Here is another blog written by freelance contributing writer , Helen Farnes hope you find it interesting.

For many centuries now, we have cultivated a very persistent artistic stereotype. The idea of the tormented creative, driven by inner turmoil and the horrors within to create works of transcendent beauty and significance is one with which we are all familiar [1]. Indeed, many believe that the world’s greatest creative works have been born out of pain or pathology [2] – without such motivating factors, this view holds, the ‘art’ is nothing more than a blank reproduction, devoid of deeper emotional meaning. While this is perhaps a rather too exclusive view of creativity, it is true that many of the world’s greatest artists have found ‘inspiration’ in the darker recesses of their souls. The apparent ‘link’ (or otherwise) between ‘madness’ and creativity is one which continues to fascinate[3]. What is less explored, however, is the idea that the relationship between pain and creativity is less causal and more progressive. There is considerable evidence to suggest that engaging creatively can help to heal the psyche in the aftermath of traumatic events.

Cause Or Cure?

In the traditional view of things, the tormented artist is driven by the trauma they have experienced to relive their experience over and over again through the medium of art. As their artistic talents grow, so the artist themselves diminish, until they seem devoured by their work, and (more to the point), by the pathological problems upon which their creativity must feed. It’s a romantic scenario, and one which fires the popular imagination – not least because we can seemingly apply it to real people. Vincent Van Gogh, Toulouse Lautrec, even Amy Winehouse – we enjoy the myths of these individuals as ‘troubled artists’, driven ultimately to their deaths by the fires which consumed them from within [4], as much as we enjoy the wonderful art they created. However, when studied closely, the art for which these people were known does not, actually, have a direct causal relationship with either their troubles or their tragic problems. Indeed, if looked at from another angle, it could be argued that their art kept these individuals back from the brink of disaster for many years, until finally trauma overwhelmed creativity. How much sooner would they have succumbed to their demons had not art expressed their problems and kept the demons at bay?

Creative Resilience

There is, in fact, a lot of evidence to suggest that creativity can play a vital role in resilience to and healing from traumatic events. The ability to express emotions through art is one which gives trauma survivors an effective ‘vent’. Those who lack this ability to safely express their feelings are at risk of developing more troubling ‘coping’ strategies, which could present a danger to themselves or others. Substance abuse, for example, is common among trauma survivors [5] who lack safer outlets with which to deal with their emotions. Female victims of trauma in particular may find themselves on the wrong side of the law [6]. However, those who are blessed with creative tools have another way to explore and deal with the problems with which their trauma has left them.  Exploring one’s emotions through art allows one to process and express psychological baggage in a non-confrontational way. Art allows one to express and explore at one’s own pace, and in one’s own way. It helps us to engage with emotions which we may otherwise shy away from, and lets us bring those dark, gnawing things out into the light, where they cannot hurt us. It can bring us greater self-awareness, and may even speed the process of healing.

Step By Step

Creative intervention and therapy will not, of course, work for all trauma survivors. The creative process is an intensely personal one, and not everyone will be able to express themselves creatively in a manner conducive to their own healing. Nor should creative arts ever be considered an isolated ‘cure-all’. However, when used in conjunction with other kinds of therapy, giving trauma survivors the opportunity to express themselves creatively can be of enormous help [7]. Had the likes of Van Gogh, Winehouse, and other troubled artists not had their art to help them, they arguably would have succumbed to their demons far earlier than they did. Had they had help in addition to their art then – who knows? – they may have led happier, calmer, and healthier lives.

[1] James White, “Suffering For Their Art: The Most Tortured Artists In Film History”, Empire, Nov 2014

[2] Kimbriel Dean, “Is Pain The Key To Good Art?”, Ignite, Mar 2013

[3] Ian Sample, “New study claims to find genetic link between creativity and mental illness”, The Guardian, Jun 2015

[4] Van Gogh Gallery, “Van Gogh’s Death”

[5] National Child Traumatic Stress Network, “Making The Connection: Trauma And Substance Abuse”, Jun 2008

[6] Jennifer Talley, “Context Matters: The Impact of Trauma, Culture and Policy on Women’s Health”, Rehabs.com, Apr 2015

[7] Family and Youth Services Bureau, “Calm Through Creativity: How Arts Can Aid Trauma Recovery

Is your child being bullied at school? Childhood bullying is unfortunately a widespread problem and faced by many of today’s youth.  According to the Australian Covert Bullying Prevalence Study, 27% of students from year’s four to nine were bullied frequently, every few weeks or more during every term. The bullying that is endemic in schools most often takes the form of offensive teasing and being the victim of lies designed to damage reputation.

Previous generations could find a safe haven in their home but young people in the 21^st century have the added threat of cyberbullying so if they choose to use social media to chat with their friends they are also at risk of ‘trolling’. The same researchers found that people who bullied others at school would also bully online – although less common than face to face bullying, 14% of students experienced cyberbullying and 7% experienced both.  The most frequently used mediums to bully someone online are MSN Messenger, social networking sites, texting and email.

Usually the bully and their intended target know each other and may even describe each other as ‘friends’.

The person on the receiving end of the negative treatment may end up feeling anxious or depressed as a result as well as being isolated and lonely. There are also physical side-effects of bullying, like upset stomach, disturbed sleep and increased susceptibility to infection. This is because the child is pumping out extra cortisol, a stress hormone that raises blood pressure and pulse while suppressing the immune system.

If your child has become the victim of bullying, if their grades are slipping, they are skipping school or you think their mood is low, art therapy is a way you can help them release those negative tensions and start to feel good about themselves again.

What is Art Therapy

Art therapy is a type of psychotherapy that uses art as a method of expression so that a person can communicate how they feel through painting and drawing. The approach is based upon psychoanalysis – a technique by which a person accesses his deepest held impulses and instincts and acknowledges them even if they are considered unacceptable. Repressed emotions can manifest into psychological problems so recognizing underlying feelings in important in maintaining good mental health and balance. Art therapy could be described as a symbolic language, that is, experiences that are too complicated or frightening to describe in words can be described more easily through the use of pictures. Just as Freud – the father of psychoanalysis – was able to interpret a patient’s true feelings and motivations through dream symbolism, the same can be done through picture symbolism.

Art can bring out the hidden desire for revenge against the bully or help the artist’s self-esteem by giving him an outlet to bring colorful creations to life.

Art therapy is often used for children who are victims of child abuse; physical, sexual, emotional or verbal and who may be suffering from mood disorders, attachment disorders and behavioral problems. As victims of bullying are also subject to emotional and verbal abuse – and sometimes physical abuse – this makes art therapy an ideal form of therapy for them too.

Art allows traumatic memories to be communicated on paper or other media and is particularly useful in children who find it difficult to talk about what has happened to them. Nurturing their creativity and expressing themselves through art can encourage some children to verbalize their experiences when they previously didn’t.

Is Art Therapy Effective?

Art therapy is an effective strategy for preventing anxiety caused by bullying and can be used as a way to explore self-empowerment methods. Edith Cowan University reported on a 10 year old girl who was psychologically affected by bullying and had started to skip school because she was worried she would experience more bullying. She was given six, directed art therapy sessions with one follow up session to encourage her to express her fears and worries about being bullied. She also saw a child psychologist before and after the art therapy intervention to get a measure of her emotional state pre and post treatment. After she had completed the course, she reduced the number of times she skipped school, had a greater opinion of herself and improved relationships with her family members, according to her own estimation and the opinion of her mother, the school principal and the child psychologist.

Art therapy can also be utilised by a child who is displaying bullying behaviour as an outlet for expressing negative emotions in a safe way instead of expressing them by intimidating others. This approach is increasingly being used by schools to prevent bullying from occurring in the first place.

References:

Art Therapy, Children and Interpersonal Violence, Psychology Today, accessed December 20, 2015, https://www.psychologytoday.com/blog/arts-and-health/201310/art-therapy-children-and-interpersonal-violence

Bullying and Cyberbullying Facts, Queensland Government, accessed December 20, 2015, https://www.qld.gov.au/disability/children-young-people/bullying/facts.html#common

Physical Effects of Bullying, Kwik Med, accessed December 20, 2015, http://www.kwikmed.org/physical-effects-of-bullying/

Matthews, F. (1998). A Case Study : A Short Term Art Therapy Intervention For A Child Victim To Bullying, accessed December 20, 2015, http://ro.ecu.edu.au/theses/1449

Forest, Melanie (2006), Children who Bully: A School Based Intervention Using Cognitive Behavioural Art Therapy, Concordia University, accessed December 20, 2015, http://spectrum.library.concordia.ca/8960/

Lyndal Bond et al, Does Bullying Cause Emotional Problems? A Prospective Study of Young Teenagers, BMJ 2001;323:480, accessed December 20, 2015, http://www.bmj.com/content/323/7311/480.short

The Blog today is written by freelance contributing writer; Helen Farnes and I hope that you find the article both interesting and useful.

The Art of Mental Health

When you get into the flow of doing something that holds your whole attention, the experience can become almost like meditation. We can immerse ourselves into this relaxed state when reading, painting, gardening, even for a few moments while ironing or washing the dishes, but when it is a creative activity that catches us up, the benefits can be even greater. Art can be wonderful for your mental health.

The Creative Mind

Creativity doesn’t always have the best press when it comes to mental health, although we are increasingly keen to encourage people to be more creative. There are still many articles suggesting that the examples of great artists affected by mental illness show that being creative makes us much more susceptible to conditions such as depression. There is even some scientific evidence to back up claims that those of us who are more creative may also have a slightly increased chance of developing certain mental health problems, such as bipolar disorder, and that there may be a higher incidence of mental illness in the families of creative people. Some of the characteristics that we prize in a healthy creative mind, such as openness to experience and the ability to make unusual connections between apparently unrelated ideas, can also be seen in certain kinds of mental illness, combined with symptoms that can make these characteristics very problematic. However, this does not mean that creativity and mental illness must go together. There are plenty of creative people who have great mental health, and many people who are affected by mental illness who have never been particularly imaginative or artistic.

The Science of Creativity

Scientists have been working on understanding exactly what the apparent connection between creativity and mental illness means, where ideas come from, and how the creative process itself actually works, but figuring out how our minds work when we create might be even harder than creating a work of art. It is not as simple as the traditional idea of left-brain logic and right-brain creativity. The process of creation seems to involve a complex series of conscious and unconscious processes that take place in networks of neurons spread across the entire brain. These networks work to keep us focused, to reconfigure what we know and remember into newly imagined combinations, and to pinpoint the best and most important thoughts. Exactly how this results in a new poem or piece of art is still something of a mystery, but while we might not understand exactly what creativity does to our brains, we do know that art can help us to heal.

Art as Therapy

The link between mental health and art can actually be a very positive one. While some people fear that creativity can spark mental illness, the truth is that art can actually play an important part in helping people to manage these kinds of conditions. Art therapy is increasingly being used to help people who are affected by mental illness or who are recovering from issues such as drug and alcohol addiction or trauma. Art therapists encourage their patients to express themselves through a variety of forms, from visual art and writing to drama, dance and music. While these types of creative processes can often feel very cathartic and may act as excellent stress-relievers by themselves, under the guidance of a trained therapist or art psychotherapist, they can also be used as diagnostic and therapeutic tools.

How Art Can Help Your Mental Health

Why is this sort of therapy so successful? It turns out that producing art can help to shape our sense of self, a sense that therapists are often working with their patients to change and strengthen. It can help us to express our feelings and to process our experiences, even when we have suffered extreme trauma. Art can also provide a different way for us to communicate with other people, which can be particularly important when there are subjects that we find difficult to talk about. When we create, we can gain insight into ourselves, increase our self-esteem, and develop a greater sense of empathy for ourselves, and for those around us. We learn to see the world from other perspectives.

Artists Healing Themselves through Creativity

Although these benefits of creativity have only been recognized by therapists relatively recently, many artists have been aware of them for years, and there are some interesting examples of people, like Agnes Richter, whose embroidered jacket is preserved by the Prinzhorn Collection in Germany, who expressed themselves creatively while experiencing mental illness. Now that the value of art for mental health has been recognized, these types of creative works are no longer shut away of ignored. Instead, they can form part of therapy, and be celebrated in exhibitions like the annual MIFQ show in Brisbane.

Links on Art and Mental Health:
1. Mihaly Csikszentmihalyi’s TED talk on Flow, the secret to happiness
2. The Scientific American explores The Real Link Between Creativity and Mental Illness and the Real Neuroscience of Creativity
3. Everyday Creativity in Psychology Today
4. The Australian and New Zealand Arts Therapy Association explains What is art therapy?
5. Agnes Richter’s jacket at the Prinzhorn Collection
6. The Queensland Mental Health Commission reports on how Creativity Shines at Iconic Brisbane Art Exhibition

So on the theme of health at the end of Helen’s article I thought I would add just a little humor to the blog with this great quote from James H. Boren;

” I got the bill for my surgery. Now I know what those doctors were wearing masks for.”

Till next time happy painting and sculpting and enjoying life.

Love Marie xxx

Why not come and have a look at Marie Jonsson-Harrison’s PAINTINGS FOR SALE, GICLEE PRINTS FOR SALE and SCULPTURES for sale or WALLBASED SCULPTURES.  Enjoy an original artwork on your walls or perhaps one on your bed ARTnBED.

So another year is just about to have passed us by and a new one is on it’s way.  How did it all happen so fast, where did the year go?  There never seem to be enough days of the week or hours in a day does it?  So much to do and so little time!

Each day, as a lot of you know, I use a different quote that I find either funny or inspiring and post it on my Facebook page Naive Art by Marie Jonsson-Harrison together with an image of a painting or sculpture and a link to my art blog to my artist website.  This week among others, I used this quote;

“Christmas is not as much about opening our presents as opening our hearts.” by Janice Maeditere  and one of the comments I got back was “ That should happen every day and not just at Christmas…. too much emphasis is put on being good and kind at this time of year but it only is one or two days out of 365… what about the rest of the year?” from one of my FB friends.   Which I thought was a point well made and a good place to start another art blog about New Year’s Resolutions.

WALL BASED SCULPTURE

This wall based sculpture in handmade ceramic and mosaic called Champagne Charlie was bought from one of my exhibitions at Greenhill Gallery and hangs in the restaurant of a hotel in Adelaide.  The subject matter I thought had a good fit for New Years.

THE ART OF BEING GOOD

I am quite sure that I am not always “good” lol, being a touch naughty at times, however trying to be kind to everyone is something I always strive to be, of course even with the best of intentions that does not always hit the mark but hopefully most of the time perhaps.

The experts say that most of our well intended new year resolutions go out the window after about 14 days and if we want to make sure we stick to them to promise small things – make tiny changes which therefore are not too daunting to stick too and then use them as a base to add some more.  Really New Year’s resolutions are just good habits.

Here are some of mine, most of the things on this list I do already but it never hurts to reinforce them I figure.

AN ARTISTS NEW YEARS RESOLUTIONS

1. Pay it forward – be kind and do onto others and all that.
2. Eat healthily, and for me that means also sticking to my Vegetarian/gluten free diet, and try to read the labels of food a little more carefully to avoid falling off the band wagon.
3. When out partying make sure I drink one glass of water with every alcoholic drink, to help my liver and my head the next day.  Oh I know what some of you are saying – perhaps cut the wine out – but you got to have some vices right!!  As I have already cut out the Bad Men lol, I still got to have some fun!
4. Keep up the exercise an hour a day come rain or shine and don’t forget the arms Marie – you got to get some upper strength too – remember what the physio said – 127 Use it or Loose it in Art
5. Cut out the sugar, apparently sugar is responsible along with the sun for an increase in wrinkly skin, never mind the body’s overall health– so the sugar has got to go.  (have always had a low sugar diet but need to focus on that some more)
6. Stay close to family and friends, spend time together and tell them they are loved.
7. Try new things, keep up with technology, explore new horizons, keep interested, learn, move forward.
8. Travel and see the world – you only live once and are a long time dead, so do it now whilst you can.
9. Write down your paintings and art blog ideas in one book like you used too – makes things so much easier to find!

So this is my list, I would love to hear what your new year’s resolutions are?

GREAT QUOTES

Here is one I love by Edith Lovejoy Pierce;

“We will open the book.  Its pages are blank.  We are going to put words on them ourselves.  The book is called Opportunity and its first chapter is New Year’s Day.”

I love to think that the next year is full of possibilities and opportunities – just there for us to go and find.  Another one is a quote on the topic of New Years Resolutions by a favorite of mine Mark Twain;

“Yesterday, everybody smoked his last cigar, took his last drink and swore his last oath.  Today, we are a pious and exemplary community.  Thirty days from now, we shall have cast our reformation to the winds and gone to cutting our ancient shortcomings considerably shorter than ever.”

However I will leave you this time with a quote that has been attributed to Mark Twain as well (although there is some controversy over that) which is one of my favorites quotes;

“Twenty years from now you will be more

disappointed by the things

that you didn’t do than by the ones you did

do. So throw off the bowlines. Sail away

from the safe harbor.

Catch the trade winds in your sails. Explore. Dream. Discover.”

Till next time happy painting and sculpting and whatever else takes your fancy.

Love Marie xxx

Why not come and have a look at Marie Jonsson-Harrison’s PAINTINGS FOR SALE, GICLEE PRINTS FOR SALE and SCULPTURES for sale or WALLBASED SCULPTURES.  Enjoy an original artwork on your walls or perhaps one on your bed ARTnBED.

My husband and I have always had a happiness trick that we have used throughout the years and that is to play Saturday night!

The art of happiness, what is that I hear you ask – well it goes something like this;

You know when you have those days or weeks where life gets you down, the car won’t start in the morning and then you get the electricity bill which throws you and then you drop the jar of jam which makes a mess everywhere.  Mmmm… that is when my husband and I looks at each other and decide now we got to play “Saturday Night”.

Playing “Saturday Night” is great and the best thing about it is it can be any day of the week.  All you have to do is to make it cosy.  A yummy dinner is required but it can be as easy as a take away pizza or as fancy as a 3 course meal. Take away containers are not allowed in sight as it should feel special, so no plastic cups either just good glasses.  Setting the table in an artistic fashion adds to the mood, all the colors in the paint pallet makes me feel good.   Candle light is always nice, as is a roaring fire or sitting by a pool in summer or running water (even a small water feature will do.)

Now for us a bottle of red wine is a must but of course, use whatever drink is your favourite.  When we were having money problems early on in our marriage the budget would only stretch to a $4 dollar bottle of wine, but that didn’t spoil our fun one bit, it tasted just fine to me at the time.

If you feel like talking do so over dinner but if you need to just switch off get a good movie and just get lost in it.

When the kids were little we always had chip and dip and lollies on a Saturday and watched a family movie together before they went to bed and then we would continue with the adult version of our Saturday night!

THE ART OF BEING CREATIVE

Of course you could also schedule in a picnic or a day’s outing as you can see in this handmade ceramic and mosaic artwork – where we are going to Granite Island, South Australia.  Of course painting,sculpting and just creating anything has always helped me be happy too.  So I would really recommend that – a hobby of some kind, even cooking is creative.

If you have little kids they may enjoy an extra Saturday night every week too.  We swear by it, of course whatever problems you have are still there in the morning but to take a little vacation from the stress and worry even if it is only for a few hours, certainly has always helped us.

Oh before you think that our poor kids were fed a diet of chip and dip and lollies I have to say that during the week both at school and at home we all ate a very healthy diet, so once or twice a week to be able to have some “naughty” foods made it all the more special.

Just as sometimes if we went to an all you can eat type of place we would let the kids attack the dessert bar before their main course, lol.  This happened rarely mind you but it was so worth it just to see their excited little faces!

So here is a quote I think fits perfectly here by Jacques Torres;

“Life is short. Eat dessert first”. – Jacques Torres

Till next time, happy painting or sculpting!

Love Marie xxx

If you fancy reading another art blog about how to make yourself happy here is a link; 33. Art & Dont worry be happy

Why not come and have a look at Marie Jonsson-Harrison’s PAINTINGS FOR SALE, GICLEE PRINTS FOR SALE and SCULPTURES for sale or WALLBASED SCULPTURES.  Enjoy an original artwork on your walls or perhaps one on your bed ARTnBED.

All of us sweat the small stuff from time to time but really we shouldn’t, however that’s easier said than done.  So what about making a list of the things that make you happy, the things you either love to do or think about.

I have created such a list here, in no particular order mind you!  I would love to hear what makes you happy too so let me know?

This acrylic on board painting is my family and friends in Bali for my birthday surprise party that hubby had organized, which is certainly an experience that made me very happy!

But you know the things in life that causes the most happiness are mostly things that are free or at least does not cost too much.

MY HAPPINESS LIST

Time spent with my Swedish cousins

Skipping (even if you are over forty and your husband thinks it is unbecoming for a grown woman)

Puppy breath

The smell of horses

The smell of freshly cut grass

The colour and smell of flowers

Watching the sunset

Hugging someone you Love

Dinner and drinks with good friends

Being in Love

The smell of sundried sheets on the bed

A hot shower

A glass of Red Wine

Childhood memories

Fresh Flowers

Sparkling Red

Cuddling with my dogs

Tail wagging when you come home

A cuddle with my 28 year old Galah

Rain on the Roof

Hearing “Mummy I Love You” – at any age

Painting

Creating in any medium

Reading a good book

Walking on the Beach

And Just walking anytime – anywhere

Swedish Daim chocolates

Dutch extra salted liquorice

My Dads phone calls

My mother’s sense of humour

My husband’s cooking and knowing he loves me still after all these years!

Exploring a new city

Train rides

Favourite songs on the radio

Giggling and not being able to stop

Laughing so hard your face hurts

Loving someone and knowing they love you

Knowing somebody misses you

The smell of the ocean

A summer’s breeze

The view from our house

Twittering birds

Green, green grass

All the colours of nature

A favourite quotation

Seeing a good piece of art

Creating a good piece of art

Naive artists – all artists

When my paintings find a “good” home

Being offered a new artistic venture

Remembering my kids as little children

Seeing my children growing up and becoming delightful adults

Memories of my loving Grandparents

Getting a massage

Paying it forward

A gift of handmade biscuits, cakes & Rocky road

First coffee of the day

Breakfast in bed

A shoulder to lean on

Shopping with my daughter

My son tracking our travels & checking we arrive safely

My daughters planned “Mother & Daughter” surprises

A good movie

A night at the theatre

Listening to children giggle

Phone calls from my kids

Family holidays

Having an open fire

The smell of a wood oven

The smell of bread baking

Sleeping with our dogs in the bed!!

Buying a gift for someone you love

Giving a present

A drink in a Bali hut by the pool

Being busy with lots of projects on!

Meeting people who collect my paintings or read my art blogs

A cup of Belgian Hot Chocolate

My son teaching me something new

Dancing ALL night

Swimming on a hot day or night time swims

So now I hope you will go and make your own list too!  Here is a quote I like by Richard Carlson

“Learning to stop sweating the small stuff involves deciding what things to engage in and what things to ignore. From a certain perspective, life can be described as a series of mistakes, one right after another with a little space in between.”

And this one;

“Choose to be kind over being right and you’ll be right everytime.”

So till next time happy painting and sculpting to you all,

Love Marie xxx

Here is another way to make you feel good that have made a huge difference in our lives; 153 The Art of Saturday Night

Why not come and have a look at Marie Jonsson-Harrison’s PAINTINGS FOR SALE, GICLEE PRINTS FOR SALE and SCULPTURES for sale or WALLBASED SCULPTURES.  Enjoy an original artwork on your walls or perhaps one on your bed ARTnBED.

Father’s day is celebrated on the third Sunday of June in many countries, but it is also celebrated on other days and here in Australia it is on the first Sunday in September.  If you fancy reading an art blog about mothers day here is a link; 134 Mothers Day and Mothers Guilt & Art or perhaps read about my talented father and his own art;20. Antonis Tivoli Art and  21. Life in a Circus Tent

THE ART OF THE FATHERS DAY CELEBRATION

Sonora Dodd was the founder of Father’s Day in 1910 in Spokane, Washington.  She wanted to celebrate her father the Civil War veteran William Jackson Smart, who was a single parent and raised six children.  Her initial thought was to celebrate it on June 5^th which was her dad’s birthday.  It didn’t meet with much enthusiasm initially and by the 1920’s Sonora got busy with her studies at the Art Institute of Chicago and stopped promoting the celebration.  It wasn’t until 1930’s when she enlisted the help of some trade groups such as manufacturers of ties and tobacco, which would benefit from the holiday that the special day started to make small inroads.  You know the drill – money makes the world go around, lol.

The celebration was resisted by many as being too commercialized but the trade groups saw the benefit from such a day and continued the publicity until the rest of us weakened and gave in to the idea.  Well actually the American President Lyndon B. Johnson issued the first presidential proclamation honoring fathers with a special day in 1966 and then six years later President Richard Nixon signed it into law in 1972 – so you can thank him for that too and not just Watergate LOL!

Normally we would spend father’s day all together as a family, and catching up with both sets of grandparents  but this year we celebrated my dad’s day a couple of weeks early and had a really lovely time.

SWEDISH MID SUMMER PAINTING

Just as we always did in Sweden too, here is a painting of the Swedish Midsummer celebrations that we so enjoyed.  This acrylic on board painting was commissioned by my USA Gallery and sold there.

This time I had a day out with both my mum and dad, just the 3 of us and that was really lovely.  We met at the Holdfast Bay Discovery Center at Glenelg where I am part of the Sala Festival exhibition; Play at the Bay.  A great show with lots of uplifting and colorful art by some 20 artists, who for the most part live by the sea.

ART TRAIL AT GLENELG

We followed that up by venturing out on the Art Trail on Jetty road which advertises itself as a “Visual feast to stimulate your senses”.  It was great to see that the local shops had for the most part gotten on board and there were lots of signs advertising art in coffee shops and galleries on the side roads too.

THE ARTIST REG MOMBASA

We particularly enjoyed the exhibition at Sussex Street Art, Music & Books; seeing the art of Clinton Habib, Shelley Hughes, Chris White and Dean McPherson.  They also had some limited edition prints by Mambo artist and former Mental as Anything band member Reg Mombasa who I am a big fan of.

I was introduced to Reg once at a gallery and he said he was a fan of my work too, so that put a smile on my face!

Anyway after the diet of art we went to Indochine for some lunch and artistic discussions, followed by another meander down the street and coffee at Gloria Jeans.  A really lovely day, so Thank you mum and dad, love you both lots!

Here a quote that amused me about father’s day;

“When I was a boy of fourteen, my father was so ignorant I could hardly stand to have the old man around.  But when I got to be twenty-one, I was astonished at how much he had learned in seven years.”                                                                                                                                                                        (Author unknown)

This one reflects more accurately how I feel about my daddy also by an unknown author;

“Dad, your guiding hand on my shoulder will remain with me forever.”

Till next time happy painting and sculpting to you all,

Love Marie xxx

Why not come and have a look at Marie Jonsson-Harrison’s PAINTINGS FOR SALE, GICLEE PRINTS FOR SALE and SCULPTURES for sale or WALLBASED SCULPTURES.  Enjoy an original artwork on your walls or perhaps one on your bed ARTnBED.

]]> http://mariejonssonharrison.com.au/150-art-trail-fathers-day/feed/ 0 http://mariejonssonharrison.com.au/135-history-of-mosaics/ http://mariejonssonharrison.com.au/135-history-of-mosaics/#comments Fri, 18 May 2012 08:12:56 +0000 http://www.mariejonssonharrison.com.au/new/?p=3411 THE ARTWORK LAST SUPPER

This work “Last Supper” is one that I have painted in acrylic and also done in ceramics and mosaic and as today’s topic for my art blog touches on the history of mosaic I thought this work would be a good one to feature.

MOSAIC HISTORY

The History of Mosaic seems to begin in the ancient near east, with some of the earliest known pieces made with pebbles of contrasting colors, coming from Greece.

It was the Romans however who really developed the art of mosaic.

The first most intricate mosaic from Pompeii was made in small panels, many of which have survived the volcanic eruptions of Mt Vesuvius.  This year I was very fortunate to actually visit Italy and go and see this amazing site for myself.  Pompeii is truly remarkable and a real lesson in history, that’s for sure.

Mosaics have been used as a decorative medium on walls and columns for nearly 5000 years.

After the renaissance, the art of mosaics went into decline, but was revived in the mid 19th century.

But even before mosaic became popular, man was creating images in clay from almost the beginning of his existence.

ARTISTIC DRIVE

Sometimes the pieces were used for everyday purposes and other times just as a means of expressing his own artistic drive.

Either way it was the tactile quality of the clay that allowed the artist to combine from and texture and feelings to produce work that can be appreciated whether it was made 10000 years ago or last week.

It was in the 50s and 60s that form and function were really challenged by modern potters, experimenting with avant-gard work.

Funky pottery and individual approaches which now frees the artists own creativity and self expression.

I do believe that every human is artistic; it may just take a little time to find the medium that suits the individual.

I wish you all the best on your creative journey, whether it is purely for pleasure or profit or both.

Put your heart and soul into it , develop your passions, work hard and stay focused.

Don’t worry about setbacks, every one has them, believe in yourself and most of all enjoy creating and dreaming.

If you are passionate about your work and love doing it, then there can be no greater high, I believe.

When I had finished my first ever artwork (36. How it all began)my father bought me a set of acrylic paints and brushes as well as made me a painting case with the words “Dream on, because dreams are what art is made of” and darling dad – I couldn’t agree more.

Till next time happy painting, sculpting and mosaicing,

Love Marie xxx  (c)

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These three kittens in their designer bag surely are not Cash Strapped as the title of this acrylic  painting says, however if you are anything like me you probably have been at some stage of your lives.

Even though at the time we certainly do not appreciate being poor, it does however in the long run become an advantage thankfully.

ART AND THE SILVER SPOON

I have seen many acquaintances that were born with a silver spoon in their mouths sadly loose it all, often because unless you have to work for it, you do not realize how hard money really is to come by.  It is said that the third generation of any business often lose all the inherited money.  They do not understand the blood, sweat and tears it takes to become rich in the first place.  Often displaying the negative qualities of a false sense of entitlement, frustration and wanting everything NOW.

Just as well then that we do not suffer from Affluenza, sounds like a terrible dilemma, lol, but it would be nice to win lotto even so, wouldn’t it?

I recently found 30 bucks in an old jacket I haven’t worn for a couple of years and was mighty pleased and that took me back to my younger days when looking through all the jackets in the wardrobe could mean the difference between going out or not.

MONEY, ART AND TRAVEL

Which reminds me of a tale of my husband’s adventures when he was backpacking through Europe in the early 80’s with his mate Rob.   They were decidedly feeling the pinch and booked into the cheapest Pension only to immediately get scabies!  Lol well thats the story they told me anyway – may have had more to do with the bad bad women!

Another time they went out for dinner  and after a couple of drinks and a cheap meal realized that they wouldn’t have enough to cover the bill, so made a runner for it when the maitre d’s back was turned.   There was one problem which they only found out after sprinting at full speed a couple of blocks away from the restaurant, which was that Rob had left his expensive and only warm coat he owned on the back of the chair at the table, it even had his name written in it.  Well thats karma isn’t it, at least the coat would have covered the bill. LOL. (if you fancy reading more of their crazy tales here is another one 26.Looking for Lochy.)

Here is a poem by my friend Annamarie Causer which she wrote inspired by the above painting.  (More links to her work below)

CASH STRAPPED CATS’

My little puss eats Chappie,
Usually a doggies delight…..
….in days oft gone by.
Makes him feel serene and happy.
He’s grown muscles in places he’s no right.
And I’m positive he barked for the first time last night.

Once upon a time
We ran out of spare money,
Which in this hectic, modern life is not funny.
So opted for a cheap way to feed him.
Cats food proved
So expensive being fancy branded & refined.

Moved
By his mews,
We trailed to the market.
Yet never fear, what did we then find
At the back of the bottom shelves.
Lurking, dusty and unused….an eighties brand
We’d actually thought they’d banned.

So we gave it a try.
Candy floss coloured pink meat,
Resembling no animal we’d ever seen.
But we convinced ourselves ‘twould be a treat.
Now we regret the decision.
For the post box is manned
Each day.
As he dost lay
In wait.
His fave pastime
Come nine
Of the morning is nipping stray postie fingers
If they tend to linger
With neat precision which twould surely astound
The surest footed hound.
He does bound
Up high.
To aim and try
To catch
An unwary hand.
Copyright @ AMC 2011

If you enjoyed the idea with a cat painting and a poem  in an art blog here is a link to another one; 87 Art & It could be worse, they could be fleas

I always remember the song from Spectrum,” I’ll be gone” or “Someday I’ll have money” released in 1971 and if you haven’t heard it I can certainly recommend it as an iconic Aussie anthem of its day.  John Williamson did a later cover of it but it was written by guitarist and vocalist of Spectrum, Mike Rudd.  Here is the first verse;

“Someday I’ll have money,

Money isn’t easy, to come by,

By the time it’s come by I’ll be gone,

I’ll sing my song and I’ll be gone.”

More information on Annamarie Causer, poet extraordinarie;

She also writes for a website called CRAIGMILLAR (look under Memories for Diary of a Countryside Lady) or find her on Facebook FB CRAIGMILLAR (for news, opinion, history and events)

Till next time happy painting and sculpting everyone,

Love Marie xxx  (c)

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ARTISTIC WEDDINGS

There are weddings and then there are good weddings and I went to one of the Great ones just recently, and no not conducted by a magpie like in my naive painting here!   Now I may be biased as this was my darling nephew (who is just the coolest guitar playing guy around) and his beautiful Fiona, who already has been part of our lives for the past 7 years.    Although I thought it was longer than that as I liked her lots right from the start and she is a person with a kind heart and easy manner and positive attitude that you enjoy sharing time with.

So that being said, I don’t know how you feel, but I know from my own personal experience, all weddings are different.  Some you enjoy because the food is great, others because of the band or location or as in this case because you can see and you know in your heart that these two people are so right for each other that they will last a life time.

That’s not to say that at this particular wedding all those other elements weren’t there too because they were, if I have to pick on anything it would be they had the ceremony starting at 11.30 on a Sunday morning!  Just as well the Hens night was a week earlier is all I can say to that.  (I do believe I was nursing a rather large headache the Sunday before, and it was all Fiona’s fault.)  If you fancy a read about the goings on at her Bachelorette party here is a link to the paintings and art blog, but do keep in mind the P… word is mentioned 53. Art & Bachelorette – A Hens night out

The ceremony was held overlooking the water at West Lakes Resort and then followed by a Greek Feast at Zacs, where every wish was catered for.  Such a memorable day!

This acrylic on canvas board painting depicts the ceremony of birds of a different feather completely, the artwork sold in Japan, and I had lots of fun painting it!  Oh and in the pretend story of this acrylic painting of course the birds were let out of their cages and lived happily ever after in the wild.  That goes without saying!

In my own case people predicted our marriage would last six months tops (they of little faith!)Oh I do love proving people wrong, as we just celebrated our 28^th wedding anniversary, so you never can quite tell.

ART INSPIRATIONS

That reminds me of another friend of mine, who got married in the 80’s, this marriage unfortunately only lasted a year.  The wedding itself was a rather splendid production at the finest locations and no expense spared and a total bill of $60.000.00 which for the 80’s was a rather large amount to pay for a wedding.   Rather a waste of money, just for one night I thought at the time, but hey we had a fantastic night!

We have been to a lot of wedding over the years and another one that springs to mind was also a splendid affair at a seaside location followed by the reception in the top hotel of the time in Adelaide with a 20 piece orchestra and silver service all the way.

So there we were at this glitzy Do with half of Adelaide’s “who is who” in attendance and what do I  do- well klutzy me had to go and spoil it, lol – I managed to dribble half my dinner on my taffeta dress (you do remember the taffeta dresses of the 80’s?)  The spill was not somewhere low down where it could be hidden, but right up top on my chest, where some sticky mess looked mighty unsightly.

FABRIC PAINTER

Long suffering Bryan takes quite a delight in his wife’s history of food dribbles, as he thinks it is all rather funny to see this model looking bird dressed to kill with food stains, isn’t he mean! LOL

Off to the ladies loo I go as I thought I better try to wash it off, easier said than done!  Have you ever tried to wash a dark purple taffeta gown in a public toilet (well a Hilton toilet but still!)  There I was trying ever so hard to get rid of this stain but instead of making it smaller it actually seemed to be spreading all over the dress, no matter what I did.   Who ever invented those horrible hand dryers that you have in toilets, they are absolutely useless when it counts, or should I say absolutely useless at anytime, especially useless at drying hands for which they were invented I do believe.

I missed some of the speeches and the cutting of the cake as this procedure took half an hour to accomplish.   Needless to say I spent the rest of the night with my hair covering the stain, thank god for long hair!

So here is a bit of wisdom for you who may be contemplating marriage from Pythagoras (philosopher)

“The oldest, shortest words – “yes” and “no” – are those which require the most thought.

Oh and by the way if I find any advice from any other philosopher on “How to avoid food stains” I will be sure to let you know.

Till next time happy painting and sculpting to you all,

Love Marie  xxx                                                                               (c)

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ART & FROGS

Unlike this painting, this little country town is actually rather quiet with only a population of 500 and according to Wikipedia the name is aboriginal for ‘madlola’ which means ‘place of the ground frog’.   Not that I saw anymore frogs there than anywhere else,  but maybe that’s how come I picked up the frog inspiration because I do like to paint them, for you who are familiar with my naive art.  Here is another art blog & painting where the detail of the frog above comes from 49. By the Seaside & Art

Below are two different versions of the painting “All Roads Lead to Mallala”.

ARTISTIC LICENCE

At various times in the time we lived in Mallala, there actually were both cows, sheep and runaway horses that raced through the streets,  my artistic licence is just that they did not all do it at the same time!

The yellow school bus you see is one that stopped outside our church and took Kai the 10 km in to the local primary school.

A lovely little country school with nice teachers and principal, as a matter of fact the first time I met the principal he was dressed up from head to toe in a purple monster suit, a friendly monster I should add, being the Purple people Eater on a “school dress up day”.

To me that was quite amazing, coming from Sweden where people were more stiff and formal and you would never on your life catch the principal in a dress up costume (well not during office hours anyway, I am sure they have their scandals too just like the British and their polititians in suspender belts and the like.)

The pub on the right is where “Smokey the Chip eating sheep” was raised, and the white ute (pick up truck) in the top picture was Bryan’s car that Smokey came home in, 11. “SMOKEY” The Chip eating sheep Art blog

This pub has been owned and run by several different owners and continues to thrive, now perhaps the most popular it has ever been with delicious meals and often a band rocking the night away, and it is a popular spot for country folk.

MALLALA CAR RACING & ART

Mallala is quite famous in its own right for its Motor Sport Park which regularly hosts national and international car racing.

The Royal Australian Air force originally established their base there in 1939 where they used to train their pilots until they closed down in 1960 which is where the car racing now takes place.

With the Air force in mind here is a quote by Toni Morrison (writer) that I like.

“Wanna  fly, you got to give up the shit that weighs you down”.

Till next time happy painting and sculpting and maybe I should say happy car racing too,

Love Marie xx

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]]> http://mariejonssonharrison.com.au/54-all-roads-lead-to-mallala-2/feed/ 0 http://mariejonssonharrison.com.au/39-our-skyshow/ http://mariejonssonharrison.com.au/39-our-skyshow/#comments Wed, 18 Aug 2010 06:27:58 +0000 http://www.mariejonssonharrison.com.au/new/?p=1070 PAINTING INSPIRATION

We first started going to the sky show when our son was about 10 months old in 1988 and that is the inspiration for this naive art painting.

The Sky show was held as an annual event and started in the middle 80’s to celebrate Australia Day with an amazing fireworks display synchronized to pop music and sponsored by a local radio station called SAFM and later on joined by the hardware store Bunnings. It was held in Bonython Park along the river and attended by an estimated 150.000 people at a time, but watched by many more from several vantage points in Adelaide, it was of course with my artistic eye a painting just waiting to happen!

We actually tried to watch it one year when we were unable to go from the farm 100km away, but that proved to be a tad optimistic!!

THE ART OF THE PICNIC

Every year we would pack a picnic and drive the one and a half hours into Adelaide park the car and then walk along the river for another 20 or so minutes to reach the spot with bags and picnic blankets, esky and with the kids in tow, together with what seemed to be the entire Adelaide population.

With the atmosphere of anticipation in the air we would make our way along whilst the kids ran up ahead and one year even brought their scooters (you know the kind without a motor that you kick along with your leg on the ground) that they got as Christmas presents and whizzed up ahead.

Our son Kai (red top & blue jeans on painting detail) as I said was only a baby when we first attended and we were a bit worried that he would be frightened by the noise of the rockets going off and the loud music, but no worries, he was good as gold and just laid there with me on a big picnic blanket looking up at the sky with the biggest of eyes, our daughter Hillivi (pink dress with hearts on painting detail) was much the same 4 years later when she came into the world.

We would set ourselves up in a particular spot each year far away from the stage but right by the river, where the kids could run around and chase ducks and play after which we would have an amazing feast of dips, crackers, olives and the like, followed by a “main course” of sorts and cake and coffee.

Then as it got dark we laid down ready for the main event which never failed to disappoint us.  Over the years we were sometimes joined by various friends and also my mum and dad (which is the time depicted in this painting, we are all sitting on the lilac picnic rug the 6 of us with the esky, my father; sculptor Ted Jonsson is the one with the beard. )

ART EXHIBITION IN NAGOYA, JAPAN

As you can see from this Japanese  art invitation I was in rather good company in this exhibition-just the 3 of us!  Being part of an art exhibition featuring art by Andy Warhol and Steve Kaufman is something you as an artist just dream about!

SPIRITUALITY IN ART

Lying there next to the river watching the wonderment of the black sky with the stars followed by pulsating music and then the crack and light explosion of a million rockets going off and tumbling down all over the sky was amazing – You know how sometimes you feel the godliness (whether you are religious or not) when something stirs deep inside you and you have your loved ones close and you just want to capture that feeling forever, well that was the sky show for us.

So as we sat by the river taking it all in I remembered this quote from A.A Milne (writer)

“Rivers know this; There is no hurry. We shall get there.”

Till next time happy painting and sculpting to you all!

Love Marie  xxx                                                                           (c)

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This painting is of my brother Matt’s band Clowns of Decadence, they all came from the Northern suburbs of Adelaide South Australia and the music grew out of the punk genre and they became a very well known pub band during the early 80’s and 90’s touring around Australia and also New Zealand.

A very Arty band of course due in part to my brothers influence. The Clowns of Decadence ensemble was large scale which also included fire eaters and other various artistic acts in its repertoire.

Matt Jonsson was the drummer and in charge of designs of backdrops and album covers and other visual influences, however all the band members were all very creative and talented and they made a fantastic team.

They still have a fan group on Face book all these years later.  So this painting was obviously a lot of fun to create.

BANDS & ART

This particular night was at the Entertainment Centre in Adelaide where they had a live cross to Hey Hey It’s Saturday, (television show) and an interview by Molly Meldrum.

There was another 3 bands I think performing that night as well. I went there with Bryan (husband) and met my mum and dad in the car park.

ARTISTIC MOTHER

What made me laugh was that my darling mother had been to a Melbourne cup luncheon recently and had made herself a rather unusual hat. My mum is very good at sewing and not afraid of standing out in the crowd even though at this stage she was in her 60’s.   You can spot her in the left hand corner with the rather tall top hat with a horse on it, a real artwork.

My Dad was mortified and tried to talk her out of this hat before we went in,  but mother would not be convinced of otherwise.  She was going to wear this hat come hell or high water to her son’s concert.

I must say I applaud her courage.  It is a fantastic thing to be and individual and proud of it and most probably some of my getting out on a limb also comes from mum, although most people say the artistic side is from my father’s side but I think it’s a bit of both. So the man with the beard is my father and then there is my husband and me dancing next to them.

Check out the action under the sound guys table.

What a wonderful night.

From the wit and wisdom of Oscar Wilde here is another saying that I like,

“All women are like their mothers.  That is their tragedy.

No man does.  That’s his.”

Hope you come and visit me soon again till then happy painting and sculpting everyone!

Love Marie xxxx                                                     (c)

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How fantastic the internet is!!!

Oh it’s probably all ho-hum to you lot, but you see I am a real newcomer to this.  My Husband/Manager Bryan has been looking after my old art website and anything electronic since forever and I swore black and blue that I was just not INTERESTED and did not even know how to turn the stupid thing on!  I used to say when asked that I still marveled at the invention of lighting a match.

Well how things change….I got a laptop for Christmas and here we are and now I think it is the best thing since sliced bread and my children and husband say, welcome to the 21^st century.

SOCIAL MEDIA & ART

One of the fabulous advantages for me has been the re-connection with my Swedish relatives through Face book which is another thing I so love.  The time just runs away when you are on that, so parents don’t be so hard on your kids, they can’t help it, time speeds up I swear. Lol Really nice to meet so many new face book friends too.  You see there is a whole artistic community on Facebook & Linkedin and so many art groups and artists which is fantastic.

Anyway had a message from my cousin, whose mother had bought 3 of my paintings at my Swedish exhibition a few years back.  He had heard that I often paint the family in my work and asked where we were.  His question was “Where is Waldo?” (The Swedes have a funny way with translations; it should be Wally, right lol)

MY FAMILY IN PAINTINGS & PRINTS

So I sent him this picture of “Pottering at the Port” so he could compare and find us in the other paintings (we are on top of the lighthouse on the right hand side Bryan in an orange shirt, little Kai and Hillivi and me next to them waving. No clue who is next to us, never spoke to them, so never found out! Lol)

You see I nearly always paint us as we were when the kids were little.  Hillivi will be forever 4 and Kai 8 years old. I don’t know why I do that; perhaps it is because they were just mine and Bryan’s then.

We did not have to share them with boyfriends and girlfriends and work and just life.

They will forever be my baby girl and baby boy and I still call them that today, as you can imagine that was not a cool thing to be called during the awkward teenage years but they coped well with their mothers little idiosyncrasies.  Although understandably teenage son at 18 was less than pleased when I called him my little “Possum Poo” in front of his new girlfriend, I think as I remember I got a bit of silent treatment then, well deserved too, but I swear it just slipped out.  The lights were on but there was no one home. Lol

Here is another saying I like from Price Cobb a racing car driver.

“Some days you’re a bug.  Some days you’re a windshield.”

Till next time, happy painting and sculpting to you all!

Love Marie xxx

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This painting “Antonis Tivoli” is one I painted for my father SCULPTOR Ted Jonsson and depicts him and his family, my grandparents.  They spent nearly all their lives travelling around Sweden and nearby countries with their side shows and entertainments which also had a dance venue with a live band.

CIRCUS LIFE

They usually travelled for 6 months during the warmer weather then came back to Stockholm where they spent the winter months doing repairs on the sideshows trucks and tents.

They had 5 children, 4 of whom joined the Tivoli, however my Dad was the youngest and he had to stay at home and go to school.  He would live in their large 2 story home all by himself from the age of around 10, for six months at a time.

PAINTING IDEAS

My father describes this time as very scary and also very exciting as he got older.  His parents would leave him bags and bags full of coins (small change from the Tivoli) to use for food and whatever he needed. They also arranged for the local deli owner to give him credit.

Can you imagine nowadays leaving a child of 10 alone for half a year, however in those days things were different and when my grandparents were home they were great parents from what I can understand.

My dad would come home and check the whole house for ghosts and burglars with a large knife in his hand, walking from room to room.  His nutritional value count could well have been low lol, as he remembers eating a lot of cornflakes during those months.

My grandfather Anton joined the circus at the age of 16, working as an acrobat artist and did a high-wire act.  My grandmother Vera ran away from home at 15 (as I did when I was 14 but that’s another story) and she went out to sea, joined on as a kitchen hand.  They eventually met and ran away to join the circus, well made a circus in their case!

On this painting my grandmother is tied to a spinning wheel although that may be my artistic licence, what is true however is that she was blind folded and tied up and my grandfather also blind folded, would throw knives around her.  My father describes their marriage as a good one but very volatile and remembers many a time when they would have big fights just as their music would start up and their names were announced to go on stage.  He remembers holding his breath hoping that his mother would not get hurt.  She herself had no such qualms however knowing and trusting that Anton would keep her safe, such faith!!    (to be continued)

So I am very glad this next quote was said by Thomas Hart Benton (politician) and not my grandfather!

“I never quarrel, sir.  But sometimes fight, sir, and whenever I fight, sir, a funeral follows”

Hope you come back and visit me again, till then happy painting and sculpting everyone!

Love Marie xx   (c)

The continuation of this art blog here 21. Life in a Circus Tent

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Don’t we as adults always know best?  Sad to say, lol that I discovered probably when my daughter was around 4 years old that this was not the case.  My son who is 4 years older than her, always accepted that we, the parents knew better, however our daughter challenged us on every occasion and boy I am glad she did.

ART BUSINESS CARD

We learned a lot of valuable lessons from both of them, and the one that stands out the most for me is listen to them,  pay attention, we can learn and awful lot, not just about them but about ourselves and the world around us.  Certainly also about technology, how many of us enlist the kids help when it comes to dvd recording, computers and the like.

So just the other night I had conveniently forgotten this fact, (Listen to your children), as I was showing my darling daughter the new art business card I had designed for myself.

You see I have been making my living rather successfully as an artist for the last 20 or so years painting, making sculptures and thought I was pretty good at graphic design too, when I was quickly taken down a peg or two.

ARTISTIC BACK-PEDDLING

Oh! Hillivi did it ever so gently but she did not like my card one bit, and guess what she was so totally right.  I had niggling doubts too myself in the same areas that she pointed out.  Although my first reaction was to defend my position, well that’s like a reflex isn’t it?  None of us like to be told – however I soon came to my senses and realized she was completely right.  So here is the front side of my card designed by my talented daughter Hillivi.

She is currently doing a nursing degree and also a model in her own right with a front cover of this bridal magazine.

She obviously does know more,  as she was booked to do her first cover 2 weeks after joining her Agency, whereas her mother had to wait a year for that privilege many moons ago.

Here is another quote that I like this time by Walt Disney, whose drawings and cartoons are also favourites of mine.

“You may not realize it when it happens, but a kick in the teeth may be the best thing in the world for you.”

Till next time, happy painting and sculpting to you all!

Love Marie xxx  (c)

Why not come and have a look at Marie Jonsson-Harrison’s PAINTINGS FOR SALE, GICLEE PRINTS FOR SALE and SCULPTURES for sale or WALLBASED SCULPTURES.  Enjoy an original artwork on your walls or perhaps one on your bed ARTnBED.