blackfisharts ABOUT my art

  Dedicated to #13 ..so, New Year reflections - 13 days of looking back on 13 projects over the last year Day 11 - artist books. I create books using photography, abstraction, altered books, books holding creative exercises, ICM, chemigrams and more on various projects. i also hold occasional (winter) workshops on creating artist books.

Dedicated to #13 ..so, New Year reflections - 13 days of looking back on 13 projects over the last year Day 9 - poetry i have over 150 poems published in print and online -Drifting Sands (Aus), the herons nest, the Aurora Review, Eucalypt (Aus) Contemporary Haibun, Cloudspeak, Ripples, Modern English Tanka, LYNX, Modern Haiku, Kokako (NZ), Moonset, Simply Haiku, 

  THE BEST MOMENTS ARE YET TO COME.... Do you sometimes feel like that ? That your best is yet to come. It was Zig Ziglar who said "Always remember that your present situation is not the final destination. The best is yet to come". There are others : 1. “Come grow old with me, for the best is yet to come!” — Robert Frost 2. “There are far, far better things ahead than any we leave behind.” — C. S. Lewis 3. “People always live badly today; they only live well tomorrow.” —Marsilio Ficino 4. “I’m like a fine wine. I get better with age. The best is yet to come.” —Richelle Mead As a practising artist, working daily (truly) this is how i feel. My Best is Yet to Come. When I sometimes feel like i am 'just pushing paint around' i look back at previous works and become re-energised. I look forward to seeing where i go with this painting thing. There are little moments of enlightenment and 'finished' pieces that propel me onward. so, onward! I hope you to...

  Is your passion a problem ? I am talking about your life's passion. It was a problem for me, for decades, while i worked in a career that paid the bills - but i always sought out 'that other thing' I felt I wanted to do. In my spare time and holidays I photographed, played with digital enhancements, did collage, calligraphy and wrote poetry. Sometimes with some success that was measured in being published and works purchased by private collectors. These days I am following my passion. I spend all day (and evenings) doing stuff - stuff i love - painting, collage, assemblage, photography, book making, slow stitching and writing. I am never bored, I quite like my boss, I enjoy going to work and I don't want to take days off or go out to gatherings, get togethers and coffee mornings. I feel so fortunate. What is your passion ? Do you do the things you love or are you in the process of re-discovering your passions. Perhaps we need to go back to our childhood to re-di...

 in this time of looking back in order to move forward in my daily doings in the studio i found this altered book that i created during travels from Tasmania to Tokyo to catch up with family. A wonderful trip - so lovely to spend time with family filled with new sights, sounds and smells This is an altered book ... a 1963 (abridged) copy of "The Adventures of Tom Sawyer". I had a great time re-reading this book whilst altering it during my time in Tokyo. And how wonderful to explore all the sights and find new places to see art, gardens and fish ! I am a quiet fan of Koi and goldfish. I attended galleries in small alleys, big exhibitions in magnificent buildings, found sculptures and outdoor happenings, an antique shop and great food. Not so great coffee except my daughter had an excellent coffee machine at home so i could start the day filled with vigour. In this altered book pages include collage, additional new 'pages' that fold out, windows, mark making, fou...

  A fun exercise to get to know your friends and yourself. Check out the books in your library and start to build a portrait of who you are. Let a friend look through your bookshelves and come up with who they think you are. Build the books up with titles facing you, creating a portrait of a kind and take a photograph of it. first image for me, reads: Collage: a new approach  from here to there the bandaged image cut & paste, 21st Century  collage weeds altered curiosities building a picture. The second one - reading : handmade books and cards eco books you are here drawing water painting abstracts pockets and corners I would love to see some of yours