stepping out

Today I'm stepping out with my paintings, prints and cards for my first art fair.

This week, we've been knee deep in paintings...

There have been prints printed and cards carefully packaged...

And stress levels have been oh so high... it's partly to do with getting products ready to sell, but mostly it's about showing up and being out there with my work on display.

The last time I exhibited work was in 1986 (OMG). In truth, I'm petrified.

Not an extrovert, I have to force myself to do this; it doesn't come naturally to me. the critic's voice is loud in my ear 'who do you think you are?', 'what do you think you're doing?', nobody's going to like the work' yada yada yada - you all know the type of stuff... So I have been doing my positive affirmations and drowning out the critic with: 'I'm me, I'm great, I'm doing my thing and yes, I already know lots of people like my work' plus lots of visualising of packing up paintings and putting prints and cards in bags. Yay!!

I feel very much like the Fool in the tarot card of the same name - stepping off the cliff out into a new adventure, not knowing what's out there but knowing that it's time to take that step into the unknown. I have to face my fears of being exposed and vulnerable, of putting my paintings (and ultimately myself) on show.

Wish me luck!!

From my heart to yours

Rachel xox

unfolding (writing my artists statement)

How many of you have written an artist's statement?

That has been my task this morning - I'm applying to show some work in an open exhibition and need to have some words down on paper.  

This is not my idea of fun and although I write this blog, writing some formal words about myself and my process does not come naturally to me.

Feeling totally uninspired to do anything at all, I decided to go for the right brain approach and got out my Neocolors and some paper - wow, what a difference!! 

Would you be brave enough to submit something like this as your statement?  

Despite encouragement from IG and FB friends, that I could send this off :-) I think I still need a straight down the line written version.  Up to now, it's probably a little short, but I've at least made a start which means I will finish it.  And so, friends, here it is.  The Neocolours definitely helped me write it:

Art is my connection to Source.

I believe that when you step into your creativity, you step into your most authentic self.

I paint intuitively with no set intention at the start of a piece.  I let the painting unfold - the work is a dialogue between myself and the paint.

The process starts with layers of colour; the organic shapes and goddess archetypes emerging.  I like to leave some of the layers peeking through; life is multi-layered and so are we.  Very often I feel that the Goddess guides my hand and chooses the colours and motifs.  This is when the painting process is at its most joyful for me and the paint flows easily. 

My paintings are about the joy I feel when I make that connection, the joy I have in my life and the celebration of that joy. 

I would love to know what you think.

Have you had to write an artist's statement?  What was your process?  Did you find it difficult?  Easy? Please share with me in the comments below...

From my heart to yours

Rachel xox

create art - create happiness

Create art...create happiness it's my tagline right?

But I haven't ever written about why it's my tagline. So here's the story, morning glory...

The words popped up from Source on one of my very first journal pages over two years ago back in 2011.

I started art journalling when the whispers from my creative self became shouts that were just too loud to ignore. I had shut her away for so long... it's almost painful to remember that now. I originally trained in Fine Art back in the 70's; I graduated in 1980! I left uni just wanting to paint, paint, paint. For a few years I did just that; I supported myself with part time jobs waitressing and typing. But the black crow of my depression descended just before my 30th birthday and my muse left me. I felt dried up and with nothing left to paint.

Instead my creativity went into my family; a complicated tale and maybe one day I will be able to tell the full story but for now it's enough to know that I had two beautiful sons. I re-trained as a holistic therapist and lots of major life events occurred - but still no painting.

It was always at the back of my mind to be creating but I told myself I didn't have time, or that I had no space to do it in and all those other kinds of things we tell ourselves.......

Then about three years ago, something happened inside, not just one thing - it wasn't a bolt out of the blue mind blowing 'do it now' experience. Just over the days and weeks the whispers got louder and I had to listen. I read the Artist's Way by Julia Cameron and started writing morning pages and giving myself art dates. At her suggestion, I gave myself £5 and took my muse to buy kiddy art supplies. I cut up magazines and made collages from inspiring words and images. I started an art journal.

I don't even know how I found out about art journalling!! I do know that I looked on YouTube at videos and thought 'I can do that'. I was inspired by the dual role it played - accessing my creativity and self discovery. And, very mportantly at that time, I could do it in a way that was just for me. My art journal is for me and no one else need see it unless I choose to show them. I was amazed about what was actually inside of me that wanted to come out - I don't know why I was amazed - my creative self had been locked away for over 20 years!! I blogged about the joy that emerged here.

And I discovered that art journalling also had another role for me - manifestation. Right from the start, I used positive words and affirmations, creating my world for myself through the pages. My first ever page was this:

The words are a quote from Kelly Rae Robert's book 'Flying Lessons'; they made such sense to me. It was a truth and if I made a page about it, then I would be able to fly. I made pages about 'making time for making art', 'letting the sunshine in', 'being good to myself' and 'my true state of being'. (I've loaded a few to the gallery.) By putting these pages and words out there, I was letting the Universe know what I needed.

So, when I came to set up my website and blog, one year ago, and was searching around for a tag line - there it was - under my nose all the time 'Create Art - Create Happiness'

This is what art has done for me - making time for creativity and my creative self has brought such happiness back into my life. And this is what I want my art to do for others; my workshops aim to put people back in touch with their own creative selves and I hope that my work brings some happiness into the lives of those people it touches.

Which brings me neatly to the Blog Birthday Prize draw!! I hope that these little pieces of artwork will bring some light into the lucky winners, who are:

Giveaway 1 (Blue Goddess painting): Kate Cowin

Giveaway 2 (Here Come the Girls print): Margaret Abraham

Giveaway 3 (set of Earth Tribes greetings cards): Anna Tapp

Congratulations ladies!! I will get those off to you in the next couple of days.

Also a big, big, HUGE mega thank you to all those who shared on Facebook, Twitter etc and welcome to you new newsletter readers!!

See you soon

From my oh so grateful heart to yours

Love and light

Rachel xox

blog birthday giveaways + Etsy discount!!

My website and blog is a year old today and to celebrate I'm giving away some prizes!!!  

A year ago I tentatively posted my first blog announcing 'I'm here'.  I was excited and terrified at the same time.  I had spent 18 months building up to that point and I was so ready to put myself out there 

'You have to put yourself out there, if you want the Universe to come rushing in...' 

Kelly Rae Roberts

So much has happened since then and you can read about that here.  Currentl news is that I have just opened my Etsy Shop  and I'm now preparing work for a small painting/craft fair on the 1st June.  This will be the first time I have had my work on display since exhibiting back in the 80's (but that's another blog post). 

Yay! A BLOG GIVEAWAY!!

The first giveaway is a little painting of three goddesses.  It is acrylic on canvas and measures 7" x 5".

The second giveaway prize is a print taken from my one of my 'Tribe' paintings.  It is called 'Here Come the Girls' and measures 8" x8".  

The final giveaway is a set of 3 greetings cards with images taken from my 'Earth Tribes' paintings.  Each card is supplied with a strong white envelope.

How to take part

All you need to do to be entered into the draw to win one of the three prizes is;

1. Sign Up for my Newsletter 
2. Share this blog post by Twitter - suggested text for your Tweet “I’ve entered the blog give away at Rachel Ellen Andrews http://www.rachelellenandrews.com/”
3. Share this blog post on Facebook - suggested text for your link “I’ve entered the blog give away at Rachel Ellen Andrews http://www.rachelellenandrews.com/”
4. Blog about the giveaway and add a link to my website http://www.rachelellenandrews.com/
5. Share on any other networks you're signed up to, just remember to include a link back to my website or blog. It's easy to share; just click on 'share article' at the end of this post.
6. Once you've signed up, Tweeted, Facebooked or blogged etc, come back here and leave me a comment to tell me what you’ve done. Each action counts as one entry. 

Entries for the giveaway will close at 12 pm  on the 21st May and I will announce the winners next week on the 22nd May.

Good luck! 

The celebrating doesn't stop there!  For the next week there will be 30% discount on cards and prints in my Etsy Shop.  It starts today and will end on the 21st May.  Remember to use the coupon code BLOG30.

Hop over here to have a look... I hope you find something you like.

I'm off to celebrate, see you soon... 

From my heart to yours

Rachel xox

Mandala workshop news

You all know I love Mandalas - they're in my Gallery and on the blog - I use them frequently for healing myself through art and also for meditation.  They are a salve for my soul.

I've been planning a Mandala workshop for a while now and YAY! I have now set a date for the 23rd June (a full moon).  Details are on the workshop page.

So... why come and make mandalas with me?

Mandalas are special.  Making them takes you to a different place - somewhere to meditate or dream, somewhere to be yourself, to forget worries, somewhere to grow or be healed.  Mandalas can be whatever you want them to be.  I just know how magical they are.

On this workshop we will meditate and connect with our creative selves.  We will spend some time in a quiet space feeling into our mandala experience and then start the magic bit, the making!!

just click for a larger pic

We will try several different methods using different art materials so you can try out what feels best for you.  You don't have to be arty, no experience is necessary, which is another wonderful thing about mandalas, anyone can make them...

Most importantly, it will be fun - a day for you - a day to connect with yourself and your feelings, your hopes and aspirations, your desires and your dreams.  Come and make mandalas with me!!  

Sign up here I would so love for you to join me.

Love to you all, from my heart to yours

Rachel xox