http://sites.a-n.co.uk/artists_talking/projects/single/411149 Wed, 09 Jul 2008 07:06:29 +0100 a-n rss generator a-n The Artists Information Company and contributors edit@a-n.co.uk technical@a-n.co.uk http://sites.a-n.co.uk/img/logo.gif http://sites.a-n.co.uk/artists_talking/projects/single/411149 http://sites.a-n.co.uk/artists_talking/projects/single/411149 Hello, this is my first blog - so be gentle with me! Poppy loves her little pink house and I love mine.... and this is me, Amanda.... Thu, 01 Jan 1970 01:00:00 +0100 http://sites.a-n.co.uk/artists_talking/projects/single/411149 http://sites.a-n.co.uk/artists_talking/projects/single/411149 ... Thu, 01 Jan 1970 01:00:00 +0100 http://sites.a-n.co.uk/artists_talking/projects/single/411149 http://sites.a-n.co.uk/artists_talking/projects/single/411149 ... Thu, 01 Jan 1970 01:00:00 +0100 http://sites.a-n.co.uk/artists_talking/projects/single/411149 http://sites.a-n.co.uk/artists_talking/projects/single/411149 I don't have much to say tonight......... Thu, 01 Jan 1970 01:00:00 +0100 http://sites.a-n.co.uk/artists_talking/projects/single/411149 http://sites.a-n.co.uk/artists_talking/projects/single/411149 ... Thu, 01 Jan 1970 01:00:00 +0100 http://sites.a-n.co.uk/artists_talking/projects/single/411149 http://sites.a-n.co.uk/artists_talking/projects/single/411149 ... Thu, 01 Jan 1970 01:00:00 +0100 http://sites.a-n.co.uk/artists_talking/projects/single/411149 http://sites.a-n.co.uk/artists_talking/projects/single/411149 Maybe, there's just not enough room for this one........ Thu, 01 Jan 1970 01:00:00 +0100 http://sites.a-n.co.uk/artists_talking/projects/single/411149 http://sites.a-n.co.uk/artists_talking/projects/single/411149 There's chaos, uncertainty and there seems to be a crosswind......always a crosswind and misdirection.... Thu, 01 Jan 1970 01:00:00 +0100 http://sites.a-n.co.uk/artists_talking/projects/single/411149 http://sites.a-n.co.uk/artists_talking/projects/single/411149 ... Thu, 01 Jan 1970 01:00:00 +0100 http://sites.a-n.co.uk/artists_talking/projects/single/411149 http://sites.a-n.co.uk/artists_talking/projects/single/411149 ... Thu, 01 Jan 1970 01:00:00 +0100 http://sites.a-n.co.uk/artists_talking/projects/single/411149 http://sites.a-n.co.uk/artists_talking/projects/single/411149 Don't stand in her way!........ Thu, 01 Jan 1970 01:00:00 +0100 http://sites.a-n.co.uk/artists_talking/projects/single/411149 http://sites.a-n.co.uk/artists_talking/projects/single/411149 ... Thu, 01 Jan 1970 01:00:00 +0100 http://sites.a-n.co.uk/artists_talking/projects/single/411149 http://sites.a-n.co.uk/artists_talking/projects/single/411149 Fresh air and time........ Thu, 01 Jan 1970 01:00:00 +0100 http://sites.a-n.co.uk/artists_talking/projects/single/411149 http://sites.a-n.co.uk/artists_talking/projects/single/411149 We all need a helping hand, from time to time........ Thu, 01 Jan 1970 01:00:00 +0100 http://sites.a-n.co.uk/artists_talking/projects/single/411149 http://sites.a-n.co.uk/artists_talking/projects/single/411149 Getting the message across, can be difficult...... misunderstandings can sometimes lead to a bumpy road.... Thu, 01 Jan 1970 01:00:00 +0100 http://sites.a-n.co.uk/artists_talking/projects/single/411149 http://sites.a-n.co.uk/artists_talking/projects/single/411149 Happily though, not all misunderstandings lead to bumps in the road........ Thu, 01 Jan 1970 01:00:00 +0100 http://sites.a-n.co.uk/artists_talking/projects/single/411149 http://sites.a-n.co.uk/artists_talking/projects/single/411149 The search for oneself, can hurt sometimes....... Thu, 01 Jan 1970 01:00:00 +0100 http://sites.a-n.co.uk/artists_talking/projects/single/411149 http://sites.a-n.co.uk/artists_talking/projects/single/411149 ... Thu, 01 Jan 1970 01:00:00 +0100 http://sites.a-n.co.uk/artists_talking/projects/single/411149 http://sites.a-n.co.uk/artists_talking/projects/single/411149 ... Thu, 01 Jan 1970 01:00:00 +0100 http://sites.a-n.co.uk/artists_talking/projects/single/411149 http://sites.a-n.co.uk/artists_talking/projects/single/411149 Always be proud of being YOU - the world needs a little magic........ Thu, 01 Jan 1970 01:00:00 +0100 http://sites.a-n.co.uk/artists_talking/projects/single/411149 http://sites.a-n.co.uk/artists_talking/projects/single/411149 I'm not alone in my thinking then.....that's one thing at least.... Thu, 01 Jan 1970 01:00:00 +0100 http://sites.a-n.co.uk/artists_talking/projects/single/411149 http://sites.a-n.co.uk/artists_talking/projects/single/411149 I'm hoping and praying for some kind of miracle.....having the belief is enough to make it happen. ... Thu, 01 Jan 1970 01:00:00 +0100 http://sites.a-n.co.uk/artists_talking/projects/single/411149 http://sites.a-n.co.uk/artists_talking/projects/single/411149 I'm still waiting for my invite in the post....will it ever come? A small gesture, goes a long way........ Thu, 01 Jan 1970 01:00:00 +0100 http://sites.a-n.co.uk/artists_talking/projects/single/411149 http://sites.a-n.co.uk/artists_talking/projects/single/411149 The uncomfortable truth hits all of us eventually......walking by, is just not in my nature. ... Thu, 01 Jan 1970 01:00:00 +0100 http://sites.a-n.co.uk/artists_talking/projects/single/411149 http://sites.a-n.co.uk/artists_talking/projects/single/411149 The colour PINK........comes to mind.... Thu, 01 Jan 1970 01:00:00 +0100 http://sites.a-n.co.uk/artists_talking/projects/single/411149 http://sites.a-n.co.uk/artists_talking/projects/single/411149 Even though we are miles apart, we are all still connected......... Thu, 01 Jan 1970 01:00:00 +0100 http://sites.a-n.co.uk/artists_talking/projects/single/411149 http://sites.a-n.co.uk/artists_talking/projects/single/411149 Peeling away the layers in search of ones true-self, can leave me at times feeling over exposed and paper thin....I think it's time that I started wearing a large overcoat!... Thu, 01 Jan 1970 01:00:00 +0100 http://sites.a-n.co.uk/artists_talking/projects/single/411149 http://sites.a-n.co.uk/artists_talking/projects/single/411149 Things can get really bad sometimes.....the emotional turmoil of trying to understand the past, can grate upon ones nerves at times. Being surrounded by kindness and understanding, helps to ease the situation.... Thu, 01 Jan 1970 01:00:00 +0100 http://sites.a-n.co.uk/artists_talking/projects/single/411149 http://sites.a-n.co.uk/artists_talking/projects/single/411149 It's been almost a month since I wrote my last post.......durning this time, I've come to many conclusions about myself and the people around me, only to change them back again. I've found myself questioning my creativity, spiritual beliefs, career direction, purpose and whether exposing personal truths weakens oneself.....my creativity has always been a vehicle to expressing the darkness that is sometimes felt. The hope of finding some shining light that will heal my troubles, fires my creativity. Being highly sensitive towards the moods and pain of others - I often find myself overwhelmed by the emotions of those close to me. Only later when I have found myself again, I realize just how lost I became. Finding me again, comes after countless restless hours and also it seems, the realization of how far I have drifted from my path. Many months have past.... from the darkness of wintertime to the birth of springtime, this detour has allowed healing and recovery. As for the question of my career direction, purpose and whether exposing ones personal truth weakens oneself - I'm guided by my intuition and if it speaks of truth, kindness, love, hope and integrity..... it must be right.Before me, the canvas lays bare and my eyes are open - I now see light where once I saw only darkness.......... Thu, 01 Jan 1970 01:00:00 +0100 http://sites.a-n.co.uk/artists_talking/projects/single/411149 http://sites.a-n.co.uk/artists_talking/projects/single/411149 Held only by the kindness and love for oneself, together with the warmth of friendship, I've sat and watched the seasons change from winter to spring. I noticed and remembered the simplicity and beauty in nature. I remembered my forgotten joy for the simple pleasures in life.... and I remembered my childlike gaze of sensual pleasures. Amongst all the seriousness of heavy woes, I lost myself. Through all the tears of anger and pain, I've seen the blackest of blacks and felt the deepest of wounds. I felt alone.......and it's in this loneliness where the truth of ourselves can be found.... Thu, 01 Jan 1970 01:00:00 +0100 http://sites.a-n.co.uk/artists_talking/projects/single/411149 http://sites.a-n.co.uk/artists_talking/projects/single/411149 I see my dream before me and all I feel is FEAR - an experience I've felt many times before, but I've always found the right words to get me through. Not today though, and it would seem not on any other day for this beautiful dream......I feel such shame and sorrow, as I know now that I will surely always be alone......... Thu, 01 Jan 1970 01:00:00 +0100 http://sites.a-n.co.uk/artists_talking/projects/single/411149 http://sites.a-n.co.uk/artists_talking/projects/single/411149 Comforted by my bed, I too lie awake trying to untangle the threads of my thoughts......to see and hear beyond the undertones. As I've become more aware of myself spiritually - I've realized that I have spent most of my life, fruitlessly trying to hide my insecurities and weaknesses.....and the truth is, if you know where to look you can see them anyway.......it's just a matter of what stance you take. It's a matter of experience, knowledge and understanding.......My fears WILL fade, I have no doubt......I think that we find some clarity within ourselves, when we experience the pain of others. Words spoken in anger and fear become etched upon the mind......... it's in the understanding from where these words are spoken, that we find forgiveness..... "To understand is hard. Once one understands, action is easier." - Sun Yat - sen "It doesn't matter, no one is without a flaw." - Chinese Proverb "PEOPLE MAY NOT REMEMBER EXACTLY WHAT YOU DID, OR WHAT YOU SAID,  BUT THEY WILL ALWAYS REMEMBER HOW YOU MADE THEM FEEL. " - UNKNOWN       ... Thu, 01 Jan 1970 01:00:00 +0100 http://sites.a-n.co.uk/artists_talking/projects/single/411149 http://sites.a-n.co.uk/artists_talking/projects/single/411149 Befalling to the wrongful intent of others, has been something that I have ruminated upon to the point of distraction .....I like to believe that there is goodness in the heart of all of us, but sometimes we encounter people who shatter those beliefs. The darkness of evil intent reflects back upon the beauty within.......we see them, and we realise that we ourselves, would not venture along such a path. Through our pain and struggling, we find the truth about both ourselves and others. We see those of whom we can turn to for support, and those with selfish deeds.......the question we need to ask ourselves - if your not part of the solution, are you part of the problem?........."If you wish to be loved, love" - Seneca  "Our greatest glory consist not in never falling, but in rising everytime we fall." -Oliver Goldsmith... Thu, 01 Jan 1970 01:00:00 +0100 http://sites.a-n.co.uk/artists_talking/projects/single/411149 http://sites.a-n.co.uk/artists_talking/projects/single/411149 The idea of duality came back to me today, after a conversation I had with a friend.....thoughts about how we experience a sense of duality both durning different times of the day, and in different situations........ and also about how both people and our environment can affect our moods and energy.Within an nurturing enviroment, we can discover and explore the hidden gifts of our personalities. It's during those times when we encounter like-minded people, that we really feel connected to both ourselves, and to others.Through shared experience, we discover humility - we share the lessons learnt, we give a helping hand, and we ease the path for others. "WE SHALL NEVER KNOW ALL THE GOOD THAT A SIMPLE SMILE CAN DO." - MOTHER THERESA  "THE FIRST DUTY OF LOVE IS TO LISTEN" - PAUL TILLICH ... Thu, 01 Jan 1970 01:00:00 +0100 http://sites.a-n.co.uk/artists_talking/projects/single/411149 http://sites.a-n.co.uk/artists_talking/projects/single/411149 My thoughts have drifted towards three friends that I spoke with yesterday........and about how all of us had reached a turning point in our lives, only after hitting a brick wall.........Through poor physical or mental health, it took for each of us to reassess our lives - the roles we played took there toll in one way or another... each of us looked into the mirror, and we either saw a stranger or a monster staring back.Rearranging the broken pieces in to something that's more befitting to our own ideal - not someone else's, takes both patience and courage.....It's my birthday today and I received a beautiful book from Sarah, a friend - One hundred birthday wishes by Rohan Candappa....these are just a few that I wish for all of us - "I wish that you find your own path through the forest.""I wish you mistakes so that you can learn from them.""I wish you choices." "What doesn't kill us, makes us stronger." - Nietzsche  "Knowing yourself is the beginning of all wisdom." - Aristotle    ... Thu, 01 Jan 1970 01:00:00 +0100 http://sites.a-n.co.uk/artists_talking/projects/single/411149 http://sites.a-n.co.uk/artists_talking/projects/single/411149 Why do we always feel the need to speak, when silence is called for.......... Thu, 01 Jan 1970 01:00:00 +0100 http://sites.a-n.co.uk/artists_talking/projects/single/411149 http://sites.a-n.co.uk/artists_talking/projects/single/411149 My night was long, thankfully though I purchased an ipod shuffle yesterday -  so I eased my night's passage with a collection of chilled beats  .........whilst trying to untangle a ball of confusion.Personality types, dependency, boundaries and ideas about personal space - and the lines we draw around ourselves........and who we allow in to our inner circle, floated to the surface last night. Later, my thoughts drifted towards the idea of communication -  and about how growing up in a dysfunctional household can affect the ability to express, both thoughts and feelings.Unfolding ones truth, to a wanted ear can help with this difficulty - listening can heal many deep wounds, and it can change the course of ones life. "The first duty of love, is to listen." Paul Tillich... Thu, 01 Jan 1970 01:00:00 +0100 http://sites.a-n.co.uk/artists_talking/projects/single/411149 http://sites.a-n.co.uk/artists_talking/projects/single/411149 I'm now thinking about the givers and takers of this world.........and why we do the things we do?.......I'm wondering whether my words are heard or understood.......maybe I speak a different language, I just don't know..... "I wish you the wisdom to listen to the inarticulate." - Rohan Candappa ... Thu, 01 Jan 1970 01:00:00 +0100 http://sites.a-n.co.uk/artists_talking/projects/single/411149 http://sites.a-n.co.uk/artists_talking/projects/single/411149 I'm here again.... blogging my thoughts, TALKING MY TALK AND WALKING MY WALK. I've been thinking about the three ego states - the parent, adult and child........ Guided and nurtured by both the adult and parent -  this little girl twists and weaves towards a wonderful resolution. Whilst exploring all the colours of my palette.....I paint and picture my dreams. "I WISH THAT WHENEVER YOU DRAW, YOU FILL THE PAGE AND USE ALL THE COLOURS." - ROHAN CANDAPPA"I WISH YOU THE TEMPERAMENT TO TEACH." - ROHAN CANDAPPA "I WISH THAT YOU MEET SOMEONE WHO MAKES YOUR HEART RACE." - ROHAN CANDAPPA     ... Thu, 01 Jan 1970 01:00:00 +0100 http://sites.a-n.co.uk/artists_talking/projects/single/411149 http://sites.a-n.co.uk/artists_talking/projects/single/411149 " FOOLS LIVE TO REGRET THEIR WORDS, WISE MEN TO REGRET THEIR SILENCE" - WILL HENRY ... Thu, 01 Jan 1970 01:00:00 +0100 http://sites.a-n.co.uk/artists_talking/projects/single/411149 http://sites.a-n.co.uk/artists_talking/projects/single/411149 "Avoid flatterers, for they are thieves in disguise." - William Penn... Thu, 01 Jan 1970 01:00:00 +0100 http://sites.a-n.co.uk/artists_talking/projects/single/411149 http://sites.a-n.co.uk/artists_talking/projects/single/411149  "TO KNOW WHAT PEOPLE REALLY THINK, PAY REGARD TO WHAT THEY DO, RATHER THEN WHAT THEY SAY." - GEORGE SANTAYANA ... Thu, 01 Jan 1970 01:00:00 +0100 http://sites.a-n.co.uk/artists_talking/projects/single/411149 http://sites.a-n.co.uk/artists_talking/projects/single/411149 "THOSE WHO CANNOT REMEMBER THE PAST ARE CONDEMNED TO REPEAT IT." - GEORGE SANTAYANA "TO KNOW WHAT PEOPLE REALLY THINK, PAY REGARD TO WHAT THEY DO, RATHER THEN WHAT THEY SAY." - GEORGE SANTAYANA  "STRONG PEOPLE MAKE AS MANY MISTAKES AS WEAK PEOPLE. DIFFERENCE IS THAT STRONG PEOPLE ADMIT THEIR MISTAKES, LAUGH AT THEM, LEARN FROM THEM. THAT IS HOW THEY BECOME STRONG." - RICHARD NEEDHAM ... Thu, 01 Jan 1970 01:00:00 +0100 http://sites.a-n.co.uk/artists_talking/projects/single/411149 http://sites.a-n.co.uk/artists_talking/projects/single/411149  "YOU CANNOT STEP TWICE INTO THE SAME RIVER, FOR OTHER WATERS ARE CONTINUALLY FLOWING." - HERACLITUS  ... Thu, 01 Jan 1970 01:00:00 +0100 http://sites.a-n.co.uk/artists_talking/projects/single/411149 http://sites.a-n.co.uk/artists_talking/projects/single/411149 Where has all the colour gone from my work?.........maybe that's what happens when reality sets in - you start to see everything in black and white. I think that I much prefer the world of fantasy and colour.I spent the afternoon under the warm sunshine at Llanarmon DC, with friends at the 'Insideout' sculpture exhibition..... I finished the afternoon off with a refreshing glass of lemonade, and a insight into my rejected entry to the RCA......... Thu, 01 Jan 1970 01:00:00 +0100 http://sites.a-n.co.uk/artists_talking/projects/single/411149 http://sites.a-n.co.uk/artists_talking/projects/single/411149 Is life bittersweet......am I both light and dark, weak and strong. Do I long for both complexity and simplicity, fantasy and reality all at the same time?.......... "AS THE SAME THING IN US ARE LIVING AND DEAD, WAKING AND SLEEPING, YOUNG AND OLD. FOR THESE THINGS HAVING CHANGED AROUND ARE THOSE, AND THOSE IN TURN HAVING CHANGED AROUND ARE THESE." - HERACLITUS ... Thu, 01 Jan 1970 01:00:00 +0100 http://sites.a-n.co.uk/artists_talking/projects/single/411149 http://sites.a-n.co.uk/artists_talking/projects/single/411149 I'm still pondering the idea of unity......and I remembered something someone had mentioned about the idea of relationships - she believed that when two people join together in a relationship, they overlapped one another - when two opposites join, they become stronger..........Mix black and white paint together, it becomes grey......maybe it is about keeping ones balance amongst the harmony of change....it would seem that I'm back on the road again, in search of inner peace and harmony......  “I believe that the very purpose of life is to be happy. From the very core of our being, we desire contentment. In my own limited experience I have found that the more we care for the happiness of others, the greater is our own sense of well-being. Cultivating a close, warmhearted feeling for others automatically puts the mind at ease. It helps remove whatever fears or insecurities we may have and gives us the strength to cope with any obstacles we encounter. It is the principal source of success in life. Since we are not solely material creatures, it is a mistake to place all our hopes for happiness on external development alone. The key is to develop inner peace.” - Dalai Lama  "The intellect has little to do on the road to discovery. There comes a leap in consciousness, call it intuition or what you will, and the solution comes to you and you don't know how or why." - Albert Einstein     ... Thu, 01 Jan 1970 01:00:00 +0100 http://sites.a-n.co.uk/artists_talking/projects/single/411149 http://sites.a-n.co.uk/artists_talking/projects/single/411149 I think you can see where my trail of thought is off to next.....intuition. "The disclosure of a new fact, the leap forward, the conquest over yesterday's ignorance, is an act not of reason but of imagination, of intuition." - Charles Nicolle "Intuition is the clear concept of the whole at once." - Johann kaspar Lavater  "Be brave enough to live creatively. The creative is the place where no one else has ever been. You have to leave the city of your comfort and go into the wilderness of your intuition. You cannot get there by bus, only by hard work, risking and by not quite knowing what you are doing. What you will discover will be wonderful; yourself." - Alan Alda ... Thu, 01 Jan 1970 01:00:00 +0100 http://sites.a-n.co.uk/artists_talking/projects/single/411149 http://sites.a-n.co.uk/artists_talking/projects/single/411149 I think sometimes, the message that comes across is not my present intention.........it's just me working my own thoughts out through my work, for a another place and time........maybe it's what I hope for me, I just don't know yet?......  ... Thu, 01 Jan 1970 01:00:00 +0100 http://sites.a-n.co.uk/artists_talking/projects/single/411149 http://sites.a-n.co.uk/artists_talking/projects/single/411149 Laughter's a funny thing........"I WISH YOU LAUGH LINES, NOT WRINKLES." - ROHAN CANDAPPA"I WISH YOU THE SENSE TO LAUGH AT THE WORLD AND ALL ITS ABSURDITIES AND THE WISDOM TO LAUGH AT YOURSELF BEFORE OTHERS DO." - ROHAN CANDAPPA “Nothing shows a man's character more than what he laughs at.” - Johann Wolfgang von Goethe ... Thu, 01 Jan 1970 01:00:00 +0100 http://sites.a-n.co.uk/artists_talking/projects/single/411149 http://sites.a-n.co.uk/artists_talking/projects/single/411149 I'm using this blog to explore both my thoughts and feelings, as I journey alone through the woods at night........it's about the creatures that I encounter along the way, and it's about the battle to find daylight again......I hope I find it soon.... Thu, 01 Jan 1970 01:00:00 +0100 http://sites.a-n.co.uk/artists_talking/projects/single/411149 http://sites.a-n.co.uk/artists_talking/projects/single/411149 The art world's a funny old place, and it can pickle your head sometimes......I need to always ask myself this question - are they friend or foe, and what's the hidden agenda?............. Thu, 01 Jan 1970 01:00:00 +0100 http://sites.a-n.co.uk/artists_talking/projects/single/411149 http://sites.a-n.co.uk/artists_talking/projects/single/411149 I've spent the morning with my good friend Jim Heath, at the Berwyn Festival in Llanarmon DC.........Jim has a wise word and a comforting ear for every occasion........ ... Thu, 01 Jan 1970 01:00:00 +0100 http://sites.a-n.co.uk/artists_talking/projects/single/411149 http://sites.a-n.co.uk/artists_talking/projects/single/411149 "TO KNOW WHAT PEOPLE REALLY THINK, PAY REGARD TO WHAT THEY DO, RATHER THAN WHAT THEY SAY." - GEORGE SANTAYANA... Thu, 01 Jan 1970 01:00:00 +0100 http://sites.a-n.co.uk/artists_talking/projects/single/411149 http://sites.a-n.co.uk/artists_talking/projects/single/411149 "All truly great thoughts are conceived by walking."-  Friedrich Nietzsche" The period of greatest gain in knowledge and experience is the most difficult in one’s life. Through a difficult period you can learn; you can develop inner strength, determination, and courage to face the problems" -Dalai Lama... Thu, 01 Jan 1970 01:00:00 +0100 http://sites.a-n.co.uk/artists_talking/projects/single/411149 http://sites.a-n.co.uk/artists_talking/projects/single/411149 “Our deepest fear is not that we are inadequate. Our deepest fear is that we are powerful beyond measure. It is our light, not our darkness that most frightens us. We ask ourselves, Who am I to be brilliant, gorgeous, talented, fabulous? Actually, who are you not to be? You are a child of God. Your playing small does not serve the world. There is nothing enlightened about shrinking so that other people won't feel insecure around you. We are all meant to shine, as children do. We were born to make manifest the glory of God that is within us. It's not just in some of us; it's in everyone. And as we let our own light shine, we unconsciously give other people permission to do the same. As we are liberated from our own fear, our presence automatically liberates others.” - Marianne Williamson... Thu, 01 Jan 1970 01:00:00 +0100 http://sites.a-n.co.uk/artists_talking/projects/single/411149 http://sites.a-n.co.uk/artists_talking/projects/single/411149 “Strange how a teapot can represent at the same time the comforts of solitude and the pleasures of company” - ZEN HAIKU  ... Thu, 01 Jan 1970 01:00:00 +0100 http://sites.a-n.co.uk/artists_talking/projects/single/411149 http://sites.a-n.co.uk/artists_talking/projects/single/411149 "No person has the right to rain on your dreams." - MARIAN WRIGHT EDELMAN... Thu, 01 Jan 1970 01:00:00 +0100 http://sites.a-n.co.uk/artists_talking/projects/single/411149 http://sites.a-n.co.uk/artists_talking/projects/single/411149 "I was shown a fledgling learning to fly. It's first efforts were very feeble. But as it used its wings more and more, they became stronger until it found the freedom of flight and was able to soar to great heights and fly great distance without any effort. I heard the words: Faith comes with practice. Live by faith until it becomes rocklike unshakable, and find the true freedom of the Spirit." -- Eileen Caddy ... Thu, 01 Jan 1970 01:00:00 +0100 http://sites.a-n.co.uk/artists_talking/projects/single/411149 http://sites.a-n.co.uk/artists_talking/projects/single/411149 The depths to which my sensitivity runs, has awakened some darkness within...... at times though, I do see and hear glimmers of light.............. Thu, 01 Jan 1970 01:00:00 +0100 http://sites.a-n.co.uk/artists_talking/projects/single/411149 http://sites.a-n.co.uk/artists_talking/projects/single/411149 "The truly creative mind in any field is no more than this: A human creature born abnormally, inhumanly sensitive. To him... a touch is a blow, a sound is a noise, a misfortune is a tragedy, a joy is an ecstasy, a friend is a lover, a lover is a god, and failure is death. Add to this cruelly delicate organism the overpowering necessity to create, create, create —— so that without the creating of music or poetry or books or buildings or something of meaning, his very breath is cut off from him. He must create, must pour out creation. By some strange, unknown, inward urgency he is not really alive unless he is creating."—Pearl S. Buck "The finest qualities of our nature, like the bloom on fruits, can be preserved only by the most delicate handling. Yet we do not treat ourselves nor one another thus tenderly." - HENRY DAVID THOREAU... Thu, 01 Jan 1970 01:00:00 +0100 http://sites.a-n.co.uk/artists_talking/projects/single/411149 http://sites.a-n.co.uk/artists_talking/projects/single/411149 Given the choice between being a highly sensitive person, with some of the people that I've encountered recently.........I'd take being sensitive every-time......HSP live in a world which most people don't sense, and I've felt numb most of my life so to me, it's a gift.......After both gaining some insight into the life of a HSP, and coming across some enlightening short films about Alan Watts.......I've decided that I need to meditate, and spend more time in nature.......to look after myself a little better, and to stop thinking so much!http://deoxy.org/watts.htmCharacteristics of Highly Sensitive SoulsExtremely intuitive and highly aware, keenly observant and attuned to the subtleties of the surrounding environment light, noise, sound, temperature, etc. Emotionally sensitive and caring, easily affected by the energy and emotions of others. Often empathic or psychic, they experience emotions with great intensity and depth also they have a lower tolerance for stimulation than others.Need adequate rest, nutrition and time alone to feel balanced. Highly conscientious, intense, passionate, emotional able to concentrate deeply with uninterrupted time and they prefer to work independently. They process information deeply from many sources of information and they are often more right-brained.Artistic and often feel very different than "everyone else" have a rich, complex inner life – often highly imaginative and are often seen by others as sensitive or shy. Introverted, though 30% of HSPs are “socially extroverted” according to Dr. Aroncan. They get extremely engaged with work and ideas and they prefer to avoid news and TV. They also have an important role to play in society as advisors, sages or prophets. www.youtube.com/watch?v=MVXEiYyZKcY&feature=relate... ... Thu, 01 Jan 1970 01:00:00 +0100 http://sites.a-n.co.uk/artists_talking/projects/single/411149 http://sites.a-n.co.uk/artists_talking/projects/single/411149 "We cannot be more sensitive to pleasure without being more sensitive to pain." - Alan Watts "But I'll tell you what hermits realize. If you go off into a far, far forest and get very quiet, you'll come to understand that you're connected with everything." - Alan Watts  http://www.freshminds.com/animation.html ... Thu, 01 Jan 1970 01:00:00 +0100 http://sites.a-n.co.uk/artists_talking/projects/single/411149 http://sites.a-n.co.uk/artists_talking/projects/single/411149 I always feel a little sad on Wednesdays and Thursdays.......... I do miss that sense of belonging and the smily faces......After meditating last night, I felt a lot better.........it's amazing the first time, as you realize just how busy the mind can get with all it's thoughts........the only distraction this time, was my little dog Poppy........as she sat beside me, and pondered on what I was doing........I usually have some music playing, on either my ipod or ibook.....or if I go really wild in the evening, I'll watch some TV.........it was really nice to just stop in the present moment, and to just listen - imagine a world with no sound......for some, that's their reality. “We could say that meditation doesn't have a reason or doesn't have a purpose. In this respect it's unlike almost all other things we do except perhaps making music and dancing. When we make music we don't do it in order to reach a certain point, such as the end of the composition. If that were the purpose of music then obviously the fastest players would be the best. Also, when we are dancing we are not aiming to arrive at a particular place on the floor as in a journey. When we dance, the journey itself is the point, as when we play music the playing itself is the point. And exactly the same thing is true in meditation. Meditation is the discovery that the point of life is always arrived at in the immediate moment.”- Alan Watts www.youtube.com/watch?v=jKGMx0APsyg&feature=relate...www.youtube.com/watch?v=6_0ZIIrWdgg&feature=relate...www.youtube.com/watch?v=Zkbzo8vHKwE&feature=relate... ... Thu, 01 Jan 1970 01:00:00 +0100 http://sites.a-n.co.uk/artists_talking/projects/single/411149 http://sites.a-n.co.uk/artists_talking/projects/single/411149 My friend is ready to have children........thoughts of love floated into my head......what's that all about then?........it's certainly not for the faint hearted or weak willed.....  "Tell me who admires and loves you, And I will tell you who you are." - CHARLES AUGUSTIN SAINTE-BEUVE"Love makes your soul crawl out from its hiding place." - ZORA NEALE HURSTON"The meeting of two personalities is like the contact of two chemical substances: if there is any reaction, both are transformed."- CARL JUNGhttp://www.inner-growth.com/   ... Thu, 01 Jan 1970 01:00:00 +0100 http://sites.a-n.co.uk/artists_talking/projects/single/411149 http://sites.a-n.co.uk/artists_talking/projects/single/411149 Yet another interesting encounter at the gym.........a filmmaker. Music video's captured my imagination as a child.....and since then, I've always wanted to make a film. Some people spend their whole lives unaware of what they see, hear, feel and touch that the reality of life just passers them by......but that's the wonderful gift of the creative arts -  it has the ability to pause people momentarily amongst the flux of life, and see the world that surrounds them.This video has stuck out in my mind since my childhood.........damn those nasty motorcyclists!.......http://www.youtube.com/v/RMWXyEHoN88&hlI've just received my copy of 'The Creative Mind' by Henri Bergson......will I get my head around it, who knows......watch this space!   ... Thu, 01 Jan 1970 01:00:00 +0100 http://sites.a-n.co.uk/artists_talking/projects/single/411149 http://sites.a-n.co.uk/artists_talking/projects/single/411149 Happiness, what is it?.........for me, it's always been something illusive, something that I can never quite find or get my hands on...... I can only truly pinpoint one moment in my life, in-which I can associate the word 'HAPPY' and myself......that's when I received my BA Hons degree in fine art.In that moment when I was handed that sheet of paper, I felt that all my pain and suffering had been worth it.........as the filmmaker pointed out, maybe that's because I've always spent my life looking out for others, helping them grow......trying to make the world around me better, so in-turn I will feel better........and the people in it, will like and love me......maybe it does all come back to wanting to be 'LOVED' and self-worth?.........No sorry, I've just remembered another moment.........but I wouldn't put this under the bracket of 'happiness'........this would come under a feeling of mind blowing 'ECSTASY'.......not the drug of course, I wouldn't know about that...... "How little a thing can make us happy when we feel that we have earned it." -   --  Mark Twain  ... Thu, 01 Jan 1970 01:00:00 +0100 http://sites.a-n.co.uk/artists_talking/projects/single/411149 http://sites.a-n.co.uk/artists_talking/projects/single/411149 For me......it seems that working on mind, body and soul would bring me closer towards finding that elusive 'HAPPINESS'......together with 'LOVE' for self, and for others too. Somewhere amongst all that, my creativity would take me to places that I couldn't even begin to imagine......Every single thing that I write about......whether it be the past, the present or my hopes for the future........these are MY thoughts and feelings, every single last one of them....... they are all relevant to my creative process, and to ME!...... "The PAST is for evaluating and learning from its memories and lessons; The PRESENT is for living in accordance with the constructive benefit of the knowledge and experience gained in the past; The FUTURE is for the charting of Life's course into new directions, wherever indications of possible improvement exist." - UNKNOWN ... Thu, 01 Jan 1970 01:00:00 +0100 http://sites.a-n.co.uk/artists_talking/projects/single/411149 http://sites.a-n.co.uk/artists_talking/projects/single/411149  "Life is a series of experiences, each one of which makes us bigger, even though sometimes it is hard to realize this." - Henry Ford... Thu, 01 Jan 1970 01:00:00 +0100 http://sites.a-n.co.uk/artists_talking/projects/single/411149 http://sites.a-n.co.uk/artists_talking/projects/single/411149 Our past influences the course that we take in life, and our roots affect these choices.......I grew up in North Wales, and after a bumpy ride from the local postman......I first made my appearance at Wrexham hospital. Our family home was at Llangollen at that time, and still my mind is filled with the wonderful little adventures that we had there......My mother was a dressmaker, and she loved to decorate my sister and I, with beautiful little dresses.....whilst my dad attended to the family coach company and horse riding centre.....I revisited that same house at Market Street a few years back, and it's interesting how our sense of scale is altered......as small children, the playroom which I shared with both my youngest sister and eldest brother seemed huge,  and the attic door which led to the scary monsters......didn't seem that scary any-longer........but now as an adult and as a child, I realize that in fact the monster was living inside the house.......From there we moved to Cefn Mawr......right bang next door to the coach depot and my grandparents, Daisy and Theo.....who housed a few dogs and my auntie and uncle.....who seemed far too old, to be still living with their parents......even now my auntie still lives in the family bungalow, alone with her dog......It seems to be a long family tradition, that the female members don't get married..... and I was told that there was even two sisters that lived together, perhaps the experience of the male family members was enough.....Women have choices today, and it would seem that in the history of my family, they had choices then too....  As a child, I longed to live amongst a family where they saw creativity and education, as the key to possibilities beyond the imagination. Books where not found in our home, but the library offered me some solace.....I endlessly searched through the pages of books, in the hope of understanding who I was, and why I felt that I didn't belong......I now know that it comes from somewhere else...somewhere deeper, and that those early days at the library, were just the beginning of a journey....Last week, finally after eighty years of trading.....the family business was sold. Both my taid and his brother Herbert, started the business with just a wagon, which carried both miner and coal........later they purchased a bus which took the local community into Wrexham and beyond...... and on Sunday evenings, they ran mystery tours, which involved a trip to the seaside and fish and chips for all......As the years went by, they expanded into travelling abroad, car hiring and a petrol station...... later when taid retired, my dad, together with his two brothers and sister Gillian..... took the family business into horse riding and catering.......and last week, it all came to a close......   "The point of life is not to be married or single - it is to be. We are human beings, or humans being. It does not matter so much what lifestyle we choose - it's what we make of the opportunities to grow, that counts." -- Alan Cohen, Rising in Love    ... Thu, 01 Jan 1970 01:00:00 +0100 http://sites.a-n.co.uk/artists_talking/projects/single/411149 http://sites.a-n.co.uk/artists_talking/projects/single/411149 Thank you Graham Swain, my fellow blogger......for your kind words. I shall keep them coming!.......... Thu, 01 Jan 1970 01:00:00 +0100 http://sites.a-n.co.uk/artists_talking/projects/single/411149 http://sites.a-n.co.uk/artists_talking/projects/single/411149 "No person is your friend who demands your silence, or denies your right to grow." - ALICE WALKER"I think that our fundamental belief is that for us growth is a way of life and we have to grow at all times."- MUKESH AMBANI"Our moral responsibility is not to stop the future, but to shape it... to channel our destiny in humane directions and to try to ease the trauma of transition." - Alvin Toffler ... Thu, 01 Jan 1970 01:00:00 +0100 http://sites.a-n.co.uk/artists_talking/projects/single/411149 http://sites.a-n.co.uk/artists_talking/projects/single/411149 A TRIP DOWN MEMORY LANEI discovered yesterday, that my nana Jones was the youngest daughter of a preacher, and that she had seventeen siblings.....imagine living amongst all those people....My nana Jones died at the old Wrexham Hospital, which is now Yale college......what I find interesting though, the room that she died in, houses 'The Regional Print Centre'.... where I've worked in the past, what a coincidence......My nana and I were close, and she became very lonely once taid died, so I would stop over sometimes to keep her company......we'd have fish and chips, and a bag full of sweets whilst sitting next to the coal fire......and then later, whilst tucked up in bed......I'd listen to Rolf Harris reading fairy stories, on the record player........My dad's adventures at 'Manchester United' were mentioned too......as a young boy, he trained with the 'busby babes' at Manchester - desperately homesick, for both his mum's jam sandwiches and my mother, he returned home only after a month to work at the family business....Football's a long family tradition, and all the family members hold schoolboy caps for Wales......my youngest brother James, signed for Everton......but unfortunately, he returned home too.    http://www.thebusbybabes.com/ ... Thu, 01 Jan 1970 01:00:00 +0100 http://sites.a-n.co.uk/artists_talking/projects/single/411149 http://sites.a-n.co.uk/artists_talking/projects/single/411149 THROWING MY DREAMS AWAY.....So many men have no respect for the dreams of women...they take no responsibility for the pain inflicted......the days of oppression and silence will no longer speak. I will be SILENT, no more........My father put everything into stopping my art education.....still, men try to sabotage the careers of women. Why?......what is it about some, that they feel the need to overpower women through abuse......insecurity I suppose. Thankfully though, not all men are like this..... Both I, and all the women in my family, past and present...would be terribly disappointed if I threw my dreams away.....but my journey continues..... "Because I am a woman, I must make unusual efforts to succeed.  If I fail, no one will say, "She doesn't have what it takes."  They will say, "Women don't have what it takes."  ~Clare Boothe Luce"Women's empowerment is intertwined with respect for human rights." - Mahnaz Afkhami"A girl should not expect special privileges because of her sex but neither should she adjust to prejudice and discrimination." - Betty Fridan ... Thu, 01 Jan 1970 01:00:00 +0100 http://sites.a-n.co.uk/artists_talking/projects/single/411149 http://sites.a-n.co.uk/artists_talking/projects/single/411149 SEEN AND NOT HEARD"Listening is a magnetic and strange thing, a creative force...When we are listened to, it creates us, makes us unfold and expand. Ideas actually begin to grow within us and come to life...When we listen to people there is an alternating current, and this recharges us so that we never get tired of each other...and it is this little creative fountain inside us that begins to spring and cast up new thoughts and unexpected laughter and wisdom. ...Well, it is when people really listen to us, with quiet facinated attention, that the little fountain begins to work again, to accelerate in the most surprising way." - Brenda Ueland... Thu, 01 Jan 1970 01:00:00 +0100 http://sites.a-n.co.uk/artists_talking/projects/single/411149 http://sites.a-n.co.uk/artists_talking/projects/single/411149 BEHIND CLOSED DOORS Everything isn't as pretty as a chocolate box, life doesn't smell of a bed of roses..... and the ugliness of my words, comes from the child within....... THIS BE THE VERSE by Philip Larkin They fuck you up, your mum and dad. They may not mean to, but they do. They fill you with the faults they had And add some extra, just for you.  But they were fucked up in their turn By fools in old-style hats and coats, Who half the time were soppy-stern And half at one another's throats.  Man hands on misery to man. It deepens like a coastal shelf. Get out as early as you can, And don't have any kids yourself. "A bad word whispered will echo a hundred miles." - Chinese Proverbs   ... Thu, 01 Jan 1970 01:00:00 +0100 http://sites.a-n.co.uk/artists_talking/projects/single/411149 http://sites.a-n.co.uk/artists_talking/projects/single/411149 BLOGGING MY TRIGGER HAPPY WORDS OF PAINSomeone said to me the other day, that they thought blogging was a little bit like therapy......and I suppose it is, in a way......in a safe environment it allows you to express your inner most feelings......of pain from the past and present, your hopes and fears.....On days like these, I get really fed up.....going around in circles not getting anywhere, and not getting anything done......too much talking and not a enough walking......I must stop my talk. “Life is a succession of lessons which must be lived to be understood.” - Helen Keller   ... Thu, 01 Jan 1970 01:00:00 +0100 http://sites.a-n.co.uk/artists_talking/projects/single/411149 http://sites.a-n.co.uk/artists_talking/projects/single/411149 I have relearnt to both walk and talkI have realized that femininity goes beyond the kitchen sinkI understand that I am both, light and dark I feel both my heart and soul have reawakened I know that today I shall paint   “A true friend knows your weaknesses but shows you your strengths; feels your fears but fortifies your faith; sees your anxieties but frees your spirit; recognizes your disabilities but emphasizes your possibilities.” - William Arthur Ward... Thu, 01 Jan 1970 01:00:00 +0100 http://sites.a-n.co.uk/artists_talking/projects/single/411149 http://sites.a-n.co.uk/artists_talking/projects/single/411149 THE HARD WAY........ The time has come to tell the story of how I lost my personal identity...... I finished my fine art degree in the July of 96..... I had plans to travel to either Australia or teach for a while, in Nigeria at my ex-brother-in-law's school......but by the January of the following year, I was utterly overwhelmed by ill health.......I couldn't walk, dress or eat without the assistance from my mother.....I had become a helpless baby again......Both the days and nights were long, the pain that I felt was beyond anything that I knew.....growing up, I had only broken my little finger, so the experience of physical pain was beyond me. Finally, after countless trips to the doctors, I was given a label....I had developed the Jones family curse - Rheumatoid Arthritis. Both my grandfather and I, developed it at the age twenty-five......and my mother was in her early forties....Whilst working at Laura Ashley, she fell in the car-park one winters morning, and hurt her herself badly......and after that, she never seemed quite the same again. Whilst studying Surface Pattern Design at Stockport, I remember coming home at the weekends.....to help my mother come to terms with her illness. Using a wheelchair, we'd pop out for some fresh air.......I had such difficulty though, trying to maneuverer the wheelchair and mounting the pavements......that it still sticks in my mind today. Through any illness, we go through a period of grieving, and at that time...she was very much in the early stage of depression....This experience is difficult for both patient and family.....and being particularly sensitive, my father found it difficult to cope......and he became very lost. He had never shopped at a supermarket, cooked or washed clothes before.....and through this experience, he gained a new insight into the role of women, and now he's become a 'modern man'.....As I had done, my mother isolated herself from both the world and the people within it. In the early stages, it's very difficult to find a medication that will ease the suffering......and the first six months are vital in finding something that works quickly. It took ten years to find a drug that eased the progression and pain......and both after numerous bits of surgery, my mother and I are still as determined as ever ........Between the onset and the present day, I've been to places that I've only visited in my worst nightmares....... I've felt as vulnerable as a baby, I've felt lost and feared for my future......I lost my ability to paint and draw, and I've seen both human kindness, and cruelty. My suffering has even brought laughter to some. Women with ill health, have not just the battle to find their identity again, we must battle daily both against the harsh reality of society, and our lives......"SICKNESS SHOWS US WHAT WE ARE." - LATIN PROVERB    ... Thu, 01 Jan 1970 01:00:00 +0100 http://sites.a-n.co.uk/artists_talking/projects/single/411149 http://sites.a-n.co.uk/artists_talking/projects/single/411149 "Life will give you whatever experience is most helpful for the evolution of your consciousness. How do you know this is the experience you need? Because this is the experience you are having at this moment" - ECKHART TOLLE"If I create from the heart, nearly everything works; if from the head, almost nothing." - MARC CHAGALL"But I, being poor, have only my dreams;I have spread my dreams under your feet;Tread softly because you tread on my dreams." - WILLIAM BUTLER YEATS... Thu, 01 Jan 1970 01:00:00 +0100 http://sites.a-n.co.uk/artists_talking/projects/single/411149 http://sites.a-n.co.uk/artists_talking/projects/single/411149 Do we live in a world of fairness or discrimination?...... The Disability Discrimination Act 1995This legislation banned most providers of goods, services and facilities from treating disabled people less favourably because of their disability, unless they could show that this treatment was justified.Originally the ban did not apply to most education providers, but the Special Educational Needs and Disability Act 2001 (SENDA) extended it to:local education authorities (LEAs)schoolscollegesuniversitiesproviders of adult educationthe statutory youth serviceSENDA also means that these bodies must make reasonable adjustments, to ensure that disabled people in education do not suffer a substantial disadvantage in comparison to people who are not disabled. For most types of education provider, making 'reasonable adjustments' can include:changes to practices or procedures changes to physical features providing extra support (such as specialist teachers or equipment)For schools, however, the duty under SENDA to make ‘reasonable adjustments’ does not extend to providing extra support or changing physical features. This is because extra support is already available for school pupils with statements of Special Educational Need (SEN), and schools are expected to make longer term plans for improving access to their buildings.The Disability Discrimination Act (DDA)This Act introduced new duties for most public bodies to:promote disability equality take steps to eliminate discrimination and harassment publish a Disability Equality Scheme, setting out how they plan to do so:The aim is to influence the way public bodies – including education providers - make decisions and develop their policies, encouraging them to consider the needs of disabled people as part of their everyday activities.   “Live so that when your children think of fairness and integrity, they think of you.”- H.Jackson Brown, Jr"I found one day in school a boy of medium size ill-treating a smaller boy. I expostulated, but he replied: 'The bigs hit me, so I hit the babies; that's fair.' In these words he epitomized the history of the human race." - Bertrand Russell  ... Thu, 01 Jan 1970 01:00:00 +0100 http://sites.a-n.co.uk/artists_talking/projects/single/411149 http://sites.a-n.co.uk/artists_talking/projects/single/411149 My little monster's are coming along nicely, it's good to draw again.......I've realized that my resources are holding me back, again...what I could do with a pot full of cash! I suppose, like always.....I'll just have to make do......... Thu, 01 Jan 1970 01:00:00 +0100 http://sites.a-n.co.uk/artists_talking/projects/single/411149 http://sites.a-n.co.uk/artists_talking/projects/single/411149 Thank you Heather, for your kind words.....it's difficult at times to be as open as I am......but I grew up in a home where we didn't express our feelings and thoughts...... if the women wanted to talk, we had to go into another room away from the men, and if the men wanted to talk business......we had to leave. So I'm sure that you can understand how liberating, this whole blogging thing is to me......I can finally hear my own voice!..... “We need to give each other the space to grow, to be ourselves, to exercise our diversity. We need to give each other space so that we may both give and receive such beautiful things as ideas, openness, dignity, joy, healing, and inclusion.” - UNKNOWN  ... Thu, 01 Jan 1970 01:00:00 +0100 http://sites.a-n.co.uk/artists_talking/projects/single/411149 http://sites.a-n.co.uk/artists_talking/projects/single/411149 I'm not feeling very productive today......but here's some drawings from yesterday. A good start I thought, it usually takes me a while to get back into the flow of things.....and then, I'm flying!........ Thu, 01 Jan 1970 01:00:00 +0100 http://sites.a-n.co.uk/artists_talking/projects/single/411149 http://sites.a-n.co.uk/artists_talking/projects/single/411149 A TWO-WAY THING I'm on my own again...things don't change there. I'm really fed up to say the least, didn't get a place on the course, again......we certainly do live in a world of unfairness...........I've always consider the problems of someone else first, at the cost of my career and emotional well-being.....what do I get in return, something I certainly don't deserve.......  “Wouldn't it be much worse if life were fair and all the terrible things that happen to us, come because actually deserve them? So now I take comfort in the general hostility and unfairness of the Universe” - Marcus Cole... Thu, 01 Jan 1970 01:00:00 +0100 http://sites.a-n.co.uk/artists_talking/projects/single/411149 http://sites.a-n.co.uk/artists_talking/projects/single/411149  I had a really nice day, drawing in the sunshine......what bliss, and Poppy spent her day lazing under the pear tree...we both wondered about my hopes and dreams, over tea and biscuits........where do I go from here.....the thought of exploring printmaking kept me going during my difficulties, what now?....... ... Thu, 01 Jan 1970 01:00:00 +0100 http://sites.a-n.co.uk/artists_talking/projects/single/411149 http://sites.a-n.co.uk/artists_talking/projects/single/411149 Here's another drawing from yesterday......some work better than others.....it's just nice to get my hands dirty again. I will combine drawing and gardening - it helps the thought process, and stops me from eating too many chocolate biscuits....... “What most people need to learn in life is how to love people and use things instead of using people and loving things.” - UNKNOWN“Follow then the shining ones, the wise, the awakened, the loving, for they know how to work and forbear." -  Buddha“Friends are God's way of apologizing to us for our families.” - UNKNOWN ... Thu, 01 Jan 1970 01:00:00 +0100 http://sites.a-n.co.uk/artists_talking/projects/single/411149 http://sites.a-n.co.uk/artists_talking/projects/single/411149 "There came a time when the risk to remain tight in the bud was more painful than the risk it took to blossom."  ~Anaïs Nin"Life is a process of becoming, a combination of states we have to go through.  Where people fail is that they wish to elect a state and remain in it.  This is a kind of death."  ~Anaïs Nin"It is a puzzling thing.  The truth knocks on the door and you say, "Go away, I'm looking for the truth," and so it goes away."  Puzzling.  ~Robert M. Pirsig  ... Thu, 01 Jan 1970 01:00:00 +0100 http://sites.a-n.co.uk/artists_talking/projects/single/411149 http://sites.a-n.co.uk/artists_talking/projects/single/411149 I'm spending the afternoon in the garden, drawing......the sun's out again...none of the images seemed to work yesterday, this little monster appeared the other day though..... “Everyone carries around his own monsters” -  Richard Pryor  ... Thu, 01 Jan 1970 01:00:00 +0100 http://sites.a-n.co.uk/artists_talking/projects/single/411149 http://sites.a-n.co.uk/artists_talking/projects/single/411149 Yet more drawing today I think......at least there's a little colour appearing within the images now..... and this one even a had a little smile!.... I'm thinking of studying for a distance learning certificate in Equality and Diversity..... I spent yesterday evening trying to justify the cost to my generous parents!..... I'm still hoping for a place on the photopolymer print course, as well.....   Today, give a stranger one of your smiles.  It might be the only sunshine he sees all day.  ~Quoted in P.S. I Love You, compiled by H. Jackson Brown, Jr.The shortest distance between two people is a smile.  ~Author Unknown  ... Thu, 01 Jan 1970 01:00:00 +0100 http://sites.a-n.co.uk/artists_talking/projects/single/411149 http://sites.a-n.co.uk/artists_talking/projects/single/411149 It's me I think who can't see or hear, or accept.........I do understand now. I've had a really rubbish day...done no drawing, my computer's so damn slow today, and the dogs have barked none stop......I'm going to throw myself into the garden, and hope that I disappear!......"The inability to open up to hope is what blocks trust, and blocked trust is the reason for blighted dreams." - Elizabeth Gilbert      “We're never so vulnerable than when we trust someone - but paradoxically, if we cannot trust, neither can we find love or joy” - Walter Anderson ... Thu, 01 Jan 1970 01:00:00 +0100 http://sites.a-n.co.uk/artists_talking/projects/single/411149 http://sites.a-n.co.uk/artists_talking/projects/single/411149 Only a short post today...I've been to see the Paul Peter Piech exhibition at theatre Clwyd, Mold......what an inspiring and passionate man, with such heart felt views......I felt a better person for seeing it, and came away thinking that perhaps I do have something worth saying......and that I could make a difference.No drawing today...my thoughts are pondering about what needs to be said and how? Phoned the council about the dogs barking.....some relief soon, at least..... The right to development is the measure of the respect of all other human rights. That should be our aim: a situation in which all individuals are enabled to maximize their potential, and to contribute to the evolution of society as a whole. -- Kofi Annan, United Nations Secretary-General ... Thu, 01 Jan 1970 01:00:00 +0100 http://sites.a-n.co.uk/artists_talking/projects/single/411149 http://sites.a-n.co.uk/artists_talking/projects/single/411149  “Compassion, forgiveness, these are the real, ultimate sources of power for peace and success in life.” - TENZIN GYATSO... Thu, 01 Jan 1970 01:00:00 +0100 http://sites.a-n.co.uk/artists_talking/projects/single/411149 http://sites.a-n.co.uk/artists_talking/projects/single/411149 I don't believe that I'm still on the same page......and I was thinking that there had be a shift...WRONG. When did such a simple act become so bloody difficult....... I've been so busy collecting bits and pieces from the bus depot.....that it hasn't even entered my thoughts, to make some work today.......I was hoping for Saturday.....WRONG. I'm living in the land of me......where simple acts get results - 'FROM ME TO YOU, FROM YOU TO ME'........... Thu, 01 Jan 1970 01:00:00 +0100 http://sites.a-n.co.uk/artists_talking/projects/single/411149 http://sites.a-n.co.uk/artists_talking/projects/single/411149 It's me again...... when we lived at Aled House in Llangollen, we had a travel agents downstairs -  where the public could book either coach trips or pony treks..... anyway, both my mum and auntie Gillian would print up the trip sheets using either a printer or copier. The office at the depot is been cleared out at the moment..... and they've come across this old printer or copier, letter stamps and plates.....I'm not sure what it is yet, but the letter stamps sound pretty exciting......I'm picking them up tomorrow - no sleep for me tonight!......... Thu, 01 Jan 1970 01:00:00 +0100 http://sites.a-n.co.uk/artists_talking/projects/single/411149 http://sites.a-n.co.uk/artists_talking/projects/single/411149 I told you that I wouldn't be able to sleep........ I came across lot's of glass today, I thought it would come in handy for mono printing. An old desk and chair, a few books with some lovely hand written receipts inside, loads of furniture for my studio and a hockey stick......my dad thought it would come in handy in case of intruders, it's not enough to have an alarm and locks on every door......he suggested that I put it under my bed... and if by chance, they made it through the door......Poppy and I could tackle them, on the way in.....At sixteen, I went to Southport College to study...and I lived in a bed-sit in the attic of a gift shop......and I remember, that it was on the fifth floor -  carrying both my portfolio and art box was a nightmare everyday. On the day that I moved in, my dad decided that it would be wise, to tie a very long rope to the leg of my bed...in case of a fire, it still makes me laugh today.....I must go back to my bed now, and say that we should never give up on hope......... Thu, 01 Jan 1970 01:00:00 +0100 http://sites.a-n.co.uk/artists_talking/projects/single/411149 http://sites.a-n.co.uk/artists_talking/projects/single/411149 I awoke this morning to thinking, WHAT??......I'm off to pick up that printer/copier from the depot this morning. I sometimes wonder what has gone on in the relationships of others -  between the parents and son to cause such a reaction? It both puzzles and disturbs me.....WHAT HAS GONE ON IN THE PAST? Relationships in my life are very traditional...... in my mind, exploration is for my work only, not interpersonal relationships...but I'm not opposed to others, as long as it doesn't infringe upon their personal rights..... My good friend Jim Heath and I, are off to the Ian Williams private viewing tonight......for his new body of work entitled - 'I WISH EVERYTHING WERE BLACK AND WHITE' at the RCA in Conwy. Anyway off I go confused by other peoples reactions, again......there's only one thing in life that's certain, and that's 'CHANGE'......'The wisdom of insecurity' by Alan Watts, is worth a read......... ... Thu, 01 Jan 1970 01:00:00 +0100 http://sites.a-n.co.uk/artists_talking/projects/single/411149 http://sites.a-n.co.uk/artists_talking/projects/single/411149 It's a Mimeograph machine.....a Roneo 250???????......it took my mum and I a while to figure out how to use it......still not 100% sure, or if I can make use of it?.....lot's of other printing bits and pieces too - wooden and card stencils, two plates and large tubes of black ink... I'll be spending the weekend in my studio, playing around with my new toys. It's a funny old life!.....No I'm wrong, it's a rotary stencil duplicator......... Thu, 01 Jan 1970 01:00:00 +0100 http://sites.a-n.co.uk/artists_talking/projects/single/411149 http://sites.a-n.co.uk/artists_talking/projects/single/411149 Hello...I tried printing on my mangel yesterday......it's a bit heavy going. The results were better this time....I'm running out of paper though - there's a bit of recycling going on as well. It was nice to lose myself in my work again.....I was really tired in the evening though, and Poppy had an tiring day too.....barking at the cat that's moved into the studio, so we both had an early night!....On days like these....I'm so glad that we're not the same.....where would we all be? My prints are better this time, there not perfect......but I'm not aiming for that, I'm realistic...... Thu, 01 Jan 1970 01:00:00 +0100 http://sites.a-n.co.uk/artists_talking/projects/single/411149 http://sites.a-n.co.uk/artists_talking/projects/single/411149 I'm not so tired tonight......I've done some printing and cut both my lawns.....this print is from yesterday...it's not the best print I've seen or done... I'm still trying to work out the best pressure, on the mangel. Tried adding some newspaper, that helped at least you don't see the wood lice markings from the rollers.....it did crease the paper of a few prints, and it also added some interesting effects on others.....played with the stamps for a bit...haven't used the stencil machine yet - I'm waiting for a desk to be delivered...I found a very large sheet of paper......so that made me extremely happy.... I've forgotten just how messy I can get, and what fun it is.....that's what I love about having a studio - making a mess, throwing paint around, leaving bit's of stuff all over the floor...and then when I've had a enough, I can just shut the door........ Thu, 01 Jan 1970 01:00:00 +0100 http://sites.a-n.co.uk/artists_talking/projects/single/411149 http://sites.a-n.co.uk/artists_talking/projects/single/411149 It's wonderful to find your voice again......allow it to become louder and stronger...and in turn, this is what you'll become.....I'm loving the work that I'm seeing on the AN blog...Anyway, I shall spend my day drawing and printing. They're moving along...but still, there're a little static and what I want to achieve, can be done through screen-printing......hey hum, I'm happy to try the process that I'm using - sometimes through our difficulties, we discover such delights.....some of which, we wouldn't of seen unless we had travelled down such a road.........the sun's out, I've still got my flowers to plant and a house to clean......later on, I think......when it's cooler.....First things first......making a mess.....  "Freedom means the opportunity to be what we never thought we would be." - Daniel Boorstin ... Thu, 01 Jan 1970 01:00:00 +0100 http://sites.a-n.co.uk/artists_talking/projects/single/411149 http://sites.a-n.co.uk/artists_talking/projects/single/411149 I've just been reading my last post...and I'm still sitting here, I've done no printing, drawing, gardening or cleaning...all of which, is completely unrealistic today. My condition has just come back to remind me...that I've done too much.... the garden gets me every-time...unfortunately, like anyone who undertakes a new exercise regime - I have to take a gradual course.... gently increasing my activity with time.....not pretending to be someone else's ideal...done that before, no more...my body doesn't allow for acting, anymore than my mind does.....  I could still try to print and draw.....but I know my heart won't be in it today, so it's best left alone......like a lot of people - I'm dealing the best way I can, with something that I had no choice about.....and thankfully, days like these are rare now.......I think, I shall just enjoy the sunshine and my garden ........... Thu, 01 Jan 1970 01:00:00 +0100 http://sites.a-n.co.uk/artists_talking/projects/single/411149 http://sites.a-n.co.uk/artists_talking/projects/single/411149 What a beautiful day it is - fluffy blue skies and warm sunshine....how it heals away many a word said in haste and anger....now all is fine..... Thu, 01 Jan 1970 01:00:00 +0100 http://sites.a-n.co.uk/artists_talking/projects/single/411149 http://sites.a-n.co.uk/artists_talking/projects/single/411149 .....nice weather!I'm ending the day feeling a little confused??????????.....and thinking...that we all need a trusted guiding hand....TO GUIDE US TO SAFETY...during those stormy nights....I'm meeting my good friend Tony tomorrow, for coffee and chat.....whilst viewing the new exhibition at the Ebenezer in Cefn Mawr........ ... Thu, 01 Jan 1970 01:00:00 +0100 http://sites.a-n.co.uk/artists_talking/projects/single/411149 http://sites.a-n.co.uk/artists_talking/projects/single/411149 .....both nice coffee and company was to be had, at the Ebenezer today...it turn's out, that the artist PETER BAILEY was born in Cefn Mawr..........beautiful images Pam.  ... Thu, 01 Jan 1970 01:00:00 +0100 http://sites.a-n.co.uk/artists_talking/projects/single/411149 http://sites.a-n.co.uk/artists_talking/projects/single/411149  We are all inventors, each sailing out on a voyage of discovery, guided each by a private chart, of which there is no duplicate. The world is all gates, all opportunities.Ralph Waldo Emerson    ... Thu, 01 Jan 1970 01:00:00 +0100 http://sites.a-n.co.uk/artists_talking/projects/single/411149 http://sites.a-n.co.uk/artists_talking/projects/single/411149 What can I say?????????............   “You gain strength, courage, and confidence by every experience in which you really stop to look fear in the face… do the thing you think you cannot do.” ELEANOR ROOSEVELT“First ask yourself: What is the worst that can happen? Then prepare to accept it. Then proceed to improve on the worst.” - DALE CARNEGIE ... Thu, 01 Jan 1970 01:00:00 +0100 http://sites.a-n.co.uk/artists_talking/projects/single/411149 http://sites.a-n.co.uk/artists_talking/projects/single/411149 .....these images are taken from a book I used to gather ideas together whilst at Stockport College....so many moon's ago..... Thu, 01 Jan 1970 01:00:00 +0100 http://sites.a-n.co.uk/artists_talking/projects/single/411149 http://sites.a-n.co.uk/artists_talking/projects/single/411149 Ideas started to developed, through using the books as a backdrop......... Thu, 01 Jan 1970 01:00:00 +0100 http://sites.a-n.co.uk/artists_talking/projects/single/411149 http://sites.a-n.co.uk/artists_talking/projects/single/411149 Just a small insight into the past, and future ideas.............. Thu, 01 Jan 1970 01:00:00 +0100 http://sites.a-n.co.uk/artists_talking/projects/single/411149 http://sites.a-n.co.uk/artists_talking/projects/single/411149 I have a group show in Liverpool coming up in July......and I'm putting together two exhibitions at Cefn for August and September.....I'm thinking about the wonders of Photoshop........I also bumped into my old university friend Phil Hughes the other night, at the North Wales Open private viewing...for the second year running Phil's won a prize, and he's still not exhibiting else where. Old Phil had a close call two years ago, when he had a heart bypass.....we shared a studio space whilst at Wirral Metropolitan...and he's feeling a little isolated at the moment over in Deeside, but he still keeps in touch with Mike Knowles...The Photoshop exhibition will be followed by an exhibition by Phil Hughes and someone else....not sure who yet... and there maybe a possibility of another exhibition???..........everyone's getting cold feet with regards to putting an exhibition on!!!!!!!.....there maybe available space if I can't find anyone??????  It turn's out that 'old Phil's' not up to exhibiting yet....but I now have some replacements for the space at Cefn.....Katy Webster, Jim Fleming and myself of course. I'm also taking part in a group in Liverpool on the 25th of July....facebook hasn't been a waste-less distraction then!.....http://www.earth-gallery.co.uk   ... Thu, 01 Jan 1970 01:00:00 +0100 http://sites.a-n.co.uk/artists_talking/projects/single/411149 http://sites.a-n.co.uk/artists_talking/projects/single/411149 Whilst at the gym today........I was thinking about the feelings of isolation, and about what 'old Phil' had said to me just the other evening....and I remembered, that I had said the same thing to my friend Tony only a few weeks ago - I think all of us feel isolated to a point, I know I certainly do. It's funny when Jim and I go to private viewings together, we see the same old faces which is really nice......everyone's glad to see one another, I think..... and you really do feel a sense of belonging or connection........LET'S GET PEOPLE TOGETHER, NOT PULL THEM APART!!!!!!........  ... Thu, 01 Jan 1970 01:00:00 +0100 http://sites.a-n.co.uk/artists_talking/projects/single/411149 http://sites.a-n.co.uk/artists_talking/projects/single/411149 Nice to have you back Graham Swain...I'll look forward to watching your emotional journey........."Our full range of emotions is our palette with which we bring color to our lives." - Anne Copeland "Man cannot discover new oceans unless he has the courage to lose sight of the shore." - Andre Gide ... Thu, 01 Jan 1970 01:00:00 +0100 http://sites.a-n.co.uk/artists_talking/projects/single/411149 http://sites.a-n.co.uk/artists_talking/projects/single/411149             DALE CARNEGIE:Most of the important things in the world have been accomplished by people who have kept on trying when there seemed to be no hope at all. HENRY WADSWORTH LONGFELLOW:The heights by great men reached and kept / Were not attained by sudden flight, / But they, while their companions slept, / Were toiling upward in the night.   “Procrastination is, hands down, our favorite form of self-sabotage.” - Alyce P. Cornyn-Selby “Procrastination is the thief of time: Year after year it steals, till all are fled, And to the mercies of a moment leaves The vast concerns of an eternal scene” - Edward Young   ... Thu, 01 Jan 1970 01:00:00 +0100 http://sites.a-n.co.uk/artists_talking/projects/single/411149