Changes and beginings

I had stopped blogging to concentrate on my own and students creative projects. I felt that there were multiple bloggers who covered topics I would and that they would do it better. I have been busy creating but have continually been asked why I had stopped the blog and if I would start again. The conclusion I came to was that everyone has a voice, point of view and an audience whatever the scope.
So many changes, challenges and new beginnings this year so come and enjoy the ride there is always room.
Thought: Social Media as a crutch not a tool?

Our lives have changed dramatically over the last decade, social media of all forms invade or enhance our daily lives bringing new ideas and old ideas re-visited. Old and new friends. New and old causes and the list goes on what is of value and what is not? How has this change our daily interactions or effected our real time relationships? If we are meeting someone for the first time we goggle them find out as much as we can before we interact with them personally. Question: does this weaken or enhance our subconscious perceptions for interacting with another human. We have honed our interpretation and impression of anothers through tools such as readying body language and language tone etc... so if we go to the meeting with a preconceived idea who this other person is, do we miss other points of information because of our bias? There is of course the other camp who refuse to engage in social media of and type . Especially FB and react as if it was an addictive substance, that will drag them down to the depths of disappear! OK a little dramatic, but we have all met at least one, a person who doesn't want to use the modern communication systems in most of its forms. I think there are two extreme we should avoid, OVER and UNDER use of this modern evolution to our communities.  My point of view is: Yes, I have witness people miss clear danger signals of lying and misrepresentation from consultants etc who looked amazing on the net, but didn't really measure up in reality, and some people just looked past the signs, because of what they knew. We should always live life in the tangible now of reality and keep the Web, Net, Social Media tools as supplementation to our enjoyment. Never as an abdication of our awareness - otherwise that would be reverse evolution wouldn't it?
Enjoy don't be Social Media.

Tomorrows point of view: Challenging the 'Norm' see you there.

The wasted time we use to worry ....

Today I spent my last day of annual holiday, worrying! Worrying that when I am back at school tomorrow I will again put my own work aside to help my students. End result time getting away from me. But after seeing past my fear I understand that I must be disciplined and time sensitive this year. It is possible to do all I have scheduled for 2012, as long as I keep to a schedule for my own art training, my own writing and my own down time. The old saying of working smarter not harder is definitely going to be put through its paces this year. on that note ...  I have been looking at my past work and appreciating it a little more, I think to make us work more creatively we need to visit the past from time to time and remember its a journey.

Nana from my claymation 'A witch' all copyrights A.Simpson. 2006

bee drawings on facebook

I have posted the drawing of my remembered bee on the facebook page for morepork, come take a look.
Morepork Creative

A buzzing in my ear...

'On my way here today... I heard a buzzing in my ear, and spent some time investigating what it was.

There was a short reprieve from the rain and I went out into the garden with the 'pent up dogs' as we all needed some time out of the studio. What caught my eye and ear was this little fellow busy gathering as much pollen as he could before the rain came back. I got as close as I could to get the photos but they don't do him justice, he was wonderful to watch, and completely oblivious to me and the dogs (until one tried to eat him) not successfully, I may add. What I found so great about this little bee was he reminded me of a very cherished memory, in fact one of my earliest vivid memories of lying on my stomach, head in hands, watching a continues squadron of bumble bees going in and out of their hive. It was located under my newly married sisters house, and to get to it their front door was a broken ornate iron villa vent. I spent many hour there watching them even letting them land on my hand as they entered the vent. This is why the little bee was so special, he reminded me of the enduring love I feel for that sister and also the complete lack of fear I had at 10. I think I will call her later today ... and remember to be a little more like that 10 year old more often. happy creating.

It rains it pours... and I had an idea.

The rain has drenched our Christmas break, we just can't escape it, raining everyday from soft drizzle to heavy down-pours. Everyone is complaining and upset about losing their time off to the rain. But I have to say I have enjoyed the studio time without the guilt of not spending time outside. This year I have promised myself more time to work on my creative development and time just to explore my own creative voice. Many people told me how much they enjoyed the 12 New Zealand Christmas Fairies I did on the Facebook page and have asked for more, but I must admit I couldn't contemplate doing a painting a day and keeping up with all my work and just time for me. What I have decided to do is a new section called 'on my way here...'   and what I will do is document anything that feeds me creatively from my daily journeys. So 'on my way to work, meeting friends, helping students, being with family or just on my way to my life... I will pay attention to quirky nothings that make my life creative.
I will keep it documented with photos and 5min sketches.

It is always worth the time...

I find that understanding how other creative people approach their lives, can give me ideas on how to best utalise mine. After all I didn't come with a manual so its always worth the time to just observe creative ideas and consider.


http://gu.com/p/34dbp

Don't expect the perfection ...

This is a trial run to see if people can find this blog easier than the previous Tumbler link.

So my message today is don't expect perfection then you are happy once it looks shinny and you can always improve what you are doing and striving for. But if you expect perfection you are never happy during the creative process and I have found perfection as elusive as a Moa. After all it's never perfect you will always want to add to what you are doing or change it next time. So no I don't suggest you just give up and not want to strive for excellence, I suggest you see the shinny excellence in every wonderful step you take. Here is to a fantastic shinny new year.