Home Again - Refreshed and Motivated

I am home from our break at Coolum where we stay in the most beautiful pole house, perched among the trees. I have posted a couple of photos to illustrate why we come back so refreshed and relaxed after a visit there. Some people find beaches and water relaxing, and while on occasion I do enjoy it, I find the green of the trees and the sound of the wind through the gardens much more invigorating. I spent time with family and reading and watching the light through the trees, all movement and dappled colour, which made it just about the perfect break and I came back refreshed and motivated.

I have sent of work to the framers, and have submitted my entry forms for Floressence, the mid year show for the Botanical Art Society of Queensland, so I am looking forward to getting them back from the framers to see how they look. I haven't framed any of my botanical work before so I am interested to see if it changes it. You look at the work day in and day out and after a while you start to focus on all of the problems and mistakes, and I am wondering if by framing them I will see them with fresh eyes.

In a fit of motivation I have also cleaned out my studio area and have done a lot of reorganising so that I can make the most of the time when school term starts again. I have been doing some drawing and sketching and want to spend the time trying to define my personal style and look. I feel a little as though I have been trying out lots of things and while I can see a bit of  a thread running through them, the time has come to make more mistakes and take some risks, and I am going to work smaller so I can work faster and experiment a lot more. It feels a bit extravagant when you try something and it doesn't work on a large sheet of paper, and you invest so much time and effort into a large image that you feel as though you need to play it safe. So no more safe line, I am going small and risky and see where it leads.