Teesha Moore - 3
Many of you will know the impact that Teesha had on my early work and that she continues to influence much of my ongoing activities. I found this statement that she made on 24 July 2019
- all my life i had an awareness of how my life would go. in my 20’s i had this vision. i would raise my kids in my twenties. in my 30’s i would work my head off, so i could coast through my 40’s but after that it was blank. when i hit 50, i didn’t know what to expect. but was relieved to make it to 53. then it happened.
- i found myself going for a 3rd surgery for an umbilical cord hernia that plagued me since my 20’s. when i woke up from the surgery i didn’t know who tracy (the love of my life) was. i didn’t realize it then, but i was suffering a major stroke. it was all a blur for the next 2 weeks. The surgeon said i wasn’t going to make it through the night. I had a 5% chance.
- I know it was all of you, my art friends who got me through the night. I still get teary thinking about it.
- I woke up 3 days later, and i couldn’t move my right side, nor could i talk. but i made it! that began the long recovery i was in for the next 2 years (and still in).
- I still can’t talk well, but i get by. My dr.s said i wouldn’t walk. By the time i left the hospital 3 weeks later i was walking (all be it slow) . i still have right side weakness. that means that i can’t raise my right arm all that much and i am slowly gaining ground with my right hand. i don’t have taste buds on my right side, and i walk with limp.
- previously (before stroke) i was right handed. for last 2 years i am learning to use my left hand but i try as i might it isn’t cutting it. i write with my right hand very very slowly now and use scissors with my right. that has saved me.
- what also saved me was journaling. i do it every day. sometimes its good. other times not so good. but i keep at it. i use collage most of all. i adore collage, even before stroke. washi tape and stickers are number 2. i had to get over posting (@teeshamoore on instagram) because it was all bad in my book. When my PT (physical therapy therapist – Charlie) told me i should keep at it, because there are so many more people out there with strokes, that struck a chord with me. suddenly i wasn’t afraid that i wasn’t what i used to be.
- so that is my story for now. i have a new chapter in my life. and new grandson who is the light of my life (he is 15 months). i take each day at a time now, rather than careening through life at the speed of sound.
Peter Aichison
I have worked at events over a number of years with Peter Aichison, the photographer. Peter takes his images around the world and sells them at his own gallery in New Mills, Gallery 23 and on his website.
Maria Reyes-Jones
I first exhibited with Maria this summer in Chicago and was quickly drawn to her bold colourful images of flowers. She is prolific in her output and much of her work is large scale. I strongly recommend a visit to her website.
Her work inspired me to start cutting rubber stamp flower images of flowers and then using them to print on fabric and create textile collages of flowers.
Her work inspired me to start cutting rubber stamp flower images of flowers and then using them to print on fabric and create textile collages of flowers.
You can see more of Maria's work on her website.
Lucy Gell
I have exhibited with Lucy Gell at different venues over recent years and often get tempted to buy one of her quirky cat prints.
Ken Hurd
Ken Hurd is a watercolour artist who often uses mixed media in his work. I have exhibited at Buxton with him and always find it difficult to resist selecting a print.
You can see more of Ken's work on his website.
Megan Crook
I have been a fellow exhibitor with Megan Crook at various craft shows and have been attracted to the strongly contrasting colours in her work. She specialises in limited edition garments and bespoke accessories, featuring both knitwear and Liberty Art Fabrics.
Dina Wakley
Dina Wakley is creating a new style of Art Journaling based on collage, stencilling, stampimg and most importantly, lettering. She has evolved a style of writing which is both attractive and usually indecipherable. She gives workshops both online and at physical venues.You can find out more about her work on her excellent website. She explains many of her techniques in her two books: Art Journal Freedom and Art Journal Courage.
Pam Carriker
I first encounetered Pam Carriker's work when I purchased her striking set of rubber stamps, whose images frequently appear in my work, particularly my Art Aprons. She has produced two books- Art at the Speed of Life and Creating Art at the Speed of Life. You can see more of her work on her website.
Dave Butcher
If you are into Black and White photography already you probably don't need me to introduce you to the world of Dave Butcher. He is one of the leading exponents of this art and produces stunning images in a whole range of genres including skiing, landscapes, cities and trees.
Dave is available to give talks to societies and other groups, he holds courses at his own studio and has also published his work in monographs. You can see more about him on his website.
Teesha Moore 2
Teesha Moore continues to be an inspiration in many ways. The following is from a speech she gave to an Art Retreat:
Tips for a magical Life
First of all, find your joyful process. Mine happens to be journaling. But you may have more. Recently, my joyful process has been focused on the process of transforming our living space. More about this later (in another post).
So, if you can connect to your joyful process, you will connect with your passions which in turn will cause people to notice and then they will connect with that. They will notice and connect whether it's through viewing your artwork, reading your blog, talking to you at the coffeeshop, etc. Your passions will make you and what you do much more intoxicating and interesting.
The best artists are the ones who are constantly on the lookout for what makes the heart beat faster. Be sure to sketch it, take a photo, make a note of it, or even post it (pinterest, Facebook, a blog). This gives you vibrant inspiration which in turn will be seen in your work.
Put your art first. Stay open. Put in a TON of hard work. Regard work as a fulfilling opportunity to be the person you want to be and have the life you want to live. I love to work and lose my vitality when something gets in the way of it. It's always been that way. If work is a negative word for you, find a way to make it positive. Magic will happen.
Rituals can help. They help bring focus and energy to your day. Some of mine include:
It's all about the Flow. You need flow in your body. Your environment needs to flow. Your artwork needs flow. And of course your passions rely on flow. Flow happens when stagnant energy is removed. Clutter does not equal flow. Cupboards that are packed with stuff is not flow. Eating foods that aren't good for you is not flow. Having too much in your home so you can't walk around freely is not flow. You get the picture here. Strive for flow in ALL areas of your life.
Goal setting is SO important too. Write goals and "wants" down. Say them out loud. Know in your heart that they will happen. Your list of goals is telling the Universe where to focus their energy. So, think BIG!
It is hard for artists to have schedules. I struggle with this. But a rough outline can really help. If you don't have a schedule, you can flutter away hours on the internet. It also allows the time and space to work on everything in your life you want to make time for. I would encourage you to sit down and write something out that includes everything you want to have time to do. Change it as needed as you go, adding and deleting activities to make your ideal life.
Lastly, work really hard. Don't wait for inspiration. Be wary of other people telling you what to do or what you should do (even as I am sitting here doing just that by writing this manifesto). We all intuitively know what we need to do. Muster the energy within yourself to just make it happen.
When I had a real passion for something, it made me focus DEAD-ON! And I worked really hard at that regardless of other interesting intrusions. So, to summarize:
Teesha's blog is here and her website is here.
First of all, find your joyful process. Mine happens to be journaling. But you may have more. Recently, my joyful process has been focused on the process of transforming our living space. More about this later (in another post).
So, if you can connect to your joyful process, you will connect with your passions which in turn will cause people to notice and then they will connect with that. They will notice and connect whether it's through viewing your artwork, reading your blog, talking to you at the coffeeshop, etc. Your passions will make you and what you do much more intoxicating and interesting.
The best artists are the ones who are constantly on the lookout for what makes the heart beat faster. Be sure to sketch it, take a photo, make a note of it, or even post it (pinterest, Facebook, a blog). This gives you vibrant inspiration which in turn will be seen in your work.
Put your art first. Stay open. Put in a TON of hard work. Regard work as a fulfilling opportunity to be the person you want to be and have the life you want to live. I love to work and lose my vitality when something gets in the way of it. It's always been that way. If work is a negative word for you, find a way to make it positive. Magic will happen.
Rituals can help. They help bring focus and energy to your day. Some of mine include:
- Coffee and journaling every morning. This can be done at a coffee shop or at home (these days it's been at home). I have a journaling desk that always has my open journal on it with some pens.
- I prepare vegetables in the morning for the day. I try to be in the moment while I am cutting them and washing them. I notice their brilliant colors, textures, smells. I try not to think about the day while I am doing this. This makes meals so much easier and greatly reduces the amount of time to cook. When I am barreling through the day, the last thing I want to do is bring my creating to a halt and spend an hour cooking. It allows flow throughout the day.
- I take a break about 3pm for a snack and read through my books and magazines for 15 minutes. If I am tired, I take a nap instead. This helps me to not get too obsessive with my work and projects and reminds me to stop and breathe.
- Tidy when your studio is tidy (this would apply to your whole house too). Don't let it get really bad. Slow down and take that extra 5 minutes to put away your mess.
- Get rid of stuff! Clear out every cupboard, drawer, closet, room. This is so simple to do and makes your life so much more magical. LESS THINGS = CLEAR HEAD = BETTER CREATIVE FLOW. Fill up large trash bags, take them to a charity center and smile all the way home. As you are unloading clutter from your house, you are feeling lighter with every trip to the Goodwill. Don't consider for a moment how much something is worth that you are getting rid of. Instead focus on the fact that it's just the price you are paying for living a creative, flowing, magical life....one that flows and allows you to breathe and be at peace.
It's all about the Flow. You need flow in your body. Your environment needs to flow. Your artwork needs flow. And of course your passions rely on flow. Flow happens when stagnant energy is removed. Clutter does not equal flow. Cupboards that are packed with stuff is not flow. Eating foods that aren't good for you is not flow. Having too much in your home so you can't walk around freely is not flow. You get the picture here. Strive for flow in ALL areas of your life.
Goal setting is SO important too. Write goals and "wants" down. Say them out loud. Know in your heart that they will happen. Your list of goals is telling the Universe where to focus their energy. So, think BIG!
It is hard for artists to have schedules. I struggle with this. But a rough outline can really help. If you don't have a schedule, you can flutter away hours on the internet. It also allows the time and space to work on everything in your life you want to make time for. I would encourage you to sit down and write something out that includes everything you want to have time to do. Change it as needed as you go, adding and deleting activities to make your ideal life.
Lastly, work really hard. Don't wait for inspiration. Be wary of other people telling you what to do or what you should do (even as I am sitting here doing just that by writing this manifesto). We all intuitively know what we need to do. Muster the energy within yourself to just make it happen.
When I had a real passion for something, it made me focus DEAD-ON! And I worked really hard at that regardless of other interesting intrusions. So, to summarize:
- Find your Joyful Process
- Connect with your Passions
- Shoot for a state of Flow
- Rituals are good to have
- Organization is Key
- Make a list of what you want in Life
- Believe in the fact that you will get it
- Work really hard
- Stay Focused
- Try to maintain a schedule
Teesha's blog is here and her website is here.
Carin Andersson
I recently received the following email response on the blog page of this website in response to my post of 9 January 2014: "I am so happy to see what you have done with these stamps. I made these designs in 2000 for Stampington & Company.
You have done a lovely job with your art. All the best from Stockholm, Carin".
I have been collecting Carin's stamps for the past ten years and have used them increasingly in my artwork both on paper and more recently on textiles. I was delighted when I found that the intricacies of the designs were retained when used on textiles.
You have done a lovely job with your art. All the best from Stockholm, Carin".
I have been collecting Carin's stamps for the past ten years and have used them increasingly in my artwork both on paper and more recently on textiles. I was delighted when I found that the intricacies of the designs were retained when used on textiles.
You can see more of Carin's work on her collage blog here and on her website here.
Earlier this year I added a pack of Carin Andersson designs to my Textile Collage range. Packs can be ordered here.
Earlier this year I added a pack of Carin Andersson designs to my Textile Collage range. Packs can be ordered here.
Adrienne Payne - Goth Glitz Designs
My Goth Journal was inspired when I met Adrienne Payne at a craft fair last year. She is a jeweller who works in silver and produces delicate and beautiful pieces. She trades as Goth Glitz Designs and can be contacted via her website or facebook page.
She won that rare seal of approval from Rosemary last Christmas when I gave her one of Adrienne's pieces.
PaperArtsy
The best rubber stamp designer in the UK is Leandra Franich at PaperArtsy. I have purchased their unmounted rubber stamps for many years. I was very disappointed not to be able to join them at Warrington last year when they joined forces with Lynne Perrella for what was by all accounts a momentous event. However, I eventually caught up with them at the Hobbycraft Show at the NEC. Here are some photos of Leandra demonstrating and husband Mark taking the cash!
You can see the full range of the PaperArtsy product on their website. Those familiar with my work will, no doubt, recognise many of the images which I have incorporated in both my paper and textile creations. Here is a flavour of the fabulous designs that can be obtained there:
They have now collaborated with Lynne Perrella to produce a new range of stamps based on Lynne's collage work
These images and many others in the series can also be seen and purchased on the PaperArtsy website.
Creative Recycling
Fiona Norton and Glennis Andrews sell their range of fused glass and other products from their retail gallery in Chorlton, Manchester. They continue to produce work of the highest standard utilising wherever possible recycled materials
You can visit their website by clicking here.
You can visit their website by clicking here.
Anne Leuck Feldhaus
Rosemary and I have been collecting Anne's work for over ten years. She produces pet portraits and urban folk art in strong colours. Her work is instantly recognisable and well known in Chicago and through the mid west of the USA.
You can visit her website by clicking here.
You can visit her website by clicking here.
Inge Clayton
We have collected Inge's work for twenty years and it was a great shock to learn of her death in 2010. In the early days we accumulated a number of limited edition prints of her nude studies but more recently had added some of her oil paintings. On her website is a link to a video of her painting technique and a downloadable monograph of her work.
You can visit her website by clicking here.
You can visit her website by clicking here.
Teesha Moore 1
Teesha Moore has been an enormous influence on my art work in recent years. She has created an art style of her own through her extraordinary art journaling techniques. She has made the use of rubber stamps in art work a respectable pursuit through the introduction of her innovative zettiology range. Her website is a riot of colour and inspiration which you can access by clicking here.
Lynne Perrella
My most read and thumbed through art book is Lynne Perrella's "Artists' Journal and Sketchbooks". I take it with me whenever I go on a train journey to have my ideas and inspiration topped up. She is the master of modern collage techniques and I recommend all of her growing library of books. She is a regular contributor to Somerset Studio magazine where her articles are always fascinating and inspirational. There are many examples of her work on her website which can be seen by clicking here.
