Studio News February 2025

Feb 95 min read

abstract landscape painting in pink green an dblue

What makes you happy?

It could be any number of things....

a coffee and catch up with friends;

a family celebration;

an ice-cream on a sunny day or a swim in the ocean....

These things can all create feelings of intense contentment in the moment, a joy and happiness that surpasses anything else. But they can also be fleeting and not necessarily easily replicated to the extent that they bring you the same quantity or quality of joy time after time; they're subject to possible variables that are out of your control:

a coffee spill;

the balloons go pop;

there are flies on your ice-cream;

you tangle with a jellyfish.......

But what if you could access that state of joy, happiness and contentment intentionally, whenever you wanted to?

I'm starting to realise that it's possible....with practice.

This state is called 'Flow'.

'Flow' is a psychological concept introduced by Mihaly Csikszentmihalyi, an American-Hungarian psychologist, describing 'a mental state of complete absorption and focus in an activity. During flow, individuals experience a deep sense of involvement, leading to heightened creativity, productivity, and satisfaction which leads to feelings of happiness and fulfillment.'

To get there takes a degree of intention. Cultivating a daily art practice, having a dedicated and accessible workspace and a goal of some kind whether that's to start a painting, experiment in the making of it, or to finish it; these are all ways we can help ourselves get there.

It's also necessary to have a willingness to let go of any conscious thoughts that might be holding us back.....about hanging out the laundry, walking the dog, or mowing the lawn.

But most of important of all I think, is making a commitment to set aside any natural propensity to be critical of our work too soon, judging it's value before it's finished, seeing the visual problems as permanent flaws rather than new goals to work on.

Sometimes as artists we realise we've experienced 'flow' during an art making session only after we step away from the easel at the end of the day and we are aware that time has slipped by and become irrelevant, and we have been in a state of 'self-forgetting', thinking only about the work, the energy within it and moving it along with paint, and in my case paper.

When I leave the studio at the end of the day feeling lighter and happier and utterly content it's not because I'm necessarily thrilled with the progress I've made on a painting that day; I might have tackled any number of compositional, colour or process related challenges, but it's because I've been able to access the flow state, and that's where I have come to understand, I am at my happiest.

There are many things in my life that bring me joy and feelings of contentment and satisfaction, but being in a flow state with my work is a powerful and enriching experience that I feel enhances my creativity, and ultimately the sense of satisfaction I have for the work that I'm making.

And this kind of happiness is strangely addictive.

Is it any wonder that I paint everyday?

Strangeland is taking shape......

As you know, I tend to work in series and often it's not until I've completed several paintings that I become aware of the threads that are binding the works together. Sometimes these threads are practical and process related and sometimes they're more conceptual.

My new Strangeland Series is starting to evolve with these thoughts in mind:

I’m practising intentional detachment from conscious and directed thought, as I’m finding that this better supports a productive liminal space for creative action to happen without interference from a natural propensity for critical judgement about how the work should evolve. This approach is allowing me to pursue and invest in, a tangible conversation about colour, form and my mixed media process. The resulting work evolves from highly chaotic and random paint and collage beginnings into settled dreamscapes, where I find myself presented with a multitude of visual journeys to experience. As I step away from the work and my mind reverts back to a conscious state, I am unable to fathom how the work has been created.

I have five larger works underway, stay tuned for those!

What's On.....

Noosa Art Gallery's group show of work by local emerging and established artists is on until the end of February. A range of workshops and classes are now available too - check out their website for more details:

https://www.noosaartgallery.com.au

This group show by Royal Queensland Art Society members is on until the 16th February at Petrie Terrace Gallery in Brisbane. Pop in and take a look if you're in town!

The gallery is open Wednesday to Sunday 10am to 3.30pm.

Aside from painting there's always plenty of admin to do.....

With a lull in exhibition deadlines I've been busy updating my website with a new gallery page, that's hopefully easier to view and navigate, along with new prints and framing options in my shop. I've plenty more uploads to do over the coming weeks, including prints of some of my older works.

I welcome your feedback!

Gallery

Shop

abstract painting on a blue wall above a yellow couch

And last but not least, is this the first date saver of the year?

Nothing like planning ahead.....

The dates for this year's Noosa Open Studios art trail event have been announced - so I, for one, have it now firmly on my horizon. Treat yourself to a fantastic 10 days of art filled magic here in Noosa and the surrounding hinterland. Visit painters, textile artists, photographers, sculptors, ceramicists and more in their studios and creative spaces. Explore the local gallery scene, attend a workshop or take home art treasures direct from the artists' studios.

You can keep up to date with what's on via the Noosa Open Studios website and newsletter: