There's a stillness just before Spring bursts forth, and that is where I am, in that stillness. I'm waiting with the trees to put on a fandango of colour! As the days have drawn out I've enjoyed a couple of trips out...to Lincoln and to Oakham to visit galleries (find me at Itch Gallery in Oakham) and to seek out the new.
My bid to give up plastic for lent has led me down some new paths too. I've been enjoying home-made bread and home-made yoghurt. Shopping has become a different experience and I've sought out interesting farm shops and markets. I've also had a deeper appreciation for the handmade and hand mended. It's important to me to create art that is made from the heart with processes that tread lightly on the earth.
As I have crossed the landscape I have been inspired by the bare trees, layered up. Some conceal what is behind them. Some cast shadows. Some play with the light and create a dance of negative and positive shapes. It has been a fruitful time creatively and I have felt at peace with my creativity.
But now I'm looking forward to the growth, the colour and the energy that comes with the longer days. I'm looking forward to being outside soaking it all up. I'll be sharing time in nature and my creative techniques and response to nature on my Summer Sketchbook workshop on Saturday May 21st in Long Eaton. And in July there's my Back to Nature art holiday when you can join me for three idyllic days in the hills! And I've a Mark Making studio day on Saturday June 25th. I hope you can join me!
Over Easter I'm looking forward to getting my seeds planted. I have been shirking my responsibilities on the allotment but already Mr Hallows has some lettuces popping up in the polytunnel. I hope we get some warm days and to be able to get out on some new adventures. I'm taking part in 100 Happy Days to bring my attention to the small, joyful details of my life. There are many but I need reminding to stop, to look, to appreciate. You can follow my #100happydays on Instagram or Facebook where I'm also having a give way!
Visit, and like, my Facebook page to enter the giveaway.
I've been enjoying hibernating and reflecting on 2015. It wasn't an easy year for me and I've been looking forward to starting over with a new plan for 2016. I've been working through some online courses and books on creativity ahead of this year's workshops. On my workshop, 'Rest with Nature' on January 23rd, we will be taking some time for creative reflection so I though I would do some of my own.
Over Christmas I read Elizabeth Gilbert's 'Big Magic' which is a great reminder of the wonder of creativity and to tap in to the joy of it. It's got good advice for moving forward with your creative work and for riding out creative block. It linked in well with another book I read not long ago called 'Playing Big' by Tara Mohr which deals with how we can often hold ourselves back. In that, there are some exercise for helping yourself to move forward. When I worked through these, the mantra 'Believe in Yourself' kept coming to me. I will be using that as my affirmation for 2016.
Coming in to this year, I worked through Susanne Conway's 'Find Your Word' online course to find out where I should focus my energy this year. I came up with the word 'Believe'. I usually choose a word for the year and in the past few years they have been passive. 'Acceptance' is one that has popped up, usually about accepting my dual responsibilities of work and family. This year feels like a move forward. My word is more active and hopeful. It's about believing in myself and the roles I juggle and also about believing in my creativity and being present - filling my creative well and feeding my soul. And its about believing in the future and working towards some new goals. I'm going to take the time to write as I find that I connect to myself and my creativity when I write and I'm going to take some time away from home to get lost and find new places.
And as I reflect on the word 'Believe', I keep coming to the words, 'Leave Be'. I'm reminded of the prayer:
"God grant me the serenity to accept the things I cannot change, the courage to change the things I can, and the wisdom to know the difference."
And so I am going to try to worry less, to stop battling with life and to be less hard on myself and to let it be.
Whatever you have planned for the new year, may 2016 be creative and fulfilling. x
It strikes me that wherever we are on our life's path, sometimes just putting one foot in front of the other can be the hardest thing. You (I) can build an empire (ok, a small one) but if there's a break in the flow, it's hard to move forward.
Looking back at 2015 it has been a strange year. At the end of 2014 my health took a nose dive and so I started the year feeling very run down. Winter is a reflective time, but the time I spent with myself was full of negativity and I knew I needed to make some changes. I felt lost and blocked; creatively and spiritually. There's that balancing act in life of the relationship with yourself, and the outer relationship with family, friends and the bigger picture of the world.
I started working with a mentor, someone who could be a sounding board for a head full of conflicting ideas; someone who put me at the centre of the picture who would help me shape my life according to my dreams. And so started a journey towards more self awareness.
In connecting to myself again, I learnt to prioritise myself and to care for myself. I started to write and to use positive affirmations to fuel my heart. I took my life and looked at each and every part and I came to a renewed understanding of being me. I went back to my centre. And in that space I was able to see clearly. From that place I was able to write about who I am creatively, my inspirations, and about how I connect to life. I found a resilience and a determination to use the gift of my creativity. With the encouragement of my mentor, I wrote from my heart about my connection to nature as my life force. I need my garden, my chickens, the sunshine, the landscape. So many of us suffer from nature deficit disorder and seasonal adjustment disorder because we are so disconnected from the energy of the land. So my journey became a project to express my needs, to express where my art comes from.
The CD that arrived as a result of these writings surprised me! It wasn't what I was expecting! I feel vulnerable sharing it with the world, saying 'Hello, this is me; this is what life feels like for me.' And yet, I hope there is inspiration in my words for re-connecting with nature, both to our own inner nature, and to the miraculous beauty of the world. In committing my response to the seasons into writing, and then as recorded spoken word, I found a new respect for myself, my creativity and the power of nature to heal. If we could all spend time with nature, spend time creating from our hearts, honouring our humanity I really believe the world would be a better place. Taking the time to honour my own needs has certainly made me better.
I invite you to share my journey this year in the form of the spoken word CD that was born from my reflections. On the CD I talk about each season. I notice the small details of my world, I talk of colour and the footsteps towards becoming inspired to create my art. I invite you to visualise the seasons, to dream and to imagine. And then there are some simple tasks for engaging with the outdoors - walking, collecting, noticing. In calling the CD 'I am Nature' I wanted to remind myself, and others of our own uniqueness, and the need to honour that creative voice.
So, looking forward to 2016, I am focusing my workshops on nature as source and running a series of seasonal workshops called 'Inspiration from Nature'. My workshops invite you, at any stage of your creative journey to come and put a foot forward, to have a beginners mind, to empower yourself that you can, to reconnect with your creative spirit and nurture yourself. They can be bought singly or as a series of four that will share the building blocks of my mixed media art. I will also be running an art holiday in the Derbyshire/Staffordshire borders on the 9/10/11 of July. Called 'Back to Nature', there are three days of walking, sketching and mixed media collage workshops. There'll be a supportive, creative, beautiful environment, including an outdoor hot tub experience in the shadow of the dynamic hills that surround the farm. It's going to be fun, creative and utterly restorative!
I'm ending this year on a high. I'm rested and reinvigorated and ready for all that 2016 has to offer. I hope you can join me at one of my events or exhibitions.
Celebrating the seasons has occupied the human spirit for millennia. In these fast paced days and artificially lit nights, I feel grounded when I go outside, observe what is happening around me and acknowledge the wonderment of nature. The simple gifts I collect, a fallen leaf, the fruits of my allotment and garden all bring me into the here and now. It is on these forays into nature that my mind is at peace and ideas for my creative work evolve.
So it is October (already!) and we are betwixt and between seasons. It has been a fine September of misty mornings and sunny afternoons and I've been absorbing the sun's rays as much as possible. I suffer from seasonal adjustment disorder and so it is a bitter sweet time of year. I love the sense of change of autumn. I love the sense of letting go. I love the rhythm of the days that equal the nights and the sense of sunrise and sunset that keeps a gentle beat to life. But in there I feel the retraction of the sun, the shift to cloudier days, nights drawing in. And so I try to find solace in capturing the memories of late summer, of capturing the sun in my work as a talisman to use on darker days to ward off the dragging greyness that winter can bring. I use the sun in my work to keep a light burning in my soul.
And it is that sense of capturing the sun, the autumn trees, the intense palette of reds, yellows and ochres that will inspire my next workshops, 'Shine Like the Sun' on Saturday October 10th in Long Eaton and 'Grow Your Own Art' on Saturday 17th October at Focus Gallery in Nottingham. Using multi media techniques with paint, inks and collage, students will create a collaged block, inspired by the season.
In the last year I have lost and found myself creatively. Established ways of working no longer seemed to thrill me and I felt disconnected from my art and creative space. I felt like I was ticking the boxes but sleep walking through life.
It has been a period of great vulnerability for someone who has always trusted their creative flow. I had never had the feeling of fear before when I sat with a piece of paper or a new sketchbook. I had lost the feeling of my creative destiny. And it hurt. Feeling blocked disconnected me from my inner self.
Last winter I started to write again. I loved to write when I was younger but the business of my days meant I had stopped Through journalling I was able to express my feelings and reflect. I was able to respond to why I create. I was able to listen to my heart. I unearthed a deep connection to nature as the source of my creativity. I recognised this in myself and my work but I had forgotten to honour it. I had forgotten to honour myself.
Through going in to nature I was able to heal my creative soul. I walked with my head up and saw the birds swoop. I sat in the garden with a blanket and absorbed the rays of the sun. The day of the eclipse of the sun was an epiphany; I treasured my life, my purpose and my place in nature.
I have taken sections of my writings and recorded them as a spoken word CD, 'I am Nature' - Creative visualisations for working with nature as inspiration.' The words are an expression of where my creativity comes from and how I use the seasons to create a rhythm for my life. In publishing this, I hope to share my love of nature and awaken others' creativity. It has been an exciting process to take my heart felt feelings and work with a team in bringing my words to life and into a format I can share.
Each section is a narrative of the season and is followed by silent time for creative visualisation. There are short tasks to centre you in nature and nurture your creative process.
"I find myself in nature. It is my guide. I create with nature and my work celebrates my connection with the source.
My work is an expression of all that I feel when I connect with the earth. It captures a moment when all my senses are engaged in a creative epiphany. My expression of this is through mixed media art. However we express ourselves, art, music, poetry, we need to be open to receiving inspiration. We need to create a space, physically and spiritually to create from. There is a sacred space where our inner and outer worlds merge." HH2015
To buy 'I am Nature' at the early bird price of £10 (includes UK p&p) click here. And for international delivery here.
I would like to thank Fiona Pattison at Happy Press for believing in me and in this project. Also Craig Shaw at Happy Photography for his amazing photographs. And Piper Dawes at Calder Recordings for her patience in bringing my words to life.
Here is my wonderful class of Summer 15 who attended my 'Grow Your Own Art' workshop. We started the day grounding ourselves ready to grow our creativity and express what summer and growth means to each of us. I shared tutorials on papers, glues, symbolic art and how and where I get my inspiration. Each attendee created a unique, vibrant work of art that spoke of their own creative journey and their own experiences of summertime. It was a pleasure to see all the work at the end of the day!
I will be running the 'Grow Your Own Art' workshop again on the 17th October in Nottingham and also a new workshop 'Shine like the Sun' in Long Eaton on the 10th of October. You can find all the details on my website.
I've a whole new program of workshops planned for 2015, the first of which is on Saturday 27th June and is called 'Grow Your Own Art'. It is the first of a year of workshops connected to the seasons. My work is inspired by the seasons and I feel a strong connection to the seasons. Last year I became disconnected. I suffered a period of creative block. As I gained success with selling my work I had less time for the areas of life that connect me to my soul, for gardening, for walking in nature. There was a lot of doing and not a lot of being. The journey back to myself has seen me falling in love with all those activities that I had forgotten about, or prevented myself from pursuing in the busyness of life. So I have fallen in love again with yoga, with pursuing my spirituality. I have taken the time to reconnect with nature, to embrace it, seek out the abundance of life. And oh, that nourishment has been good for me! As I have filled up on inspiration there has been a gentle sing song from within as new ideas sing forth. I'm currently translating that creative song into new work to show later in the year.
I have discovered that creativity cannot be lived in a 9-5 format. It can't be a 'job' with a clock in and out time. It is a calling from the soul. And answering your soul when you are juggling life can be hard. In my new workshops I want to share my process for connecting to yourself and your creativity. I want to share my techniques and help you nurture your own visual language and confidence on your creative journey.
The first of these workshops will be inspired by growth. 'Grow Your Own Art' is about growing your creative confidence and expressing that in a collage that is an affirmation of life. You'll create a collaged artwork inspired by summer and the fervent energy of nature.
This workshop is held in Long Eaton, just off junction 25 of the M1. Easily accessible by train or bus. More information on my workshop programme for 2015 is here.
Here is my workshop plan for 2015! I'll be running a Collaged Landscapes workshop every season, so four across the year. They'll be held in Long Eaton at the Long Eaton Art Room. The Long Eaton Art Room is a charity funded art centre/studio complex and after a few years of fundraising, the teaching room is fully fitted with sinks, toilets and disabled access. Long Eaton is just south of Nottingham, off junction 25 of the M1 so is accessible by car or train to Long Eaton station. There's plenty of off street parking at the Art Room.
Student work 2014
student work 2014
student work 2014
So, the dates I will be running my one day course are, February 28th, June 27th, October 3rd and November 7th (all Saturdays).
During the day I aim to introduce you to the techniques I use to create my landscape collages. There is an introductory talk about my work, creative development and inspirations. Then there is a morning workshop creating papers to use for mixed media work, and an afternoon session creating and collaging a landscape piece. It's an intense day of ideas to invigorate and compliment your own creative practice, be that painting or textile based. Some experience of drawing is useful, but more than that is a willingness to try new processes. Because of the time constraints of the day (10am - 4pm), there will not be time to try the stitch processes that I use in my work but I can give advice on that. You'll go home with papers to use and a small collaged landscape based on sketches and photos that you bring to the day.
Places are limited to eight. The day costs £65 and includes cake! There are cafes and shops near the venue to buy lunch. If you have any questions or would like to book, please contact me through my website www.helenhallows.com
If you would like to buy a place as a gift for someone else, gift vouchers are available.
One of the highlights of this year has been running Yoga & Creativity workshops with Lindsey Watson of Chandrayoga in Loughborough. Inspired by the seasons, we have offered one day retreats that are a mix of yoga, meditation, great food, and a creative collage workshop centring on imagery from the season and personal affirmation. Because of their success, we will be offering these special days in 2015. More details are on the Chandrayoga website. If you can't wait until next year we have a beautiful day planned to coincide with the Winter Solstice. "Stillness of Winter" day retreat will be held in Loughborough on Saturday December 20th 2014. We hope that it will be a day that gives sustenance and inspiration for the dark days of midwinter. Places are £60.
I really hope you'll join me in 2015 and share my creative journey!
I had the pleasure of being invited to run a workshop on an inset day for art teachers. There was an exciting buzz in the air as creativity was unleashed! Some were from digital or photographic backgrounds and enjoyed the challenge to their neat and tidy tendencies. Others were new to stitching and broke through their fear of getting behind a sewing machine. Some took their work to new scales working long or large. The outcomes were really dynamic.
If you are interested in attending a workshop you can find out more here. Or if you would like to talk to me about running one for a group, please click here.
