SignUp Friday...

new class announcement

I have FIVE new tutorials that will be going live on the 1st May 2021.

These bite-size instalments collectively make up a full class together with some bonus material in some of the tutorials. I love working this way and I hope you will enjoy it too. Thank you for allowing me to explore this way of sharing - it has been gentler on my body and soul. It also allows you to pick and chose what you are drawn to in a way that is affordable and manageable especially during these times. Each tutorial will be priced mostly the same and I have also created a bundle package that is largely discounted if you are keen to signup for all of the bite-size lessons.

Please keep watching this space as I will continue to add new Tutorials on the go…

I still have a good few in the works.

Recharging the ol’ batteries…

We had a rough end to 2020 and a tough start to 2021 and we have reached the end of March rather exhausted and still a little on the back foot of life. We found ourselves saying for most of 2020… “ah but you know, it’s 2020.” We just kept rolling with all 2020 was throwing at us and maybe naively hoped that would miraculously change when the year changed… but we are still rolling. How about you?

Quite frankly, we needed a moment….

So we stole that moment away at our beach, devoid of crowds and noise. Big vast open spaces and the sound of the waves constantly moving. We had hoped we could get there sooner but 2021 wasn’t having any of it. But Easter couldn’t have come at a better time. Thank you Easter, you have felt like a little gift to us.

We are finally starting to feel some of the relief of the past 6 months and thankfully feels like we might be starting to turn a corner. Even if mentally we are just telling ourselves that. For now we lean into that feeling and embrace all that comes with it. Even in the small joys of seeing Riley so happy on the beach and finding so many LoveRocks on the sand and walking in the beautiful water up to my knees and walking and walking on the most beautiful beaches I’ve ever seen.

I am so grateful Easter.

TheWaterBearer - I am the vessel

She is the bearer of life, love and wisdom. Water is life and her role in this world is one of offering.

I love how she came about and I so loved sharing her story with Studioworks Academy on Ivy Newports platform. It was a journey of love for both of us and I love these pieces that seem to effortlessly fall out of my hands and into this world. When that happens there is this beautiful moment of flow and I cherish these studio days so much.

She came at the end of a month long journey of working with Clay everyday for #FebruaryFacesinClay and I always find magic happens after repetitive play and repetitive days showing up. It’s one of the reasons why I love daily projects so much. This is always a beautiful reminder that hard work has delightful benefits.

Thank you Ivy for inviting me to share in your April edition, it was a gift to your audience and a gift to me too. I hope you enjoy this lesson as much as I did.

Sending much love, Jeanne-Marie

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“we do the work whether we feel like it or not, and then, without warning, flow can arise”

— Seth Godin, The Practice

Thanks Seth for these beautiful reminders from your brilliant book The Practice - I’ve devoured it this month and I’m on round two for another listen.

What lies beneath....

What Lies Beneath - the hidden labyrinths of our soul…

Inspired by my visits to my beloved Orvieto, Italy. Which is known for its hidden and secret labyrinth of caves and tunnels that lie beneath the surface. So many meanings and thoughts behind that for me.

I love how weighted my clay pieces feel in my hands. They are kind of grounding. It keeps me making more because of how sacred they feel in my hands. I am still loving my driftwood and paperclay play so much and how beautifully organic they look and feel.

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Time for Tea....

Just a little reminder that there is still time to join my little vanGogh teapot making tutorial. It’s a sweet offering of love and I hope you will still join in with this small group of tea loving folk.

There is always a little time for tea.

I have so loved working with Driftwood and PaperClay and what a beautiful combination. It feels like a match made in heaven and I’m so grateful I found a way to combine these two gorgeous elements.

A tiny bit of painting....

You might remember that I had a beautiful reference image of Kitty during lockdown and I drew her up in graphite and then again on this very textured handmade canvas with stabilo. As most of work, she has been waiting patiently for me to start working on her. I’ve been missing painting and painting big so much.

She has been quietly calling me from the corner of my studio where she was up for me to look at.

So I’ve finally started and I filmed the start of this activation of my inky stabilo. I love starting my paintings this way with an under painting of one of my stabilo drawings and a bit of my gorgeous green neocolor crayon.

I think I will continue to share my process through this piece, just for fun!

Music: BENSOUND - royalty free music

If you can’t view this video it in the newsletter, please feel free to pop on over to my website to view it there.

Class is in session - PourOutofMe

I’m so thrilled to share that my little teapot tutorial workshop is ready and is fully available today. Together we will be making one of my Van Gogh inspired teapots, with an additional bonus lesson.

There is something so nurturing and soothing about clayplay and oddly familiar. I honestly think it is deeply rooted in our childhoods. Even though we are naively making coil teapots and vessels together, there is a kind of emotional depth to them too and I’m not exactly sure why, but they feel so special to me.

Thank you for the love and continued support with these mini lessons, I have loved sharing this way with you.

I hope you will join me in this extra addition to my little series of tutorials.

Hanging Cities...

I loved finishing this piece.

As you know this concept of home is always on my mind, always close to my heart and always something I’m deep thinking about. I know I am often playing with this theme in my sculptures and last year I created some clay hanging building earrings and it felt right to include them in this painting too. This concept of home and buildings is also always a little wrapped up with Italy for me and my buildings upon buildings play.

I might have to linger here a little longer.

These two precious souls are available in my little shop, the tab is in the menu but I have also had them professionally scanned so I will have a limited edition print available too.

ComeClaywithMe... coming soon!

new class announcement

I’m so excited to share that I’ll be releasing a brand new clay class.

coming soon

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I have taught in a good few classes online and in person, for a good number of years now and I have loved every one of them. However, I would have to say my very first clay class, The Soul Bearers was perhaps one of those defining moment for me with my art. I think I have had a few of those. It is with a very full heart of gratitude and with a bit of a heavy heart, that I’ve decided to close out my SoulBearers class.

It’s a new season and it’s time to keep moving forward.

I started teaching online in 2016, making that class 5 years old now and it has continued to be a class that kept on giving to me in so many wonderful ways. I am so grateful for so many aspects of it but especially to everyone who took the time to fall in love with that beautiful white substance called PaperClay. You found what I found and got excited the way I did and that was hugely special to me. It was also one of my earlier classes so my lighting and equipment wasn’t the best and now over time, the material perhaps a little outdated but mainly because my style has changed so much and it’s time for something new… yes!!!

The beings I make will always be precious Souls to me and that will never change but I am looking so forward to sharing another season of clay with you, with new love and new stories. I am busy working on my Sales Page as we speak and I hope you will join me for this round too. I’ve been trying to work out a special way that I can share with you in a way that works well with me too.

Thank you so much my precious SoulBearers and thank YOU, for the love around my clay.

With much love and appreciation, always Jeanne-Marie

It’s a new day…

It’s a new day - SOLD

I came across one of my old journals from around 5 years ago, with one of my old style mixed media piece on the cover and I decided to breathe new life into it. I started this year more from a place of creative play and I find this is usually a good place for me to start off any year. This was particularly good for my heart because I got to finish this piece with my beautifully pigmented neocolor crayons. There is something about being able to color with crayons that is creative play at it’s finest. It might have something to do with childlike play. She evolved a few times and I loved the playfulness around finding her story.

I am loving my green again and my light kings blue too. It feels like medicine for my soul once again.

It’s a Wrap... on #FebruaryFacesinClay

I love wrapping up projects and I have loved this one immensely. Working daily has so many brilliant benefits and one of the best was working in community. Thank you Kj Allison for running and hosting this project.

I mostly worked with clay and only 3 had added elements. I played with the concept of big noses, beaks and masks. Some flat faces, to more 3D faces to tiny busts.

Above all else the creative play was awesome!!!!! Thanks to all who journeyed with and followed along!!!!

Now starts the next leg and big job of painting. I am going to work slowly through the next step. I’m looking forward to finishing their stories.

Thank you for the love, support and interest through the last 29 Days.

Appreciate you! ❤️

My daughter, a Friend...

SOLD - My Daughter, a Friend

This was one of those pieces I started last year and that I got to work on and finish this year. I still have a good few to get through. I loved painting these two. I’ve been so busy playing with clay that I’ve been missing my canvases, but last week I scheduled 2-3 fixed painting days and I’ve decided to do the same going forward. They are full painting days and they are no longer negotiable and I’m kind of loving that. I get everything done by a certain time and then I’m at my easel. I know I have to be this structured to help me finish pieces especially when I have piles of unfinished pieces waiting for me.

The unfinished works can overwhelm me and I know this isn’t the first time I’ve been in this place. I love rotating work and at the end of last year I did a whole bunch of draw ups and then got distracted with clay. I am looking forward to completing these works. I’ll keep you posted.

She's finished...

She was born in the USA when I was teaching in Santa Ana and she was my subject. She then traveled with me unfinished to San Francisco, Oregon and back home via Washington and a one stop over in Africa in my hand luggage. She survived the trip unscathed and she’s been waiting patiently ever since for me to finish her story. She was a rather big girl and last year I decided to change some of her. I cut her right down the middle of her body and I removed her legs. Immediately her stance was much more appealing to me and she was less overwhelming. I knew I had the courage to finish her story. But again she had to be patient. I was hoping to finish her for my auction last year because she went rather beautifully with a painting I did with buildings, but I couldn’t get it finished in time and I am so over the moon to finish her today. The timing feels right and I adore her still and even more. Thank you for keeping me company today sweet Girl, I needed that and thank you for being so patient with me to finally finish you.

FebruaryFaces in Clay

As you know some of us have been doing #FebruaryFacesinClay and it’s been such a delightful journey so far. It was right in time for KJ Allison’s new clay face class and right in time to start a 30day project. I know other 30Day and 100Day projects were all starting at the same time. I do love daily projects and I do love the repetition of daily work and seeing how things seem to deepen and improve with it. It also allows for playful exploration and walking together in a small group. The collective creative energy carries one to see these projects through, totally benefitting all concerned.

All in all it’s been a wonderful way to play together in community.

Now…. what do do with all these faces!!!

Painting again...

I ended last year with lots of clay and with me filming my two tutorial workshops, it didn’t leave me too much time for painting on canvases since my auction. And boy, I have been missing it. I thought I would steal some time on holiday but that was a miss so I’ve been slowly warming up again and loving it.

Pink Daisies #1 - Available

Pink Daisies #2 - Sold

Pink Daisies #3 - Available

Pink Daisies #4 - Sold

I had these mini 4”x4” canvases lying on my desk since last year and I thought this would be a sweet way to get my brushes moving again and it was. The two paintings below are pieces I had drawn up last year and finally getting to work on now. This past week I did take stock of my all my unfinished works and I was a bit surprised to find 7 unfinished paintings, 9 unfinished clay works and 3 sets of earrings. That’s a bit much, even for me. I did have a good chuckle to myself… I have some work to do.

I know I can be a little undisciplined this way at times. I need to circle back and make it it my mission to finish pieces before I move forward onto any new ones. Well I say this but who knows… I do always tend to finish my works all said and done even if some take longer than others. I think part of that it is learning to accept the way I tend to work in these round about ways.

Strange Birds - Sold

My daughter, my friend - WIP

Regardless of all that, I’m just loving painting again and being #inmystudio - it makes me happy.

A new year, a new season...

It’s kind of become a habitual thing, that in January I do a lot of purging of clutter and also paint some part of the house and do some DIY. Before we left on holiday in December, I moved Corks back into her room and me back into my studio. The space served her well last year with her having to do most of her practical year for her Fine Arts Degree from her bedroom. Quite frankly, after the year she had, she was sick of the space and I couldn’t leave her there. So while she was on a cycling training camp, I swapped out.

I have a renewed love for my Studio space all over again and we spent some time in January painting the walls in a very calm and zen color and I got some new floor coverings to help soften where our feet land and brighten up the very dark floors. I will be using the space for my studio and also my yoga zone. My yoga space will now be a permanent space and not a space I have to create every time I need to practice. I am so happy about that. The combined space feels magical and I’m so grateful I have the luxury of this space just for me to work in and flow in, in both practices. I never take it for granted.

Getting this space ready and beautiful has helped me feel ready to start my year and I feel I can now say “Happy New Year”.

I took Janaury...

We got home on the 3rd January and it wouldn’t be an understatement to say I was definitely not ready to start the new year. In fact, the idea almost had me running for the hills. And as usual, I got home to find some of my trees had burnt to a crisp from the severe heat and black south easter wind that hits us every December. It’s a beast. That didn’t help my heart that was already feeling on the tender side of fragile.

As soon as I could I headed to my nursery and bought replacement trees, some new lavender to run the length of my pathway and some more jasmine to help create a beautiful wall covering that will hopefully eventually create a fragranced barrier dividing our home from the next.

I literally spent most of January in my garden, reworking areas, replanting, new planting and cleaning. It soothes and ministers to my heart, without question. I’ve been heading out for an early morning walk, with a friend almost every morning and when I get home, I tend to my little sanctuary and then have my cuppa on my newly arranged tiny “stoep” {veranda}.

It’s been a gentle way for me to restart this year.

Closing out and shutting down 2020.

Once again we headed out of town for Christmas and New Year. In these parts our main holidays happens over this time. With the weird year we had, it was the first time we were taking leave and it was required, we were tired. We knew we had limited time because we had to get Corks back to the city to start her first new job. She finished her Bachelors of Fine Arts Degree and has officially joined the workforce.

Finding Love and Sunsets

Corks swimming in the sunset

No words no filter needed

I was glad to be heading out of the city because things were hotting up here with Covid and our new variant. It was super stressful and I wanted to hide away a bit and find calm away from the mayhem of living in a hotspot. What we didn’t know was that at that stage, we already had Covid and arrived on holiday feeling poorly. Although it was a tough few weeks, I also know we had it mildly. We kept it pretty private on social media. I needed a moment and I’m grateful that I took it. Thank you for understanding and giving us the time to nurse ourselves back to health and thank you to those who reached out and held our hands ‘virtually’ through it. I am so grateful that we could recover at home and that we came through and that we got to do that together, quietly and privately.

As for our holiday… well, we slept through most of it and we quarantined ourselves. We did manage a walk and a swim on one of the days. We were blessed with a clear and open beach and the most beautiful sunset we could have asked for and that will have to do for now.

My heart and love goes out to all those who have been touched by Covid and deeply hurt by it. Please be safe, stay safe and look after each other and it’s my hope that things will start to improve with the promise and hope of this new year.

Launch day coming up…

I am so excited that my next little class is being released on Friday. I have been working around the clock to get the class finished this week. I was a bit behind schedule because I was man down in bed last week but I’m so happy to say that I’ve bounced back and have been catching up - thank you for your patience with me.

Can you tell how much fun I had? WOW I loved this so much and adore the little characters that came out - they are a perfect pair. I can’t wait to wear them and show you how adorable they are.

This will be my last little installment for the year and I’m closing out my creative year with this little sharing. I have loved sharing this way with you this year. It works for me and it’s felt intimate and so special.

Thank you for work with me this year. I am so utterly grateful.

Much love, Jeanne-Marie

Painting at last…

I’ve been desperate to paint for some time and to paint a little bigger than I have been this year. It has been months since I have painted on canvas and I have to say this felt so good. I’ve been missing it so very much and this really ministered to my soul.

I’m not sure how we will move forward together yet but I’m letting these two sit a little while. I am so looking forward to the holidays to start working together for fun, just for me.

Thank you for the beautiful response to this painting already and for the love and support while I’ve been missing from my easel - that was most encouraging.

I have been finishing my clay tutorial so far and am longing to get back to my paints and beautiful big white substrates… they have been calling me.