The Power of Engagement

Recently, on Aspire Gallery's Facebook page, I shared a fairly innocuous post from Frankie Magazine's Facebook page, calling for knitters to jump on board and knit teeny jumpers for penguins in rehabilitation.

See original post here

"The jumpers" Frankie wrote, " were to prevent birds caught in oil spills from cleaning toxic gunk off with their beaks". Even a free knitting was provided.

Penguin Jumper Pattern

I didn't think much about it apart from all being dreadfully cute until I was sent the following linked comic. The comic inferred that although it sounded lovely and big-hearted, the jumpers would distress the penguins. The jumpers instead were being placed on toy birds.

See original post here

So being a factual person and wanting facts I went straight to the source, Penguin Foundation, Phillip Island and discovered YES, the jumpers were still wanted.

Knits for Nature
"Knits for Nature is an ongoing program that begun after a number of oil spills near Phillip Island in the late 1990s to early 2000s, the program continues to support little penguin conservation on Phillip Island through knitting in a number of ways. The Penguin Foundation raises vital funds for little penguin research, conservation and the Wildlife Clinic through the sale of little penguin jumpers we receive that are the wrong size, shape, type of wool or in excess. These can be purchased at the Penguin Parade gift shop and are part of our Adopt a Penguin Pal kids pack. We have a good stockpile of jumpers suitable for rehabilitation purposes which we also distribute to other wildlife rescue centres where need be. Little penguin jumpers are also used as an educational tool to teach students and others about the devastating effects marine and coastal pollution has on marine wildlife and the environment."
See original link here.

However, what I was most interested in, is, how this story is a wonderful example of the power of getting people involved, and how such engagement can collectively raise awareness and ultimately funds to a cause. The Penguin Foundation could have rattled tins or ran television advertisements - but by allowing people to become part of a solution they achieved a far better end result.

So, let's translate this to the design and arts community. We have in this world a group of passionate, creative people who think outside the box and take chances........WOW.......imagine what can be achieved, if this group acted as a collective whole.

We have seen examples of this already happening. Calls for changes to Intellectual Property Law through submissions and petitions have created written changes to Design Registration and The Royalty Scheme.

However, it a movements such as Yarn Bombing that creates the momentous waves that ripple through the world. Yarn Bombing is street art that involves colourful displays of knitted or crocheted yarn that reclaim and personalise sterile or public spaces. It also has encompassed many agendas - from the promotion of the craft industry, awareness to the wool industry to social and humanitarian causes i.e. the homeless.

See original post here

See original post here

Original post here

This engagement of people, or people power should never be underestimated. It can create change and benefit yourself personally in the process.

The concept of Aspire Gallery, could be thought of as idealistic, but I THINK NOT. That would be underestimating the people who become involved.

I think creating a simple formula that allows awareness, sharing, encouraging and promoting which is the concept also behind Aspire Gallery will allow everyone to flourish in the process. 
I will keep you up to date on the journey.

Kreative Kisses,
Donagh

Evoking Emotion Through Art

Aspire Gallery Online is starting to have some beautiful art listed. Most of the pieces evoke a lovely sense of beauty, restfulness and calm. I am hopeful that these pieces will find homes soon and subsequently extend these lovely responses to their new surroundings and their new viewers.

Recently, I posted on the Aspire Gallery Facebook Page the following quote, and I discussed how people often forget about this point when viewing art:

see original post here

My work ( as shown below ) for example tends to create a nice, happy, feel-good feeling. That is probably because I use art as a form of relaxation and meditation and tend to let my pieces form themselves without much planning beforehand.

It is imperative as a viewer to remember that when art evokes an emotion it doesn't have to be a lovely pleasant emotion. Even, if the viewer feels a sense of disgust or is uncomfortable, the art piece is doing its' job well.

Sometimes, art can create the feeling, " What is this? " ," I don't understand." , " This is not art." But that is the point - the piece is making you think. Niggle at your boundaries and make you question. Art is making its' voice heard by making you find your own.

Below are examples of art | FABRY contemporary's work who is exceptionally good at doing exactly that.

See original post here

Art can make people address issues they perhaps may not wish to address - whether religion, politics or sex. It is by addressing such issues, discussion, debate and subsequently tolerance or resolution can be established. 

This is of course, is in utopia. The power of art unfortunately, can also scare people that require order through control. Even, here in Australia, in our relatively free and safe country - artists in Queensland had a mass exodus during the the conservative political reign when Sir Joh Bjelke-Petersen was Premier (1968 - 1987). During this time creative and questioning minds were not welcome. Some artists involved in the 'Right to March' protests were even locked up a result.

Below is the flyer that was used to promote the ' Return to Sender ' exhibition at the UQ Art Museum, held in 2012. 

"'Return to Sender' is an exhibition of works by artists who left Queensland in the late 1970s and early 1980s, largely in reaction to the political and cultural milieu of the Joh Bjelke-Petersen era. While the exhibition is inspired by this exodus, it also invites a focus on ideas that were then circulating in Australian art, especially in Sydney where many of the artists were based.

The exhibition comprises works made during the 1980s and early 1990s that employed photomedia in still or moving images, some linked to performance-based practice". 

Original link here

Imagine other countries that are not so safe and free the voice art can have.

With the political unrest in Kiev, capital of Ukraine we are seeing such a voice and it is creating an impact. Revolutionary art is being shared through the internet, making people aware who may not be, turning an issue into a world-wide issue. Furthermore, art being a visual medium, and created through the hands and heart, it allows such a message to become even more poignant than a television or radio news broadcast.

See original post here

So, as a creator we need to think about the voice we are imparting through our piece, and as a buyer we should also carefully think about this concept.

Do we wish to purchase a lovely feel good, relaxed piece - maybe perfect in our reception where a calmness needs to prevail?

But, for our dining room do we wish to have a piece of art that evokes conversation, encourages debate and becomes the catalyst for further stimulating conversation?
I think perhaps, YES.

Kreative Kisses,
Donagh

More Happy Accidents

The past few weeks have been fraught with challenges both resulting in success and failure.

I know I have said before that the online website is getting closer, but this time I really mean it. I am doing the run through again to ensure no glitches - then off we go... finally! It will be a big relief if everything is fine, because then I can present another platform to the wonderful creative artwork out there.

Unfortunately, I haven't been able to focus completely on finishing due to some other unforeseeable circumstances that required priority. That is an interesting fact - that you may be all set to focus in one direction and then you head in another.

I was thinking a little about that fact as I was taking some brief downtime. Often, I will start a painting with a firm idea in my head - I may even have an inspiration piece in front (it may be of a particular style I am trying to emulate) - but, the end result does not follow the way it should. That is why my best pieces, are those that paint themselves. I work with the accidents that happen and take delight in them. I listen to how the painting should form, rather than how I want it to form.

With the painting below, I had recently started doing two things.
1. I was painting with a smooth ARCHES paper and
2. I was painting on my old drawing board which I had angled as if I was going to draft.
This combination of course immediately made my painting start running - but guess what? This 'accidental running' created an immediate sense of movement. How I was going to paint the horse and jockey then became an obvious progression of steps.

I will say though, it was frustrating to have my tissue box and palettes keep sliding down the angled drawing board. But, once again, I compromised with some resting spots nearby and solved this problem too.

Sometimes, other creative pieces can be happy accidents. Take the lovely mosaic pot below for instance - it has achieved beauty through the placement of found objects. Yes, some thought needed to go into exactly where the pieces were placed to avoid perhaps a jarring clash of colours or texture. As well as this, there was obviously some thought in creating contrast, blue against yellow, pink against green; however, most of the pieces were more randomly placed with no clear pattern or thought in the mix. In other words, it really created itself and doesn't the end result look beautiful!

See original post here

I think it is very important for an artist to listen to their own creative insight when they create their work. I believe that once they have learnt the basic techniques, they need to truly trust themselves with how they will use those techniques to create their work.

Lastly, I am going to include two photographs I have recently discovered on Facebook.

The first one I think is probably the result of a happy accident. One old discarded teapot, that was perhaps too pretty to throw out which led to an alternative pot plant container of sorts. It worked well and looked good, thus leading to a collection of strung, teapot pot plants. The end result is not only creatively quaint but also appealing installation art.

See original post here

The second photograph is obviously planned work, but the original concept is not. We have all accidentally unwound a roll of toilet paper and watch it drape over the space in its' way - perhaps, one has even rolled down the stairs in its' progression. It looks classy, yet it is cheap throw away toilet paper that we dispose of  without thought.

This artist has taken this concept and planned their work to illustrate an elegance and a class. In doing so, the humble toilet paper has created something that wouldn't look out of place as a setting for a high- end wedding.

See original post here

Kreative Kisses,
Donagh

More Than One Way To Look At Things

People often ask, "Why consider an online art gallery? Why not concentrate on establishing the physical gallery first?"

Establishing my online gallery was originally started for practical reasons - the physical building still required some renovation work - and was planned as a quick alternative to show the wonderful work that is being produced by the many talented artists.

However, creating an high functioning website was more complicated than originally thought.

So why persevere?

An online gallery opens alternative and wider doors to help artists, designers and craftspeople's work be noticed - which a physical gallery does not have the ability to do.

Hence, the main benefit of an online gallery is greater publicity. The artist, designer or craftspeople's work can be exposed to numerous visitors to the website each month as opposed to the number that actively visit a physical space. This in turn, increases your customer base either directly or via word of mouth.


This quote taken from an insightful Facebook page certainly emphasises this point.

See original Facebook post here

Let's relate this to art. Newsprint is a low-cost, non-archival paper most commonly used to print newspapers, and other publications. It was designed to be a throw away medium. Yet artists have looked at this material with new eyes that subsequently has created  some quite remarkable results.

Elizabeth Armstrong has used newsprint as a base on which to layer her paints (see below). This has resulted in a lovely subtle textural effect.

See original Facebook post here

Below is an example of my work in progress. I have chosen to create a collage with the newsprint as the background. Not only did I like the concept - a medium with a limited lifespan, as a newspaper / magazine - but this related to the theme of my piece - that beauty in today's society is also classified as a limited asset. Furthermore, I chose words on the newsprint that related to beauty and age........

Another artist that uses this clever medium to create a collage is Sara Riches. In this case Sara uses the newsprint as layers to represent the wind swept skirt. The paper itself acts as a sharp contrast to the other more detailed work.

See original Facebook post here

In Sara's second piece - newsprint is not used. Instead Sara has chosen the more elegant piece of sheet music. This creates a very whimsical feel to her figure.

See original Facebook post here

Newsprint, or other written medium is just one material that can be used to create an extension of the feeling the artist is trying to convey. It simply creates inspiration for creativity.

Kreative Kisses
Donagh

Contrast and Colour

Aspire Gallery Online is slowing progressing. I am in a desperate need to start painting myself and find most of my time is spent more on editing and the intricate nuances involved with the website. However, creating the website is not all about dry programming, the aesthetics are of equally important......It is these two contrasting elements that need to work within the constraints, yet remain balanced, that will make the website appealing.

A clever artist can also manipulate contrast to create a desirable piece. Contrasting colour in an artwork, for example, can make the work pop, yet also remain balanced.

So, how does an artist achieve this?

One way is to use complementary colours, because when placing complentary colours next to each other they appear brighter and more intense. Providing complementary colours are used in a ratio effect, they will also create balance to the eye, yet at the same time make a component pop.

In simplistic terms, complementary colours are opposite each other on the colour wheel  (example: red and green).

However, a better definition is that 
- the complementary colour of a primary colour (red, blue, or yellow) is the colour you get by mixing the other two primary colours  Hence, the complementary colour of red is green, of blue is orange, and of yellow is purple.

- the complementary of a secondary colour is the primary colour that wasn't used to make it. The complementary colour of green is red, of orange is blue, and of purple is yellow.

Artist, Claire West Painterprintmaker creates wonderful contrast through complementary colours - see example below.

Claire West Painterprintmaker

See original Facebook post here

Another artist that uses contrast effectively with complementary colours is Marie O'Driscoll

See original Facebook post here

See original Facebook post here

And, jewellery designer Marie les bas bleus  also uses complementary colours to create contrast magnificently. 

See original Facebook post here

See original Facebook post here

Analogous colours can also create contrast, though a little thought is required. Analogous colours are colours that are next to each other on the color wheel and thus when placed next to each other they create serenity.

To create contrast with analogous colours - choose one colour to dominate, a second to support and a third colour  (along with black, white or grey) as an accent.

See original image here

Another way to create an effective contrast is to use analogous colours in the rainbow effect. This works because although analogous, the eye doesn't stay focused on one area but scans the whole and identifies differences.


The Creative Crochet Collection

See original Facebook post here

Below is a mix, can you identify where complementary or harmonious has been used?

See original Facebook post here

Lastly, only one colour but an amazing list of contrast being created, through tone, shape or texture......all very clever.

Pantone Color

See original Facebook post here.

Kreative kisses,
Donagh

Mistakes - A Blessing or a Curse?

The first part of Aspire Gallery - Aspire Gallery Online - is getting closer.
It is looking beautiful and will provide a wonderful opportunity for artists to showcase  their work.

Unfortunately, the technology involved in creating something that seems so simple, is mind-boggling. The easiest way to relate the website's development is to undertaking a very complex maths sum at school...........make the slightest  mistake and the whole outcome changes.........Remember, the frustration of having the wrong answer and having to scroll back through every line to find the error? Now, triple this ten-fold and it will explain the situation I've been experiencing.

It is not so black and white with mistakes in art and craft though.

In knitting, if you drop a a stitch, your piece loses the intended form. You can try to hide your mistake by adding a stitch or stitches in a later row, keep going and be happy with the variant, or you can unravel the stitches back to the mistake and correct.

Mistakes in art and craft become subjective. Sometimes, the beauty is in the mistake and a piece  becomes more appealing because of its' 'flaw'. This is especially so in watercolour.

Backwashes in watercolour are usually accidental in nature. They occur when you lay two different washes close together and one happens to touch the other, the wetter of the two will flow into the other. Water - spotting is when water is accidentally spilt and damages the watercolour.

Both of these accidents, to the traditional water colourist can spell disaster. However, such mistakes can have a wonder in themselves. I get quite excited when they happen accidentally in my work and create their own unique quality.

More so, it is when water spotting and backwash are used in combination wondrous effects can be created. It is just knowing how to use such accidents to your advantage.

For example, when clear water is dropped on a very wet wash a soft and subtle effect is created. When water is dropped just before a wash is dry the effect is harsh and creates hard edges. The drier wash is less likely to flow back into the water to soften the edge.

Interesting backwash can be achieved by touching the edge of a wash with clear water. The pigment gets pulled away and concentrated.

The example below shows where the pigment is being pulled away.

Some artists like Björn Bernström, deliberately use such a technique to form the basis on their work.

See the examples below.

See original image here

See original image here

Kreative Kisses,
Donagh

Inspiration

Nikki Monaghan. Artist

I'm feeling inspired by my beach trips the last couple of days!

I wonder whether this artist is being somewhat ' tongue in cheek ' with the title, but perhaps not. INSPIRATION comes from all sources, even the most unexpected, and that is what creativity is all about. 

I am trying to get my head around all the technology of posting on a blog, but my goal is to share lots of creative ideas that will hopefully inspire.

Please feel free to give me links to other sites you find inspirational.

Today, for example, I was most impressed by a Facebook post by The Threads Studio. It not only posted a photograph that inspired inspiration, but went one step further and showed how to achieve your desired inspiration (see photos below). Very clever.

See original post here

See original post here

Facebook, is in fact quite an amazing inspirational place in itself. Photographs that exhibit an almost 'lost and found' subtly can provide inspiration for watercolours. Artists can be shown ideas, methods or skills that they have never even thought of. Some quotes can just make you think - which may in turn develop into further exploration.

Presently, Aspire Gallery's own Facebook page is trying to do that a little........inspire and to spread creativity - two wondrous traits that just makes the heart feel happy.

Also, look at Aspire Gallery's  PINTEREST. There are some beautiful pieces of work that, again, are inspirational themselves.

As for me, I am trying to find inspiration for my own wet-on-wet watercolour figures and a way to simplify them to purely beautiful forms.......a much harder skill than I imagined.

Kreative Kisses,

Donagh

Aspire Gallery inspires to aspire

With a background in design and art I get great enthusiasm from wonderful creative people and the objects or art they create - hence the concept for Aspire Gallery was sown.

Aspire Gallery is an actual physical building that is still undergoing the final finishing touches before it opens.

Once opened though it will be a creative hub, offering jewellery cabinets, plinths and wall space for lease to both emerging and established artists, craftspeople and professionals aspiring for greater exposure and recognition of their work.

It will also be a place that will host exciting art, craft and design workshops.

In the meantime, I am in the process of opening Aspire Gallery Online where you can list your work for FREE that is easy to use and navigate.

A Facebook page exists to keep everybody in the loop.

I also want to connect and spread inspiration, but as not to continually clog everyone's newsfeed I have started this blog. 

SO WELCOME.