Just Do It!

Hello there dear readers.

My apologies for the late post, I've been moving houses and we haven't had access to the Internet until recently. But here I am now, so let's get straight to it!

Something that has been on my mind a lot this year has been the idea of determination. Determination is actually a difficult concept to define. Usually, having determination is seen a positive character trait, while being stubborn is seen as negative. To me, being determined means that once you have your mind set on a goal, you do everything in your power to make it happen, even if you have problems achieving it along the way. I see it as being so set on achieving your goal you would throw yourself into it to make it happen.

As some of you would know from my previous posts, last year was a difficult time in my life, and I not only lost my sense of self but also my sense of determination. This year, I managed to pull myself together to rebuild and renew my sense of self. I feel like this year I am more determined than I was before the troubles of last year, and that my ambition has returned with a vengeance.

I've found that determination isn't really a trait you're born with, but rather something that you teach yourself. It is something that can be learnt. and also nurtured. It also a skill that can be forgotten if not used.

Something I've noticed with a lot of people in my generation is the surprising lack of determination by a majority. People have no ambition, no drive to want to do better or push themselves,They've allowed themselves to grow comfortable with mediocrity, settle into a comfort zone of "average". And if they do perhaps decide to set a goal, one small hiccup and they give up.

I have no right to judge anyone about how they view their goals in life. I'm just surprised by how little ambition there seems to be. No determination to succeed or do better than the last time. And especially with people in their early twenties, in the prime of their lives.  Perhaps they are waiting for the devil of "tomorrow" to save them. The truth is, there is no tomorrow. The only time to make a difference is right now. But starting a million things and completing none of them is no use either.

Even if you dedicate your entire life to one project, if you finish that project at the end of your lifetime, I can almost guarantee a sense of happiness at having been determined enough to see it through right to the very end.

So here are some easy tips on how to ease determination into your life:

• Set small goals to start with. Say you want to read more often, don't say you'll read the entire Game of Thrones series in a week. You'll probably fail and sink back into the cycle of average. Rather say, I want to read at least 5 pages a day. 
• Set Goals that you know will make you happy. If you can imagine being ecstatic after completing a goal, and a goal that will improve your life, then you will be more determined to achieve it. 
• Ask for help. If you are struggling with being determined, ask your family and those closest to you to help you stay determined. Use role models to show you that all the work wont be for nothing.
• DON'T GIVE UP. This seems so simple but is at the core of determination. If you have a hiccup along the way, don't give up your entire goal because it temporarily became more difficult to achieve.
• Reward yourself for when you achieve your goals. 
• Your goals are not set in stone. If you feel like your goal isn't working for you, then change it.
• Surround yourself with determined people so that you have positive role models to follow.

Until we meet again 

Talia

A Helping Hand

Hello there dear readers! Happy Easter to those of you who celebrate and Happy Eat-As-Many-Chocolate-Eggs-As-You-Can Day to those who don't.

So the first block of third year has already passed! And so quickly too. It has been a busy few weeks, and I have to say I am quite proud of some of the work I've already produced. If you haven't had a chance to look yet, you can check out some of my latest work here and here. I've also been trying to work on my online identity through Instagram, Pinterest, Twitter and Facebook, posting more often and trying to have new work to post as well. But I will openly admit that it is a ton of work and a ton of effort that goes into doing these kinds of things.

And that brings me to the topic for today's post : Helping other people to succeed!

So, I can testify to the fact that building an identity for your own career is incredibly difficult. Especially when going into a creative field, such as the arts, music, drama, magic and the like. There are far fewer outlets to help young people make it in these fields as they aren't really seen as important or helpful to the economy. So unlike other careers that offer scholarships and internships (that actually pay), we are pretty much left to fend for ourselves.

Now I'm sure some of you are thinking, "But isn't that why you're going to university?". Ah yes, like most people who've gone the studying route, we choose to study in hopes that it will help us land a good job one day when we graduate. But as the unemployment rate of university graduates in South Africa alone, getting a degree isn't good enough anymore. So we have to find ways of making ourselves a career that we can be proud of.

This isn't easy to do alone however, With having to deal with access to specific materials, it can be almost impossible to help yourself with regards to your career. This is why I think it is so important that people, and not just budding creatives, actually make an effort to help each other out where they can. For example, I've been using social media and blogging to help market my work for a few years now, so while I wouldn't call myself a professional at it, I will say that I'm proficient at it. So my partner, Liam, is a budding magician. Writing is not his speciality as the the performing part of magic is his area of expertise. I know the blogging is a great form of exposure, so what did I do? I became a co-author of his blog so that I can help him on the advertising side while he is out there doing what he does best (P.S My Thoughts is the blog, check it out if you have a chance).

Another important part of helping your friends and family and people in general is being encouraging and supportive when things are going well.. and more importantly when they aren't. Help them with whatever resources and in whatever way you can. It could be as simple as lending someone a self-help book you have, or it could be helping them to print some business cards or pamphlets to give away. Any small thing helps, and it could be as simple as saying "I believe in you".

The world is a tough enough place as it is, but it doesn't mean that we can't do something to make it a little better, even if it's just for one person.

Until we meet again
Talia

Processes and Transparencies

Hello there dear readers

I apologise for missing out on a post last weekend. It was a ...turbulent time to say the least. But here I am and it's time for a new post.

So dear readers, let me share with you what I've been up to since I've gone back to varsity this year. So in third year, the second last year of the Fine Arts degree I am studying, we are considered to be "senior" art students, and therefore capable of setting our own projects and briefs to work with. This is a huge jump from first and second year, where the lecturers would decide upon the topic and the artwork we created was thus a response to this topic.

So let me share with you my thought process behind the project I've been working.

I have been interested in typography since a happy accident with typography in First Year. As regular readers of my blog will know (and if you're new, welcome to my blog and have a look here to see my work), I've worked extensively with the medium of typography over the last two years, and of course given the freedom of subject matter and medium, now I have full reigns to work with typography.

So for this particular project, I decided to relate typography to the idea of access. So when is writing accessible to people, and when is it not? I wanted to play around with ideas of English being perhaps a more accessible language to understand (within a university context) than the language of the artwork. And how I could refuse the viewer access, or certainly make it intentionally more difficult for the viewer to relate to and actually access or understand the work.

How I decided to go about this was to use transparency sheets to write on:

These sheets were my own personal feelings, thoughts and emotions, as well as opinions about how I feel being an art student at an art school is quite inaccessible and the frustrations of being in art school. 

After this process, I then wanted to suspend these sheets from the ceiling of my studio space:

As you can see... this was somewhat untidy and well... the sort of baby steps towards an actual installation. So after this I decided the bulldog clips and looked terrible, so I refined it a bit using beading crimps to tie the transparency sheets:

This looks a LOT better, but something was still bothering me about this format. After speaking to my lecturer, we kind of concluded that it was because they were at eye-level. It was too easy to engage with them on an artistic level and not to mention that the lighting wasn't as effective... so to combat this I decided to hang them differently...

Now here I had caught onto something that really worked. I loved the way the light diffused the transparency sheets and the words themselves, and as you can see in the first picture, it was infinitely more successful than I would have guessed before. But alas it still needs a bit of tweaking, which I will share with you this coming weekend, dear readers.

Until we meet again
Talia

Some Passion a Day to Keep the Blues at Bay

Hello again dear readers. So I've decided to get back to posting on a weekend again seeing as I have more time to play around with thoughts and ideas and it is easier to be a bit more consistent in posting times. So let's get started then!

So something that has been in the back of my mind since an argument had with my significant other was the idea of passion. And how I have tons of it in some ways and really not enough in other ways. And I guess you could say I was startled (to say the least), that it was thought that I throw so much passion into my artwork and very little into anything else. I liked to think that I was passionate about the things that matter to me, and not just art. 

So what is passion exactly?

Urban Dictionary : Passion is when you put more energy into something than is required to do it. It is more than just enthusiasm or excitement, passion is ambition that is materialized into action to put as much heart, mind body and soul into something as is possible.

That's a pretty good definition of it. Putting in a lot more effort than what is "required". So this is actually quite easy to measure with school and university and anything that distinctly measures your level of effort. For example, if 50% is the required mark to pass, but you want to put your all into it and you get 80%, then you technically put in 30% more effort than what is necessary. Now life is not that easy to measure, and no one is giving you that much feedback that is so easy to decipher.

I know that for me, being passionate about my career and art work isn't exactly difficult, it's second nature to me to do the best possible job I can, But I haven't ever put the equivalent amount of effort into anything else, just the thought of putting that much effort in exhausts me. 

But the thing is that great results only come from hard work and passion. Nothing good has ever been achieved without a ton of extra effort and dedication, and ultimately love. I have been trying to apply a passionate and dedicated attitude to my life as a whole rather than just through art. Making time for the people that matter, and making time for the other aspects of life, such as reading, spending time relaxing and also making memories with the people you care about.

I've found, like with anything else really, that making goals is a good way to help be consistently and consciously more passionate in all the areas of your life. For example, making sure you stop your busy work schedule to have tea when your special person gets home from work. Taking the time to say "I love you" like its the only chance you'll have to say it again.

Passion is a consistent job, but the benefits I think will be so worth it.

Until we meet again 

Talia

The Human Typewriter

So, it has been one official week since I have returned to university. As a third year, and studying Fine Art... Not to mention French as an additional major. Since my last post, it seems like me taking reigns of my own happiness has been a good strategy to approach life with. I haven't necessarily been getting a lot more done, but I feel like everyday that has passed has been one that was lived well, to the fullest. A day well spent everyday can only lead to happiness I think.

So now that I've caught you up on my emotional goals ,dear readers, I shall tell you a little bit about my first week back.

So its the first week, and I have already been dubbed "The Human Typewriter", by one of the lecturers who had been tutoring me this week. I quite like that. It has a nerdy/artsy/awesome ring to it. I think I shall keep that name around! And if you, dear reader, are wondering why on earth I would consider this to be an affectionate nickname, it is because I am in love with typography as a medium of expression.

To me, one of the most interesting things I have discovered since I have started studying art in university is the beautiful relationship that a love of writing and a love of art can share. They are not separate mediums in the discipline of humanities, but have so many similarities that draw the two (excuse the pun) together. I have always loved creating art, and I have always had somewhat of a secondary interest in writing.

Only once I discovered the art form known as typography, did I discover how words can be the vehicle to create art.

To put it simply,

I make art with words.

And this year I finally have the freedom to make as much art as I want in any way I want to. So I dub this year, 2016, the Year of the Human Typewriter. 

And hopefully dear readers, we will see some results soon. But for now, here is some of my older work, hopefully explaining why I have a catchy new nickname.

Until we meet again
Talia

Sweet '16

Wow.

2015 has come and gone in the blink of an eye and here we are, fresh (well a little bit stale now) in 2016. A few days ago, I felt a feeling within me that I don't think I have quite experienced before. I could best describe it as a feeling of ambling along, you know, letting life just happen to you instead of making things happen in your life.

I guess you could say I've been feeling like this since last year, when my passion for art wasn't take as much of a part in my life as I would have liked. A lot of emotional and personal issues also made it more difficult to feel stable in my own life and a lot went downhill for me. But I remember reading a saying recently, something along the lines of when your life seems to be falling apart, in reality its all the pieces falling into place.

I'll say that since last year I have learnt a lot about myself. Mostly negatives I had chosen to ignore, but also strengths that I didn't know I had. I've learnt to balance people in my life, and that a life filled with only yourself and work is indeed a lonely life. I've also learnt that without my passion for art to guide me, I am nothing. A nobody with nothing to show. SO this year is the year I WILL make the change for myself.

I am done taking orders from lecturers at art school telling me how my art should look.

I am done trying to be something I am not.

I am my own artist and I will damn well make the art I like and want to make. Maybe if I stop caring so much about what other people want me to make, then at least I will be proud of everything I have made. And hopefully make this year a far more fruitful and encouraging year than 2015.

Goodbye Awkward 2015.
Hello Sweet '16.

Until we meet again
Talia

P.S. I have uploaded a photo of my latest work onto the Art and Other Creative Items page.

Motivating the World, One Person at a Time

Well...

It certainly has been long enough hasn't it dear readers?

Well, shall we say that some turbulence in my life and general busyness and such has kept me away for far too long. But all is not lost, I have made some art in my time away and had a good reassessment of my life. The sun is still shining. The birds are still singing. And there is still plenty of art to be made! So here I am, with my first blog post since September.

So as cheesy and corny as it sounds to mention it, I turned 20 on Wednesday. No longer the teenager of the nineties but now a young adult. And since I have started working at my Christmas job, I realised something quite powerful.

Do you ever feel defeated by the world? By the people that are supposed to care about you? Have you ever wondered what you're doing with your life at the moment? Well, maybe if we all just started believing in one another's dreams a bit more, maybe the world would be a better place. On my birthday, I bumped into one of my old friends from High school. She didn't know it was my birthday but was an avid follower of the artwork I posted on Instagram. She told me that she thought I was really making something of my life and that I need to post so much more often. When I started my training for my new job, I had to do a quick sketch for a teamwork activity. My teammates and other trainees were so impressed that they started interrogating me as to why I don't draw more.

Why have I not been drawing more?

I stopped believing in my ability to create my own success.

But.

When people tell you out of the goodness of their hearts, that they think you are special, that you have something unique to bring to the world, it is probably one of the most inspiring forms of motivation I have yet to witness. Total strangers telling me they think I could change the world with my art, if that isn't good enough motivation, I don't know what is.

So dear readers, tell someone today, a stranger, a friend, your partner, tell them you believe in their dreams and their goals and watch the transformation.

Until we meet again
Talia

Growing Pains

It has been more than two weeks sans me posting, I must apologise dear readers. There has been so much going on lately that a blog post has been the last thing I've been able to accomplish. But anyhow... Here I am! I've just updated my Art & Other Creative Items Page to include some of the new paintings I've been making for class.

So today, dear readers, I am here to share some of my feelings on Growing Up. Yes. That huge scary term that seems to be tethered and loaded with responsibility... And that's because it really is. But growing up isn't a bad thing. It means... well it means more freedom. The thing about growing up is that it's not just about doing responsible things (like making your bed and doing the dishes), it's also about YOU. You can't grow up if you're not prepared to try.

Growing up and becoming a fully functional adult isn't exactly easy. It's about noticing all the little things you take for granted, about being able to fend for yourself rather than relying on someone else doing it for you. And most of the time you don't even realise how much you rely on other people. Whether it's booking a doctor's appointment, saving money, or knowing what to do in a medical emergency, these are all things we NEED to know how to do.

Thankfully we are now in an age were our family isn't the only source of information on how to grow up. There is a plethora of information online to give advice and guidance, but as the all knowing "They" say, "experience is the best teacher". The great thing is that no one says you can't have it both ways. You can use experience to put your skills to the test, but you can get advice and help first to make the process easier.

When I look back over the last few years, I can see how I've allowed myself to grow as an artist. It's about embracing change, not becoming stagnant in a comfort zone and being willing to push yourself. Now I see that everyday life is not all that different. If I am tired of something in my life, I have the power to change it. And so does every other person out there, Now that I've learnt the art of growing as an artist, it's time to adapt that skill to life. It will be difficult. But it will be worth it.

Until we meet again
Talia

Cutting Back the Clutter

And so dear readers, we are hurtling towards the end of the year at a rapid, ever-increasing pace! The last quarter of the year is upon as and for once I've actually achieved some of my New Year's resolutions! So today, seeing as I have no new work to share at the moment, I thought I would talk about something that has been inspiring me for the last few weeks...

I'm talking about minimalism!

Now I am in no way calling myself a minimalist because that would be an insult to minimalists everywhere! But I will say that I am really inspired by the minimalist movement. What is minimalism you ask? Well minimalism is essentially, living with less stuff.

GASP!

"How could I ever survive without my collection of *insert precious item here*?!". See that's the beauty of minimalism. It isn't about living with just one crappy shirt or whatever item you thought of first, minimalism is about having less stuff... but better stuff. So imagine, instead of having 20 shirts where you only really love 5 and wear them often and the other 15 don't fit properly, you only have those 5 that you love and make you feel good about yourself! Now take that principle and apply it to... well everything you own!

I think most of us can admit to being the victims of consumerism and having way too much stuff that we really don't need. I know one of the biggest (or smallest) tips from the minimalists is to move from paper to digital. I'll admit this is one area of minimalism I can't handle. I need to take hand written notes and have something to write on or everything will disappear from my brain! But you can choose to recycle paper you don't need and toss stuff that really doesn't make a difference to you, like those pesky flyers that get put under the windshield wiper of your car.

I think the challenge for me with minimalism is that, as an art student and hopefully a budding artist, I can't live with the bare minimum of art supplies... because everything gets more expensive the longer you don't buy the supplies you need. There are a couple of things I can't really minimise in my life... But I can make sure that I don't overboard with it. I've found that having less stuff really does make your life so much easier.

So to conclude my thoughts on minimalism so far, here are a few tips I can give you to use a little minimalist magic in your life without getting rid of a lot of stuff immediately:

1. Delete apps that you downloaded on your tablet/phone/PC that turned out to be a waste of time. Not only will you have less clutter on your phone, but you'll probably free up some space for that next Instagram photo or two!
2. Throw away trash as soon as you make it. So if you eat a packet of crisps, throw away the packet as soon as you're done with it. Don't let it accumulate into a makeshift bin. 
3. Don't just buy stuff because it's on sale. Figure out if you're just buying it because it's "such a BARGAIN!" or if you actually need it
4. Give old clothes you don't even like anymore to charity. Someone will put it to good use, and not only are you helping someone in need, but you're minimising your clutter too!
5. Keep your bed as a bed and not half a shelf. I have a bad habit of doing this with clothes, but keeping your bed clutter free looks so much better than having to look at that pile of stuff every time you go to bed or wake up.

And so dear readers, that's my bit on minimalism for now. Stay clutter free and focused this week.

Until we meet again

Talia

A 25 Hour Day

And so dear readers, yet another week has passed and we are now in mid-August already! Unfortunately I don't have any new work to post because varsity has been so busy lately! But that's okay, even when not much physical art is being made, there is still a lot that I am learning every day. I wish that sleep was not such a physical necessity, because just imagine the possibilities available with all those extra hours...

The truth is... You don't need to give up sleep to get those extra hours. My mom always tells me off with one of her favourite sayings: "Work smart, Not hard". While I think she makes an excellent point, I think that a perfect balance of the two is the way to get all your stuff done in a time-saving and performance-improving way. For me, sometimes I intentionally make my life more difficult by working hard and not smart. I tend to do these with the little things... Like being a little too thorough in my jewellery organization or socks drawer... Or especially with colour coding. Yes I'm that OCD person who can match colours like a pro... But when it comes to getting everything done in the most effective and least stressful way possible... I tend to fall short.

I find that a lot of time is wasted in what I like to call "The In-Between Vacuums"... These are the times in between all your scheduled or routine stuff, like the time in-between classes, wasted on Instagram whilst waiting for someone and especially travel time.

Obviously there's not much you can do whilst travelling, but you can find ways to minimise your travel time and stress levels from the urban decay of rush hour traffic. For me, it means waking up 15 minutes earlier than I would like to and taking a slightly longer route... that saves me 30-45 minutes travel time. It's definitely worth it!

Another time vacuum that really wastes a lot of time is spending that half an hour between lectures chatting when you can multitask. What I like to do is head straight to the next venue after my class, sit in the next classroom, work a little bit or revise the previous class's notes, eat something and be on time.

I find that a huge time vacuum is shoddy organizing (or a lack of organizing entirely!). I know that I get EXTREMELY frustrated when I can't find my notes for a subject or a reading because I forgot to file it. That's why I avoid the risk altogether. I keep a handy-dandy pocket punch in my bag, date any pieces of paper I receive that day and file it immediately. It is really annoying trying to stay on top of things when you can't find your assignment brief or the notes you've made that could really REALLY help you in your essay. I think keeping your life organised is probably one of the best time savers out there. You don't even need a calendar or a diary, there are so many apps out there that there really isn't an excuse to not know what's going on.

Being organised isn't a bad thing, if it saves YOU time and stress, then why not make the change?  Ditch those time vacuums and you will have enough "extra" time to get all those pesky things on your Perpetual To Do list done!

Until we meet again
Talia

Don't Tip Those Scales

So it's currently 12;11am, and it's Sunday. I am sitting in bed... contemplating life as I type away on my tablet. It's been a busy long weekend so far, and technically it hasn't even gotten to the "long" part yet... And tomorrow is going to be even busier, but that's a good thing I think.

The thing about being busy is that you have to learn to plan your time really well so that you get around to doing everything... without spreading yourself too thin and ending up doing everything to a poor standard. This is a very tricky balance to maintain, especially when the nature of the work done is so time-consuming. I've mentioned her before in my blog, but my friend and fellow blogger Dominique Gaydon, has a very productive plan that "the sooner it's done, the sooner it's done". I like that philosophy I feel like it can relate to a lot more than just class or lectures.

If you're a sort of regular reader of this blog you would know that I don't tend to enjoy it when very little new work is being made by me because of university. I feel like this year of Fine Art at university has involved lots of time consuming effort to create very little of a tangible outcome. So on top of all the University work (and homework and assignments etc.), I've been trying to balance a healthy social life with getting good marks, good health and good relationships and vibes overall... But I've realised something...

BALANCING THINGS IS REALLY HARD... It is really easy to say you're going to do something to sort out some aspect of your life, but acting on it and sticking to it are what actually matter. So I thought I would share some of the little nuggets of wisdom I've figured out:

1. Figure out what you want in life. There's no point making a plan to sort out stuff if you don't even want it. If it's important to you, make a plan to get it done.
2. Keep short-term goals. These can be up to a day or even a a few months, try and compartmentalise your time so that you can set up realistic goals.
3. As always... Write it down. I am telling you that you will forget SOMETHING unless you keep everything noted. And it's really satisfying ticking something off that list!
4. Make time for you...Don't forget to look after yourself, you can't accomplish anything if you're not able to try
5. Have a plan B... And C if you have a penchant for accidents, like me.

And with those midnight thoughts dear readers, I shall say goodnight

Until we meet again
Talia

P.S Check out this little blog's pearls of wisdom if you get the chance:  http://amagicalmusiciansthoughts.blogspot.com/

Behind Every Great Artist

Hmm, today feels like a good day to do a blog post. So I have returned after a few days of indulging in buying art supplies, which I have not done in ages... Mostly because I've had all the supplies I've needed for a while. If you're somewhat of a stationery nerd, or an artist, you would have experienced the overwhelming excitement of seeing all the shelves filled with useful stuff...

And then you would have experienced the heart-sinking experience of seeing the price tag that art supplies and stationery command. It is the conundrum every artist and creative type experiences at some point, you need good supplies to make good art to make a living, but you need to make a very good living to get those supplies in the first place. I know I am fortunate enough to be able to get good art supplies as a student, I just haven't really taken advantage of that opportunity until now.

But the great thing about art supplies is that most of the time you can find them for a bargain if you're patient enough to look. In South Africa, there aren't that many art stores around, but the ones that I do frequent quite regularly have their Set Sales every year, in July and August. So instead of splurging during the year, I just wait for the sales. It's not like the art supplies change each season and your size is gone by the time the sale starts!

So whilst I was looking around and practically drooling over all the beautiful art supplies, I had a sad realization. I wouldn't even bat an eyelash spending the amount I did on my art supplies that day  if it were on clothes or superficial luxuries, but I did do a doubletake with the art supplies. That made me feel so pathetic, which is more important? THE ART STUFF!

So now I have resolved to making sure I invest in material that will help my art career rather then spending my money superficially on things I actually don't need. And I started my investment by starting my own small (but growing) set of Copic Markers. And after playing around with them for a little bit, I can say the investment was definitely worth it, and until the end of August, hopefully more art supplies will be finding a home among my desk drawers.

Until we meet again
Talia

P.S. If you haven't noticed the new feature, check out my new art page on the blog : Art & Other Creative Items

Creativity Withdrawal

At long last! First Semester is finally over! I completed my last exam on Friday and have reached the sweet winter holidays.

Without a doubt, it has been a stressful work and emotion frenzied semester, now for a brief reprieve before the intensive work begins again. I have to admit, I think after all the new skills learnt and applied this year in class, I think going back to some art basics will be really good for me. If you're wondering what I'm talking about, I mean some good old drawing... And maybe painting too if I'm feeling adventurous.

In other words dear readers, I have been suffering from creativity withdrawal and monochromitis (a fictional disease of the mind created when only black and white is used for an extended period of time) whilst I have been doing an art degree. So seeing as I have an overly active imagination at the moment...

HOW TO TREAT (AND CURE) CREATIVITY WITHDRAWAL

1. Doodle! I know it seems like an odd suggestion, but just scribbling away something without thinking is a good way to get yourself into more creative mindset.
2. Get a new art supply (or two... or a lot). Even if you just try out a new pencil or try painting with coffee, try something different to get you excited about making stuff again.
3. Try something different! If you have always been a person to work with pencils, try working with paint to get you out of your comfort zone.
4. Clean up your space! This one may only apply to a couple of people but I think that a clean space is like a clean canvas, just waiting to be used!
5. Look at your old work. I was feel reinvigorated to work when I see my old drawings and paintings, it feels like there's so much potential in the next piece.
6. Help someone else do something creative! It doesn't have to be a masterpiece, it can just be something simple like helping them make something new.
7. ACTUALLY  MAKE SOMETHING!!

So dear readers, I am off to cure my creativity withdrawl. If you haven't noticed it yet, I've added a neg page to this blog dubbed "Art & Other Creative Items", this is where I shall keep all my images of my artwork updated , I would really appreciate it if you took a look every now and again.

Until we meet again

Talia

A Page a Day

So dear readers, 1/4 of 2015 is already over! And it went by so quickly... Seems like each year I add to my tally seems to speed up. I know some people who like to use the analogy of a year being a book in the story of your life, with each day representing a page. But I have to admit, art wise, my book seems to have a lot of blank spaces...

This is quite disappointing for me, I thought that once I'd be back at varsity all the deadlines would make me a lean mean creative machine... but it's like a machine that hasn't yet warmed up properly. 1/4 of the year is already over, the creative machines in my class can't STILL be warming up. I think the worst part is that it feels like its not just my art class, it feels like everyone I know is struggling to stay productive... Or worse still get productive in the first place.

I can actually tally how much art I've made since the beginning of this year:

• 7 and a 1/2 typographic drawings (The 1/2 is for the one I still haven't finished)
• 1 actual drawing for varsity of a mielie (or corn for those of you overseas)
• 3 different photographic series
• 2 admittedly cool light box art pieces
• 1 journal of daily writing

And the 7 and a 1/2 drawings may sound like a lot, but I did all of those BEFORE the semester started. But I think I should also just try drawing little things anyway, regardless of whether they are for varsity or not. Especially the typography. I think this might be a sign that the work I do for myself is more important than just waiting for it to happen at varsity. I also have a couple of drawings I want to do for some special people in my life, drawings that I've had in my mind that have yet to materialise onto paper.

So hopefully with the start of the new term I'll have lots more new work to share with you soon dear readers.

Until we meet again

Talia

The Manufacturing of Time

So, this week I had an epiphany... and it happened to be art related! A few days ago, someone very close to me asked why I haven't entered any art competitions yet... I was surprised by my speechlessness when I was supposed to answer the question like a normal person. And then the realisation hit me like a taxi driver in Johannesburg...

I've never entered an art competition because I am in fact an idiot who chose not to seize opportunities.

Initially, this might not seem like the most mind-blowing epiphany... but when I thought about how many opportunities I'd missed by choice, I felt like slapping myself. Repeatedly. With a paint filled palette. When I was in high school and during the semester at varsity, my excuse was that I didn't have the time. And the truth is... it was just a pathetic excuse:

This saying I stumbled upon also slapped me in the face a few times, but it was a good kind of slap, the kind of slap that makes you face reality (pardon the pun). So for this year, I have decided to seize opportunities, no matter how small or  insignificant they may seem. You never know where a good opportunity my take you, so why reject it when it could take you places? And the funny thing about the creative field is that it seems like there aren't all that many opportunities, if you don't look closely enough. The truth is that there are more than you could ever imagine, all you have to do is pay attention.

And so dear readers, I am off to go draw and maybe grab a few opportunities along the way... If you have any suggestions as to how I may exhibit or show my work (Both in South Africa and abroad), please let me know.

Until we meet again

Talia