Holding Creative Space for Others.

I love to offer my studio to others to work in. It is an unusual and beautiful hand crafted building which evolved as a direct need for me to have my own space. This desperate need (I had two young sons) supplemented with a lifetimes worth of creative space building for others and a deep interest in sustainable architecture and community engagement produced a wonderful retreat which only now I feel I really 'own'. I recently read about Jo Fairley's shed love for her shed too, you can read it here.

The path we made up to it was a labour of love too.

The studio roof is 'green' too, with its own pond, marshy area and of course 2 gnomes.

Often I overlook the joy of owning such a space as it is all too easy to be busy outside of it. But since sharing it with others, teaching in it, the art of mono-printing, for instance I am really able to see its worth. It is full of supplies, inspiration and now a comfy chair, cushions and when I go down it also contains a small lap dog, cup of tea and space to breathe, hope, dream and create!

Curvy interior walls holding creative space.

Pewter elm tree form from cuttle-fish cast.

So, book yourself onto one of my courses advertised or just come and play. I aim to expand the teaching that I do soon. I have facilities in there to create cuttlefish casts and produce pewter treasures, do various printing techniques, from wood cut to lino cut, learn how to paint from the imagination, using mindfulness and walking as a meditation. The list goes on, so just let me know which creative playtime you would like or what you yearn to learn.

The light and airy side of the studio.

I, myself shall endeavour to get down to the studio most days now the weather is warming up, I shall no longer put off the urge to create and do another thing instead. These distractions will always exist and it is only with my own daily discipline and determined practice that I will create new work and enjoy being in the space with others that love doing so too!

My next open studio event will be on Saturday the 16^th of June. It will show the new progression on from my current art project 'Hearth and Home'.

The exhibition is open to all from 11-5pm in my straw-bale studio.

The studio has a Facebook page of its own, to look at its 'life story', look up www.facebook.com/Green-Build-Tankerton

10% of all sales of this 'Hearth and Home' artwork will go to our local homeless charity in Canterbury, 'Porchlight'.

All open and ready for another studio exhibition.

I love to teach others and facilitate space for them to create, so I run art and design workshops throughout the year. These can be either 1:1 or for a small group and I charge from £15 per hour. The next ones for the exciting and accessible art of Gelli-printing are on most Wednesdays and Fridays throughout April, May and June. They run 11-2pm and cost £40 pp including all materials and refreshments.

My own personal art page can be found at www.facebook.com/RoseClarityArtist I can be contacted on 07432679164 or clare@people-to-place.co.uk

A time of Sparkly Transformation

The Winter Solstice is coming up so at long last the evenings will stop getting dark so early and hopefully we will start to feel literally enlightened, a bit brighter and full of hope for the new year.

Personally, I find it very hard to slow down as the dark evenings close in. I am still surprised when its dark at 4 this time of year for if I cast my mind back to the summer I remember that on most days I was out and about until late, sometimes even having a swim in the sea at ten at night. That seems just ludicrous now.

My painting of the sea at Tankerton, a bit chilly now for a swim.

The wonderful thing about living in the UK is that I know that time will come around once again due to the cyclical pattern of our seasons. Perhaps our lives will have changed immeasurably over the year with births, deaths and other momentous events but it is a comfort to realise the world keeps turning and the seasons roll on.

I try and see this time as a sparkly transformation. Festive invitations and obligations keep me busy now but I am inside at home more in the evening and I am enjoying the log burner on most of them, as there does seem to be something very basic and special about congregating around a fire. Before we had the fire I would burn a candle or two in the room that we were sitting in, that would be our bright flame and like moths we would be drawn to the light.

Glass pieces catching the precious sunlight on my windowsill.

There are many sparkly festive lights which are brightening up most windows in town and suburbia at the moment, there have been momentous 'switching on' of lights, even some trees outside houses in gardens are bedecked with their own. Places are transformed by these decorations and it is magical.

I have a plan that between now and Christmas I will spend a bit of time walking outside in the dark, both appreciating the domestic twinkly lights in peoples homes and the ancient star light from above in the deep clear sky. Then to be snug back inside the house I will gaze at the fire and candlelight and feel a basic sense of happiness and contentment that no form of Christmas gift could give me. At this time of year such simple pleasures cannot be bought.

Making by the fireside, at a friends house.

I end this blog with a quote from a previous entry written at this time of year. I know this is well worth remembering too as we become busier and busier towards the 'target date' of the 25 th of December.

'At this time of year, it is not your Christmas presents that are needed so much as your presence.'

Wishing you all my best over this festive period.

I run art and design workshops throughout the year. These can be either 1:1 or for a small group and I charge from £15 per hour.

My own personal art page can be found at www.facebook.com/RoseClarityArtist

 I can be contacted on 07432679164 or clare@people-to-place.co.uk