Saturday, May 11, 2013

style

Pure Photo Workshop - Week 1
I don't want to start off complaining, but I will mention that I've got a lot going on at the moment! Flow? She is right here! Stirring me, inspiring me, making me a little crazy, too :) On the edge of overwhelm, so I need to stick close to myself, to try and be smooth with it all. It wasn't all that long ago that I was trapped in the austere room, the fragile place, and I've got no intention to go back. Not now, not ever, although that might be too bold a statement. Let's go with - gentle. As much as possible ;)

Tackling one thing at a time, I'm taking part in a four-week photography workshop called Pure Photo Workshop, organised by Jane! Back in 2010, I joined a similar workshop, which was pretty cool (see those posts by clicking here), and I was really excited when I received an email from Jane, asking me if I'd be interested in taking part again!

The first assignment was posted on Sunday, last week, and it invited us to explore personal style. To find images that speak to and of us. To create a My Style pinboard over on Pinterest - and discover yourself and your personal style.

I have to admit I've avoided Pinterest, so far. Not because I'm against it in any way, or because I couldn't see myself using it - more because I could see myself hanging out there. I have explored Pinterest, of course, to see what it was about, and I decided to stay away from it, especially because it's vast and beautiful... Because I knew it would get in the way of doing as opposed to browsing. The internet is such an inspiring place for easy procrastinators like me, and I didn't feel I needed another excuse ;)

Coaxed by the assignment, I made an account and started pinning, anyway - you can see my pinboard here. But it didn't feel right. First of all, I was too hurried. Pinning left, right and center like there was no tomorrow, all while knowing I wasn't even merely making a dent. There is no way I can quickly pick and choose my way through all that beauty on offer - and really feel like I'm closing in on who I am. And secondly it feels sort of wrong to try and show myself through other people's art, photos and images. I guess this comes from being preoccupied with honesty and nakedness on a personal level; I'm all about being open and inviting you in.

So instead of pinning and trying to catch up with the whole Pinterest Revolution in one day, I've decided to create a couple of personal photo collages from the stretched archives on my hard drive, instead.

Here's me, then; here's parts of me.


This is my home. I love colour. There is a lot of red, white and blue going on, which is a coincidence as far as nationalism is concerned, but a conscious and happy choice nonetheless ;)

My kid is four and a half, and he's awesome. I'll be 40 at the end of this year. I'm a stay-at-home mamma and an artist. I think too much. And I'm happier than you'd think from reading this blog.


My absolute favourite colour combination is blue and orange :D It took me a long time to embrace orange as a colour, but now that I've got it, I'm sold :)


I love being outside, exploring the little things; the happy coincidences, found paint splatters, tiny bits of nature and wildlife. Having my kid around to point out things I'd otherwise miss really helps :)


And I draw. A lot. I want to draw more. I don't draw as much as I can, but I want to. Like I said, I'm a procrastinator and I think a lot, and that gets in the way. But drawing makes me happy - whether it's inside, at my dinner table studio; or outside, somewhere, drawing whatever jumps out.

I'm all about learning to embrace my warts these days. Seeing I'll be turning 40 soon, I think it's about time to be okay. Be enough. Be.

When I'm not outside, drawing what I see, I draw about being human. About growing and stretching. About seeing light in a dark corner. Finding a smile where you thought there wasn't space for one. That's what I think I'm drawing - that's what it feels like. But you're free to see what you see, of course :)

All that said, here is the photo that I took today. This is where I draw. It's where I am, even when I'm not. This is the place I think of when I think of happy:


And this is the rest of happy:


I'm using a Panasonic Lumix FZ18. It's getting older, but it still does tricks :)

I'm looking forward to seeing what everyone else has come up with!

20 comments:

  1. Oh what a beautiful post. I love your collages and the introduction of your self and your happy spot and...

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  2. J ade says http://deijsvogelendevis.blogspot.com : I love the colors especially the orange and I love blowing bubbles too.

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  3. Yvonne! What a happy post! Your photos are beautiful. I already knew you are great at drawing, but these collages are awesome too. The combination of colours is so YOU. And your blowing bubbles boy is a lot of happiness in one picture.

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  4. And have fun doing the course!

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  5. Oooo and I'm honoured to be on your pinboard with my 'tough cookie'!

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  6. Gorgeous photographs Yvonne! And I loooove that owl, did you make it?

    The assignment you got sounds kind of cool but your take on it was even better. I like your Pinterest board too, I wish there were more things on it though, it's so nice to look at pretty boards :)

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  7. I love all the collages you made! I especially love the blue and orange one...so very happy!! Your drawing is fabulous, yowza...so much awesome talent!

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  8. Hi yvonne, beautiful collages, drawings and puctures! I"ve noticed we've got a few things in common by the way: our age, the love for orange (is it the seventies: ;-)?)) and I have the same 3-layer plastic container I see on your drawing table. This place really seems like a very happy place by the way!

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  9. Lovely post, Yvonne. I LOVE your orange/blue montage, it is so joyful. I know how much you love drawing outside and in, and within and I was strangely surprised recently to look up the dictionary definition of drawing and find that it refers to a process of extraction, a drawing out, from within. You and your Muddle on Through and your warts and all are such a fine example of that. I hope you enjoy your course. Wise words about time management and Pinterest, be gentle there too and yes I agree about it feeling wrong to show yourself through your collection of other people's pins, especially when many artists may not realise their art has been pinned. Strange days we live in. Thank you for showing us how to stay true to our hearts. Well done you. :)

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  10. I love the parts of you ;)
    The fact you couldn't use Pinterest because of the funny feeling about picking other people's pins tells me you are a very creative person....
    Never realized orange and blue fits so nice together! Beautiful!

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  11. Wat ik mooi vind in jouw hele verhaal is het volkomen duidelijke oranje en blauw.....je bent zo consistent in die voorliefde.
    Je foto's zijn helder en creatief......en van deze tijd ook.
    Nergens zoek je de symmetrie en toch zit er heel veel ordening in. Je kijkt mooi vind ik.......(kan ik dat zo zeggen? Ik hoop dat je snapt wat ik daarmee bedoel). Het is niet de perfectie, het is het mooie!
    Dag, Madelief.

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  12. Hey Yvonne, I love to see you again!
    Thanx for your comment. I like the way you she things! You're a artist!!!
    Happy workplace you have! LOVE orange and blue!!!

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  13. Ik heb het al veel vaker gezegd en ik blijf het ook zeggen: je tekeningen, je foto's! Het is zo wie jij bent: kleurrijk!

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  14. Ik vind je styl mooi! De kleuren blauw en oranje steken mooi af bij elkaar! Ik vind de compostie mooi van je foto's

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  15. Wat gaaf om zo te zien wie je bent, met je foto collages. Je maakt echt mooie pakkende foto's en je tekeningen vind ik heel cool.

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  16. Ooo, heerlijk!
    Mooie inkijk!

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  17. Mooi dat je trouw blijft aan jezelf en gewoon je eigen draai geeft aan de opdracht!
    Mooie foto's ook. Ik vind die foto van je zoontje bij de fiets heel mooi. De diepte die daar in zit, wow!
    Wat een fijn werkplekje heb je (neem aan dat dat het is..) Het is alsof je er net bent weggelopen, ik zie je zo er aan werken.

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  18. Prachtig, dat (helder)blauw en oranje. En wat illustreer je mooi.
    (zo leuk om te zien hoe iedereen toch net een eigen draai aan de opdracht geeft)
    Enne, vierenhalfjarige zoons zijn inderdaad tof, weet ik uit eigen ervaring ;)

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  19. Wat een vrolijkheid brengen de kleuren/ je collage met zich mee. Goed dat je een vorm hebt gevonden die voor jou past. De foto met je werkplek wordt nog interessanter met de schaduw. Mooi vol concentratie bellen blazen.

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Thanks for letting me in on your thoughts!