Random Moments

My joint art exhibition with my sister has been absolutely fantastic so far. I have made a nice amount of sales and met some interesting people and had lovely conversations. In the quiet time between visitors one day, I decided to challenge myself to write a piece about each art work I have sold – and as of today that total is 25 items, so I have some catching up to do! Anyway, here is the first one.

I am the keeper, the protector of bones
lost or alone, I guard their hope
that time will return them, to warmth of earth
to nourish the world, to feed new life.

© Ceenoa

SOD #7

07/05/202207/05/2022Claudette4 Comments

I haven’t done one of these for ages, so here we go.

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After the End of The World Apocalypse (when those remaining realised the world hadn’t actually ended for them), the trend of the day was to have travel backpacks made from the skin of your closest “previously-loved-in-real-life” zombie. Of course, to achieve the pinnacle of fashion you had to have “inhumed” them yourself.

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If you want to find out what SOD really means – read this post

Tuesday Morning

Image 05/05/2022Claudette4 Comments

Pondering if I am a “real” Artist

27/04/202205/05/2022Claudette10 Comments

Hello, is anyone there? Probably not, as I’ve been gone for ages, eons, a very, very long time. In fact, I see that I haven’t posted here since October 2020, so lets just round it to “missing, alive, but just not talking because she ran out of words to share”. Seems to cover it!

I’ve just read a few of my last posts, and I’m always a bit amazed when I do, as I usually wonder if it was actually me that wrote it, because, mostly, it doesn’t sound like the me in my head does. It sounds better! Now, I don’t mean that in an egotistical way, I just mean that I am a bit surprised that I managed to write something that has an effect on me when I read it again, and that it doesn’t make me go “oh, that was just me writing it, so ignore it completely as a bit of fluff, because I doubt it can be any good”.

Ahh, I can’ express what I’m actually trying to say without sounding like a big head, but it just surprises me when I read it again and think, “actually, that is quite good”. So there, me big-heading myself on the internet.

All the above preamble is an aside to what I actually wanted to post about, which is that I am taking part in my first, real, legitimate, art exhibition, jointly with my sister Lindy, from Lindy Whitton Studio. From 19th to 30th May 2022, we will be at the Sidespace Gallery, Salamanca Arts Centre, Hobart, Tasmania. Our exhibition is called “Nature Preserved” and it’s made up of my Resin Nature Art, and my sister’s fabulous paintings, collograph and botanical printings.

This has, of course, made me question whether the taking part in an art exhibition actually makes me an artist! I am not convinced, but I pretend that it does because it makes me feel grown up, and justifies all the dosh I have spent on my hobby of the last 3 years!

The thought of this exhibition has also caused some level of anxiety, in that i just don’t actually feel like an artist, so therefore it follows that my creations aren’t art and can’t be worth much; and must, in fact, be useless amounts of money, time and energy invested into my hobby which then resembles something that isn’t “real” art!

I have been given many compliments on my art, people have paid for my art, requested I make art for them, I even love most of my art, yet I can’t quite believe it is “Art”, and that I am worthy of sticking a $$$ cost on it (that isn’t excessively humble) and displaying it in a gallery. Ah, the delight of self doubt!

Even though I have all this “am I an Artist” internal monologue going on, I WILL actually be participating in this joint exhibition, so if you are out there, reading this rambling post, wish me luck; ask the Universe to send me good vibes; say nice things to me so my self-esteem gets a little boost; if you live in Tasmania come and visit the exhibition; and finally, support my hope that someone buys something from me, from a real Art Gallery!

In Pursuit Of … #2 – Part 2

11/10/202013/05/2022Claudette8 Comments

Here is Part 2 of the second “In Pursuit Of”, and as it has been a while since I posted that one (well 3 months actually), if you need a recap this is where we last left off.

dreaming of wood, and it’s future melding with resin
waking up and realising that the form I built isn’t high enough for the wood that I wanted to use
making mental note to measure properly next time
deciding to take a detour down another creation path, and make something else that will fit into the form
looking through my bits and pieces to find something to inspire me
finding “the thing” that will lead me to creation

finding another “thing” that can be combined with the first “thing” to hopefully make a complete thing that will be pretty nice
realising that the colours of the two things are going to work really well together (happy happenstance)
adding other bits that will (hopefully) complement the two “things”
starting to create
much fiddling around, and many resin layers later, “Burgundy Grape”exists
deciding I don’t like the square corners, so doing some therapuetic destrutive shaping with the sander to get this final shape
this piece is still undergoing it’s final finishing (and yes, it has been months), but everytime I think it is finished, IT”S NOT!
I shan’t bore you with the recitation of how much sanding, repouring of resin, more sanding, coating the wood part with latex to keep it clean, and pouring resin on the other part, then more sanding – and THEN realising that there were some only part-cured wet spots in the resin, so more sanding and recoating, and on and on and on
oh, I just did bore you – oops
anyway, suffice to say this morning I am recoating the Huon Pine with latex in the hopes of doing a FINAL coat of resin on the remaining part later today, in the hope of getting an acceptable finish.
cross your fingers for me

This piece has tested my patience, and my need for it to “look good”. I don’t strive for perfection, because I think that is unrealistic, and because I also think it looks unnatural in these botanic pieces. I want folks to know that this was handmade: by a real person, who struggled with it’s birth and upbringing, but kept persisting till they created something that was pleasing to them.

Hope you enjoyed this little excursion into how my process works (or doesn’t). I will post some finished pictures at some stage (if it ever actually gets finished).

I’ve know I’ve been gone

09/10/2020Claudette16 Comments

I know i’ve been gone, for a very long time,
and most likely I will be again,
it’s just that some things had taken my mind,
to a place where there was no rhyme.

to a person who “verses” that is not very good,
to be stuck in that place was hard on my heart,
and trying to force it, is not what you should,
as forced versifying will break you apart!

so take it however you wish to do,
with a pinch of salt or the warmth of a smile,
when truly I say that I have missed you,
and I’ll try and tarry, here with you, a while.

©ceenoa

P.S – however, the fact that this new editor does my head in when trying to compose text probably is not going to help. Why does it add huge spaces between my lines, or none at all when I write a verse?
aarrrrrgh

In Pursuit Of … #2

08/07/202005/05/2022Claudette14 Comments

So, here is the start of my second creation in this irregular “semi-regular” post series.

(Yes, that sounds confusing to me too – best just accept that I will randomly post stuff when I feel the urge to do so, with no set pattern or regularity, even though I may have alluded to the fact that I would, in fact, do so on a semi-regular basis!)

These posts seem to need the “stream of consiousness” approach to how the pieces start to be created, so get ready for the dot points:

- decide I need to create something
- look around my work space to see what is waiting for “inspiration”
- select a 2/3 finished project that has been gathering dust on the bench for months
- celebrate the fact that this project needs wood, and thus, a trip to my local supplier is required
  - note: it is always important to justify my emerging addiction
- go to The Wood Guys and appreciate all the gorgeous timber
- touch the timber
- smell the timber
- feast my eyes on the timber – the knots, burls, grains, colours and textures
- let my soul free to find the weird shapes, the cracked, broken and void filled remnants of a living entity, that I am so drawn to
  - (yes, I get a bit carried way, but have you ever, truly, looked a beautiful piece of raw timber to appreciate it – you really, really should)
- sadly accept that I cannot buy all of the timber
  - – I CANNOT!
- buy more than I need for the current project, because, you know, timber is GOOD.
- drive home, savouring the aroma of raw timber lingering in your personal space.
- change your mind about what you are going to create first, and go completely off plan!
- start all the boring prep work
- sand all the raggedy bits – but not TOO much – I like the character of them
- chop them in half, and arrange them till i get something I think will work
- lay them on acrylic sheet and mark out the size for the form

- measure, cut and sand pine boards to sizes to form the boxwork
- curl up in chair exhausted (but satsified at the progress made)
- daydream of wood, and it’s future melding with resin