Make art, even if it’s upside down
This way?
Which Way Round?
One
I am loving felt pens plus water. I’m not sure why it’s taken me fifty-something years to discover the joys of such simple ingredients, but it has.
Or this way?
Which Way Round?
Two
Felt marker pens, particularly at school, were something you didn’t want to get water on. You drew or wrote with them because of their precision. You admired their clean lines. You were in control. You didn’t want to lose all that nice neatness to a soggy mush-ball.
Water brings with it an unknowing.
It brings an unpredictability and a, sometimes scary, lack of control. What joy!
This way?
Which Way Round?
Three
Felt-pen-plus-water art-making is just the ticket for debriefing from an art therapy session in residential aged care. After
super-thinking and micro-attuning to many individual needs, I switch off and let go into watching colourful blobs appear. This watery felt-pen tuning out is helping me process the joys, successes and challenges of working finely with each person.
After all, Art is a Way of Knowing.
(See Pat B Allen’s wonderful book title from 1995, Art is a Way of Knowing – a Guide to Self-Knowledge and Spiritual Fulfillment through Creativity. Actually, it’s not only the title that is wonderful. It’s the book.)
Art is a Way of Knowing. It’s just a different way of knowing from the literal, linear nutting-out that dominates our society.
This way?
Which Way Round?
Four
This one resembles a bird with a fragile stalk neck, don’t you think?
Could be entirely pertinent to the fragility of the extreme elderly attempting to keep their heads up in life
Yes. This way.
Felt pen and water.
Experiential learning
trickles
through the circulatory system of my art heart.
This post makes me think of a few previous themes and threads.
If you feel up to linking in with any of them, here goes…
The Even If…Make Art series
Various musings on Response Art
with love, art and soul
from Sally
Art and Soul Space 
Great Sally yes I enjoyed seeing them turned and agree with you . Discovery is fun eh
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Thank you, lovely one. Oh, it’s wondrously nourishing to get into the art exploration zone, isn’t it?
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Thank you Sally. This is so inspiring. It’s amazing how much your gorgeous piece takes on a new personality depending on which way it is turned. I love it. xoxo
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Hello fabulous Sally! I am delighted you are inspired. Yeah – funny, isn’t it, how each turning of the circle speaks its story so differently.
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This is a lovely post. I enjoy the poetry of it all. Circles round and round. Thanks for sharing!
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Thank you for your lovely feedback. There’s something about circles that resonates, round and round, with cycles of life. Do you make art or poetry yourself?
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Just looking at these fluid paintings is a lovely way to debrief from my day. But, but….I couldn’t make the link to Pat Allen’s book work. 😦
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Goodness me, Gallivanta. I am coming to rely on you to tell me when a link doesn’t work! Thank you kindly.
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I hope you would do the same for me, please?
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Indeedy do
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I think
the link
is back from the brink
of going down the sink.
(Please excuse Friday evening nonsense head post dealing with care recipient crises)
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Many thanks, it’s working now. Looks like a great book, indeed. I like this line ” Art making is a way of bringing soul back into my life.” I think that’s one of the reasons I try to make pretty images when I sell things: https://www.trademe.co.nz/crafts/knitting-weaving/wool/auction-1463395857.htm Apologies if I have shown you this little practice of mine before.
Hope you have a calmer, crises-less weekend.
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Aww – that’s a sweet image. How creative and lovely to arrange your wool into an arty display! Pat B Allen wrote that book a long while ago. I believe she is still going strong as an art therapist.
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I like the first one. The upturn gives a feeling of hope 🙂
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Thank you! I like your opinion about this. We surely do need hope in our lives, work and very core of our beings.
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Just had a peek at your gorgeous paintings.
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Oh good! Thanks for dropping by 🙂
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