The rain is pattering down, soft, almost silent. My windows and door are open to the humid, early autumn air, filling the house with the caroling of magpies, currawongs, butcher birds, and rainbow lorikeets.
I light candles to welcome the gloom of early morning,
In the little capiz shell lotus blossoms I place two scented candles, their 'linen' fragrance subtle, just enough to soften the air. A simple tea light glows in the translucent bowl with its delicate tracery of branches.
At the other end of the room, I place one more candle beside my favourite collection of pottery and found objects.
Venturing onto the veranda, I set a cone of my favourite incense outside the sitting room where the scent will drift through the open window but not overpower. The little brass holder sits happily in front of a collection of beach stones and fossil coral, with a small water feature at the rear.
I enjoy creating these little vignettes. For me, it isn't enough to create art; I want to live surrounded by these little universes with their populations of natural objects.
However, on the subject of creating art... once I had completed the aesthetic arrangements, I was ready to start work. Today, I wanted to create an Art Deco inspired image for the square greeting cards I hope to sell. Designs of this kind are quite challenging, far more so than you would think; but, thanks to my trusty computer, I made a series of layers and moved them around... seemingly endlessly... until the composition satisfied me.
It took me a long time, but I'm quite pleased with it. Tomorrow, time permitting, I'll work on a different design, one which is compatible with collage so I can experiment with my Cricut cutting machine to produce the collage layer.
I'm a true sun bunny, but I do love a rainy day, especially when the weather is relatively warm. There is something about cocooning in the comfort of home, surrounded by candles and rugs and cups of tea, that soothes the soul and inspires productivity. The outside world is filled with pain and anguish, violence and grief, but in my little haven in the countryside, tucked away from the pressures of city life, I write my novels, my poems, and make my artworks. And I am more grateful than I can express for the privilege of this life in a peaceful village.
We create for ourselves, but artists need to share their vision, and I'm almost ready to launch my shop. However, the timeline keeps stretching every time I review the project deliverables and find further subsets. But that's another story. For now... more artwork!
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