heart life

Moving House!

2010-06-17T21:36:00.002+08:00

Hi everyone! Wow - apart from feeling absolutely tired and burnt from both ends through lack of sleep, I'm (ironically) feeling very excited and buzzed about my new site being launched tomorrow! I know there wont be any whistles or fireworks, but it's exciting none-the-less! And to parallel this momentous occassion I've been participating in Kelly Rae's e-course which is absolutely jam-packed with ideas for starting a creative biz, maintaining one and building on what you may already have. There is so much practical information which is easy for us not-so-computer-literate people to chew on, and so much possibility being thrown around the place - it's quite intoxicating actually! So yes, very timely for me indeed. You may notice in the up and coming weeks that I hope to step it up a bit more with my ETSY shop, facebook and twitter as I try and get myself 'out there' a bit more into our on-line village square... And if you have a moment - I would love you to stop by my blog and have a look at the site tomorrow. Leave a message and perhaps win a few goodies. But mostly I'd love to connect with you, hear where you're from, what you do and visit you too!

This blogger blog has served me so well! I started blogging as a way to keep family in touch whilst living away from home, and then it morphed into a scrapbooking blog as I jumped into that 4 years ago. It veered slightly left when I bought my first DSLR and focused on photography with my 52 week challenge until finally coming to rest as an all-things-painting-and-art type blog when I began painting 18 months ago. No fear! I wont be changing it again! But I'd like to mention that it's because of the name of my blog *heart* life that I took on the name Donna Heart for my business! It has all those little quirky plays on words - like "art" life, "love my life" "love my art" type thingos! So Donna Heart was born last November and I'm really happy to be taking the next step into my own website and saying goodbye to my humble *heart* life blog which has been so faithful! (Cue dreamy male voice) ...so folks as the sun sets on this season, we say 'au revoir' to *heart* life and hello to:
www.donnaheart.com/

See you on the flip side folks!

x don

Counting Down...

2010-06-14T22:18:00.003+08:00

Tick tock tick tock - only three more days to go until I launch my new website!!! Yes folks it is finally happening! It has taken a while - but only because we wanted it to be perfect. And I think it's pretty darn close! That reminds me of a t'shirt I once saw, it read...

"I'm not perfect, but I'm so darn close it scares me"

And that's how I feel about this site - I'm so very happy with it and I'm sure you'll like it too!

So please pop on over friday and have a look. I'd really appreciate it if you could leave a message at the blog too and let me know what you think. There'll be a giveaway of course - gotta be a giveaway for the opening eh! So come friday, if you could spread the word through the tribe I would greatly appreciate it. I'm not at all sad about leaving this little space on the net, because although it has been a fabulous start to my creative biz journey, I feel it's time to take the next step and I'm completely keen to do so!

It has also been perfect timing for me as I'm participating in Kelly Rae's e-course about starting off and developing a creative biz. So there's been heaps of great info - authentic sharing, encouragement, tips and tricks to add to my tool box which is really getting me excited to rev things up a bit and get this biz soaring!

So - with that in mind, I should go and catch up on the latest in the classroom. So good to stop a while and chat - please dont be a stranger, I'd love to know you've stopped in so leave me a message and then I can see where you hang out too!

X Me

Wishing for you...

2010-06-07T21:45:00.000+08:00

Dusting off photoshop and teaching myself a few things lately...

It's getting very close to the launch date for my new website, and I'm trying to learn some new ways to jazz up my posts! It was going to be today, but there's just a few more things to polish off, so fingers crossed, this site will move over to the new one in a matter of days - I hope you come to visit!!!

Lucky Me...

2010-06-07T21:10:00.000+08:00

Today we celebrated my nieces 15th birthday. Wow, the years really zoom past don't they? Every year I find myself saying (always about now - at the beginning of June) "where has this year gone" It feels as though the glow of new years' fireworks are still sizzling towards the horizon, and yet at the same time I find myself thinking about a design for christmas cards!?

And I'm really so accutely aware of the speedy passage of time, especially so having two small children who are growing at a rate of knotts! So I'm calling to mind today, (and I'm going to tomorrow as well, and the days to come) the precious moments that make life so worth living. Like laying down on winter grass in the warm sunshine with a giggling four year old who smells like toothpaste and my perfume ( she helps herself to both), and who tells me I'm the bestest mother in the whole wide world because I let her have anything she wanted to for lunch today...

Lucky me.

People can make a difference...

2010-06-04T13:20:00.000+08:00

The shire of our town has made a decision despite the huge outcry from it's ratepayers to bolt our heritage swing to the ground. The funpolice (aka risk analyst) deemed it too dangerous and a hazard to community health. Despite the fact that our foreshore remains un-fenced, all swings continue to move freely, the large pond at the Queens Park Ampitheatre remains un-fenced, as are our roads, skate parks are allowed and drinking and alcohol are not banned, the people in power have gone ahead and forced their will on the people. Please take a moment to see this beautiful piece of history that has now been relegated to a mere park bench. And all this only days after it's creator Randolph Stowe passed away. Disgraceful...

Magazine Ads and a re-stock...

2010-06-01T19:45:00.000+08:00

wow - check this out! This is going to be an ad running in the next issue of Artists Pallette magazine. And to coin an old fashion phrase - I'm totally chuffed :)

Loving the Kelly Rae ecourse at the moment and gearing up with some new goodies for my ETSY shop re-vamp for the launch of the new website next tuesday.

x me

Experimenting with Print Making...

2010-05-31T22:53:00.000+08:00

well tonight folks, I've gone back to my roots. I bought a lino cutting tool today and have been playing. The last time I did this was at high school in my TEE class which was twenty *coughcough* something years ago... And it's been lots of fun I must say. I found these small square rubber blocks which are so easy to carve into, and the great thing about them is that you can use both sides. I plan on using the single image as a repeating pattern on a background to a painting soon, wait and see :)

Anyhoo, here's some pics of what I was playing with tonight. Wondering what else I can do with these little guys? Small gift cards, tags perhaps? Well I have a few more of them and hope to get cutting this week. I thoroughly recommend them, but just dont ask me what they;re called, as I've thrown out the packaging - oops!!! I'm thinking of turning one into my logo, so I'll see how that goes...

the image at the top of the page which I've aptly titled "flower head seed pod thingo" was the drawing I chose to carve into the rubber stamp pad - as seen below. I actually prefer the leaves in the pencil drawing, but there wasn't the room on the block...

I quite like it - it's sort of like a garlic flower head crossed between a corn plant...

Feel free to leave some words of wisdom - or just say hello for a chat - it's nice to meet people :)

x me

Precious Gifts of the Heart Variety

2010-05-30T21:01:00.000+08:00

The other day I was chatting with a friend on facebook. She's a very talented artist and I have gained such inspiration and strength from her over the years. She's a truly authentic soul who walks to the beat of her own drum and I have always loved that about her - a free spirit she is. Anyway, we decided to do a swap. A painting for a piece of jewellery. So I had a look at the items in her shop and then had an idea of her making something for me instead... She's a 'yes' person and whole heartedly agreed. The next minute I know, I get a text message saying this will be in the mail monday.

How gorgeous is this! So, if you haven't realised it yet - it's the heart from my logo. And I absolutely love it. You should check out her other beautiful bits and pieces here. And she also does comissions. Go on, have a look!

In other news, my website is almost complete and I now have a launch date of June 8. I'm so looking forward to it. Hope you'll pop over and have a look!

X Me

Revamping Blue Lady

2010-05-28T18:49:00.000+08:00

and here she is - the finished painting (except I have yet to do the resin pour, but i wanted a photo before that stage in case the shine got in the way of the photo)

I like her - I think the flowers giver her such a lift and place her in a space that I would love to be in... She looks to me now as if she is about to break out into a big sunny smile :)

Thanks for stopping by,

x me

Reworking an oldie...

2010-05-27T14:12:00.007+08:00

Hi folks! I've just made this short video of me re-working an old painting that i've had in the studio for a while. I wanted to see if I could manage windows movie maker. It's not fancy - but here 'tis! Oh - and it's not finished yet either - so I'll post a completed image soon! Thanks for stopping by!
x me

ps: the music is by Bob Evans and it's called
Dont You Think it's Time
from the album
Suburban Songbook

I'm Getting Published!!!

2010-05-24T20:53:00.000+08:00

If you get the latest edition of Artist's Palette magazine (issue No86) and turn to the inside back cover, then this is what you'll see...

Oh my lordy!!! As we say in our house - how 'citing!!!

It is the first time I've been published and I can hardly believe it!

(happy dance here!!!!)

Have a great week everyone

x me

Transformation...

2010-05-23T20:07:00.000+08:00

From this.....

To this!!!

I've still got some gold leafing and another pour of resin, but justthought I'd show you ho wit's progressing. I so love the glassy glossy gorgeous finish.

It makes the painting POP!

AUCTION anyone???

2010-05-23T12:00:00.001+08:00

Hi all! Just thought i'd post a few photos of some works in-progress... I'd say each of these are about half to three quarters finished... I've had a whole day in teh studio - so whilst they're all having som edrying time, I thought I'd take some shots and post them for yout o have a look-see... I'm also going to attempt to do a resin pour on a few of these, so wish me luck as it's the first time and I hope I don't botch it all up!!! As for the girl - well, I just felt she needed a face-lift so watch out for her - i have a good feeling it's going to look awesome (if I do say so myself!)

One of these will also be up for auction to help raise funds for my brother. You can read more about his efforts here... he is part of a team of Aussie firefighters who will be running from the west coast to the east coast of America later inteh year to raise awareness of the amazing work that emergency services perform, honour their fallen mates from Sep 11 and also raise money for burns units in aussie hospitals - so all round an awesome cause and a great reason to put a bid in to the auction. Stay tuned as I'll post more specific details in about a week...

Creating Mixed media again...

2010-05-20T14:18:00.000+08:00

just a quickie today :) I've been creating, and it feels GOOOOOOD! The time has gone waaay too quickly, and of course i didn't get as much done as i wanted too - but one can't rush these things! It's good to be started again. I want to keep the momentum going and finish these off soon. Stay tuned!

In other news, my web site is almost ready - yay! I'll let you all know when the launch date is set and there will just have to be some giveaway goodies involved in that of course!

Hope your day is filled with peace and flowers :)

x don

the War of Art

2010-05-14T22:41:00.000+08:00

Wild brumbies, photo taken east of Wiluna, Western Australia

"Look in your own heart. Unless I'm crazy, right now a still small voice is piping up, telling you as it has ten thousand times, the calling that is yours and yours alone. You know it. No one has to tell you. And unless I'm crazy, you're no closer to taking action on it than you were yesterday or will be tomorrow. You think resistance isn't real? Resistance will bury you.

You know, Hitler wanted to be an artist. At eighteen he took his inheritance, seven hundred kronen, and moved to Vienna to live and study. He applied to the Academy of Fine Arts and later to the school of Architecture. Ever see one of his paintings? Neither have I. Resistance beat him. Call it overstatement but I'll say it anyway: it was easier for Hitler to start WWII than it was for him to face a blank square of canvas."

excerpt from the war of art by steven pressfield

Pretty confronting stuff eh? But haven't you felt it too? I have tuned in to the whisperings of my heart, the still small voice that prompted me to take up my brush boldly and look fear in the face and start painting. I have stepped through some fairly flaming hoops when it comes to acting on my dreams (starting my own business 5 months ago, launching my brand...). But regardless, I am still faced with resistance every day, every time I so much as think about my next project or creation. Most of the time it is a constant battle. There is this split between wanting to use my time for mothering, and also for creating and building my buiseness - (but that is for another blog post to come!) Occassionally the planets align, my muse is firing, the ideas are clear, the kids are... (I have children?!) and there is a space in time that exists for me which is longer than a stolen minute here and a thieved minute there. Time that stretches out quietly and empty waiting for me to be in it. Long amounts of time bulging with possibility. Occassionally...

But most of the time it is a balancing act (or war?) between motherhood, excitement of a new idea birthed, fear of not being 'good enough' and resistance to begin the thing I desperately desire to do! So I do acknowledge that resistance is a true enemy, but! (and here's the saving grace) persistance is an ally that can stare resistance down and make it cringe and crawl back to the dark place where it belongs. Persistence is something I am trying to befriend and walk daily with. Persistance is a very dear friend. She is strong and wont take abuse from resistance at all. She muscles her way in to the creative space and plonks herself in front of the blank square canvas. Squares up to it and says "let me at it - I love a new beginning!"

So even though I'm at war with resistance, I am desperately trying to sow into my relationship with persistance. I have always loved this poem and have recalled it to mind many times whilst studying, or in the middle of a course, or in disciplining my children for the tenth consecutive time in the same day over the same issue... So I will leave you with the very wise words of Calvin Coolidge, he sums it all up so perfectly and profoundly...

Nothing in this world can take the place of persistence.

Talent will not; nothing is more common than unsuccessful men with talent.

Genius will not; unrewarded genius is almost a proverb.

Education alone will not; the word is full of educated derelicts.

Persistence and determination alone are omnipotent

Paying it Forward...

2010-05-11T22:51:00.000+08:00

A heartfelt thankyou goes out to the lovely Oonagh from CeltoiCroi who nominated me for this blog award. There's my blue again!) Go and check out her blog - she has the most beautiful, intricately burnt designs onto wood. I would so love to have one of them in my house, especially the tree of life!

And so now it is my turn to pay it forward to three lovely bloggers, so here goes...

Tracey of 'i close my eyes in order to see' is an absolute powerhouse. If she's not sewing then she's scrapping, or teaching, or helpin gout down at the kids' school or fundraising or something. The girl is a super-mum! So check out her lovely things for sale here - especially those wrist bags, love 'em!

Jo Luscombe, of HOTSILVER is sooo HOT! Yes, I am proud to say that this hottie is a friend of mine and an awesome silversmith artist to boot (amongst other talents as well - music, painting, house building, stained glass, murals... rennaisance woman i tell ya) But if you'd like an original gift for a friend or a treat for yourself, go and have a look-see at her beautiful creations here on her site

Last but certainly not least, I'd like to do a shout-out to the queen of clusters (the scrapbooking kind that is!) Poppysmum... What can I say - every time i look at her scrapping, I just want to scraplift them all. She has a great eye for design, colour and layout, and although she reckons it's all just pushin' paper around, she does it oh so very well! Thanks Mel! So go over to Blooming Poppy for a look and a scrap lift or two :)

Well folks, that's it for now. I've just finished reading the War of Art by Steven Pressfield ( the Legend of Bagger Vance) and for any artists out there I thoroughly recommend it - absolutely! As a matter of fact, I think I'll add a few more quotes to some up and coming posts. I've said it before, but I have to say it again, he's really very kick-ass. If you are resisting doing the very thing you want to do, the thing that your heart is aching to do but for some reason you are putting it off, then read his book. It's for you !

On that note, I'll go and get stuck into my new book... The Divided Heart by Rachel Power, which is already shapin gup to be a fabulous book. More on that later too...

Good night all, x me

Hot on the heels of mother's day...

2010-05-10T11:52:00.002+08:00

this looks interesting! I am fascinated by mothering styles across our global village and different childrearing practices... How beautiful is this!

Thoughts on Contributing in The Big Pond...

2010-05-06T18:17:00.000+08:00

As some of you may know from this post, I was accepted a few weeks ago by the royal art collection to submit a piece for an exhibition in Dubai... Having come through the process whereby I have been required to create a piece of work within a set theme and size dimensions, I now remember all too well why I made a decision at the start of the year not to do any commissions at all in 2010!

Something changes when I have parameters. I think it has something to do with my sense of freedom, my 'painters self asteem' and the boundaries I place on myself to create something more awesome and new and wonderful than ever before. Although I did have a theme and set size to work with, it was always my right to interpret that theme anyway I see fit, so technically I should have felt free to create away to my hearts content, but for some reason, I felt as though i was waaaay back at the beginning again. All the old fears and worries raised their ugly heads. The voice inside that says things like " who do you think you are being a part of this - have you seen the other entrants' work?" "you've got to be kidding - who are you trying to fool" and on and on, was very hard at work trying to distract me from my task at every turn.

This is the very same voice that up until now I have dealt very harshly with and for the most part sent packing. I recognise this 'voice' as part of my ego. That part of me that actually wants to protect me from harm. To protect me from failure and embarrassment and critique. And that's all well and good (thanks for looking out for me Ego) but I for one do not want to be kept captive to such limiting views. I have always loved a good challenge. Actually, in the past I think I have actually thrived on them ( which is why I accepted in the first place I suppose...). So why is this work any different? I'm not sure. I think perhaps it's because a very personal and intimate part of ourselves is put 'out there' for all to see and critique and love or hate when we hang our art in an exhibition (and I've never exhibited before). But my intuition, which has served me well thus far says to have a bit of faith in myself, that nothing is achieved by sitting back on my haunches. That I have to get 'out there' where it's uncomfortable, in order to grow. I do know I have a burning desire to 'sit' under another painter and be mentored and taught I have SO much to learn, and I would just love to see how others apply paint and achieve their imaginings on canvas, so there's definitely a part of me that says "oh you're not ready for this - you're just so new, give it a while" And so the battle goes!

Yes, I still do feel like a very small fish in a very big pond when it comes to things like the Dubai Exhibition (I've seen the other artists - man are they good!) , but the practical side of me says that they didn't have to choose me if they didn't like my art. "Yeah but they were probably short on artists and were just taking what they could get" (Mr Ego) Well, my answer to that? Who cares! For whatever reason, I was chosen, and that is a blessing and I'm thankful. It's nice to have things swing my way once in a while ;)

The War of Art

2010-04-28T16:42:00.001+08:00

"Why have i stressed professionalism so heavily in the preceding chapters? Because the most important thing about art is to work. Nothing else matters except sitting down every day and trying.

Why is this so important?

Because when we sit down day after day and keep grinding, something mysterious starts to happen. A process is set into motion by which, inevitably and infallibly, heaven comes to our aid. Unseen forces enlist in our cause; serendipity reinforces our purpose.

This is the other secret that real artists know and wannabe writers (insert 'artists' here if you like, or painter, or designer etc) don't. When we sit down each day and do our work, power concentrates around us. The Muse takes note of our dedication. She approves. We have earned favour in her sight. When we sit down and work, we become like a magnetised rod that attracts iron filings. Ideas come. insights accrete. Just as resistance has its seat in hell, so Creation has its home in heaven. And it's not just a witness, but an eager and active ally."

Taken from The War of Art: Break Through the Blocks and Win Your Inner Creative Battles, Steven Pressfield

I love this book - it is so kick - ass!!!

x me

For the Fallen

2010-04-24T21:55:00.000+08:00

Tomorrow is ANZAC Day. A day when Aussies and Kiwis remember the brave men and women who fought and served to protect our country, our way of life and our freedoms. May we never forget their selfless acts of service and courage.

For The Fallen

With proud thanksgiving, a mother for her children,

England mourns for her dead across the sea.

Flesh of her flesh they were, spirit of her spirit,

Fallen in the cause of the free.

Solemn the drums thrill; Death august and royal

Sings sorrow up into immortal spheres,

There is music in the midst of desolation

And a glory that shines upon our tears.

They went with songs to the battle, they were young,

Straight of limb, true of eye, steady and aglow.

They were staunch to the end against odds uncounted;

They fell with their faces to the foe.

They shall grow not old, as we that are left grow old:

Age shall not weary them, nor the years contemn.

At the going down of the sun and in the morning

We will remember them.

They mingle not with their laughing comrades again;

They sit no more at familiar tables of home;

They have no lot in our labour of the day-time;

They sleep beyond England's foam.

But where our desires are and our hopes profound,

Felt as a well-spring that is hidden from sight,

To the innermost heart of their own land they are known

As the stars are known to the Night;

As the stars that shall be bright when we are dust,

Moving in marches upon the heavenly plain;

As the stars that are starry in the time of our darkness,

To the end, to the end, they remain.

Laurence Binyon (1869-1943)

New Zealand and Australian soldiers landing at Anzac Cove, 25 April 1915.

The Road to Dubai!

2010-04-15T20:42:00.001+08:00

Hey folks - got some exciting news to share! Last night I received an email to say that i'd been accepted to show a piece of art in an exhibition in Dubai through the Royal Art Collection!!! To say I'm excited about this one is an understatement indeed. Nervous as hell - absolutely. I've got to make a May 12 deadline now for this painting, so the heat is ON! Watch this space over the next few weeks as I tackle the challenge of painting to a theme and size restrictions. But how cool to have a piece of my art on display in Dubai with others from around the globe! BIG Yay!!! So I htink I'll have to start taking heed of my own words and trust in the direction that my dreams are leading me...

x me

You too are a masterpiece!

2010-03-31T16:18:00.000+08:00

This is absolutely beautiful! We are all so different yet a common thread runs through us all...

To women around the world!!!

Every one, a masterpiece!

x donna

Veiled Flight

2010-03-31T00:26:00.000+08:00

here's the latest from my studio... It is a pice inspired (again) by the gorgeous seed pods of the Kapoc tree... I'm getting so much out of exploring layering and various techniques and textures... Although this would look great in my kitchen/dining room, i will put it up for sale... If it's one thing i've come to realise, it's that in letting go, we make room for more. For more ideas, for new ideas, for growth and forward movement. Although i do have favourites, i also love to see them go to someone who has fallen in love with it. When the painting chooses a person, you cant stand in the way! And i enjoy knowing that my heart remains wide open for more, more , more!

x donna

Let's Be a Voice For The Children...

2010-03-29T10:19:00.000+08:00

Hands up if you like chocolate... Yeah, I've got mine up too. But until recently, i had absolutely no idea what was going on in the broader picture, every time I bought and chomped into a lucious piece of milky chocolate (room temperature if you please). I had no clue that thousands and thousands of children in third world countries were being used as labour in the production process - do you? Does it make a difference to you to know that? It does now to me... Have a look at this short video - and let's get behind the little people who don't have a voice, who don't have anyone to speak out for them, who have no 'top cover'. If you don't purchase chocolate that isn't fair trade marked, then the product will sit on the shelves, and the shops wont re-stock it... If the fair trade products continually walk out the door, then they'll stock more and more - it's a simple case of supply and demand.

And there could be no better reason, and no better season than now to have a heart change...

Happy Easter everyone, I'm off to Woolies to find some right now - wanna come with me?

x donna

toward the sun

2010-03-28T08:04:00.000+08:00

swirling, twirling,

fat brush thin brush,

fingers creeping

ink weeping

seed pods grow

leaves flow

across a sea

of blue and green

things unseen

secrets revealed

layers peeled

and leave you asking

is it love?

or expectation

a seed takes root

toward the sun

despite the odds

it presses forth

and leaves you with a sense

of hope...

Fond memories...

2010-03-27T20:33:00.000+08:00

here 'tis! my first painting on paper, and i had such fun watching this piece evolve. It was inspired by the seed pods from the african mahogony tree which grows really well especially in the kimberly region... Its shady canopy provides relief on hot days in places where the natural flora is low. I planted one of these trees in my back yard in halls creek many years ago - it was a bare gravel yard with a few stringy eucalypts along the back fence. over the years, whenever i drove past that house on my way from Broome to Kununurra I'd see it as it grew over the height of the fence and past the roof top to give a wonderful shade to the house and yard... I can't wait to see this one framed, i just love it!

what are you up to in your creative space tonight?

x donna

Mahogony Inspiration...

2010-03-26T20:56:00.000+08:00

here's a sneak peek at something i'm working on at the moment. I'm so enjoying this piece that i hardly want it to end! I'm loving the layers, the bits peeping through, the suggestions of something else - not quite visible but there in the background. i loved the drippy ink stage at the beginning and how it inspired me to delve further. i just really love it! I think i'll definitely have to explore this further. Now to name it. I've never had to name something abstract - this will be fun! i hope you enjoyed your peek!

have a great weekend,

x donna

A Reminder to Myself...

2010-03-26T10:05:00.000+08:00

i have to be brave with my life so that others can be brave with theirs...

i'm re-posting this today because more than ever before, i need to hear these words again. I need to marinate in them and go back to them. Sit with them for a while. It's been a tough couple of weeks parenting-wise, but this is where my heart really is - here, in the day to day. growing these small people into the adults they are meant to be, because i know they will bless the world.

x me

Nearly There...

2010-03-21T17:04:00.001+08:00

just deciding if it needs a little extra detail, or to be left well enough alone... any suggestions? I'd love to know what you think!

x donna

ps I'm revelling in the feeling of complete joy that rain brings . We haven't had rain in at least 5 or 6 months...

My First Landscape

2010-03-20T22:03:00.003+08:00

i have a canvas that is over two meters in length and only 43 cm wide! When i saw it at Jacksons, i just decided that i needed the challenge! You may have seen the videos i posted a few days ago now where i actually started by dripping paint all over it? well this is what i came up with today - well, snapshots of it anyway! I had one of those sessions where i just got lost in the creative vortex. i got sucked in to that place where time stands still and my muse directed my brush and it all came together with a freedom i rarely engage in... it's not quite finished yet. not quite, but almost. I hope to have it completed by tomorrow night. Actually I had plans to complete it tonight, but one of the peeps woke up crying with a sore ear, so i was needed for some serious cuddle-therapy... anyway, let's hope i manage a miracle tomorrow!

and here's a bit of video to show a section of the process. I only have one mp3 song - sorry! so you get to hear it a few times! I must download a few more for next time.

(musical credit goes to Lisa Hannigan, An Ocean and a Rock)

have a great weekend wherever you are

x donna

Photoshop Action and my Booty!!!

2010-03-19T16:02:00.000+08:00

just playing with some photoshop actions... i'm sure the purists amongst you will be tsk-tsking a disappointed glance in my direction with the mention of it. But when one has the desire for such things, but not the time, i'm telling you, I for one am a convert. At the click of a button, an average photo can become sharper, lighter, pop with colour, black and white, vintage or sport a nostalgic honey glaze... These ones here are almost black and white, but with a hint of cinamon - just a suggestion of colour and i love it. The original was way too pink for me. Something also happens to my photos when i rotate them from lanscape to portrait - the pinks suddenly become almost fluorescent, so it was nice to bring them down a notch or two!

and more happy news today... look what arrived by courier for me today! The bookmarks - yay!!! I'm very impressed with their quality and everyone's turned out fabulously. That's my birdie on the left pile and some of the others' on the right. And i also received four absolutely beautiful hard-cover coffee table books which i can't wait to devour. Even from a quick flick I can tell I am going to find some inspiration within their pages.

This one is all about Indian textiles - yummmmm

and look at this space! I now have a new dream corner for my dream home - a place to catch the rays and read - pick a spot, anyspot...

well, i hope you're gearing up for a relaxing weekend with the ones you love. Don't forget to make a mark on the world!

x me

Would you like to see how i do what i do???

2010-03-12T21:23:00.001+08:00

here's my first painting video! it's not fancy - butlike most things in my life - i have to strike whilst the iron is hot! well i dont know abou tany irons, but it sure was hot today!!! Being an artist or creative and a mum of little people means you sometimes have to take the opportunities as they present themselves! So you'll see interactions with my children as well - there's no perfect unhindered silence in this studio. These videos will be first take only - no rehearsals and any manner of interruptions alog the way! so i hope you like them.

Miss Moo was a bit upset and having a slight 'hissy fit' in her room - so i had to break this up into two videos and go and check that the screams weren't pain related :) (see what i mean about only doing one take lol)

ed: She was fine - it was just a misunderstanding :)

I would love some feedback if you can. Thanks for watching :)

x me

drippy drippy love paper

2010-03-12T12:24:00.000+08:00

so here's my next project! I've bought some really lovely yummy, heavy watercolour type paper to do my next piece on. I really love the look of a piece of art behind glass, so hopefully I'll end up framing this one. I also bought a tripod the other day with the flipcam - so i'll endeavour to get that set up today and start filming a new canvas - the loooong skinnnny one. I haven't measured it yet - but it has to be at least 8 feet tall!!! I've been deliberating over whether to create a landscape or portrait oriented piece - and decided to go with landscape. I have an idea, and i'll see how it goes! So i'll be working on two at once, finally!

Hope you're having a great day wherever you are, doing whatever life has lead you to

x donna

My First VLOG!!! (albeit a tad late...)

2010-03-11T17:18:00.002+08:00

ok - so i'm about 9 hours late - I suppose if you're in the northern hemisphere this will be fine :) but the whole excersise was a learning curve for me - just wanted to know i could get through the whole process from recording to uploading! IDid i mention how much i love this little camera???

x me

Do you feel like a chuckle?

2010-03-11T14:59:00.000+08:00

In another life, I was a primary school teacher, so this really appeals to my sense of humour :)

The children had all been photographed, and the teacher was trying to persuade them each to buy a copy of the group picture.

'Just think how nice it will be to look at it when you are all grown up and say, 'There's Jennifer, she's a lawyer,' or 'That's Michael, He's a doctor.'

A small voice at the back of the room rang out, 'And there's the teacher, she's dead.'

i'm trying to upload a vlog from my flipcam, but not having much luck... press on!

x me

Painting BIG!!!

2010-03-09T10:33:00.000+08:00

wow! I've finally completed my first really big (well for me anyway) canvas! It measures about 1 m x 80cm. It is a hwole new feeling and experience to go big - to get the whole arm moving as marks are made. And now i think i'm definitely hooked! I think the key would be to have a few on the go at the same time as i wasted time during the drying process for some of the layers where i could have switched over to another. Lessons learnt...

I'm thinking of purchasing some type of flip camera - to tape my painting perhaps and load up here to the site. If you have any experience with this i'd love to hear from you, esp regarding brand names/capacity and things to watch out for. I'm researching the net of course, but experience is golden :)

I've so much to say - have been reading some great books recently about starting out in business, and running a business on the net. But I'll have to wait until i'm not running out the door to do my errands. Just wanted to share my latest with you. so what do you think? Honestly!!!

x don

LA to Ground Zero in 26 days. Remembering the fallen...

2010-03-07T20:29:00.001+08:00

18 Firefighters. 26 days. 7392km. LA to Ground Zero New York

23 Feb 10 19:44 PM

Posted by Bradley Hosking for the CHILDREN'S BURN UNIT - PMH

Well I guess it's just not fair asking for your money without somehow doing something to earn it. So with this in mind and keeping with the whole 'Firefighter' theme, I've set myself a challenge to run the entire Busselton half Ironman run leg in 2/3rd's turn out kit and full BA (breathing aparatus) The set I will be using is the MSA BD-96 compressed air (not oxygen) BA set. It weighs approx 16kg and supplies air on a demand basis. The set will be on display and available to try on at the 'Tour Of Duty' tent we will have set up at the expo. So get on down try it on and make a donation per kg of extra weight I will be lugging around that course. Go a step further and enter the sweep to determine my overall run time with the winning time taking home a 30% share in the overall takings!!! So the more people that take a punt, the bigger the winnings and the more the PMH burns foundation benefits. Everyoners a winner baby! See you at Busso.

Ed: at the time of posting this, we find ourselves being torn - our brothers and sisters in Haiti especially have called on us for financial support. But every dollar counts. Be sure to watch out later in the year as Mel and Kochie follow this awesome event on morning sunrise - as we all band together to remember the sacrifices made on Sep 11...

http://www.everydayhero.com.au/todrun

http://www.tourofduty.com.au/tour2010.php

PLEASE - could you forward this on to your family and friends. Lets make a difference

X Donna

Keep a Journal :: what a gift...

2010-03-07T16:21:00.003+08:00

this is beautiful - i just love this man!!! my dad keeps journals, and i wish i had the discipline to do the same. what a gift...

At My Studio

2010-03-07T15:48:00.000+08:00

You may remember a couple of weeks ago Tash Tapper came and took some photos of me working in the studio? well the main reason for that is to have some noice (that's kath and kim for 'nice') ones to perhaps use in my new site. Well congrats to Tash for having little baby Scarlett, and for also managing to put together the photos from the day onto disc for me. Here's a sampling of some of my faves - great job don't you think?

And what are you up to in your studio today? I continue to struggle with the life/balance thing - being a mum to two little ones and finding time to paint... Do you have the same problem? I wish i was posting more about my paintings and new techniques etc, but at the moment i'm either being mum, or feeling wasted on the couch at the end of the day!!! ahhhh - soon! I promise (myself) soon...

Been away...

2010-02-28T11:24:00.000+08:00

Hi everyone! just a quick note - as i've managed to grab a moment on a computer... I've been away all week and wont be back to my studio until monday arvo. I've been madly trying to complete my business plan all week and am going crazy not doing anything creative!!! so I'm looking forward to getting back to the studio and completing my canvas and starting some new ones with inspiration from my trip here in Carnarvon! I haven't forgotten you! Stay tuned peeps - and i'll see you soon.

x me

Tash Tapper is Tops!!!

2010-02-21T20:47:00.000+08:00

serendipity stepped in yesterday and in a very short space of time i managed to organise a photo shoot in my studio with new up and coming local photographer Natasher Tapper. I wanted to get some pics to use on my new website - yes it is actually happening so make a note that April 2nd is the day when the new and very much improved Donna Heart site will debut on the www! Here's a few photos that tash sent over this arvo just to whet my appetite - isn't she just the bomb!

now go and leave some love at her facebook page and tell her to get a website!!! and wish her some luck as she's ready to have bub number two and did the shoot all the same :) thanks tash :)

thanks so much for stopping by - i really do appreciate your support

x me

Kapoc Love Day Two

2010-02-20T13:53:00.002+08:00

so this is how far i got last night with this painting, and i'm really quite happy with it so far! It's a whole new world when you start painting on a large canvas, and something i've discovered is that i need new brushes, bigger ones!!! I have one large brush which isn't enough when i've got two colours going at the same time! Just doing a little research on tonal values and think i'll need to be more mindful of that as i go along, and also really reallt want to get stuck into some colour theory, and become more purposeful in ho wi choose colours (rather than just random!!!) Although intuition is a great thing, mixed with some knowledge would definitely give me more breadth and width in terms of knowing where i want to go with the painting. I know i want to use some gold leaf in this one, and either some smaller seed pods or some birds as well. I think it is somewhere around 70% complete. perhaps...

so what are you up to in the studio? take some photos, post a link, i'd love to see your journey as well!

x me
Post script: when i lived in the kimberley i was amazed at these Kapoc trees - with their beautiful yellow flowers and fluffy filling cascading out of popped seed pods. The seed pods themselves are amazing - some round and ball-shaped, and others like little birds with tiny beaks. I took photos of them and now after about 8 years they are finally finding life on my canvas. the realisation is that sometimes a dream takes a while to blossom, but it always does when the time is right...

What You Do Matters...

2010-02-19T20:36:00.001+08:00

For all the mums out there who often lose heart in the day to dayness, or wonder what it is we're doing exactly here? Watch the little video above (i cant work out how to put it in the body of the post - sorry!)

x me

ps: you're wonderful :)

kapoc love

2010-02-18T22:27:00.000+08:00

ok - so i've just started this canvas tonight. i should be in bed. i am soo tired. but once i started it i just.couldn't.stop. it was like i was in the zone, you know how sometimes when you paint time just stands still? like the dome of silence, except mine had ABBA hits pounding away in the background ;)

anyhoo - you may remember a while back i posted about this little seed pod which i knew was going to fire up my muse at some point in the not-so-distant future??? well here 'tis - my kapoc/flora s bowley inspired ever so BIG canvas! well, it's big for me at least. and you know what? I think i could get used to this 'up-sizing' thang. stay tuned for an update ;)

x me

My New Painter BFF's

2010-02-16T22:03:00.001+08:00

a few nights ago i had dinner with an old bff and watched Mama Mia (with Meryl Streep) and remembered just how much i have always loved ABBA. so i've just downloaded the 'best of' and am humming away as i type this post to "Chiquitita" hmmmm 'how i hate to see you like this, there is no way you can deny it..." not sure if i've ever listened too intently to these lyrics, but just love the melody! i digress...

Speaking of BFF's... i serendipitously stumbled across some absolutely beautiful paitings/artists last night. have you heard of Reed Danziger? or Stephanie Toppin, or Jennifer Scott Mclaughlin? I wont be surprised if I'm the last to know (really, i'm usually a bit late on the uptake lol!) but if you haven't - just check out their work below - and then click on the links and feast on the rest of their amazing creations - aahhhhh such wonderful free flowing beauty - just love it! oh! and how could i forget? Flora S Bowley?! (slap hand) what i wouldn't give for a pinky finger of her talent - breathtaking!

here's a taste...

Stephanie Toppin

Jennifer Scott McLaughlin

Reed Danziger

and last but not least Ms Flora.

aren't they just amazing...

thanks for stopping by - let's know where you're from - i'd love to hear from you :)

x donna

a little bit o' randomness

2010-02-12T08:47:00.000+08:00

i just love this colour green for a wall. one day, when i get my own place, i'm going to paint a wall this colour. maybe it's the contrast of the bright yellow boots, or the beautiful hand woven coloured baskets. the spray of flowers, or the way the light dances across the wall. either way, i just like it alot...

btw, i'm making laksa for dinner tonight. haven't had it for years. told you this was random, x me

trusting my journey and a business plan

2010-02-11T21:32:00.000+08:00

it seems that starting something is far easier than keeping it going... well this is my road hump at the moment - and the somewhat simple task of writing a business plan (how hard can it be with a business as small as mine?) is ~~appearing~~ looming ahead of me like a gloomy dark mountain. history has it that once i "pull my finger out" and just get it done, i find myself wondering what all the fuss was about, so i'm trying to learn from lessons past. on the flip side i'm very excited to have finally made a decision about who to design my new website. so watch this space folks, hopefully in a months time there will be a funky new face of donna heart on the web - i'm really, very excited about this!

and tonight i celebrate the 18000'th visitor to my site (actually i think it was me - oops!) ok - so 18000 visitors then - still pretty happy 'bout that one!

well, i have a comission next to set my mind to so looking forward to that one. and tomorrow folks - yes tomorrow I WILL do my business plan. Friday is TV day in our house and the peeps get to choose 45 mins each so i will buckle down then and get the good part of it done.

hold me to it will you?

x donna

live your dream...

2010-02-09T09:16:00.000+08:00

hi folks! just thought i'd post the latest from my studio this week. as mentioned before, i want to explore more of my experiences from living in the kimberley, and one of the things that stands out in my memories are the magestic, yet very quirky boab trees. these guys are so hardy and grow in the most amazing places. i've seen them sticking out of rock faces - seriously. this painting, as with many of mine, started out as an image inmy minds eye, and turned out completely different! it was supposed to be all tones of white and greys on the left hand side merging into colour - but something else happened along the way, and well, this is it! obviously not a realistic painting, but it depicts the excitement and energy of a dream just breaking through into the realms of possibility - just like that baby boab tree emerging from the nut. and with the warmth and light and all good things, it will become that awesome magical, mystical and solid tree...

i haven't yet put this up on my etsy shop for sale, but will do that tonight.

take care, bye for now!

x me

my (dream) studio...

2010-02-07T20:56:00.000+08:00

ok - so if i ever get the opportunity - this is the type of studio i'd ~~like~~ love to have... except instead of the pool, i'd have an overgrown bush trail of australian beauties like wattles, gums, boronia, calistemons and grevilleas a dry river bed weaving through the bush to this little place of peace, light and seclusion.... i bet my muse would love it there...ahhhhhh

photos: Mike Newman

little canvases

2010-02-04T14:19:00.000+08:00

just a quick update to show you two more little canvases (or boards actually) that i finished off last night. i have some really large boards which i'm working on now of some more beautiful australian kimberley inspired pieces. i'm exploring images in my minds eye and ones taken by myself for a series of boab and landscape paintings - and it all started with this one here... so be sure to pop back in soon to have a look at those! in the mean time - if you'd like a print of any of my paintings, feel free to contact me through email or etsy - as i haven't yet loaded up all the prints that are available to you at the shop just yet...

i choose brave

8 x10 mixed media on claybord

i choose (to be) brave is a mantra i have had whirring around in my brain this year, and here it has surfaced and spilled out onto this little canvas as an outward reminder to me, that i need to actually choose to be and live brave - rather than thinking it is a quality that one either does or doesn't possess...

awesome love

8x10 mixed media on claybord

i just love all the colours in this one, (yes, i am still revelling in my Claudine Helmuth paints - scraping out the meagre offerings left inside...) it is so full of energy and life! this is the type of love that knows no bounds, and for me that is the love between my children and i. really. really. awesome

Do or do not

2010-02-02T22:56:00.000+08:00

i have a new favourite saying. in fact, this could be my all-time favourite. ever...

"Try? Do or do not. There is no try."

Yoda

a happy wave...

2010-01-31T17:39:00.002+08:00

despite the fact that my number 1 peep has been violently ill over most of the weekend, i am still feeling a very happy glow every time i stop to think about what an awesome opportunity it will be for me to have so much world-wide exposure, albeit one little painting! so i'm really keen to give this little blog a facelift, and am scouting around now for a designer i think will meet my needs and help me create a space on the net that is uniquely me. a place where i can showcase my work, and have a shopping facility as well. so, if any of you reading this are either web designers, or can recommend a web designer to me, i would greatly appreciate it!

whilst riding my happy wave on friday night, i went to work with my muse and came up with these two little offerings...

the first one is a re-vamped canvas (do you remember the little houses all in a row?) i really love the texture in this one, and the boab tree has been with me for a while now waiting to come out - i'm definitely going to explore these beautiful (upside down) trees further. when you are in the kimberley, you cant help but dream, and my sleep is full of them at the moment!

and the next one reads "risky business" because when we put our hearts out there for all to see, when we take the risk of being open and honest, or perhaps persuing a life-time dream that many think is silly or unachieveable, then we also leave ourselves wide open to possible attack, criticism and hurt. but, for the most part, the universe is kind, and (eventually i ~~think~~ hope) rewards those who take the risks with strengthened hearts and focused minds to stretch themselves to their (my) greatest potential...

i know i'm not the worlds greatest artist, but i love making art. and i'm so grateful that two wonderful opportunities have come my way so far this year. Firstly, i have a 6-8 page article coming up in Australian Artists Palette magazine (i'll let you know the edition when i do - so stoked about this!) and now winning (along with 19 others) the bookdepository bookmark competition. so i'm learning the lesson, that putting my heart 'out there' is a good thing. that sometimes we lose, but every now and then we have a win. the key is, you've just got to leap forward and take those risks...

OMIGOD OMIGOD - DOIN THE HAPPY DANCE PEEPS!!!

2010-01-28T20:08:00.002+08:00

ok - no apologies from me about using caps in the heading today, because i can hardly contain myself with this FANTASTIC news!!!!!!! check this out... i am totally excited, amazed, grateful, did i say excited? pumped to the absolute max and i can hardly believe that one of my paintings is going to be delivered out to... hundreds, thousands, hundreds of thousands of people!!!!!!! yeeeehaaaaaaaaaa!!!! wooooooohooooo!!!!

*breathe* (in, out, in, out) ok...

thebookdepository ran a competition last month, whereby you could submit a painting to be in the running to be used as one of the shops' bookmarks. they ran a similar competition last year amongst illustrators which was a huge success, and so then opened it up to the public. I thought about it early on in the piece, and then put it aside thinking no... and then, as fate would have it, i decided the night before the closing date to enter. i submitted about 8 entries, sent a little prayer out into the universe and then left it at that.

then tonight, i get this in my inbox...

Dear Donna

Congratulations! We have chosen your bookmark design as one of those that we’re going to print up and send out with all our books.

Thank you for the fantastic effort you put into your design, we had a tough time choosing and had over 600 entries from all around the world. In fact there were so many good ones we chose 20 winners in the end rather than 10.

You can see all of the winners gathered together on www.BookDepository.co.uk/bookmarkwinners we’ll start to print these in the next few weeks, so your bookmark should be being sent out by the end of February. In the meantime Thames and Hudson will select your prize books and we’ll also get them sent to you during February.

Well done again,

Gemma

OH.MI.GOSH.

so there you have it. this is the image that will be made into bookmarks and sent 'out there' for thousands of people to see it, and i can hardly believe this is true :)

so, a very big, grateful heartfelt thankyou goes out from me to the bookdepository ( and did i mention how much i love this shop? just ask my bank balance how much!) for choosing my design. i truly am so very thankful and completely over the moon.

ps - thebookdepository.com has free international shipping - you should try it!

pps - no, they did not ask me to say that ;)

on my bedside table...

2010-01-27T21:20:00.002+08:00

not much to report on the creative front for this week. i did have a go at using the hand painted fabric i made - turning it into a little row of houses, which was going ok, that was until i decided to go crazy with a tube of white paint over the top and then it all went awry... the white paint took on the colour of the paint underneath and now it looks rather tacky... soooo i think i'll write this one off as a test/play/learning piece...

i am also supposed to be working on my business plan, (CERT IV Business and management) and inputting data to MYOB as well, so the next few nights will consist purely of business i'm afraid. but - to keep my creative ideas flowing, i have some new books. here's a peek at my bedside table...

i'm nearly finished these two - and am loving the ideas in finding your visual voice. it has given me olts of things to think about, and reminded me of so much that i learnt through art history many years ago at high school... connecting art to stitch has whetted my appetite to further explore the use of fabric in my art - yum!

this one just came today and i am very keen to sink my teeth into some of these ideas. just look at that scrumptious colourful front page! just awaiting my wood burning tool kit in the mail...

and lastly, for something a little different - reading lolita in tehran. i've only read about the first 6 chapters, but it's shaping up to be a very interesting read. mmmm, so much to do, and so little time. I'd better go. so - what are you reading at the moment? please share any interesting titles, i'm always on the lookout for something new!

x donna

there's alot of love in this room...

2010-01-23T20:43:00.001+08:00

who would have thought a little teeny metal object could steal my heart away? well i think it has. i went in to my local quilting shop the other day to purchase some thread and found out that if i wanted to experiment with/play/do free machine quilting then i needed to get my hands on this bad boy. so off we trotted into town and found the Janome shop (i love my janome too by the way) where i got one of these little beauties!

you know, when i was the wee small age of but 12, i got my first job as a 'jounior waitress' at the ascot races in perth (aka kitchen hand and general dog's body-gopher) i used to earn $20 a day which was from about 8 till 5. well i had dreams back then of being a designer and making my own clothes and being famous lol! so i saved up all my pay and bought my first sewing machine. from memory, it was a pretty good one back then at about $450-$500. and it's the same one i sew on now. it hasn't skipped a beat! needless to say, i didn't go on to pursue a career in design, rationalising in those years that i didn't want something i enjoyed to become 'work' - oh how arse about is that?! what i wouldn't give to have a career now doing something that is a love and a passion!
anyhoo...
it's funny the things that can spring to mind sometimes from the deep recesses of our memories. i had dropped the dogs and set off tentatively circling, zig-zagging and basically going crazy with this thing and an old friend of mine from katherine school of the air just sprang to mind. carolyn, if you're reading - i think this started all those years ago with your crazy, passionate and frenzied love of all things free-stitching! i remember talking to her about it, and thinking that one day i'd like to give it a try. well it's only taken about 8 years! funny thing is - she gave me a little stash of lovely thread as a gift one day and i've carried them around the countryside with me all these years not knowing quite how or what to use them on - here they are...

aren't they lovely?!

and these are the beautiful threads I bought locally to also have a play with - the colours of pindan and ridges in the fading light...

and here's a little bit of what i've been playing with. i painted my own fabric with som esparkling H2o's and then cut and reassembled them onto a substrate to sew on - how much fun is this! i didn't realise how much movement one could get out of a machine and needle - but it's so amazing!

and last but not least - i found this Kapoc seed tonight. i thought i'd lost it, but again, after all these years it just decided to show me it's little face tonight. funny how things happen isn't it? i only just found my photos of kapocs a couple of days ago. a beautiful piece of nature and just calling out to be used as inspiration don't you think?!

inspiration...

2010-01-22T17:21:00.000+08:00

i've been having a dilema for the last however-many-months as to what i'm passionate about. i'm always wondering why people paint the things they do - what is it that makes someone go head over heels with a still life, whilst others can go a lifetime only painting flowers, or scenery or horses...

there's many things i could paint if i wanted to - but it's not about that really, is it...

so what do i ~~want~~ need to create?

well you know the old saying about some things being as plain as the nose on your face? well this has been one of those realisations for me... a bit of an ah-ha moment if you will.

i really want to explore more of the mixed media side of things, textures, prints, fabrics, metal bits and pieces, leafing, stamping and anything else i may discover, but as for the subject matter i have gone back to my heartland...

i spent many years working in the remote kimberley and northern territory. i taught in small communities, travelled around as a visiting teacher to far and away places, lived in the lovely Broome for years and was also with the school of the air in katherine for a couple of years. not to mention all the nooks and crannies i was priveledged to see and experience when i was in the army...

and i have many, many special memories of that amazing, awesome land. once you've lived there, it really does take a hold on your spirit. it has a magic all its own.

so i'm tripping back through memory lane, and some old photos as well and i'm feeling the inspiration mounting, the ideas are forming and things coming together for some new creations.

wish me luck!

a penny for my thoughts please...

2010-01-20T14:43:00.000+08:00

have been doing lots of soul-searching lately about what direction to go with my art. am feeling as though my 'voice' isn't there, and have hit a bit of a conteplative cloud square on. wondering why we paint what we do, make the choices we do, and the style we have. probably feeling a little tender at the moment with a few anniversaries coming up and special days that were once special but now less so. and in all of this, trying to remold and re-fashion these memories into something still beautiful and yet different, so i can keep them with me and smile at them rather than cry :)

a little illusive i know, but the details aren't important. just that we find ourselves in these times that make us stop and think deeply about where we are, and which direction we're going to take next. and all of this collides with our creative selves to place new challenges in our paths.

for me, my art is almost always a reflection of where i'm at in my life journey, and comes out in each and every piece...

so these moments are integral to me. working out who i am now, and how i respond to these little hurdles, the decisions i make about how i will react to these memories/feelings etc are so important because it continually redefines more and more of who i am, and what i paint and why...

the quiet way...

2010-01-08T12:36:00.003+08:00

Coalseam National Park Wildflowers September 09

i just read this poem from a post by Christine Mason Miller (aka Swirly) and it sums up completely how i feel about the transition from 2009 to 2010. it is beautiful. have a read...

At the End of the Year

The particular mind of the ocean

Filling the coastline's longing

With such brief harvest

Of elegant, vanishing waves

Is like the mind of time

Opening us shapes of days.

As this year draws to its end,

We give thanks for the gifts it brought

And how they became inlaid within

Where neither time nor tide can touch them.

The days when the veil lifted

And the soul could see delight;

When a quiver caressed the heart

In the sheer exuberance of being here.

Surprises that came awake

In forgotten corners of old fields

Where expectation seemed to have quenched.

The slow, brooding times

When all was awkward

And the wave in the mind

Pierced every sore with salt.

The darkened days that stopped

The confidence of the dawn.

Days when beloved faces shone brighter

With light from beyond themselves;

And from the granite of some secret sorrow

A stream of buried tears loosened.

We bless this year for all we learned,

For all we loved and lost

And for the quiet way it brought us

Nearer to our invisible destination.

~ John O'Donohue ~
Taken from the book To Bless The Space Between Us (in the U.S.)and Benedictus (in the U.K.)
© John O’Donohue. All rights reserved.
http://www.johnodonohue.com/index.html

love tenderley, now...

2010-01-07T15:12:00.001+08:00

well, here 'tis! the before and after photos. i experimented yesterday with some spray paint and some groovy stencils that i've had in my scrapbook stash not knowing what to do with and that was it, i was hooked! if it's not nailed to the floor then you can be sure it will get spray painted! i've attacked all the paintings that are unfinished with spray paint as well, it really is addictive! so blog friends, what do you think? does it look better?

x me

love tenderly...

2010-01-06T19:06:00.000+08:00

i worked on this painting until late last night, completing the gold leaf work on the heart rubble under the birdie's feet. and although i had planned that it would be finished at this point, i cant help but wonder if it still needs a little something in the space/area around the lower third of the paiting around birdies legs? i'd love to hear your opinion... what do you think - does it need a little something more - or leave it as is...

i look forward to hearing what you think blog friend...

x me

notice the sparkle and embrace your inner stork...

2010-01-04T11:25:00.003+08:00

i've had this painting sitting around in my studio for a while, it had reached 'the ugly phase' and i just didn't have the head space to work on it or know what direction to take with it. but yesterday i just decided to make a go of it, so i dipped my fingers in a pot of paint and had a play! i'm really feeling very in touch with how precious all the little moments are, especially now that i have these 10 days all to myself. i know i probably wont get another chance like this all year, and so i am relishing every tiny tasty sparkly morsel...

and on a bit of a different note...

here's another birdie painting. i'm just inspired by bright and bold lately. loving these colours...

this is the largest painting i've done to date. i wasn't planning on working on this panel in landscape, but i accidentally told the framer to put the hanging wire on it that way, so it got me thinking in a new direction. a happy accident i'd say!

the words read 'embrace your inner stork' i wont explain, it may kill the humour!

have a happy day wont you!

x me

Collaborart!

2010-01-03T11:44:00.002+08:00

last night a dear friend Miss M and i got together for some collaborative art - or collaborart (this word keeps popping up in my head !) inspired by mati rose and kelly rae's 2009 expermentation in colaborating on a canvas together, Miss M and i joined forces for a wonderful evening and came up these to show for it. punctuated by drinking many cups of tea and stopping for a mango break (required snack right?!) we had an awesome time. we had purposely not arrived with any preconcieved notions or ideas about what we wanted - and just gave each other the freedom to do whatever we wanted - no mistakes right!

as it turned out we took turns on each others' canvas, stopping when we felt we'd worked on a section/notion/idea enough, and then handing over to the other person. and i think the results are awesome. they're so bright and full of childlike sparkle!

it was such a freeing way to work, thinking only about the next one small part, and not being able to respond until each other had finished. so there was not too much planning, and just lots of being in the moment and enjoying the process. it really was awesome fun.

we plan to do more of it too - with other friends and have even more collaborart ideas brimming, but you'll have to watch this space for those. 2010 is definitely gonna be a hot year!

and here's my finished piece! (we each took home one piece to hang on our wall) miss M chose the word 'wonderland' for it which i totally love. my wonderland is my studio, it's my creative space both literally and figuratively - love it!

stay tuned for more collabrart soon, x me

enjoy now with all your heart

2010-01-01T18:34:00.000+08:00

here's the latest from my studio titled 'enjoy now with all your heart'

if there's one thing i learnt from life last year, from all the ups and downs it's this. this life is not a dress rehearsal. this life is short. s.h.o.r.t and we cannot waste time being bitter or angry or dwelling on things that may not have turned out how we would have liked. there is always joy to be had, each and every day and i for one am trying to live by these words. this year, i'm going to find life in the small and seemingly unimportant things. i'm going to enjoy each and every now with all my heart. and i hope you'll join me...

x me

when the peeps are away, the mum will play!

2009-12-30T20:58:00.000+08:00

finally, i've made it back in to the studio... it seems like forever since i've painted, well maybe not forever, but a very long time. it is so hard to balance being a full-time mother and all that comes with that, and finding some time to actually be creative. actually, finding the time isn't that difficult, i have the evening hours when the peeps are in bed, but i'm always so tired... so it's a total blessing to have thse 12 days all to myself (the peeps are visiting family with their dad) and in the studio for extended periods of time. this is my first piece i started yesterday and finished today to get me in the swing of things and i actually really like it. it's a fun piece and i think i'll really play some more with bright bold colours - lovin those. i've also been wanting to experiment with fabric on my art as well - so hopefully will have something to show with that really soon.

thanks for stopping by my little corner of the world. x me

Waiting...

2009-12-24T20:44:00.000+08:00

i love christmas. i really do. i love the smells, the anticipation, the family customs and traditions. i love that it brings people together, if only for a short while. i love that the core of the human soul - the part inside us all that likes to show love and care comes out to play this time of the year. i really love christmas...

this year is the first time really that my little girl 'gets it' she really gets the whole thing. the presents, the reason behind the giving, the wrapping and not telling the reciever what it is, the anticipation and the waiting. it's so good! and little brother who is always in tow and mimicks her every move is starting to get it too. so it's so much fun to be starting some new traditions and continuing with some old with these two munchkins contributing to it all.

we always put our tree up on the first of december and take it down on the 31st and this was the first year that DD dressed it entirely herself (except the lights - i had to help there). we play Bing Crosby christmas carols, wear santa hats and enjoy rediscovering each of the ornaments all over again.

this year we started a new tradition of making spiced biscuits in christmas shapes. these will be both for treats at home and gifts as well. and of course santa will have some left out for him as well! and speaking of santa and his sweet tooth, did you know he also likes beer? this is a tradition from my husbands' childhood and it will definitely live on in our family. the chidlren went outside to pick lovely fresh green grass to put on a plate, topped with lovely fresh carrots for the reindeer. and because father christmas has to travel in the australian heat, it stands to reason of course that he would no doubt be mighty thirsty and the only beverage worth quenching a dry thirst here is of course beer. two i might add, it's really, really hot (so the husband says).

there is of course presents as well. from each of us, and from father christmas too. the presents that FC leaves under the tree are (as of this christmas) wrapped only in silver and gold ( they look so much more special compared to all the others) whilst the others are wrapped in all the bright colours! and we went through all the book boxes and pulled out our favourite christmas stories to read before bed as well. the nativity (of course!) 6 white boomers (an absolute must read) merry christmas stinky face ( i LOVE LOVE this book) and my absolute favourite, Night Tree (by eve bunting)

so there you have it folks, a little snap shot into christmas at our house. lunch with the family tomorrow ( prawns or lobster this year? cant wait!) and then lolling around all afternoon wondering why we all ate too much. it will be hot, probably really windy too. and although i do love summer time, i do wish that one year i'll be able to experience the magic of a white christmas.

peace to you all,
x donna

in the morning we'll be eating pancakes as well (honestly - is there any other way to mark a special occassion?)

I'm not lost...

2009-12-17T12:28:00.000+08:00

i've been a naughty blogger (slap hand) i know... but really, being the lead-up to christmas i do have an excuse dont i?! the peeps and i have made the trip to perth for a friend's wedding on saturday which i am so lookin forward to. and i've been able to make some final christmas purchases too. now, if you are a painter i have a question for you...

i have been wanting to varnish/seal my paintings for some time now, but as i use both oil and acrylic paint, this has proved a little more difficult to resolve - apparently there are different varnishes for both. what to do??? i have been advised (after many conversations with shop owners etc) that i need to use an isolating medium and then something like MSA by Golden over the top. so. i want to know if there is one product out there that i can use rather than two? the isolating medium takes 3 days to dry - and then the varnish more again. there must be another way!

so if you've come across this problem before, i'd love to know how you resolved it!

i am loving the build up to christmas and cant wait to make our christmas biscuits next week with the peeps. but as with every year, i so WISH i was having a white christmas! i read a blog post today and the author wrote that it was cold and dark by 4pm... here it's still light at 7pm! well, the summer evenings are nice - but oh it would be lovely to snuggle up in front of a fire with a warm cup of milo and a good book!

x me

happy birthday me...

2009-12-09T14:45:00.000+08:00

look at this gorgeous piece of art! it's one of jennifer valentine's creations - have a look at her art - she's so talented! it's a vintage assemblage oil can turned into a photo holder thingo - isn't it beautiful! lately i seem to be drawn to assemblage art. although i dont feel drawn to creating anything assemblage (i'm not really a collector or keeper of things) - i just love seeing what amazing things people put together to create something new. stay tuned for cheese grater art coming soon!!!

i can see clearly now...

2009-12-08T21:57:00.000+08:00

the latest from my studio... something a little different, but totally enjoyed creating this little birdie. the words down the birdie's leg reads "she found the courage to stand tall" perched atop her pile of rubble which is her life, this little birdie knows that even the tough times have refined her heart (gold leafed sections) and it is because of the pile, that she can see clearly into the distance...

creativity knows no bounds...

2009-12-08T21:33:00.002+08:00

jus been surfing the web for a little creative inspiration and came across piece mama's blog. i post the link as it's the only reference to this most amazing piece of art - check it out! is that not the most amazing piece of quilting you've ever seen? i dont know who the artist is - but that is one talented and patient person!

but if sea-scapes aren't your cup of tea, perhaps a bit of motor-vation is more you! i've only ever made one quilting project in my life - a table runner which i am quite proud of - and if there were an extra 5 hours in every day i would definitely do more quilting. the creative possibilities are quite endless ( who would have guessed, a car jacket?), but one can only do so much!

got any funky finds off the net today? post a link in the comments and spread the inspiration around!

thanks for stopping by, x me

and the winners are...

2009-12-04T21:47:00.000+08:00

hi everyone! thanks so much for all of you who visited and took the time to leave a message. so without further ado, here are the winners of the two prizes...the random number generator has spoken and...

the pack of cards go to: number 8! Nicki F

and the bookmarks go to number 3: MLG Creative!

so message or email me through your addresses and i'll have those in the post for you monday!

thanks again and please dont be a stranger, x me

baby steps...

2009-12-02T20:36:00.001+08:00

the other day i picked these up from the printer - my new bookmarks! and i have to say - i'm really impressed with the quality - these are the rolls royce of bookmarks i'm telling you! and if you're not really a reader - these would be a really bright and gorgeous piece of fridge art!

there's heaps of ideas swimming around in my head - but i just find that lately i have no time... i am always so tired! with little ones up at 5 oclock in the mornings - the days are long - and all i really would love is an extended time in the studio... but that is coming - just around the corner in fact. in january, i'll have 10 uninterrupted days to create to my heart's content! in the mean time, if you would like to purchase any of my items: card packs, individual cards, prints or bookmarks, either head over to my ETSY store, or feel free to contact me via email: donnaheart@westnet.com.au

now - for a giveaway!

one lucky reader will win a pack of my 6 cards - blank inside for your message

and another, a set of my new four bookmarks.

all you have to do is leave a comment below and i'll draw the winner on friday night.

here's the catch: in one sentence, write down your most treasured memory of christmas.

i cant wait to hear your thoughts,

take care, and thanks heaps for dropping by,

x donna

the countdown is on...

2009-11-20T09:13:00.002+08:00

this little person has been talking about what cake she will have for her 4th birthday for approximately 11 months now... and for the most part is has remained the same - a ladybird cake. so that's what it will be, together with a ladybird pinata as well. the pinata has now become a birthday tradition in our family, one which i really love. as the children get older, they'll be more and more help with the making of it too... and speaking of traditions - here's a new one for us taken from one of my favourite crafting books the creative family by amanda blake soule. it's miss m's birthday crown, which hopefully will be worn and enjoyed for many birthdays to come. it's a very easy pattern and is sewn from felt. the idea is to add a small embellishment for each year and that in time as the birthday girl/boy looks/reflects upon the various additions, the memories of that day remain strong and precious. when i spent a year travelling the us - i especially loved the traditions of thanksgiving, halloween and christmas. yes, we do celebrate christmas here! but it was so nice to have a COLD one! and the beautiful family i spent my christmas break with LOVED their traditions too. a few weeks out, the oven would start up, the same cookie cutters would come out, the saved cookie tins too, and the family would get baking. as children, the brothers and sisters would enjoy decorating the spice cookies in various ways, and as i understand, certain decorations and patterns became almost copywrited by each member, repeated with accuracy year after year! these cookies would then get boxed up, placed in tins and mailed to friends and family around the country and world as special gifts from the heart.

each year they would make tree decorations, and each year as they dressed the tree, the family would reminisce , telling the funny stories and anecdotes about how such-and-such spilt the glitter all over the dog, or the paint that got spilled on mum's good lounge... these are the traditions i love. the home-made ones. the ones that just get better with time. the ones that make you feel loved, warm and wanted. these are the moments and traditions i'd like to build into my family.

marking certain days as extra special, celebrating our small poeple and big people alike, and the contributions they make to our family and to ourselves is so important. slowly we are building in traditions to our family, and our own special days and i'm hoping that with every year those traditions and activites help to strengthen and build the bonds of our family.

do you have any great family traditions? make a comment and share the love - go on, it's (nearly) christmas!

thanks for stopping by, x me

look what landed on my doorstep yesterday...

2009-11-19T08:47:00.000+08:00

woohoo! they're finally here! my first ever run of cards. a couple of months later than i had hoped/anticipated, but here none-the-less. so it's lots of folding, folding and more folding for me with 1500 of these little beauties! and then some collating, and then... stocking the ETSY store! i will be selling these both individually and in packs of 6. i'm just finalising prices in my head so stay tuned as i'm hoping that by end of next week these will all be available for purchase!

thanks for stopping by, x me

heart this big time

2009-11-16T20:21:00.000+08:00

do you like folk music? if yes - then go and check out http://www.folkalley.com/ registering takes about 1 minute - and you can then stream non-stop folk music from around the globe 24/7! i have been introduced to some awesome artists - so many i could listen to over and over. it's now my absolute favourite tunes to have on in the studio whilst painting. check it out!

a matter of courage...

2009-11-13T11:47:00.002+08:00

my life seems to be ticking over at a very nice rate at the moment - not too fast, not too slow... little by little i am making headway with the business, and any day now my first batch of cards will arrive on my doorstep! stepping out into the unknown for me has been an exciting move, but none-the-less requiring a certain amount of courage. as always there is a deceptively sweet small voice in the back of my mind giving me a list of reasons not to dream too big, or expect too much. so these words lately have been my own words of advice - or as we used to say in the army 'orders to myself only'!

tust my wings - fly with courage in my heart...

it's been so long since i've painted, and i've been pining to do so, so when i started this painting a day ago, my muse was with me and everything seemed to meld and gel and come together so well. i used some new paints by Matisse which being earthy tones was a step outside my usual bright and sunny pallette. i had lots of fun scraping paint with an old business card, stamping circles with lids and even using my 4 year old's foam brushes as well! i spent up big at scrap central in perth and experimented with the new tim holtz crackle paint here as well. on her wings i used the clear crackle paint and then rubbed in ink to make the lines more visible.

i had so much fun with this one - and apart from a minor mishap with some surface tension breaker which left the paint looking like curdled milk on the canvas (paper covers a multitude of sins!) everything worked so well...

hopefully i'll be able to ride this wave again soon as i desperately need to paint paint and paint some more!

hope life is well for you in your part of the world,

thanks for stopping by, x me

Old Friends...

2009-11-11T20:46:00.001+08:00

it's been twenty years since i've seen these people... twenty years. i can hardly believe it. my head is still spinning from the events of the weekend - what an awesome time i had catching up with this crew! i think we had somewhere around 120 students in our year - so it wasn't a bad turnout. we left at the sweet ages of 15 and 16 and returned as adults. mothers, fathers, business men and women, stay at home parents, soldiers, policemen, stockbrokers and managers. artists, nurses and everything in between. most of us have been through the school of hard knocks in one form or another - and one of us never made it at all... and yet here we were - another moment in time, talking like there was no tomorrow, catching up on 20 years of life! and it occurred to me that there were also a few poeple there whom i'd been to school with for 13 years! such a long time to share with friends - and it really was just like catching up with my extended family. i had an absolute ball!

"here's to us by God! To us and them, and privileges of youth. Here's to us and what we were. and what we'll be"

cheers everyone!

x don

PS: my cards are still at the printer!!! so please be patient with me - as soon as i have them in my hot little hand i'll have another great giveaway for you all - so please stay tuned!

it's been 20 years...

2009-11-06T19:34:00.001+08:00

i can hardly believe it myself, but i have been out of high school for 20 years!!! and that means a reunion, and that reunion is tomorrow! so i'm headed south for a few days to catch up with some old friends and faces i haven't seen for a lifetime. i'm really looking forward to it, now that we're all 'grown ups' :) so i will be off the page for a few days, but tune back in next wednesday for another great giveaway!

ooroo!

and the winner is...

2009-11-04T21:12:00.001+08:00

thankyou so much to everyone who left a comment on my last post-and i'm very excited now to announce the winner of the 'she loves red' print. the random number generator has spoken, and the winner is...

number 2! Vanessa could you please message me with your address and i'll pop her in the post for you!

stay tuned folks - i'll have another giveaway coming up soon - so check back in for another chance to win some lovely donna heart goodies!

have a great week,

donna heart

a new season - the arrival of donna heart - and a giveaway!

2009-11-01T22:47:00.003+08:00

hi everyone! i know i have been a lazy blogger, but i seriously have had my attentions diverted over the last two weeks. my dear friend Mel has left us all in search of a new life and adventure to the isle of New Zealand - farewell gorgeous friend!!! and to add to all the farewell happenings associated with that, i've been working with stewart from Goodwin Media to design my new logo and brand. so without further ado - here 'tis!...

wow - i never knew it would take so much of my time and attention to get to this! but i'm really happy with the end result, i think it's perfectly me! there are some gorgeous bookmarks soon to be printed, business cards, and a few other bits and pieces too. so now all that is completed, i can actually get to the printers and have some cards ready to sell very soon! I am soo excited to be so close to having this dream become reality. if you had told me 5 months ago that i'd be going into small business this year- i'd have scoffed! But here i am! and to celebrate the creation of 'donna heart - where art and life collide' my new business, i'd like to have a giveaway of one of my prints.

this print is titled 'she loves red' and will arrive to you beautifully and professionally mounted on foam core backing-and matted with an archival quality black mat which shows off these colours beautifully. it measures 21.5 x 37 cm (8.5 x 14.5 inches)

all you have to do is leave a comment - no more than a sentence in length, answering this question:

what do you love?

AND! tell a friend about this new blog. I'll draw the winner on wednesday night (4th Nov) at 8 pm western australian time.

also, in a couple of short weeks, i'll have my ETSY store up and running with beautiful cards and prints for sale in time for christmas. I love red - what do you love?

Thanks for stopping by,

x donna

the bookfairy has landed...

2009-10-24T15:22:00.001+08:00

well it took me all week, but i finally decided on the perfect place to leave Christine's gorgeous gift. here on a park bench at George's Beach. i had thought about the war memorial, up on the hill overlooking the town and the ocean, or perhaps a bench on the boardwalk in town, plenty of people walk there every day. and then today as i was driving back from the shops i remembered george's beach. a gorgeous little peaceful place not far from where i live. there's a carpark surrounded by gum trees and casuarinas line the grassy edge of the beach. poeple come here to sit and each lunch, to walk their dogs, or their children -lol! but what really made my mind up was this...

a few weeks ago now, a magnificent ~~blue~~ humpback whale, for reasons unknown, got wshed up on this beach. it was an awesome, horrible and sad sad sight. such a magestic animal, left high and dry in a world not his own (yes, i love whales). and it occurred to me, that it would be nice, or fair, or just to give something back to this place - to balance the universe a bit, to make peace. something lost, something found. equilibrium. balance. give and take. take and give. so it is my hope now, that this book will fall into the hands of someone who really needs to read its words - and maybe not all would have been in vain...

i am alive...

2009-10-24T08:54:00.000+08:00

i know, i've been a naughty blogger - but i am alive and haven't disappeared off the face of the planet. it's just that life has been focusing my attention elsewhere lately. life. it twists and turns and takes unexpected lurches and leaps. if you had told me 6 months ago that i'd be starting my own business, i would have laughed. hysterically. me, business? but here i am. starting my own small business. emphasis on the word small, but a business none-the-less! and it is exciting! ex.ci.ting! i'm really close to being able to show you my new brand/logo, header, etsy store and other yummy stuff... after all - if i'm going to do this, i might as well do it properly don't you think?

so stay tuned, because in the not so distant future, i will be focused back on this space, and painting and creating and building and dreaming some more. oh, it's all quite exhilarating really. and i've even surprised myself in actually wanting to learn the business/accounting side of it too. cool.

lots of love to you all - wherever you find yourself right now. i hope you are following your passions too...

she brightens your day

2009-10-14T23:24:00.000+08:00

about a week ago, an old friend of mine felicity, got back in contact with me and asked if i would be interested in doing a comissioned painting for her. felicity is a miliner,and (you should check out her beautiful hats here) a dear friend of hers who also modelled many of her hats for her, is leaving town. so felicity sent me a photo of Kate wearing one of her hats and really, the rest is history. i've turned down a few inquiries about comissioned paintings before because i've never seen myself as technically able to produce a likeness of another person. but when i saw this photo of Kate with her hat - i knew i wanted to do it, and i knew it would be great! and i've also given myself the freedom to produce a painting which doesn't have to be the exact likeness of the person either (that relieved alot of the anxiety!) so here's the photo that Felicity sent me of the gorgeous Kate...

and here's my finished product... I'm really happy with the outcome, and it's given me another boost of confidence in what i do. That someone asked me to create something special for a friend is such an honour, and that they love it is very. deeply.cool... :)

some people really care a whole lot...

2009-10-12T19:53:00.001+08:00

look what magical gift arrived in the post for me today... when i opened the box to find this most stunningly - wrapped gift i was so in awe of it that i really didn't want to open it! so i had to take a photo of it just to show what heartfelt lengths some people go to to make others feel special and loved...

and here they are - the most beautiful pair of vintage earrings handmade by the lovely jennifer valentine...

please go and check out her shop and all the wonderful treasures she has to offer - christmas is just around the corner - and these would be the perfect gift for a special bff, mum, aunty or sister...

and i couldn't help but post these photos taken this afternoon in the fading afternoon light of miss chatterbox herself. nope - she's not at all shy of the camera, can't you tell?

hope you have a wonderful week. i'm finishing off a commissioned piece of art tonight so hopefully will have something 'arty'to show soon. thanks for stopping by, x me

true freedom

2009-10-11T21:44:00.000+08:00

when Mr Happy (self appointed name) fell asleep on the lounge today, i asked Miss M what she would like to do with mummy. her response? 'paint with your paints!' how could i refuse?! so she chose her own colours, and we sat together, and i watched her paint, and listened to her telling me all about it. i even recorded some of it. it is just so refreshing to listen to what children say as they paint - in the process, in the moment. they are so free and so uninhibited. they thoroughly immerse themselves in the pure joy of spreading paint. the painting changed themes at least three times. it evolved. it morphed from one to another like clouds changing in the sky on a windy day. first an elephant. then a red sky, then... 'you'll just have to wait and see when i'm finished mum'

then she found new colours which had to be used. wait until one layer is dry and then paint righ tover the top. the rest of the day may have been bedlam, but this was a calm respite.

have you painted with abandon today?

x me

wanting one of these...

2009-10-10T07:00:00.000+08:00

oh.my.gosh - look at these!!! this very talented lady makes cardigans, dresses and jumpers by repurposing old/other garments - how funky cool is this!

what matters most...

2009-10-09T08:13:00.000+08:00

I'm reading a fabulous book at the moment called the gift by Lewis Hyde, and although i'm nowhere near finished it, it has started me thinking alot about our gifts and talents, and how they fit into our culture and collective identity. i've been thinking about how we are each bestowed with precious gifts, (is cooking for my family a gift? arranging a beautiful vase of flowers? yes!) and must be good stewards of them - to use them wisely, but most importantly, to just use them. it's as simple and as difficult as that really. so this has been a bit of background to the words on this painting. for me, this journey has been( and continues to be) a wonderful and terrifying thing-especially to a) allow myself to do art (i'm not as good as them!) and to b) show anyone, and c) have someone actually want to hang it on their wall!!! so i really am trying not to look at all those amazing and talented artists out there with sooo much skill - because i believe there is aplace in this world for all types of artists, and creations. and it doesn't matter how good or talented you are.

it matters most that you and i embrace it...

Through Her Eyes...

2009-10-08T20:57:00.001+08:00

when miss moo was about 1, i decided that my sony cybershot camera just didn't cut the mustard. it simply took too long to take the shot, and i always missed out on capturing the magic. at the time my friend had a canon EOS400D which i played with, fell in love with and promptly bought. i just love that what you see, you capture - no lag time...

so when Miss Moo wanted to start taking photos i handed her the cybershot and she's never looked back. here she is with me - taken on the cybershot, but here's a few of her own pics. the world through Miss M's eyes... I've deleted hundreds - i have had to be ruthless, but i so love seeing the world as she sees it. and a big part of it is her little bro - dont you just love the faces! and being caught red-handed (white faced) skulling a pot of yogurt whilst i was out hanging up the washing!

thanks for stopping by, x me

the magical powers of a sunny morning...

2009-10-06T21:33:00.000+08:00

this morning i woke up and i was tired from the start. i knew it was going to be a long day. all i really wanted to do was to curl up in bed, wrap my doona around me and drift back into dreamy sleep. but such is not the life of a mumma to a 2 1/2 year old and a nearly-4 year old who like to wake up with the birds at 545 am...
so i dragged myself out of bed, staggered to the kitchen and made myself a milo. recently our days have been pure heaven - sunny, breezy, perfect spring days. the sort that should make you perpetually happy all day long even when someone cuts in front of you driving... but i've been staying up late, and did i mention it? gettting up at 545,every.single.day.
but i dont want to be that drag-your-feet kind of person. i want to be an up-and-at-em kinda girl! so today i determined to kick the flesh into line with the spirit and i got us all organised for a walk to the beach. now the beach is only about 200m from my house - but when you go with kids it becomes a small holiday. towells - check. water - check. food-check. sand play equipment - check. book - check. mobile phone for emergency - check. dog-check. hats, sunscreen and long shirts check, check check...

so off we trundled and within about 1 minute of being out in the sunshine i was instantly transformed from a drag-your-feet kind of girl into a click-your-heels kinda mumma! it really was just what i needed. and why (i continually asked myself) dont we do this every single day because this is just so magic- i dont know (NB if found asking this same question to self, re-read first para above). and, well perhaps it could also be the fact that i have to push the two peeps in a pram up a very steep hill... anyway...

i was so in love with the day and we were having such fun frolicking on teh beach and in the water that i completely fogot to take any photos until we started our walk home. so here's my walk in reverse...

here's our own private lagoon - well, it was today! When th etide is out - as in this morning, the reef forms a gorgeous protected swimming area just perfect for the kids and a dog who doesn't like swimming all that much. did i say how perfect it is down here? ...

here's my walking track along the beach...here's the two peeps in the pram that i push up the hill on the way home. it's one of those that can get towed behind a bike, but i'm not sure what would be worse, trying to ride a bike up the hill, or pushing the pram up the hill...now this photo is VERY deceptive. this is the hill, and trust me, it is a VERY STEEP HILL. you cant see it - honestly, it is!and when you get to the top of the hill and turn back to face the way you've just come, this is what you see (facing due west off the coast)

and then facing due east - is the Chapman Valley - another beautiful sight - esp in winter when it's oh so green. and my house is just down on the left about 50 metres or so...

so there you have it folks. the evolution from lazy bed rat to life-lover in a morning. thank you sun for saving me today!

thanks for stopping by, x me

She wears big hats...

2009-10-04T19:02:00.000+08:00

i had a boyfriend once who gave me a small purple book of verse as a birthday present - i think the title was went something along the lines of " when i am an old woman i shall wear purple" . i have had that book for many years and now, for the life of me, now, when i need it, i just cant find it anywhere! but i love that title. it reminds me that despite your age, your height, your weight, your colour of hair or complexion, or the size of your wallet, what's most important is just being the wonderful and beautiful you that only you can be. and to do that without a care in the world, without worrying what other people may or may not say about you is the most important thing. you know that positive poem curculating around - 'dance like no-one's watching, work like you don't need the money etc?' well if i could add one line to that i'd include:

Wear big hats!

be the wonderful, unique magical gift that you are to the world, and hold your head high. be proud of your unique beauty and spread your special magic to others. so there you go folks, a little bit of the inspiration behind this painting...

and these two photos (below) show my first two prints framed and hanging on my wall. i was so impressed with the quality of the prints. it's very difficult to see it in the photo of course - but very crisp and clear - almost like having the real thing hanging on the wall! so i'm pretty close to being able to print multiple copies of a few of the new paintings which is very exciting! (btw - the frames were just Pixie Photo frames from Target - i think they look fine - what do you think?) the printer down town uses very good quality long-life inks. i'm pretty new to all of this - but the finished product look pretty damn spiffy to me!

well i hope you've managed to find some creative time in your weekend, thanks for stopping by

x me

she shines from within and a dream seed...

2009-10-01T08:03:00.000+08:00

i'm loving hats at the moment - can you tell? having lived in the country on and off for many years, hats become both a necessity for life in the sun, and a symbol of fun and community when events such as race-round take place ( the annual horse-racing event). some simple, some flamboyant. hats, caps and fascinators of all sorts, i love 'em! and i want to paint more more more!!! so many ideas, and so little time...

have you been reading about Squam Art Workshops lately? there's more about it here and here...and every person who went has posted wonderful dreamy magical stories about hteir time there, i could link them all. all those wonderful posts about the time in the woods, the art, the creating, friendships made, continued. the magic. it sounds like a wonderful experience, so much more than an art retreat. i would love to see something like that here - or in the south west. wouldn't that be awesome? for those of you reading this from the west coast of australia, you'd know what i'm talking about when i say the south west area. i'm putting this out to the universe. let's have something magical here in our own backyard - why not? i'd love love love to have something similar here - with the beauty and magic that is so befitting of a creative adventure- would you be interested ??? Let's talk!

and until the universe answers back, i'll just live vicariously through all you lucky souls who lived the experience and adventure of squam 09...

milo art...

2009-09-29T21:27:00.000+08:00

i mentioned in my last post that i spent the weekend in some-what bliss creating in the purple palace's shed. i was in no hurry this weekend and managed to complete three and almost finish off two more. well i thought i'd almost finished. that is, until i walked past these two paintings on my studio table today and noticed milo splashed all over one of them!!! well, not exactly splashed all over... just the part of the painting which was the face painted in oil colour!!! ( am i overusing the exclamation mark here?????) *breathe* so i've just now had to re-do the entire face again and it will now be another 24-48 hours before she's ready to be detailed... oh well - i suppose it could have been worse. it could have happened after the face was completely finished. and who do you think may have haphazardly splashed milo over my painting???

well i suppose i'm lucky. they have been walking in and out of my studio now for years and this is the first real accident. i hope it's the last!

x me

i've been hiding in the shed...

2009-09-28T16:10:00.002+08:00

this weekend i've had all to myself - almost all to myself - except for a bout 2 hours! what a strange feeling it was not to have to respond to every little cry, squeal or command. and to sleep in!!! and all thanks to my ~~wonderful~~ ~~awesome~~ amazing sil and bro who let me bunker down at their house and take over their BIG SHED and ping-pong table as a make-shift studio... there are three more paintings which are about 90% complete - i'm waiting for the oil paint to dry so should have them completed by tomorrow night. but for now here's a bit of a show and tell for you.

this painting here titled 'you are enough' is something a little different for me. the town i live in is actually one of the windiest places on earth. no kidding. so i have to laugh because this is what most people look like when they head out for a walk here - lol! but i suppose it's just about being happy in your own skin. that we all have a unique magic to share with the world that no-one else can, and truly, that is enough...

and the next one - with the cocoon has been a little something brewing in my head for a while. i suppose it can mean many things for different people - but for me, the inspiration was my two children, and just wondering where their lives will take them, what journey they will embark on in their own walk through life. what will they do? who will they meet? what talents will come to the fore? well, as the painting says,

just wait and see!

and don't be a stranger either - say hello and let me know where you've come from in the global village! have a great week,

x me

this beautiful soul...

2009-09-22T20:33:00.000+08:00

i took this photo of my boy last week. looking at it makes me say a prayer of thanks for being such a lucky mumma. the light is playing in his eyes. he is innocent and beautiful and lovely. all boy. much love.

i hope you can find something to be thankful for today...

x me

assemblage love...

2009-09-20T21:37:00.000+08:00

for the past 8 weeks, every thursday evening my niece and i have been attending our local tafe college for evening jewellery classes. we've tried our hands at creating glass pendants, brooches and earrings, enamelling and clay/glass pendants. it's been a fantastic experience playing with materials, machines and kilns that are normally so out of reach.

my glass pieces are a tad on the average side, but i really enjoyed enamelling. obviously being a jewellery class we were supposed to be making such things, but for this piece, it just took on a life of its own and developed into an assemblage piece of art instead! the copper plates making up the wings and central section were pressed/embossed through a cuttlebug and then wired to the house using copper wire. the house was cut from a rectangular piece of copper and then enamelled. the copper wings were attacked very ferociously with a blow-torch to achieve those gorgeous rainbow colours (that was fun!). the little heart was also embossed and enamelled with a little 'd' twisted from wire adhered using clear enamelling powder. and the wirly-gigs are made of copper wire of varying thicknesses and threaded with beads. the assemblage is adhered to a felt/paper collage using 3d squares ( i was inspired by a gorgeous soul meg who does beautiful landscapes from material on wood.)

the house represents me (i sign my work 'donna heart' - hence the letter 'd' in the tiny heart). i'm finding my creative wings and starting to soar with a trail of loveliness being left behind!!!

just today i was reading a great post by mati rose she writes... "when i get stuck and overwhelmed with the oodles of art and trends and thousands of ways of doing things. i now simply look up and say "mati, show the world... you... your magic". what no one else has that is uniquely YOU. this is not easy mind you, but it helps to start from this place and eliminate some of the creative clutter and doubt." this is so true. i really do get overwhelmed especially by all the amazing talented artists 'out there'. and then that teeny tiny (but oh so powerful) critic in me rears it's ugly head to give me all the reasons why i'm wasting my time and really shouldn't embarass myself by showing my art to others! but it's heartening to read that this is actually a very common experience and emotion amongst creatives, and knowing that many of you out there triumph daily over these pesky little gits gives me that same courage to push mine a little lower, look up to the universe and say 'show the world your magic too'

x me

beautiful me, beautiful you...

2009-09-17T09:10:00.000+08:00

well i finally finished off this painting last night and i'm really stoked with how it turned out. this is one of the few paintings i've actually done a sketch for and when i was drawing her the words 'beautiful you' just spilled out across the page - it just came so easily. i used the new claudine hellmuth paints on this one, and they really are so lovely. there's not too many colours that don't go well together, it makes colour matching and blending so easy! i painted her on a claybord which i absolutely love (will i ever return to canvas?) and of course the hat - she's obviously destined for race-round for sure!

it's spring here in western australia, and yesterday i planted pots and baskets filled with marigolds and petunias. the everlastings are in full bloom and the sun is shining. the cool sea breeze is here - it's easy to believe in beauty. hope you're finding some beauty in your everday life as well, x me

have yourself a merry little christmas...

2009-09-16T08:25:00.000+08:00

september, and i'm thinking about christmas already... are you? i've recently finished this painting for a friend of mine. he approached me to see if i'd donate a painting to be turned into a christmas card (along with some other artists) to create a pack of christmas cards to be sold as a fundraiser to help a little boy with muscular dystrophy. of course, there was nothing else to say but yes! but it was quite nerve wracking as it's my first sort-of commissioned piece i've had to paint. and although there were no stipulations other than 'it has to have a christmas theme' there was always the little voice in the back of my head saying that it wont be good enough! anyway, i'm learning not to pay close attention to that dream-destroying voice! so here 'tis. would you buy this christmas card??? :)

x me

lovin' claudine...

2009-09-15T20:37:00.002+08:00

this is me with 4 eyes and 4 cheeks and one extremely overweight ear!!!

a lovely little package arrived in the mail for me today - something i've been waiting for for about two weeks... are you familiar with amanda blake soule? aka soulmama ... she has a new book out called handmade home with some gorgeous ideas on how to repurpose old materials into lovely new family treasures. i definitely want to make a word banner, art tray, letter satchel and a silky eye pillow! ahhh... so much to do, so little time. i definitely feel the calling of my sewing machine, it really has been a while.

a few weeks ago i received my order of supplies from dickblick in the states (i love this store - it seems to stock everything!). as it turned out, it was only $20 more expensive to order from the US rather than Sydney - and i had a lot more choices in size (claybords). at the same time i also purchased the claudine hellmuth paints, brushes, gel medium and sticky back canvas. the paints are absolutely lucious - i really am enjoying the new palette - alot! but the sticky back canvas had me stumped and has been sitting on my table in the studio staring at me now daily... until i had an idea (yes i know it doesn't happen too often!)

apparently this is me and Miss M's dad, and the two little ghosties are Miss M and Mr T!!! i think she got the idea from some of the ads and displays at spotlight of Halloween things!

recently my little girl of 3 has been creating the most gorgeous drawings. i'm aware that i can't keep every single one, but have been scanning them into my computer to keep forever. in her two books, soule mama has many projects to turn children's art into keepsakes, and after reading her idea on a table runner displaying artworks, i wondered if i could use my photo software to print out one of my dd's pictures onto claudine's canvas. so i tried it, and it worked!!!

so now, i can simply stick it to the table runner and sew around it to make a centre piece of DD's art work! stay tuned for the final chapter. like i said - i have to get the sewing machine out!

this is my Miss M - a self portrait with lots of legs and lots of cheeks!!! (you need them when you smile alot)

x me

a multitude of small delights...

2009-09-12T19:15:00.008+08:00

blogger isn't playing nice tonight - it wont let me move the photos around, and lazy me doesn't want to delete them all and start again to get the order i wanted! i wanted to show you my new inspiration board first - but you'll have to scroll down for that! at the end of 2007 we moved from Longreach in central queensland to the west coast. we had a great old house which was an old shearers quarters - converted into a home and it was the closest i've ever gotten to having my dream home... so when we moved, i had to take the old set of french doors (which were i nthe shed, not on the house!) with me - with the thought of one day turning them into something interesting and lovely. so finally i have (well one of them at least) and now i have a little bitof nostalgia as well as happy thoughts with me in my studio... speaking of collecting happy moments (see photo below!) these two munchkins ran outside yesterday when we had a 2 minute shower just to try out their new wellie's in the rain (pitiful excuse for rain i know). they were so 'incited' ( that's three-year old for excited) and being such good friends i had to take a pic of it...

one of my favourite quotes - i have it hanging in my studio where i can see it all the time so that i never forget what true happiness really is...

and here's a little something i'm creating in my thursday evening tafe course on jewellery making. now it's a tad ostentatious for a necklace i know - i did get a bit carried away... but i was having alot of fun with the design so decided just to make a little something to hang in the studio. the little swirly mark thing is actually how i write a lower case 'd' and is in the heart shape as i sign all my art as 'donna heart' the little house is me and the wings are my dreams starting to fly...enamelling has been great fun, and next week we get to put our hand to etching into metal plates, so looking forward to that...and here's the old door which should have been at the top of this post :)

i'm nearly finished a few pieces so hopefully i'll have some more creative news for you soon. sorry it's been a while, i'll make amends - promise!

x me

be bold be brave

2009-09-05T07:24:00.002+08:00

lately i've been riding a happy wave. you may remember that a couple of months ago i managed to get a heap of painting done - 14 actually, and to my absolute surprise, they all sold - very quickly. so i did a few more, and they sold too. so i grabbed what i had hanging on my walls, and they sold as well! to say i was beside myself is an understatement. it is hard to describe the feeling you get when you start to realise that there are people 'out there' who like what you make. but even more than that, when you know that your creations touch others' hearts and souls. it brought about totally unexpected feelings.

i realised that it was unfamiliar territory (oh so this is what it feels like to be happy again!?) - yes it has obviously been a while since my heart was happy and that's a scary thought. so this whole 'painting thing' has been on the one hand serendipitous, and another, healing and reassuring. reassuring in the sense that i can believe i'm on the right track. that i am heading in the direction i'm meant to be travelling. healing because i'm drawing closer back to the real me(who got lost along the way), and serendipitous because it was all so unnexpected and unplanned. such a wonderful and happy accident!

so this painting has evolved out of all of that. the words be brave, be bold are my mantra this week. i've got some big dreams, and i'm just at the beginning of making them real. so i need to trust my heart, trust my intuition and trust that the affirmations from others are real and authentic. and maybe, just maybe, my dreams will come to pass...

does my heart well...

2009-09-03T23:13:00.019+08:00

it was a beautiful day here in our little part of western australia. spring has certainly sprung and our wildflower season is absolutely amazing! the peeps and i took a drive out to the lovely coalseam national park today with some friends and we were not disappointed. the flowers are blooming in absolute proliferation - there are just carpets of wildflowers everywhere - and the smell of them is heady - truly you just want to lay down in them and dream your way off to sleep in the sun - absolutely magic. and to top it all off it was the most perfectly perfect weather as well - as you can see, clear blue sunny skies, a gentle breeze and about 24 degrees celcius... it truly did do my heart good to get out into the open spaces and breathe in the goodness of the day. here's a peak at our slice of heaven...

i just adore this photo - asleep in the everlastings...

gorgeous grevillea...

exploring as only a three year old can...

dancing with a friend in the flowers - what more could you want?

it was such fun!

it seems our winter is slowly fading now. how is it in your part of the world? x me

*heart* life

Moving House!

Counting Down...

Wishing for you...

Lucky Me...

People can make a difference...

Magazine Ads and a re-stock...

Experimenting with Print Making...

Precious Gifts of the Heart Variety

Revamping Blue Lady

Reworking an oldie...

I'm Getting Published!!!

Transformation...

AUCTION anyone???

Creating Mixed media again...

the War of Art

Paying it Forward...

Hot on the heels of mother's day...

Thoughts on Contributing in The Big Pond...

The War of Art

For the Fallen

The Road to Dubai!

You too are a masterpiece!

Veiled Flight

Let's Be a Voice For The Children...

toward the sun

Fond memories...

Mahogony Inspiration...

A Reminder to Myself...

Nearly There...

My First Landscape

Photoshop Action and my Booty!!!

Would you like to see how i do what i do???

drippy drippy love paper

My First VLOG!!! (albeit a tad late...)

Do you feel like a chuckle?

Painting BIG!!!

LA to Ground Zero in 26 days. Remembering the fallen...

Keep a Journal :: what a gift...

At My Studio

Been away...

Tash Tapper is Tops!!!

Kapoc Love Day Two

What You Do Matters...

kapoc love

My New Painter BFF's

a little bit o' randomness

trusting my journey and a business plan

live your dream...

my (dream) studio...

little canvases

Do or do not

a happy wave...

OMIGOD OMIGOD - DOIN THE HAPPY DANCE PEEPS!!!

on my bedside table...

there's alot of love in this room...

inspiration...

a penny for my thoughts please...

the quiet way...

love tenderley, now...

love tenderly...

notice the sparkle and embrace your inner stork...

Collaborart!

enjoy now with all your heart

when the peeps are away, the mum will play!

Waiting...

I'm not lost...

happy birthday me...

i can see clearly now...

creativity knows no bounds...

and the winners are...

baby steps...

the countdown is on...

look what landed on my doorstep yesterday...

*heart* this big time

a matter of courage...

Old Friends...

it's been 20 years...

and the winner is...

a new season - the arrival of donna heart - and a giveaway!

heart life

heart this big time