Staff show @ Percolator Gallery, Paddington + other musings

Hey Friends!

Here's what I've been up to:

I was part of a staff exhibition in early October where I sold the big guy in the image to the right! Art Shed Brisbane staff are all artists and our AMAZING bosses funded our own exhibition! It was really great to check out all my colleagues work as well and our customers came in support and it was super fun. 

I also went to Bali for a week and deliberately didn't write down a single thought or create a single piece of art. It was a little bit excruciating because art is literally part of my daily routine but it was actually lovely to take a break from it! I feel like even just that one week break from art has helped me refocus a little and just give me a slightly fresher look at what I am doing. 

In other news, I am two assignments away from finishing off my Bachelor of Social Science!  This is exciting because hopefully I will next go on to study art therapy. But for now, I am totally going to keep applying what I have learned so far about human behaviour and creativity to my art practice and use it to connect to those of you who love art and are following my journey!

Have a lovely day! 

Lani.

This one is called 'the Thread of Reality' and SOLD at the show in early October

My Fearful Emotions and I: A Dialogue

My Fearful Emotions and I: A Dialogue

Me: What are you doing here?

Emotions: we are actually just after those organs on the plate. not you.

Me: What, my heart? and brain? sorry, you can't have them...I need them.

Emotions: What for?

Me: Um, to do life with. What are you going to do with them?

Emotions: We just want to kind of have a peek at your heart and thoughts and just mess them up a little bit. Nothing too major, probably. just sort of...tweak everything that's going on with how we feel.

Me: How do you feel?

Emotions: Mostly pretty terrified. a little bit indignant as to what you think you're doing. a bit second-guessy. We brought anger along as well. Thought he could do with some cheering up.

Me: Can't you see I'm like a big scary giant? Can you all just calm down a bit and stop shouting at me please?

Emotions: You are just little.You don't fool us. You're not even sure who you are.

Me: I have giant red boots. That's supposed to be really fierce, didn't you get that?

Emotions: No. sorry. Your boots could be slippers for all we care, we just want your organs.

Me: Let's make a deal. I'll listen to what you guys have to say to me if you promise to stop yelling at me and stop trying to steal my mind and heart, okay?

Emotions: we don't know if we trust you. But we are mostly scared and we are just trying to warn you and stop you getting hurt, okay? Just be careful out there. It's a scary world. A lot can go wrong. You need to know that. Maybe you should stay here forever. It's safer. There's things that can go wrong that you haven't even anticipated yet. You affect people without even realising. What if you screw it up? You always freak out randomly and maybe it's better to stay here. Your imagination is a much safer place.

Me: Guys. I get it. You are worried. I appreciate that you care. But I have to be brave now and go and search for a few of my other emotions and I can't do that if i stay here with you. I'm going to take my fierce red boots and go and find courage and peace and all the others. I'm sure I'll be hearing from you so we won't be total strangers, but you need to just speak a little quieter to me, alright? Maybe even write me a letter instead.

Emotions: Don't say we didn't warn you. 

Me: I said speak quieter to me!

Emotions: Sorry! *whispers* Don't say we didn't warn you.

Kintsugi: To Repair With Gold

Last week I had the coolest opportunity to speak at Life and Mercy Christian Fellowship at Holland Park.

I went as part of a little team from my church (Alive Church) and spoke with the women at Life and Mercy. 

The topic was self esteem, and I shared my drawings and spoke about the art technique of Kintsugi. 

Kintsugi is a Japanese art form and philosophy that sees the cracks and flaws in pottery (and people) as part of the history of the pot (or person) and adding value to said object. 

The cracks are bound together with a laquer mixed with gold or silver. 

I spoke about how we are like this pottery and the choice is ours as to how we view and understand our flaws. 

Do we allow room for Jesus to bind us together again? Do we try to function in pieces? Do we try to hold ourselves together? 

I shared some of my own personal struggles with pride and wanting to be a self-sufficient vase but having to admit my need to be saved and my need to be restored.

Each lady got to keep a little rough hand drawn kintsugi pot to remind them of their value and worth. 

Thanks to everyone who came and helped celebrate the launch night of my new online store. It was super lovely!

My art is still on display and available for sale at Mango Tree Cafe (indefinitely).

If you'd like to see the gallery of images from the night, click here

Congratulations to Jas who was the winner of the draw to win this framed a3 Original! 

Blog post for Tune In Not Out

Tune In Not Out is a website dedicated to discussing all issues relating to young people.

I had the honour of writing a post for the site and got to share some of my story.

 Click to read my blog post for Tune In Not Out

Lani x