Topsy Turvy Week
I was quite wrong to assume that my Venice invite was for the art fair but to be shown in the Palazzo Prisani Revedin Gallery in Venice and the opening night of 27th September. The 27th is my recently passed away Dads birthday , a beautiful synchronicity. I was excited.
I then was reminded how difficult it is shipping paintings for exhibitions to Europe from the UK and although they offered to display my art digitally it was a lot of money so I decided not to exhibit.
Then I was invited to exhibit 2 paintings digitally in Tokyo in September from another Gallery.
Each and every time I have an exhibition the subject of attendance comes up for me. I struggle to be in a noisy room full of people with a lot to say leaving me feeling isolated , vulnerable and nervous.
I read an article on the Artist Agnes Martin whom said that her intention of life is seeking “simplicity , silence and spiritual transcendence”.
I know that people think it is weird that I do not want to build an art business through networking. Sometimes I challenge myself in thinking perhaps my social awkwardness and autistic nature is soliciting fear and that I should go. I have never prospered in rooms full of people especially networking events or found things I want to say when I am there.
I want my Art to speak for itself through evoking an emotion, feeling or a memory. I moved to Kielder Forest for simplicity , silence and finding peace within myself. It is through this which cultivates my creativity.
I expect even if it was my solo show I would end up alone in the corner plotting my escape.
When I was learning “Insight Mindfulness” at the beginning I was asked what my intention and motivation was to go on the journey with them. I said that my intention was to be in the flow of life and my motivation was being at peace with who I am. Mindfulness helps us find our true nature and intention helps us define the path which resonates and motivation is the power to return when distracted.
I value simplicity, silence and my space.
I do not want to be an extrovert or social networker.
We often misconstrue ourselves as being wrong with how we wish to be as there is so much pressure to be like the group. I wonder how many people in the group do not really want to be there but fear showing themselves as different or missing out.
The good news of the week was Stella “the cat” visit to the Vet is Stella is fully recovered and is running around at 1000 miles an hour once again.
Bakethin Nature Reserve
At the beginning of July there were vibrant yellows and up and coming purples and now especially along the paths is now mainly green with patches of colour. This lesson of how life is continuously changing and only when we cannot accept changes and fight to hang on thinking our moments are solid causes discomfort. Nature adapts and moves on whilst still being vibrant and beautiful.
There are some areas with large patches of white flowers emerging and also I had noticed some small fields of purple flowers which I hope are still there in August and I can get at them to show you.
Grasses are meant to be touched and used. They make lovely alternatives to a jar of flowers and the grasses will thank you for doing so. It is their joy that your reciprocity is to spread their seed and hold them in reverence. It is now a great time when they are in so much abundance to collect a posy for your home.
Grasses are grounding and balance the energy .
One culture may think of a plant as auspicious another may think it is bad luck. Nature does not perceive itself as good or bad, it is only human beliefs that do that. If the grasses connect to you and your harvest honourably there is reciprocity in collecting them.
If you feel a connection and they adorn your house for a moment then it is a good. Make your own folklore and stories of the plants which you connect to. Being spiritual is connecting to spirit through your heart and never about holding other peoples beliefs.
You can use any type of vessel , from an old tin can to an elaborate vase and they will hold their own.
The forest areas feel more like my mind where I find it difficult to find the words due to my brain condition and it comes out all scrambled up and then I have to organise it into something which makes sense. You have to do the work to learn the language of a pine and larch forest as when you zoom out it looks like repetitive nothingness and when you start to zoom in it looks quite messy and disordered.
It is similar to going abroad and attempting to speak the local language and the people , place and culture opens up to you with a smile. The forest welcomes your curiosity and compassion to learn its language.
Don’t yet give up on things growing as new colours and plants are still emerging. I love finding new growth and buds filling up ready for their moment. It is time to seek new growth in nature with anticipation of returning to see them fulfil their promise. I think this is a lesson that it is time to play , to be curious , maybe a little peculiar by being out of synch and experimental.; who knows what you may find out !
Perhaps it is time to seek out questions about why you react to something in a particular way, rather than blame inquire into your own attachments and how they show up.
Your promise to yourself to be more intentional to what seeds you sow the coming year and understand why. Like nature it takes time to cultivate itself into strength and resilience and often it back to the learning board as maybe your thinking was not quite right.
It takes time to evolve yourself to be one with the flow of life and at peace with change and other things which surround you. But never stop showing yourself as every step as this is the wonderment of nature.
Bull Crag Peninsular
I do not have context of previous years but the Foxglove display in all three areas has been magnificent Long associated with the Fae for good and bad situations. Some say they represent deceit due to their beauty concealing its toxicity. They are poisonous but with the right use and dosage are medicinal !
Quite often throughout my walks I have found them to be set back from the paths , you can look but not touch. Maybe the Fairies position them for protection due to reverence of their beauty or being helpful to ignorant hands.
To me , they are July’s champion
As parts of Bull Crag peninsular are more exposed to sunlight than Bakethin the flowers are still in good display . Ragwort is expressing itself with yellow clumps , white flower heads of cow parsley and other plants are jumping out more and purple patches of knapweed and other flowering plants are still inviting you in.
When you slow yourself down you see more detail. The intensity of masses of ferns spreading itself everywhere makes it look like it’s all unfurled and here showing itself off. But when you look deeper that is not the case , new plants are coming up and although not the same in spring when there were “fiddleheads” everywhere , it is more subtle as strands of ferns leaves unfurl themselves unnoticed .
Hareshaw Linn
It is that time to keep an extra eye on the grasses coming into August and into late summer to see how they transform. August has been a peculiar month which I always thought it was an in-between month of growth and decline. A month where everything has grown , fruits ripening and plants beginning to turn. I am looking forward to this month and plan to go more often just to see the change happen.
It is a native woodland and I do love just taking photographs of its true identity. Ther’re a little windows which tell its own story without the need to go big. A little scene can be a big picture as much as a large landscape can. Finding those scenes begins with your heart and what attracts itself to you. It is in the feeling not in expensive equipment or conditions of composition.
A good mindfulness walk where you can within your purposeful stride zoom in with curiosity or zoom out whilst being attentive to your surroundings will create a fulfilling excursion into a woodland. I was going to work on something else but in the month of August and holidays I think it is about experiencing joy.
There is still some colour displays around when you look. especially around the perimeters to woodland. The blackberry bushes with their beautifully tinted white petals are like a well formed marketing plan for continuous and sustained growth.
I must say that I had ran out of photographs for this weeks diary for Hareshaw Linn. I did plan to go on the Sunday but weather and other plans had delayed. I wish I could tie down the weather a bit more but it’s top of England and that’s what you get. I am looking forward to the first week in August diary.
