Artist-Dave Sotogi

I seem to spending more time trying to do something art related than actually doing it.  My posts have been very sparse at the moment as life has been quite a challenge. 

The past week has found my hubby on bed rest with pneumonia.  He was first diagnosed with a chest infection but none of the medications seemed to be working so it was back off to the doctors and onto some stronger meds.  He is not one to rest so the past few days have been a challenge for him.  It has been a long time since he has had to rest this long.  Sometimes I think these illnesses can end up being a blessing of sorts,  they certainly change perspectives.  Sometimes the only way we do rest is by forced rests.

Amongst all this I got the opportunity to go to a business meeting on Friday night and hear Dave Sotogi speak about his journey as an artist.  He was very inspiring and very informative.  His work is amazing and can be seen at

http://www.desotogi.co.nz/

 

He is a New Zealand artist who works in oils.  He is a very versatile artist.  He can paint beautiful realistic portraits and abstract work.  After his presentation I was able to speak to him for about 20 min and to gain some insight into how to progress as an artist.

I came out of the meeting feeling inspired,  recharged and motivated. I want to share some of his advice with you if you want to go further with your art

 

• Fake it till you make it.
• Work hard at what you do
• Enjoy what you do.  
• You have been given a talent....use it
• Think outside the box
• Know your market
• Don't buy into snobbery,   rise above it
• Keep your life in balance
• Keep practicing
• Have your own space if you can
• Believe in your work
• Know what you want from your art
• Make it happen,  only you can
• Have supportive and talented people around you
• Live your dream

 



Last month I sent out a challenge to you all to do something kind every day.  I did do that but forgot to write them all down......sigh I think I need to be kind to myself more so I can remember to do things. 

The rewards of being kind every day were huge

• A better attitude to wards myself and others
• A happier house
• More loving feelings
• Feelings that I accomplished something each day
• A sense of bonding with other people
• A feeling of peace in my heart

Some of the things I did were

• I wrote a letter to each of the best children in the world......my own
• I didn't retaliate when someone was mean.  I gave service back
• Told someone they looked nice
•  Remembered to ask a friend how her appointment went and listened as she told me about it
• Make baking for a family in need
• Visited with a friend
• Sent an encouraging e-mail
• Sent a text to a family member to see if they were OK
• Let someone tell me about all their business ideas
• Gave thanks to the Lord
• Gave thanks to my mother
• Phoned a sick relative
• organised the kitchen cupboards (a real kindness to our home)
• Went tobogganing with my children (my legs didn't feel to good the next day though:)
• Discussed a scripture with a friend to help them through a problem

M Russell Ballard said a honey bee only gives 1/12th of a teaspoon of honey in its entire short lifetime but this small act of service contributes to a large pot of honey, enjoyed by many.   Collectively together our small acts of kindness make huge differences in many peoples lives.

Can you do one thing a day to be kind to another?

  I challenge you to do so this month. 

Please let me know how you get on.  I love to hear from you. 

 

Sketching

My sketching has been quite spasmodic over the past couple of months.  I am really missing it but I am struggling to find the energy to do it.  So I have decided that I need to simplify how and when I draw and not expect so much of myself.  The task need breaking down into small manageable chunks. When I first of this idea I found it hard to think of breaking something down that was already quite a small project.  But after a bit of thought I found there was a few ways  I could do it.

• Buy a small sketchbook.  It isn't so intimidating or hard to fill
• Draw only part of something
• Use water colours with a water pen so it doesn't take so long to set up or clean up
• Use inktense pencils and then add water another day
• Draw the outline of a sketch one day.  The next day add more detail and the third day add the colour
• Draw a simple design and re work it in 3 ways
• Go through the book and add colour to each page so opening the sketchbook isn't so intimidating
• Break down the sketch into a few parts that can be come back to through out the day
• Enjoy the moment that can be grabbed rather than worrying about the lack of energy or time.  Do what you can
• To save time choosing a topic choose a theme to work on per sketchbook and stick to it. 
• Plan the night before what you are going to sketch the next day.  Making a choice the day before saves energy thinking what to do the next day

 

How do you manage to fit in you sketch booking? 

Let me know I love getting your comments :)

Leftovers

Do you find that that you have lots of bits and pieces left over after a project?  I always end up with strips of quilted bits,  bits of stuffing, and lots of left over fabrics.  They all look wonderful so I never want to throw them out. 

When I do a scrapbook page I use all the left overs for making cards with or saving for the next page.  It never seems that easy with material yet it can be.  The last 2 Mondays I have shown you two ways to use left overs.  One was to make little patchwork blocks and the other to make a quiltlet a day to machine quilt on.   What other ways can we use little bits of fabric and left overs?

1. Make new fabric from little bits and pieces. 
2. Mini quilts
3. To applique onto larger material
4. To crazy quilt into larger fabric that could be over dyed or printed onto or appliqued onto
5. To gift to children to use for their many artistic projects.
6. Collect all like coloured bits and pieces ad put into jars for future projects
7. Cut into snippets and iron onto vlisofix for backgrounds for quilts
8. To catch into pockets on a cushion or another project

Over the next few weeks I will go into more details on how left overs Can be used. 

How do you use your left overs?

I love to hear from you! So please leave a comment so we can collect more ideas!!

Left over fabrics-make a quiltlet a day

I have found another way to use those pieces of fabric, scraps of batting that I can't use for big projects.....playing card sized free machine quilting practice pieces. I have cut up fabrics and batting a card size.  Then every morning I sit at my machine a quilt it in what ever way it takes my fancy.  I use those reels of thread that have only got a little left on them first.  This sometimes means the threads don't match the backing but that's OK as it pushes me out of my comfort zone with colour ways.  I get surprised at how well some colour schemes actually work. 

 

1. Cut up scraps of batting a similar size.  Mine fit in an ice cream container for easy storage

 

2.  Cut up bits of left over fabrics or "failed" fabric a similar size to the batting rectangles

 

Chose a variety of fabrics to work with.  This makes it more interesting and challenging.  Add a a backing.  I use off cuts of my backings from other quilts.  Use plain colours or surface design fabrics to quilt on.

 

3.  Quilt a little quiltlet a day

 

 

Experiment with shapes and colour

 

 

 

Make a journal entry for the day

 

 

Practice swirls,  geometric shapes and faces

 

A testimony quiltlet

 

 

 

Experiment with contrasting unusual colours

 

Try cross hatching

 

combine a picture and patterns.  A wee owl on a branch

 

 

Put patterns onto other shapes

 

It is amazing how much you can improve each day just with a little practice.

 

 

 

 

  

'Failed' fabric

Well you are all probably wondering where I have been over the past month?  Between a few Internet problems,  family challenges,  sickness and taking time to smell the roses :)  my blog has unfortunately been the one thing I have had to put aside.  Life does get like that some times.  It just takes over and things that aren't top on the priority list have to be put aside for those things that are more important for that time.  I think important things change too.  Sometimes I have to take priority and other times my kids or parents take that place.  It is all about management of time and working out what to say yes and no to so that some sort of normalcy is kept in our lives.



I have been condensing my sewing supplies.  They have metamorphosed into a monster out of control (many of you will know what I mean)  Just how many cotton reels or pegs does one need :)  I was forced into this job when I realised my boys were ready to go back to drawers after having a box for their clothes for the past 18 months.  So my 2 drawers in my sewing room had to be returned.   After a week of work my room is sorted.  I ended up with a giant box to give away and 3 rubbish sacks of rubbish (where does it all come from?)   During my clean out I found a lot of fabric I had made that  I now didn't really want to make into anything.  the thinking cap went on....what could I do with this discarded fabric? 



Questions I asked myself

• Can I get all this fabric to work together?
• Can I make contrasting blocks that work cohesively?
• Will the varying textures of fabric be compatible?
• Will I be able to create a work of art from discarded and "failed fabric"?



 I decided to cut all the fabric into strips and to make some striped patchwork blocks and take the chance to see if this could work.  There was nothing I could lose (apart from fabric that I couldn't use any where else)

 



 Patchwork isn't really my thing but doing it like this with no plans and no precise cutting was rather liberating and dare I say it......fun.  I have been making on every day to start the creative juices flowing.

What to do to make your own fun blocks from "failed fabric"?

1.  Straighten up the edges of the fabric
2. Cut into strips varying in widths.  I made mine between 2cm and 6 cms.
3. Cut to the length you want them.  I had 2 lengths so I can have 2 different sized blocks
4. Throw the strips into a container
5. Pick out any colour and stitch it to any other colour of fabric.  Don't choose the colour pick it randomly.
6. I put approximately 8-9 strips per block but you could choose any number you want.

 

 

A couple of complete blocks

 

 

The effect with all the blocks next door to each other.

 

I love the uniqueness of the blocks and how spontaneous this process is.  The next question is how am I going to put these all together?







 

The kindness chronicles

"I want to be kind to everyone 

for that is right you see

so I say to myself remember this

kindness begins with me"

(song from the children's song book at our church)

I love this song.  It was one of my favourites as a child.  It helped me remember that I can't make others be kind to me but I can always be kind to others.  Too often in our world people spend time finding fault with others and blaming others for the communities problems without making any effort ourself to help the community. One way we can simply help making changes in our communities and families is to just be kind in our attitudes,  comments,  acts and serve others.  

This months acts of kindness I have seen

• A teenager getting up and doing jobs around the house without being asked when I wasn't feeling well.  This was so wonderful for me that I didn't have to do any washing, dishes, or cleaning for a whole day.  Just bliss!
• A motorist giving way to a cue of cars who had been waiting for quite a long time in road works.
• Someone phoning me to see if I am feeling O.K.
• Receiving a compliment on my character from one of my students in my marriage class I am taking at church.
•  My daughter taking care of a friend who had a concussion injury.  She watched and didn't leave her alone for a few hours so she would know if she needed any help.
• My daughter had the guts to tell friend she was concerned about her drinking.
• My husband taking a chicken to the vets because of how upset the children were about it getting injured
• My son seeing I needed help and just getting to work and doing jobs that needed doing.
• A friend stepping in on an awkward situation and assisting to help sort it out. 

Challenge for the month: 

 I challenge you to do one thing kind everyday this month and to record it.  

Let us make the world a better place one act of 

kindness at a time