It’s been a bumpy few weeks. I find there’s nothing like a dose of nature to make me feel like I can breath easier again. Having the Botanic Gardens so close by has been such a treat. Just a quick drive up the hill and there we are, surrounded by soaring gum trees, gorgeous flowers and the quiet sounds of birds calling, happily punctuated by the occasional screech of a parrot streaking past overhead.

At the moment the gardens are putting on quite a show for spring. Some blossoms have already had their time and the bright fresh green of new growth has taken their place. Elsewhere some blooms, like the stunning red tulips, are in fine form, stealing the spotlight for now. It seems like each time I visit, something else has changed and different area’s of the Gardens are vying for the spotlight.

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Ok it’s kinda ironic, I know. But who better to advise those of us that make a career out of going in circles, than someone who has spent lots of time doing just that, and then worked out ways to get on top of things and get focused?! I’ve learnt a trick or three, and when I get serious, I can achieve lots these days.

Recently I had to give myself a bit of a shake and get that focused honed in again, and it got me thinking about what a problem it can be for myself and for many other artists I know. These are the things that I do to get moving again and on target. I’d love to hear what works for you guys and how you get on top of things again when it  feels like your just running up and down on the spot…

1. Make a Map

I have to admitt it, I’m a list maker. Seems you either are, or you have a strong aversion to it. If the idea of writing a list of your short and long term goals makes you cringe – try some of these other suggestions instead. After all, it can be awfully hard to get to your destination effectively without some planning in place.

Mind mapping is a great, visual way to go – try this online version called Freemind. Another online option for keeping yourself organised is Evernote – a brilliant tool for making to-do lists, jotting down your inspirational idea’s or even grabbing a screen shot for your records. You can even email a link to your friends so they can access your individual note books. No more losing scraps of paper with important notes scrawled on them!

If this much organisation is still too much for you, at the very least make a mental plan, setting your plan to a realistic time frame. Making these plans goes to work on your sub-conscience in an amazing way. I’m often pleasantly surprised when I look back over old plans, when I realize just how many of the goals that I had set myself, I went on to achieve.

2. Do the Ugly Jobs!

Nothing slows me down more than my own avoidance techniques when an ugly chore is nagging at me. It may be to do with my art, or it may be completely unrelated. If it’s the thing that keeps getting put off to another day, itwill be dragging you down mentally. Look within and see if the reason you can’t move forward with a project is because your actually tied up in knots about work your trying to avoid.

Pushing myself to make that uncomfortable phone call, do the boring prep-work or finish the painfully boring office work, frees up so much pent up energy that everything else becomes super easy again.

3. Exercise

Boring tip, I know, but it works. Nothing helps me to focus more than some exercise. When I know I have a lot to accomplish, I always achieve more the days I do my yoga. Again, you need to do whatever works best for you, but do something that gets your body moving.

Telling yourself your too busy to exercise is usually just a false economy. Exercise will leave you more energised, more effective and in a better frame of mind to tackle the day. In this way it gives you time back, so if it isn’t already a regular part of your routine, find ways to work it in to your everyday and make it habitual.

4. Excite Your Work Space

Make your working area a place of high creative energy. After reading a great article over at the Skinny Artist – “Care and Feeding of a Muse – Rituals and Talismans of a Creative Soul”  I realised that I take quite a scientific approach to this. I have a little system going that wakes up all of my five senses before I begin working.

Surrounding myself with visual stimulation is easy, I always have pictures of my painting subjects and other things that excite my sight such as beautiful flowers floating in a bowl. That fills the room with a pleasant scent as well. If I don’t have any flowers available, I find putting some orange or peppermint in the oil burner is fantastic for waking up my mind.

As with most artist’s I know, music plays a strong role in awakening my creativity, and I always have something I love playing. Touch is also taken care of since the whole painting process is textural, from the paints that I love to the brushes. Then lastly, I take this process right through to taste and begin every painting session with a strong cup of  tea, usually something herbal with lots of flavour. Then the only thing I need to worry about is not mixing up my tea cup with my water pot, and I’m set!

Whether you believe that you need to make offerings to your muse, or like me, you just like to activate your mind in a particular way, be sure to make your work space an inviting, creative place to be.

5. Tell the Perfectionist in you to Pipe Down and Just Watch you Get to Work!

This is the stickler. The last hurdle that I usually have to deal with when I’m really stuck and not moving forward. In fact, most of the other steps I take to get to here, are just clearing the way and giving me the energy I need to deal with this one. I’m sure we all have our own little motto’s that help when the worries and the insecurities creep up and overwhelm us. For me, it’s my mantra; “There is no perfect – Art is an expression – There’s no wrong in art – There’s just a time in my life when this expression is right for me”.

Wherever I am in my life, that is the right place, the only place, I can express myself from. Learning more, and gaining more experience, helps me to do that more effectively each time. Something I can only do if I keep moving forward.

6. Be Kind to Yourself

Lastly, but most important of all – be good to you. If the reason you can’t move forward with a project is actually because your exhausted, instead of pushing through, look at ways to create the down time that you need. If your emotionally drained, recognise that and do that special something that never fails to replenish your soul.

Life seems to rush along at a break neck speed for so many of us. And yet we are creative souls, all of us, and we can find ways to make things work. Look for those solutions that will balance your life and let you be the best and most creative you that you can be.

Moving forward can be just so hard some times. It can feel like wading through mud with all the obstacles that life will throw up in the way. Just keep on believing in you, and your own unique gifts that you give to the world. Be kind and respectful to yourself, hang on tight to your goals, and set those work routines that are habit forming. Even the best procrastinators can become quite focused and target their energy – take it from one who knows.

Australasian Grebe

Watercolour on  300gsm Watercolour Paper

A4 Size

It’s been fascinating getting to know the Australasian Grebe for this latest piece. While they might look at first glance like little ducks, they actually have no close bird relatives at all. There has been some recent research to suggest there may be a very distant relationship with Flamingo’s.

Grebe’s spend nearly all their time in the water, usually diving under water when approached, rather than taking flight. Their legs are located so far back on their bodies that they’re clumsy on land, though they can run short distances. Their toes are lobed for propelling them through the water, rather than webbed, as with ducks.

Their plumage is quite unusual as well – sticking out at right angles to their body and then curling over. They can actually adjust their buoyancy by pressing their feathers against their bodies so that they sit lower in the water with just their head and neck exposed.

In this piece, the Australasian Grebe is depicted in his breeding season colours, with the warm chestnut patch behind his eye and the fleshy patch on his cheek more yellow than in non-breeding season.

Technorati Tags: Australasian Grebe, Birds, Original Artwork, water birds, Watercolour Birds

These gorgeous little birds are a woodland species – very closely associated with Red River Gum Trees. They use their stout beaks to tear away the bark and eat the bugs and grubs they find there. The male has an amazing crest and black throat while the females throat markings are actually black with bright yellow overlaid, giving it an olive green cast. The females also tend to be smaller with a less distinctive crest.

The Eastern variety of these birds are currently listed as being of least conservation concern, however there is concern for the western subspecies which is suffering from land clearing and the Northern variety is so fragmented that it is not likely their numbers can be sustained and they will surely become extinct. It’s sad to imagine such a gorgeous little bird could disappear from the Northern regions forever.

The title for this artwork was inspired by the conservation efforts of the group involved in the Cowra Woodland Birds Program. The members are involved in a continueing survey in the Cowra district aimed at arresting the decline of woodland birds in the region. The reference for this work (used under license) was taken by the Bird Explorers, Kevin Vang and Wojciech Dabrowka, while in Cowra for the survey. You can find out more about Kevin and Wojciech and their work at their website ~ Bird Explorers or on their Bird Explorers Facebook Page

This piece has been completed for entry to the Peoples Choice Exhibit at the River Bank Gallery in Canowindra. It’s currently there on exhibit – please contact the gallery if you’d like more information~ http://www.riverbankgallery.com/?cat=11

“Woodland Birds of Cowra – Crested Shrike-tit”
Acrylic on canvas
12″ x 24″

Contribution for the #TreesForLife Charity Exhibition

“Hope is Green”

Acrylic on Card (acid free)

16 x 23 cms

With one eye on the future,
They hold a gentle hand on her heart,
And feel the Earth breathing,
In time
With the pulsing of the stars.

Technorati Tags: #TreesForLife, acrylic paintings, Charity Exhibit, Forest, Original Artwork, Trees

Happy to announce I’m going to be taking part in another great charity event ~ #TreesForLife Charity Exhibit. It looks set to be a great event, with thanks going to Trevor Jones for organising it, and giving us artists an opportunity to give back.

All funds raised will be going to the Trees For Life organisation which is an award winning charity working at restoring the Caledonian Forest. A long history of deforestation has reduced the remaining forest to only 1%. This year is the International Year of Forests, so now is the perfect time to support this organisation.

For my contribution I wanted to do something with a strong message. It deeply frightens me the rate at which land has, and continues to be cleared. And yet I’m a big believer in hanging on tight to hope, and doing what we can in a positive way.

This piece will tell that story in the best way that I know…

Concept Sketch -

Artwork title will be “Hope is Green”

Technorati Tags: #TreesForLife, Charity Exhibit, Forest, Trees

It seems my imagination has been completely captured by Autumn. I had been planning on working on a beach scene next, working from photo’s taken on an amazing birdwatching trip I took back in QLD.

I’ve been so captivated with the Autumn scenery here in my new home-town though, I’ve decided to run with a piece that reflects that instead. It was just feeling too out of kilter to work on a sun drenched piece when I’m so enjoying the here and now.

This little Silvereye visited our garden on one of the first mornings here. I love the way he’s looking up and the new growth on the rose bush is blushing with gorgeous rusty reds.

Technorati Tags: Autumn, Birds, Original Artwork, Sketch, Watercolour

The road trip to our new home town was a long one. Over 1800kms South, moving from a sub-tropical climate to a much cooler region.  The locals expect snow here this year, and a return to the sort of cooler conditions they had many years ago. Looking outside and feeling that fresh chill in the air I can easily believe we’ll get that snow. Not that I’ll be unhappy if it does snow – the change is a welcome one. I’m a cooler climate girl at heart, and revel in being able to rug up and head outdoors or sit in front of a fire in the deep of winter.

Seeing the landscape change as we made our way South was beautiful. There wasn’t lots of time for stopping (luckily I wasn’t driving or the scenic breaks may have extended the trip a week) though I did snap a few quick photos at the halfway mark; a country region that had magnificent views of the mountains all around and hundreds of birds.

A huge flock of Cockatoos, that were too shy for me to get close to, decorated the trees like Christmas ornaments. Their noisy screeching was our alarm call in the morning, as they abandoned their evening roost for the day ahead.

Onwards to the next town and we arrived too tired to do more than eat and hit the sack. Sleep didn’t come easily though, so in the early hours of the morning we gave up, and headed to our new home town. The different environment was obvious by then, with huge trees all around dressed in their autumn colours – something I’ve been so taken with since my time spent in England. I’ve had my camera snapping away ever since we arrived. My love affair with autumn is passionate.

The difference in the wildlife found in this region is noticeable too, particularly the bird life. The most striking so far being the Crimson Rosella who coloured a grey morning in my backyard the second day we arrived.

Tiny little Silvereye’s seem to visit regularly here too – feeding on the nectar from blossoms in our garden and the hundreds of aphids attacking the poor rose bushes. Quite a feast for the gorgeous little things. Galahs are quite prolific as well, plucking seed pods from trees and making their presence well known with their noisy banter.

Now that we are settled, and I have finally received my brushes out of store, I’m keen to get back to painting . It will be interesting to see how this change in environment impacts my work. I certainly feel excited about new opportunities I may uncover here, and inspired to get creating.

Technorati Tags: Artwork, Autumn, Birds, Photography, Wildlife

The title for this piece took me longer than usual to concoct. Usually naming a piece happens very early on for me – helping to give the painting a focus.

With this piece I knew my goals, though a title still eluded me. The moment caught on camera was a pause in the swamphen’s busy striding about the lake. A minute later and they were back to their dance – dashing about, occasionally leaping up to grab a branch, with those fascinating toes, to pick food from.

So a pose held in the middle of a dance, it seemed to me. Perhaps the Purple Swamphen lacks some of the elegance of the swan – though they do have a beauty all of their own, and loads of character to boot!

“The Dance at Swamphen Lake”
Acrylic on wood panel
61 x 45cms

I’m happy to announce that 10% of all Lilly Beck Art sales will now be donated to the Wildlife Alliance. This includes purchases of Lilly Beck Art prints, posters and greeting cards sold via Redbubble.

I’m thoroughly impressed with this organisation and their approach to the awsome work that they do.  Their Mission and Strategy takes into consideration the local people in the area’s where they work – balancing human needs with forest conservation, wildlife rescue, protection and care.

With the help of purchasers of Lilly Beck Art products, I look forward to supporting this great organisation.