in my piece... I woke up early today, my table was clear and I was ready to do exactly that and exactly that was what I did.  It was good for my heart and my mind to just show up and do something... anything.

I've called this piece The Forgotten Birds... there is a story-bookishness and dreamlike feeling to this piece and I love that.  I have wanted to do big swallows for the longest time and it's the first time I've included birds.  I know I want to linger a bit longer with this theme and perhaps continue to work towards a more serious take on it.  This theme is deeply rooted in my childhood memories...

"When the swallows fly low... the rain will come"

It felt so wonderful to show up and complete a painting from beginning to end, to get messy and paint all day long - what an incredible way to spend my day.

Love, Me

Deeply moving...

I've been so deeply moved by Lyn Tivenan TeaBagArt this past week or two in my TinyBagsofLove class. Her beautiful art has always resonated with me and that combined with the fragility of these teabags and the words... It feels like I've found an old world treasure.

As for this beautiful treasure she's coming to live with me.  I'm beyond honoured!

Thank you Lyn.

xoxo 

Clay Play...

Oh I wanted to make her for the longest time and she's been waiting patiently for me...

I had to finish my class first and get all my admin and life out of the way...

And then we got to play a little together.  All I knew before I started was I wanted her to be holding a teapot.  But I love the direction we went together.  She is adorned with teacups, lots of them and I love that... it's inviting, it's communion and it might even be a little sacred...

 "Blessed is the TeaMaker...."

Love Jeanne-Marie

And... we are live.

I can't even explain the emotions and feelings I'm experiencing today... my Tiny Bags of Love class is officially in session and I'm nervous, excited, afraid and off the charts happy, all rolled into one and basically, I'm a bit of a mess.  The Facebook group is already amazing... it feels exciting and a happy place and I look forward to everyone getting stuck in.  If you haven't signed up yet... there is still time...

To keep myself distracted today I headed to my set appointment with my framers, to drop off my next 40 teabags, totalling 200 pieces to date framed.  My next appointment is around the end of August with the next 40.  So I have a schedule until the end of the year and I'm sticking to it.  These mini goals help me to say focused.  I am well over halfway but finishing strong is my objective.

As for me... I'm tidying up my studio space and life a bit as I head into new projects and big commitments - like Triumph and Survival Auction that's coming up... that's right, my bigger canvases are calling me

....and I can't wait.

Love Jeanne-Marie

The winds of change....

Change is never easy but sometimes it's necessary... and I guess I've known for sometime that change was coming for me in this area and maybe without realising it... everything has been leading me to this change.   From my name change earlier this year, leading me to my new domain name, amongst other things.

So on that note... welcome to my new webspace.

I sincerely hope you will continue to follow my story here as I find new ways of sharing my creative journey.  I hope you will love this new space as much as I do.

love, Me.