Over the past year, I've shifted my painting focus from creating “artwork I think will sell” to “artwork that inspires me and brings me joy and excitement when I'm painting”. And I've never been happier or more creatively inspired.
Before that, I made the mistake of chasing financial targets (hey, I come from a business background). And even though I achieved those targets, it wasn't bringing me great joy. And that negated the point of doing art in the first place!
So now, I'm committed to painting things that spark my creativity, where the inspiration comes from some magical place that I can't quite describe.
Which brings me to … a VERY random development.
If you have been following me for a while, you'll know that I love love love painting flowers. Just love it!
Well, recently, I've developed a creative habit of painting flowers by day, and … um … EGGS … by night.
I had to laugh when my friend Kristie says that it sounds like some kind of superhero activity. You know: mild mannered reporter by day, costumed superhero by night!
Well, I certainly don't think that Marvel is going to make a movie about flowers and eggs any time soon. But I'm just going with this creative flow to see where it takes me.
Where did the inspiration for eggs come from?
Well, I am a bit obsessed with eggs. And if you have been following me for a while, you may remember The Rooster sculpture I designed for the City of Sydney (picture below) a couple of years ago. It was comprised almost entirely of … eggs!
I have loved eggs ever since I was tiny. I'm pretty sure this was driven by the fact that I was deprived of them as a a child! I think I was only allowed to have one egg per month. Max!
Let me explain. It seems that my parents were utterly paranoid that eating eggs was going to make my cholesterol go nuts. Which is why eggs were not regularly consumed in our household.
Side note: When I finally became an adult, I did a cholesterol test and it seemed that the egg deprivation worked in a big way. Perhaps too much! The tester said they hadn't seen such a low score in a while. Needless to say, that was all I needed to hear to make up for lost time.
Anyhow, eggs, eggs, eggs. I love eating them. I love looking at them. I love talking about them. I love painting them! Also big thanks to Tracy who, after seeing my first egg on Instagram, messaged me with: “I didn't even know I needed a painting of an egg till I saw yours.” (Thanks Tracy - it's yours!)
But what about the flowers?
Oh, they're still a thing. VERY much so. And now that spring has sprung, my garden has gone bonkers. Which means creative inspiration is literally blooming all around me. I've been working on a series of floral artworks.
And here is my cat Rocky concentrating deeply on this artwork. He sat there like that for ages!
n other news:
I'm watching: One Night. I stumbled on this new streaming TV series on Paramount+, and it seems to have flown under the radar. I'm a sucker for any story set against the backdrop of the writing and publishing industry. This dual timeline story stars Jodie Whittaker (yes, Doctor Who), Nicole da Silva (Wentworth), Yael Stone (Orange is the New Black) and many other luminaries. It's about a woman who writes a memoir including the traumatic incidents of one night when she was younger.
I'm watching: One Night. I stumbled on this new streaming TV series on Paramount+, and it seems to have flown under the radar. I'm a sucker for any story set against the backdrop of the writing and publishing industry. This dual timeline story stars Jodie Whittaker (yes, Doctor Who), Nicole da Silva (Wentworth), Yael Stone (Orange is the New Black) and many other luminaries. It's about a woman who writes a memoir including the traumatic incidents of one night when she was younger.
I'm loving: Miss Saigon at the Sydney Opera House. Just the most brilliant production. I highly recommend this x 1000.
I'm preparing for: The Content Byte Summit. I'm speaking at the Summit which is 15 and 16 September. Ideal for content and copywriters and freelancers.
I'm on: A 137-day streak with learning Indonesian on Duolingo. Thank you again to those of you who recommended the app to me. I'm addicted!