Summer activities

 This Summer is one of sun, rain, grey, sun, rain and so on. I am catching up on reading, meeting with friends and family, cleaning up spaces and trying to enjoy the outdoors in between. Today I took the time to make a small drawing in my sketchbook to capture a coffee moment in a lovely green setting. The garden with seats, trees, hedges and a bit of sunshine was very inviting ;).

Hoping you are enjoying the coffee moments as well!

People or animals?

Someone asked me the other day, what do you do for a living? I make art I said, and I love doing this. What type of art do you make? I make abstract work in layers, and portraits, amongst others. Oh, and what do you like more: painting animals or people? People I said. It turned out she was an artist too and loved drawing animals. She took out her phone and showed me, a very precise cat painting. Oh I said, nice, my own style is more loose, not so much into detail. I did not take out my phone to show my artwork, I forgot about it or I feel a bit shy about it. Anyways, we parted ways. And yes I like drawing people, so many variety, I like it. Here is a tiny portrait from my sketchbook:

Woman portrait by ZIZOlabel

 This makes me think of another artist who makes teeny tiny people drawings: @thesneakyartist on Instagram. I really like them! And so do others because his drawings appeared on the merchandise of a cafe he visited. This way art enters the everyday life.

Meet the makers

 Summer holidays have started in the region. A time for relaxation and doing inspiring activities. I am hoping to do that, as well as making art.

The last Saturday of August I will be present at a Maker's market. I am hoping for good weather and nice encounters :). I have got lots of things to sell: bags, animal art for the children's room, cards, notebooks and so on.

This is the creative flyer they made for the market:

Have a nice week!

Full bloom

It is July and it is the time when nature and garden are in full bloom. I am enjoying it, but the garden often is a great distraction (as well as joy...). Lots of work to just keep up, I am trying to reduce it to the small hours at the end of the afternoon when my creativity is up and used for the day.

It is so easy to forget and enjoy, so I remind myself to take out my camera and make pictures. Which often end up in my series of photo-cards. 

So this is from my backyard:

Enjoy the outdoors!

Packages of creativity

 Some people like to be creative but do not see the possibility to start. So I made small packages of creativity: a notebook, a marker, some pictures from magazines for inspiration and a leaflet with tips to just start that sketchbook!

I like making gift packages, and I sell them in my studio and on fairs. To start drawing or writing notes in your sketchbook is such a good way of starting that spark. It is a place of imperfection, of trial and error but I find it often brings something new. You put your thoughts into a drawing, or you start looking at possible drawable items.

I often draw while watching TV: I see a composition or a particular face, set the TV on pause and make a quick drawing. And I also like to take some paint and just colour some pages with patterns or with colour combinations. Or collaging in your sketchbook the things that inspire you: maybe it is horses, or chairs or trees or whatever :). Just do it.