"She wandered away from the ball... into the shadows with the key, secretly wishing she could really take flight, just like the pretty creatures she was about to set free"
A new painting to share today and a peek into my studio where another winged creature is currently in creation ...I just can't wait to see how she looks when she's finished and then I will tell you the magical story of how she originally came into being!
Its Friday and its time for this week's new Free Printable Jounal Page! Number four in my series. To read more about this project please CLICK HERE!
Have the happiest weekend, let your cage door open, print this pretty out and write down all your thoughts about setting your heart free!
P.S. if you would like to keep recieving them in your inbox each week for 2012, please subscribe to the Butterfly Collector blog!
Moon Veil. Copyright Shae reid 2012
Moon Veil is a painting I finished this last week. I wanted to express the beautiful and sometimes torturous cycle of what I and so many women pass through on a monthly basis. Layers, feelings, emotions , joy, ups and downs. Things that need to be expressed, shared, written down, thought about, meditated upon, birthed a new, celebrated and worked through.
Sometimes feelings, pain and emotions that seem to have a hold over you, that you can't shake away or control. Sometimes we need to be very still, listen and think about these and why they are present.
I especially wanted to share this after being given the gift of watching an amazing film called The Moon Inside You ... a film that questions, raises myths about, challenges taboo's, asks the world about and celebrates the female cycle and the gift of life it can utimately bring.
A must share with your daughter ... and even your partner ... to understand you a little better! You can watch a preview HERE!!!!
I have spent my week painting angels and birds and girls with pink bubbles so I decided it would be only fitting to make this week's free printable journal page a winged theme!
My writing on this page will be about soaring with my creative wings ...what will you choose to write about?... Growing Wings, Lifting off, Soaring High into new adventures? Listening to your Angels or asking for their guidance? Print it out and tell them everything your heart wants to say...
Flying this one over to the right side of my blog to join the others under the heading "Free Printables" and do subscribe to the Butterfly Collector if you would like to receive one in your inbox each week! A happy weekend to all!
confetti blossom. copyright Shae Reid 2011
Last November I embarked on a new creative journey when I signed up to start Rachael Taylor and Beth Nicholl's new DO WHAT YOU LOVE online course in Surface Pattern Design.
In a couple of weeks I start Module 2 of this amazing course with these amazing women and I am completely blown away by what I have learned in such a short time. A whole new world of colour and creativity has opened up to me using my computer and photoshop as tools to turn my drawings and paintings into repeatable patterns and new designs. I just can't wait to learn more!
And to further inspire me and fuel the fire to create even more I had the wonderful surprise of waking up this morning to find a couple of my designs featured (with my amazing fellow very talented students from all over the world)on the most wonderful PRINT AND PATTERN BLOG! Thankyou to Marie and Beth and Rachael for your wonderful support and encouragement!
Blooming in Lilac. Copyright Shae Reid 2011
And life is busy...I have coupled this course with another of Beth's DO WHAT YOU LOVE courses to turn all this creativity into a thriving creative business! This week I have thrown my heart and soul into class with mixed media artist Kelly Rae Roberts and have started HELLO SOUL HELLO BUSINESS! I just can't wait to see what creations, people and life changing AHA moments turn up next!
Musical Birds In Raspberry. Copyright Shae Reid 2012
A whole week has gone by and its time to write another journal entry. Here is my second Free Printable Journal Page for you to download to your computer. I hope you enjoyed using the last week's one and that it prompted you to write insightful and imaginative thoughts. This week's page in pink and blues and greys is all about wondering!
Wondering what to do tomorrow, next week, next year? Where you will travel, who you would like to meet, what you would like to create next! Or maybe you are wondering and wandering in daydreams of being brave ...in costume, in love, in adventure ...write it all down ... a single word, a sentance, a quote that inspires you or a whole page of prose! I would love to know your thoughts, if you would like to share?
P.S. If you would like to recieve them weekly in your inbox please subscribe to my blog's feed and I will keep posting them on the right hand side of my blog under the heading Free Printables ( just in case you miss one or would like another!)
Dreaming Of Pancakes. Copyright Shae Reid 2012
"Deep in the forest of her imagination, she slumbered and dreamt vividly that her bird friends would present her with a breakfast of pancakes with icecream and mayple syrup on her awakening"
This new painting will be available soon in my etsy shop as a print and card. Later today I will post my second Free Journal Page Printable!
the wise expedtion. angela petsis
Some Art finds and their creators I am smitten by and smiling with today...
Above ... Angela Petsis makes me want to jump into all of her colours and hues and dream...you can find her wonderfulness HERE!
Under the influence of butterflies. Vivienne Strauss
The Miss Vivienne Strauss has me smiling at all of her fabulous oils ... you can find her and all her quirky paintings and their titles HERE!
Transmission.Valerie Roybal
And Valerie Roybal is my latest inspiring find on my darling FLICKR ...you can see her wonderous collage HERE!
So much inspiration and now back to that crazy painting I am making with the birds cooking me pancakes for breakfast in my forest four poster bed! ...will show you soon!
Postcard. Shae Reid 2012
Hello 2012!!! Happy New Year!!!
I have been inspired to create a new project for myself this year and thought it would be a wonderful idea to include you in it too. I have missed making collages and art journal pages in the last twelve months, as I have been concentrating on painting illustrations for this amazing book that will be published this year. I am also currently enrolled in a magical course in which I am learning how to make collages, patterns and design in photoshop too.
And so I am setting myself a project for the year to play, to experiment, to learn and to create...
This is "POSTCARD"... my first Free and Printable Journal Page for the year. Please print it out along with me onto some lovely smooth paper or card and we are going to write a time travelling Postcard to ourselves sent through space and dated at December 2012. We can tell ourselves all about the amazing year we have had, the things we have acheived and goals and wishes we have completed! You can place it somewhere you can see it or stick it into your own journal. Look at it often to inspire you to take action to make these dreams happen, ask the universe to guide you and imagine your possibilities for 2012!
To print it out ...click on the image and right click to save it or download it on to your chosen computer file and then print from there...
My hope is to present one of these weekly here on my blog, with a quote, idea or thought to prompt us to think and write and dream, let our inner child out to play and take action to make our most wildest dreams come true too!
I will also post each one on the right hand side of my blog page under the heading "Free Printables" ...just in case you miss one or would like another! And of course feel free to write whatever you desire on them too, there's no strict rules to follow my suggestions! I do hope you will join me?
Please Note ... for personal use only. Copyright Shae Reid 2012
My Desk with Cheesecake and Coffee. Shae Reid Dec. 2011
Its the holidays ... beach weather. Time for sleeping in and books, lazy mornings and walks in the afternoons, spending time with my boys. Good food being created in our kitchen and treats appear in the cupboards. Daydreaming in my studio where there is coffee and wild cheesecake, working at night in here when my boys are asleep...I long to paint... boldly, big ...in pastel hues with indulgent brights added in to make my paintings pop! But alas... I am going through one of those frustrating moments where it doesn't quite seem to work. Too many ideas, too many directions, wanting to do so many things at once and then I am lost in the wonderment of which way to turn next, which way to weild my paintbrush.Experimenting with pen and watercolours, black ink and my computer to create new designs and patterns and then again returning to my paint box...wanting to create work that means something...to me...to someone?
Self Portrait with Jewels and Stars. Copyright Shae Reid Dec,. 2011
I know this will pass ... divine timing and ideas must come into play first and then it will all fall into place once again ... a new burst of inspiration. For now there is reading to be done,learning, the rediscovery of some famous masterpainters, welcoming a new year with friends and the completion of some speckled stars overlooking Venice and a white forest on canvas to be worked upon ...
Oh and I thought I should add in my ballet flat black glittering shoes too. I lost one of these to the sea, the tide swept it away when I wasn't looking ( a perfect little boat for an unsuspecting sea nymph?) ...I only got to wear them twice... oh well, things come and go, but here they are photographed to be remembered for a moment and maybe to be included in a future painting. Celebrated under our Jacaranda tree which is raining violet blossoms each day ... another inspiration from the window of my studio! Maybe getting lost is a good thing sometimes?
It Twas a few days before Christmas and I just wanted to pop in and say ..
"Merry Christmas to all my friends, fellow Facebookers and lovely readers of my Blog. I hope you have a wonderful time filled with love and friends and family in the next few weeks!"
And to share a little gift with you too... I just whipped up this batch of Feather and Bloom Gift Tags in my favorite colour... aqua! They are all ready for you to print out onto some card and tie onto those last minute presents!
Happy Holidays everyone! Shae xo
Today is one of my only creative days left before my boys start on school holidays. I have wonderful things to make and do, but wanted to stop in here first and share some things that have caught my eyes and ears lately. That have spun me around to stare, listen, be inspired by and create with ...
Listening to ... Florence and the Machine...Ceremonials and Boy and Bear's Moonshine ...Especially love this film clip...it makes you want to be a kid for the day and just create wonderous costumes...
Reading ... The History of Love By Nicole Krauss.... Some quotes from this book will stay with me forever.
In love with ... the blog of Elista ... paper cutting artist extradonaire ...every now and again the most amazing person comes along in blogland and completely blows me away with their passion for life and art. I just can't wait to see and read more from this woman! This print can be found in her etsy shop!
I love working on ... my pattern designs with Rachael and Beth. and being inspired by all the wonderful people in the course. Here's a few samples ...
lanterns. copyright shae reid 2011
lolly shop. copyright shae reid 2011
And Blog Posting... on my upcoming book's website all about me ...the illustrator and Brian the Author and we've added some new pictures and prose from the book over there too!...click here to read more!
Ok, must start creating for the day, going to get coffee, put some amazing music on and its time to work! Wish me luck to get a lot done!
The last two weeks have been filled with experiments with paint, paper, glue and lots of sketching with all kinds of materials. I am nearly half way through the first part of the surface pattern design course I am doing with Rachael Taylor and Beth Nichols.
So far we learning how to make motifs for patterns, find our own style, find inspiration all around us and I have managed to torture myself on Photoshop too. Fortunately with Rachael's step by step instructions and taking it very slow I am formimg my first patterns and I am so excited to see them come together. I promise I will show you soon! ... in the meantime I have had fun creating this new collage, patchwork style painting I've entitled "Apple Blossom". I loved making this from ideas in my sketchbook, playing with colours and added in pieces of vintage wallpaper, in fact I think I shall make more! Happy Creative Weekend to All!
Introducing Ugly Betty ... Who is actually not so ugly anymore! My beautiful friend Louise bought "a lovely brown and beige with peeling lino, renovators delight caravan" this year and with her very creative hands has turned it into the perfect place to have a tea party ...or a little SHOPPE!!! Betty is attending her second market tomorrow decked out in black and white checks, spots and stripes with a hint of red. Louise will display her label JUNK OWL which includes gorgeous handmade blankets, skirts, childrens clothing and re-fashioned jackets inside and she is even taking some of my lovely wares to share there too! So come and meet Betty ...at the Artefact Market ( formerly the Artists Market) in Geelong tomorrow and Piccadilly Market on the waterfront on Sunday!!! You can even win a family photo shoot in her too ...see the details on Piccadilly's facebook wall HERE!!!
In the Tank. Copyright Shae Reid 2011
On this Sunny Saturday Afternoon I finally am able to share a project in here that I have been working on for the past year and a half. I have been illustrating my first book for my dear friend Brian. Its been a wonderful adventure of collaboration and creativity that has brought nearly one hundred paintings to life that will be published and shared with the world very soon.
I just can't wait to hold a printed copy in my hands and see one of my greatest childhood dreams of illustrating a book come true!
Book Poster. Copyright Shae Reid 2011
Why Gold Fish Never Die is most beautiful to read and will compel you to think about why you are here and wonder how you came to be alive. Its perfect with prose, humour and short tales mixed in. A joyful and thought provoking journey with the Author and the characters we have created in pictures to help tell the tale.
I would love to invite you to visit the Book's Website, read a little offering of the book and write a comment on its very own blog too!...
www.whygoldfishneverdie.com.au
And to keep updated with all the Gold fish News, we now have our own facebook page too ...click HERE to join us!
Book Website. BY Choc Chip Media
If you go down to the woods today you might find an Enchanting Surprise ... my new greeting card and gift tag making kit ... all the Teddy Bears are raving about it and sending them to all the creatures in their abodes in the treetops and log hollows.
I have been thinking about making kits for my little Etsy Shoppe for a while now and this one has naturally evolved from lots of my sketches and paintings. It includes ten of my scribbles and brushmarks in lots of sizes plus fourteen more papers, tags and embellishments to play with too. Today some have snuck out of the forest and you can find them all packaged up in my Shop HERE!!!
Its the weekend and I have enjoyed a sunny Saturday with my family. We've been for a walk in the sun, eaten giant scoops of Gelati and had some trampoline, hide and seek and water gun play time too. And to top it all off I have been creating random and playful backgrounds with whatever colours and papers have taken my fancy today for some new paintings and I am enjoying starting to add some details in now too. I think my inner child is a happy girl tonight!
I don't show progress shots very often, but I think its nice to see and share how things evolve and change in the creation. I do love it when other artist's I admire share there work along its way to a finished piece and its also a little window into their world that is wonderful to see.
A happy Gelati Pastel Palette coloured weekend to you All!
Today I am sharing some things I am really excited about ....
I won a copy of Spaces! WooHoo! A book I have wanted to own for a long time and it came to me in a beautiful way! I love every page and some of my most favorite creative types are featured in it! Thankyou to the girls at Spoonful for this most wonderful gift! Sneaking off around my boys and reading it in bits with cups of tea.
I am very excited about starting Rachael Taylor's new online course ...The Art and Business of Surface Pattern Design. I can't wait to become her student and finally learn how to create my own designs I can convert onto paper products! She sent me this this little postcard above with one of her designs printed on it!
And I have statred adding in some new and pretty paper and ephemera packs to my Etsy store too, click over and take a look HERE!
Happy Tuesday with lots of Bird Song to All!
Journeys End. Copyright Shae Reid 2011
I have just recently finished this new painting! Its huge, its green with misty ghostly trees, its has special little pieces of vintage wallpaper worked in AND its about being on your spiritual journey and having an enchanting spot to rest and reflect upon all you have learned and experienced along the way!
I have included from my own desires a magnificent tree ( complete with singing birds of course) , a fabulous swing... because everyone needs a swing to lift the spirits of their inner child and a stripey medieval style tent to hide and sleep in and of course a sparkling tiara, gown and fiesty stead who I've named Bruce! ( after Bruce Willis, my favorite mega action hero who can accomplish pretty much anything!)
This masterpiece will be auctioned this Saturday the Freshwater Creek Steiner School Spring Fair. I am so excited about attending this year and I do hope this painting travels to live in a lovely persons home who will look on it always in joy and wonder!
For more information see the school facebook page HERE!!!!
A little random treasury of the things I am in love with, adore and that have brightened my day ...today!
The amazing Mister Rob Ryan's new and amazing papercut called MY Universe which can be found in his Etsy Shop here! and created in some of my favorite colours ...vanilla and jade. This man's art always makes me smile and makes me want to create art for others that makes them smile too!
Also quite smitten with Elixir's song Snapshot and filmclip from their new album. The artwork is truly gorgeous! I have been a fan of Miss Noonan's for years ...her website featuring Elixir is here!
I'm enjoying my new Spoonful Zine. A wonderful way to escape and spend a morning tea time. I secretly wish this little magazine was a much longer read, it always ends too soon and has too many beautiful things and words in it! Oh and by the way ...I'm on the lookout for some sparkly sneakers too!
Forward by Angela Petsis
And totally, passionately in love with this woman's artwork .... it just jumps into my soul and takes happy leaps on trampolines! I think I will be requesting an original as my Christmas Present this year! See more of Angela's work here!
Night and Sweet Dreams to you and the Universe and all the amazing things it is made up of!
Yesterday I found myself at a loss as to what to put in my Son's lunchbox... after seven years you would think I be a homemaking, organised wonder woman by now, but NO, I would rather be painting than be a Domestic Goddess! (Sorry Nigella!, I do love you though!) So with cupboards bare of interesting morning tea additions and a total disinterest in a trip to the shops I decided it was time to make some improv cookies quick!
I do love a creative experiment so we we took a look at the pantry shelves and came up with this with fingers crossed and hope in our hearts ...
Apple, Cinnamon and Honey Biscuits
Tip all of this into a big mixing bowl ...
One cup of plain flour
Three Quarters of a cup of Caster Sugar
150g of butter
4 tablespoons of honey
Teaspoon of BiCarb Soda
Teaspoon of Vanilla Extract
Half a cup of Coconut
Teaspoon of Cinnamon
One Cup of Rolled Oats
One Cup of the bottom bits of what was left of my cereal packets ...it had museli, cornflakes and apple and raisin bits in it!
Two small apples peeled and grated in
Mix it all together, roll into balls, place on oven trays with baking paper, cook for 15-20 minutes in a preheated oven at 160 degress celcius ...
And Hey Presto,YUM, who knew? They worked!!!! (Actually Nigella would be so proud of me, don't you think?)
Oh and P.S. I just had to share these gorgeous blossoms from my garden here ...our front courtyard has been blessed over the past week with a carpet of Blossom Snow! If it was just a little warmer I would lay out in it swooning and pretend I was maiden in a medieval empress dress from a Waterhouse painting!
A NEW Painting! YAY, its finished and HUGE! And at this moment I have entitiled it Daydreams at my Desk! Its ready to be delivered with three more canvas's to the Wool Museum in Geelong where I am joining 36 other local artists for the Geelong Revealed Art Show during the Streets Are Alive Festival this weekend!!! More Info here ... www.streetsarealive.com.au I am very much looking forward to meeting all the other artists and organisers and right now I am trying to figure out how to fit everything in my car along with two little boys who I hope are going to help carry everything in ...wish me luck!!!
Ooh La La.... so many beautiful things, so many pretty sparkles, so many wonderous colours, dresses, shoes, butterflies, paper, birds, girls ... so much inspiration for my paintings! Here are my new Flickr Faves for Spring! You can see them all close up and the lovely people and places they came from HERE!!!
I have collected so many bits and pieces to create my art with over the years and enjoyed using them all. I especially love my finds from antique, second hand stores and op shops... things that have been discarded along the way. So many of them I have found a new life for in my artwork, a new calling for their existence. It feels wonderful to make them come alive again, change their previous uses and to recycle ...something our Mother Earth so desperatley needs us to do.
There are so many bits here now in my studio that I decided it might be fun to package them up into pretty collections and send them out into the world once again and share them with my fellow artists.... and so The LUCKY FORTUNE EPHEMERA Collections have been born and are appearing in my ETSY SHOPPE! I can't wait to see them fly through the mail and be born again into the hands of another and made into a new creation!
There's just something about kid's drawings that just amazes and inspires me everytime and of course makes me smile too. I think maybe its that I like to try to imagine how they see the world along with them. They have such a natural sense of shape and design. The way they express emotion in simple illustrations but in such a way that evokes so much. I think we could learn so very much from them!
I have been keeping scrapbooks of my boys adventures in painting and drawing since they could hold a pencil/crayon/paintbrush in their hands, I love watching how the books are evolving and will always encourage them to do what comes naturally ...to express themselves from theie hearts! My plan is to never let them feel their creativity is being suppressed and to express themselves and to inspire others to do so also.
P.S. This is my little Eden's Rainbow! He's just turned Four. I like to think its having a little sleep in the corner out of the Rain ... just before it bursts into its Bow to Wow us all!