Showing posts with label Painting. Show all posts
Showing posts with label Painting. Show all posts

Monday, November 28, 2016

5 Hobbies #FridayReflections

Unfortunately I missed the Friday Reflections prompt last week and I really wanted to write on my 5 hobbies and why I love them. So thank you Sanch for the prompt this week - write on any November prompt.

Dictionary.com defines a hobby as "an activity or interest pursued for pleasure or relaxation and not as a main occupation".

When I was young I collected stamps and postcards.  I still have my collection tucked away in a box somewhere. I also loved writing letters and at a point in time I had over 100 pen friends. I shared my thoughts and my life with them through my letters. I also had a fascination for stationery. Paper gave me a great thrill and I was forever making things from origami to little books, cards etc. And I loved to paint and colour.

Unfortunatey stamps and postcards collecting has gone by the wayside as has snail mail letter writing. But some of my earlier hobbies have transformed into the hobbies of today  (in no particular order) ...

Writing
I love writing. It's been a passion not since my young but my little days. Writing is so therapeutic. When the world of blogging opened up it was like a fabulous gift that was given to me, a chance to share my thoughts with the world with the hope that my words inspire someone. I also love poetry and share my poems on my poetry blog Reflections of my soul.  Poetry brings me great joy. So in the end letter writing transformed into blogging. 

Watercolour Painting
In November 2015 I came across some youtube videos on watercolour painting and I had to try my hand with it. I absolutely loved it. I paint on postcard size paper so within 20 minutes a painting emerges. Painting is so relaxing and watercolours are so unpredictible that more often than not the effects they produce are unexpectedly delightful.

Mixed Media Art Journalling
When I was young, I used to keep diaries of my thoughts and ramblings but when I moved to NZ I destroyed my diaries. I have no regrets as they served their purpose at that time. Over the years I tried to pick it up again but couldn't sustain it. Then I discovered mixed media art journalling. Now this is so much fun. I keep my journalling simple - a mixed media picture, scene etc with some words to go with it.

Crafting - Card Making
Mixed media art journalling led to card making.  This year I decided to make all my cards - adding a personal touch. Card making really challenges my creative skills. I'm hoping that this and my watercolour painting are hobbies that I can convert into post retirement charitable creations. My aim is to create and then donate my creations to places like hospice shops so they can sell and keep the profits.

Photography
I've loved photography from ever since I can remember. My late father was an avid photographer and my love for photography comes from him.  Photography for me is not about taking the perfect picture but about capturing a moment in time that you can remember forever. My photoblog Photos Are Fun is my photo showcase.


Some of my creations ...

sharing my thoughts from a snail mail challenge - a letter I wrote to a blogger, and my photo

my watercolour painting - Mt Fuji and Cherry Blossoms - the story behind this painting

from my mixed media art journal - I love this quote.


 one of my handmade Christmas cards. a few more shown here


Written for:
#FridayReflections at The Write Tribe - 5 hobbies and why I love them

Linking to:
Inspire Me Monday week 256
#openslather at One Mother Hen
No Rules Weekend Party at Sincerely Paula
#MicroblogMonday #118
#MondayMusings



Wishing you all an inspirational week. What is your favourite hobby? Do share in the comments or write your own post.


Warm Regards
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Thursday, December 3, 2015

Grief and Enchanted moments

Grief and Enchanted moments?  Has Suzy lost the plot completely? Please bear with me as I tell you my story.

Recently I've been trying my hand at watercolour painting. In fact I just started painting last weekend. On Monday evening I was reviewing the hundreds of tutorials when I came across a painting that I absolutely loved and marked it as one I would paint in the next few days.

Yesterday morning I opened up my email and got the tragic news of the sudden passing of my school classmate on Sunday 29th November. Such a shock to all of us. I took out my paints and I knew I had to paint that picture though I had no idea why.  I just had to paint Mt Fuji and the cherry blossoms.

my painting

And soon after I painted, these words of a song came to mind:

Chotto matte kudasai (please wait a moment)
Please excuse me while I cry
Seems sayonara means goodbye
But no one ever told me why

Sakura (cherry blossoms) was in the Spring
When our hearts found songs to sing
But Sakura has gone away
And so has our friend so they say

Chotto matte kudasai 
Please excuse me while I cry
Seems sayonara means goodbye
But no one ever told me why

I kept wondering why of the hundreds of tutorials I picked this one and why I was so certain I had to paint this. So later in the day I looked up the significance of Mt Fuji and Cherry Blossoms and this is what I found:
  • Mt Fuji - is considered a holy mountain in Japan. A text of the 10th century, Tale of the Bamboo Cutter, says that the name came from "immortal" 
  • Cherry Blossoms - In Japan, cherry blossoms symbolize clouds due to their nature of blooming en masse, besides being an enduring metaphor for the ephemeral nature of life
Information source: Wikipedia

The Universe continues to enchant me. I am certain it prompted me to paint this picture that depicts the immortality of the soul and the transient nature of life. A gentle reminder that though all things must pass, we never truly die for death is merely the moment we return to our true home and immortal nature.

This painting brought me joy and it pacified my saddened heart. I felt as if through it I somehow touched the other side and reached out to my friend. I have dedicated my painting to him. He was much loved by us all and will be greatly missed.

Jaksa's blossoms faded away on Earth, but perhaps in the land of peace and love, the cherry blossoms are blooming again and will continue to bloom.

Be at peace my friend. xoxo




Written for:
Wordy Wednesday at Blog-A-Rhythm prompt Enchanted (provided by me)
#MondayMusings at the Write Tribe
#GivingTuesday at the Write Tribe - this Tuesday I gave a heartfelt tribute and a part of my soul to a friend who left us for his heavenly home.

Warm Regards
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