My Father's studio: 50+ years of art & research.... & following your heart

Pavilions in the Parks 1968

Things are changing in life. They always do; things never stay the same and I've learnt it's good to be able to go with the flow of change (although not always easy).

My eldest sister who I get on with sooo well is moving to France. I wish her luck but I know I will miss her. My parents are reaching a grand age and with that comes a time for support and care to switch positions. The four of us siblings are gathered in London this week (maybe for the last time all living in the UK) to help my father clear 50 years and more of his own art, research and well, many, many other things in his studio. 

Given that ArtLacuna only opened May 3rd and we've just whizzed through, at high speed, a series of events (that went really well by the way!) I am thoroughly exhausted, and clearing out my father's studio is, well, a MAMMOTH TASK. 

Currently we are scratching the surface. But what I'm finding is an intriguing history into the life and times that is my father. When I say unusual man, anyone who has met him can claim testament to that. He has had the strongest conviction in life to do what he feels he has a calling to do and it's a very unusual one. I respect that in him and in fact I respect that in anyone. Maybe that's where I get some of my own inspiration from in life to do what calls me - it takes practice for some (like me) though! I am even in a show with him next month (watch this space).

I found images of him as a young man with Buckminster Fuller - I realise he had the guts and compulsion to contact those who inspired him requesting to work with, or visit them. I realise this is a format for many who have had 'success' in their chosen field. Contact; connection and the confidence to do that. Try it too?

I have found art proposals for things he did that I never even knew about (see image at top). Fantastic proposals for amazing art projects (he went to Central St. Martins and the RCA back in the day) and I am both enthralled and inspired.

In that studio are gems that are objects, but there are also gems that are thoughts, ideas, ways of life, projects, research. The things that make me giddy with excitement because they hold potential, because they connect, because they push life and daily existence beyond the mundane parameters that it can so often have, and they are not objects. Oh to create adventures, to pursue connections, to realise ideas and to manifest 'art' as a way of life - that is sooo exciting.

I will share a some of the photos with you soon (if I'm allowed) because they are so amazing. Another thing that arises out of those who like art - lots of photos: taken in large format; unusual format; black and white; documenting a life, an existence, a history. The buds of a new project are forming in me too. In a world with so much emphasis on celebrity culture which at times I find empty I am inspired by the less heralded lives of those who have done great, interesting and life-changing things. I'd love to see more of that too. But maybe the secret is, as Gandhi says, to: "be the change you wish to see in the world" - my favourite quote that's been at the bottom of blog since its inception.

Try it too. Do what you wish to see in the world. This brings me nicely on to a friend of mine who contacted me recently telling me about her latest adventures. We originally met through Art (Mel did a degree at a similar time to me and we used to go to art salons together), but Mel who is an idea's fuelled inspirer is doing lots of wonderful work with others using her business skills as well as creative skills and so together we've teamed up for a wonderful offer........

The Immersion Experience

Mel works with women who are freelancers and small business owners and helps them develop strategies and vision to excel in both business and life. She has a fantastic event coming up centred on: Confidence, Vision, Action, Time Money + more. As a friend I'm able to offer anyone who signs up via this blog an amazing £100 off (original price £297) the event on May 29th. If you wish to sign up and/or find out more, head over here: The Immersion Experience. Mel and what she does is amazing, I guarantee it will be fab :) You can tell me about it afterwards if you go! ;) You can also connect with what Mel's doing here: @GetOnPurpose and if you would like a taster, there is a free webinar this Saturday 25th May: womenonpurpose.

Speaking of purposeful women, I've just discovered this project if you wish to take part via @yokoono: http://www.imaginepowerarising.com/

I will be back soon with more.

Amelia.x

PS the experimental art e-course is going well, the experimenting has begun, if you wish to join in with us there are still a couple of spots left! 

PPS thank you to all those who shared words of support regarding my post below. All is well I do believe :)

dedicated to the person who left me a spiteful comment & How To Be a Revolutionary book

Forever; mixed media collage with graphite, 2013 size: 12.5 x 9cm

This post is about why I created the experimental art e-course. I'm getting ready to run the next one (it starts Monday) and after writing a post about the blissfulness of doing one's 'life's work', I get the first ever really spiteful comment left on my website for me alone to read. I'm always open to comment and feedback (after every course I always send out a feedback form). However, I find it intriguing when people make comment anonymously - those who can't own up to their feelings? Know they are being purposefully spiteful?

I'm not perfect and nor is anything I do, (or anyone does for that matter). Life is plain shit at times and no-one knows about the times I virtually have no sleep to get the thing that I'm doing perfect for me and for others (my art & my course) and no-one here sees the times I weep over family commitments and hardships that involve being a lone parent, runner-of-a-household and carer of AS alongside running my own business.

It was for some of these reasons above I designed my e-course. For busy people who get overwhelmed by life, but at some possible midnight hour they might want to snatch something for themselves that involved being absorbed in EXPERIMENTING and PLAYING and so I designed the course with activities that encourage going back to being a child in the way we access these things. Adult life can be too serious, too heavy, too prone to 'professionalism' and the perfect way of doing things. So here in this course I give you permission to be child-like and playful again, taking the onus away from being dry, academic in approach, and technically 'correct' in technique. 

There are many ways to approach art and creativity and after teaching art within the community in various settings I noticed people often wanted to get creative but didn't know how to approach the blank white page, or they would get overwhelmed (and often put off) if they couldn't paint or draw a masterpiece first go!! And I noticed how people didn't do art or be creative when that's all they really wanted to do. 

I've put so much energy and thought in to my course. And I always look for ways of improving. I've now extended the course to 8 weeks as there is so much packed in there and I gathered I needed to slow it down for people. I'm also posting sketchbooks out all over the world for those taking part, along with hand-assembled collage packs of beautiful reclaimed papers, photocopies by me and bits I've collected - why? Because I love what I do. I love doing art and I want to share it with others and the world.

Who knows, maybe I won't continue doing art courses as I often want to spend more and more time doing my own art but there is an impulse to share art that often draws me. I look forward to doing each and every course. And I'm fortunate enough to have grown up with a father who taught me about techniques that art-school never taught me - maybe the more traditional techniques, and so I have a good base in many ways of doing art. I feel lucky from that point of view. And as luck would have it I've been invited to be in a great show next month including my father and Frank Bowling - watch this space! 

Right now the days are long as I wrestle with the statementing procedure for my son at school, as I attempt (with three others) to get a great public art business off the ground (ArtLacuna), whilst still doing my own art - and thanks to those who recently bought pieces from me at The Revolution Will Not Be Televised - our first show at the new premises.

I wrote a book - each one individually hand-written - that I gave away at the show. Celebrating the invisible labours of love those of us do who are parents and/or running their own businesses. Many people insisted on making a donation (very heart-warming), the title: HOW TO BE A REVOLUTIONARY. Well I thank you person who left me a spiteful comment. You've confirmed for me how much I believe in what I'm doing and I won't stop. And I love sharing with others and you've shown me that the more I put myself 'out there' I will probably get people who will challenge me and I may crumble or I may fight. What maybe you don't know, is that because I was once at the lowest point one could ever go, I made a resolution with myself never to go back there and to live life on my own terms and that's what I will continue to do. I hope you are happy with whatever you do too. I send love to you.

Amelia.x

PS I have one book left (How To Be A Revolutionary) that never made it to the show because it's still at home being made and I will give it to the next person who signs up to the course (you can be new or you can be a returner!) along with your collage pack and sketchbook. (the book has now gone but there a few places available if you want to join us!)

because your life's work is meant to be BLISS

Dear all,

I'd just like to share that my working day is here at 5.30pm, the sun is shining brightly and those wintry winds have well and truly gone. I sit in the garden with the warmth on me, the sound of trains whizzing by at the back of my country-looking bank of grass (even though I am in the middle of a city!). The birds sing to each other and I am sneaking a glass of wine in the diminishing day.

I have been invigilating down at ArtLacuna - yes, a dream come true! A space I can call my own (with 3 lovely art friends); a work in progress; a piece of art in itself. We opened on Friday night to a full house and appreciative sharers. And Saturday - a delightful day for my first art workshop in the space (meeting some new people and other lovely people who have done my e-course). We made artists books, ate cakes and drank tea, chatted and art-ing ensued.

I still avidly study books that support me in understanding how 'life' and creation works. I'm deeply interested in spiritual and philosophical 'stuff'. From childhood, I've always wanting to understand how 'it' works (life). I feel I understand a little more at each stage of my life, and as I research, more understanding develops.

Picking my youngest up from school today we both sat in the local second-hand bookshop scrummaging for goodies. He in the kid's section, me of course in the art (and science) section. I love that smell of musty, vintage books. The promise of something forgotten and exciting about to be discovered. The anticipation of learning something more about my favourite subjects amongst the leaves of new and old forgotten books. I managed to find this, this and this.

And now the week's shopping is done, and the tea is cooked I can sit down and write this. And share with you that surely when you find your life's work and purpose, it really is this good. It really does feel 'right'. No doubts, and no questions. Deep down we just know. And it is true what the books I read say; that the more you dare to follow your passion, your love, and your dreams, the more they come to meet you, the more the doors open and the income will come - as hard as it is to trust in the beginning, it's important to do so - close your eyes and jump. I can only say this now as I look back; sharing from the other side of 'shittiness', and  what I know to be true from my own experience. But if it means that by one share that someone too dares to dream their dream then great!

The sun still shines and there is still more childcare and housework to be done. But I know that tomorrow I am at the ArtLacuna space, that I get to do an art session with some-one I really like, and I can't think of a better vocation than the one I am doing; one that I love!

"Once you make a decision, the universe conspires to make it happen."Ralph Waldo Emerson

Here's to more art and dream-bearing in the world. Today is a good day to live your purpose.

Amelia.x

What can I say?

Saints & Sinners, 2013: found book pages & photograph (you have to read the small print too!)

Life is hectic. Good hectic. So maybe a list today of things happening:

:: getting a final statement through for my gorgeous son (high functioning aspergers needs help within school, oh and life!)

:: ArtLacuna launches on Friday - are you coming? (so much to do and still to do!)

:: Making some art today (see image above and here with another on Pinterest)

:: Been finishing off some artists books ready for Saturday

:: and this board makes me want to make a 100 more!

:: and there's still plenty of time to join us for this!

"Creating your dreams takes patience, persistence and commitment. Trust that whatever you are experiencing right now is perfect for your growth." 

From this book

Here's to building and creating dreams one step at a time.

A.x

4 ideas for art-work...and The Revolution Will Not Be Televised

After visiting this show last week, I've become a little intrigued with the following concepts and wanted to share them with you - you might feel inspired to create art-work around these themes too:

- PRESENCE and ABSENCE
Working with tangible traces; interactions with the conceptual and the personal, the artistic and the spiritual; can you erase which in the process reveals a thought, an idea, a notion, an event, a presence?; can presence create an atmosphere? 

- CHANCE
close your eyes and point; snap through the camera without looking to see what is revealed; take hints from random books pages/paragraphs; ask questions of another and interpret and record the answers; look at the rivers in colour; collect conversations - and use as starting points for work

- BETWEEN ART and LIFE
the 'ready-made' evolved as a fusion between life (what already existed) put into the context of art, revealing a space between art and life. Practice a; change in perception; an appreciation of what already exists and re-contextualise it; hold the concept that what you do is art - it can create interesting dialogues and ideas or create new views on old or overlooked things, or things we find mundane or take for granted....

- EXCHANGES

I love the idea of exchanges: make work with others; send something in the post to be added to between friends/artists; exchange ideas; collaborate; create together and see what emerges. We're doing something similar for 'The Revolution Will Not Be Televised' show opening next month at our new ArtLacuna space - read the press release here.

~

I am working away on my free hand-made books for this show to (for those who come to visit), it alludes to invisible labour - not just my own, but many unseen hands and hearts that do work no-one will ever know about. Labours of love. The image above is from my son's room. It touches on ideas around presence and absence - I choose never to show pictures of my children on my blog - yet by showing this absence of 'him' it reveals a presence - things I have to manage on a daily basis that no-one will ever know about or see and why I've chosen to share invisible labour in a different format in my hand-made books.....

Workshops:

There are still a few places left on my artists book-making workshop on Saturday 4th May if you would like to join us: http://artlacuna.org/workshops

Pinterest:

I've been tinkering with Pinterest and decided to create some boards to show work in progress, ideas and some finished pieces too, you can see/follow here: https://pinterest.com/ameliacritchlow/

Experimental art e-course:

People are signing up to the new and refreshed 8 week experimental art e-course with bonus content and FREE sketchbook and collage pack (papers hand assembled by me) want to join us in May? Oh, and you might like an opportunity to join in with this - I've teamed up with Kesha Bruce for a great give-away ;)

Back soon,

Amelia.x

making a living or making a life?

'How To Be A Revolutionary' books - work in progress - would you like one?

Recently whilst the weather rains, and the coolness still weaves through the world round here, I've been hunkering down with one of my favourite and most fascinating books. A read that rocked and changed my world about 15 years ago. For some reason it felt time to revisit it once again.

Content that struck me this time round:

the difference between making a living and making a life.....

This thought has been on my mind. Many things are tied up in this - firstly yes! it's about making a life, not simply a living - one is life enhancing, the other (to me) can be a stranglehold - I'm sure you know which is which - but do they have to be mutually exclusive?

Choose first in life what you most wish to do, then build on it bit by bit, brick by brick - this is what I've been doing with interesting results (and the journey's not over).

It's about: TrUsT too - how much can we, me, you, I, trust the process will unfold as we wish? That's another key; wishing and imagining as opposed to 'wanting' (which brings the experience of wanting).

Next, how do we do something without DoUbT? It's a challenge that takes practice. The attitude of gratitude; being what we want first, brings the experience in reality. Instead of doing to get, we have to be something to get. Continual, continual practice in my world has come about from hating some of the toughest things I've experienced. From: why did that happen? to, how can I change it? Searching, seeking, wanting to know how I could gain back control. And years later I'm finally beginning to see a pattern emerge......

It's about going within and spending time there which then reflects outwardly - a tough one, yet do-able.

ArtLacuna:

ArtLacuna has felt a lot like the above: a dream, a wish, a collection of thoughts I would play over and over in my mind. I would research the concept, ask questions, imagine myself there, see how others had done it, ask myself how I would do it. I'm still playing that tape in my mind. I'm also doing it collectively, the dreamtime is spun across four of us, not just me. This too is an interesting experiment and challenges me to be in the moment, to be CREATIVE rather than REACTIVE.

We are still planning, decorating, paying attention to detail, painting, publicising, plotting ideas. We have 10 artists lined up for an exciting MASH UP show opening May 3rd, (oh, and there will be our Film Festival too) and I have a book-making workshop on Saturday 4th May which is already filling up - want to join us? I have been making some of my own art books to show you on the day + just bought a gorgeous artists book from Daniel Moreira which I will bring along to inspire.

Doing art with others thrills me. I'm drawn to art as a life-style as it ties in with the whole process of creation. If I can play and take control of my art, I can do the same in life. And if 'you' can do it, I can do it too.

What means even more to me is I am doing this as an independent person. No-one is supporting or paying for this other than me. I am a single parent and have had to be strong, and independent. I think this is so important and valuable for women. We are more capable than popular media may at times, lead us to believe. Dream big and see it happens, whoever you are, and whatever your situation. I'm doing it for my children too. See what is possible, see your potential and what you are capable of, and make the world your oyster - resist being a victim of circumstances as much as you can dear children.

Amelia.x

The Battersea Museum, ArtLacuna (film festivals) + my next e-course

Museum Of Battersea Park

And so the big freeze continues. A blast of sunshine today, yet still within a bitter wind. I am focusing hard on things involving art and creation so the harsh weather doesn't depress too much, (including mindfulness on my own thinking to combat creating a negative world around me!)

And so whilst walking today with youngest in the bitter wind and glad-ful sunshine I had the idea for a museum from Battersea Park (see image above), a tiny bit of art in amongst the school holidays - as any parent will say, school holidays will diminish the ability to delve deeply into creating and getting into the art - or any work - zone - and so I take snippets just to keep going. Next up I have to draw each one of the things I've collected. Try it too? A mini sketchbook anyone?

ArtLacuna:

Speaking of mini sketchbooks, the most exciting thing in the world right now: WE FINALLY HAVE KEYS TO ARTLACUNA premises. Some of you may remember way back on my MA I dreamt of opening a 'shop' (an experimental art project) with friends, and it appears that some serious thoughts and hard-work later we have begun to realise this. In fact we have our film festival ready to launch in May as part of the Wandsworth Arts Festival - if you're a short film maker, you can enter film/s for selection here: http://artlacuna.org/film_festival

Apart from the fact it's school holidays, I've been down to the premises clearing rubbish and down to the tip. We need to build and redecorate, clear the decks and plan, instal lights and a mini-shop area and oh so much more. It feels so thrilling to dip into the creating of dreams and see them manifest, although it is hard work and will continue to be hard work especially as I learn more about myself and about others - but I am up for the challenge in every way. We have one week left to raise much needed funds here: http://www.sponsume.com/project/artlacuna, so if you've thought about joining in but haven't yet, please do. Hugs across the net will abound, not to mention your art reward!

I will be running a live workshop there on May 4th: 'making your own stitched artists book', filling it with collage and ink & pen delights - if you would like to be first to know when sign-up for it is live drop me an email or comment. I can't wait :)

May 2013 experimental art e-course:

And speaking of art, and mini museums (inspired by this book: The Joseph Cornell Box: Found Objects, Magical Worlds), I'm ready to launch the dates for the next e-course. After extensive feedback from previous courses I will run it as an 8 week course, starting May 20th through to July 15th to give those who are busy more of a chance to dive in and experiment. So if you're interested, head over here: experimental art e-course - I currently have my early bird offer on £100 until April 14th, then it goes up to £120! Grab your spot now if you're ready to experiment with me.

I look forward to art-ing in many ways over the next fews weeks and months!

What are you creating today?

Amelia.x