Dreamboard. Full Frost Moon. November 2009.

This dreamboard didn’t turn out as I had planned it, not at all. And here I thought I had clear idea for what I wanted to bring into November! Since I’ve been spending my autumn expanding, following my heart, being in my creative process, participating in projects, resetting my internal compass, getting to know new friends and connecting with old ones, I felt it was time to, consolidate. To retreat to my home, to prepare for the holidays, find peace, bring beauty to my home, do yoga and sort out drawers. That is what my dreamboard was supposed to be about, but it took a direction of its own.

What I see is a dreamboard that’s about giving my creativity wings! Finding creative freedom. And a dreamboard strongly influenced by the bright colours of the autumn leaves, that bring me so much joy and inspiration!

For those of you who feel inspired by this dreamboard, I created Satsuma Sky, a desktop wallpaper and calendar for November with this motif. I hope you enjoy it!

Tags: birds, collage, creative process, Creativity, dreamboard, dreams, full moon, making wishes, nature, orange, sky, watercolours

November. Chestnuts, satsumas, celeriac, mangos, parsnips and pears. Darker days and candlelit evenings. Shades of orange and brown. I’m so enjoying experimenting with watercolours and collage techniques. This desktop wallpaper takes its cue from the autumn skies, watercolours and the explosive oranges of autumn leaves. A perfect backdrop for both Luminous Orange Folder Icons and Luminous Purple Folder Icons.

The download contains fullscreen, widescreen and iPhone versions, with and without a desktop calendar for November.

Save this wallpaper to your computer.

Tags: birds, collage, desktop calendar, desktop wallpaper, nature, orange, sky, watercolours

Autumn landscape by the lake

This time of year each day comes with subtle or startling changes and it makes me feel so present, my senses alert, my heart happy and grateful.

Yellow and orange leaves

Sometimes I wonder if I could express my impressions in the form of textile prints and tableware, but the whole industrial process seems pretty daunting!

Oak and pine tree

On my walks I’ve been listening to CraftSanity podcasts, a recommendation from New York artist Dana Barbieri who is working on a an inspiring Art Book project. I also joined a Facebook group “Faceless for six days”, the idea is to see how it feels to not use Facebook. So be warned, my Facebook footprint will be even tinier than usual!

Saturday’s The Experience Animation and Technology Exhibition 2009 where students of Hyper Island featured interactive and digital art powered by Wii technology turned out to be an exciting sensory overload! A few projects that made a deep impression were Soul Music (create music and light effects by dancing), The Jacksson Pollock Experience (make your own virtual “drip” technique paintings), The Triforce Installation (create ambient sounds and light animations) and the ingenious ThisPlay (hand held touch screen paper displays).

Orange leaves

Here’s another image with leaves that makes me think of transferring my impressions into pattern design.

Then again, I’m enjoying the ease of photography. The fast process is perfect for capturing ideas and makes such a contrast to the long and sometimes complicated process involved when I create with other techniques.

I hope you’re enjoying your weekend and that next week will glow exhilarating!

Tags: autumn, carpe diem, foliage, leaves, nature, orange, Photography, podcasts, red, rust, seize the day, senses, sensual, yellow

Black boots and Italian basketweave scarf.

Autumn. Boots and scarf and hat and gloves. Shiny street, wet from the rain, sometimes black with a little purple or blue.

My head is still spinning from this week’s adventure with natural media software, Painter 11. The way the paints interact with each other and the canvas, the texture and detail is mind blowing! Exploring the brushes, markers, chalk, pastels, watercolor and oil, just to mention a few, and if this isn’t enough you can make your own brushes with the RealBristle tool. You can control the width of brush strokes by the tilt of your pen, just like when you use a real, traditional brush! It’s amazing… You can decide to leave a layer of digital watercolor in wet mode, so that it’s still wet when you continue, whether you continue working on your painting a month or a day later! It’s like having access to all the natural media you can imagine, without having to take it out of storage, wash the brushes or deal with the toxins, mess and expenses! There’s a free demo of Painter that you can download to give it a trial run.

This weekend I’m looking forward to visiting the blogs of fellow artists in The Fish Bowl. Seeing Julie and Julia at the beautiful cinema Skandia, designed by Gunnar Asplund in 1923. Creating a reading corner with a grey sheepskin Lamino armchair in the living room and washing the kitchen floor.

I hope you have a wonderful and restful weekend!

Red leaves and berries.

Tags: autumn, black, grey, natural media, orange, Painter, red, software, technology, watercolours

Apples, satsumas and rose hips.

Today is one of those autumn days that’s as crisp as an apple. I’ve been playing around with my camera and water colours, drawn to a bold and fiery colour palette, textures and contrast. Quite different from last week’s romantic, dreamy Full Harvest Moon Dreamboard and Montage.

I’m planning a new collection in the series of Luminous Folder Icons, inspired by autumn and Halloween. This time in hot, spicy shades of orange and cayenne, perhaps adding some earth tones with cinnamon, umber, ochre, and sienna.

And best of all, finally satsumas are in season! Zesty, sweet and tangy taste of sunshine, with that light spray of satsuma oil as you peel them.

A beautiful gift from online friend Anna of Beyond 56 Days.

Tags: autumn, green, orange, Photography, red