Fabulous writing Samantha, what you are achieving and what you are sharing with others, taking one step (brush stroke) at a time is inspirational. You must be exhausted, be kind to yourself and enjoy getting back into nature in Orkney soon, to recover yourself, and find renewed inspiration. I love your work, and hope to save up enough to hang a small piece on my wall one day:)
I wake every morning to a bedroom with art on the walls. From an 18th century Japanese woodblock print through some Landscape watercolours from the 1920s to a pen and ink sketch. From the last 20 years there is an engraving, a woodcut and an oil from a local artist. Each in their way gives me enormous pleasure as I scan them, attach my memory of when they came into my life, where they've previously hung and follow all manner of mental wanderings that lead me into my day. Art is us.
The ego falling flat after so much concentrated work and effort and looking ahead to 'where to now', 'is that all' is understood by many but not stated so eloquently as you have here, Samatha. I do love how you tuck little bits of political dismay in amongst your writing as we all watch on helplessly as men with too much power and ego play with the world.
I get so much good energy from studying your paintings and how you share your process. I can feel the creator vibe in all your marks and together they build to a most awesome energy. Wishing you well and lookin forward to future life rafts.
Good morning Samantha, Allow me to say that my admiration for your thinking, wisdom, and your creative art skills only grows. Hearing your voice while seeing your written post seems exactly as it should be. All the very best.
"We set off in full knowledge that we’ll never ‘achieve’ or ‘win’ or ‘hit’ those goals."
It can be very difficult to hold onto this knowledge in among all the noise about goal setting/get more followers!/Sell more stuff! and such that we live amongst. When I remember (or am reminded, thank you :-) ) that just to continue creating is an immensley enjoyable end in itself, well that feels much more about why I got into art/crafts making in the first place.
So glad to let this into my bones… be more Agnes, is an inspiration be more who we are… I am a lifelong student of Chögyam Trungpa, lived his quote here… he definitely encouraged us to stretch🎨‼️💖
Congratulations on your exhibition. Your works are incredible. To see through your eyes!
And your words were very inspiring and comforting ~ it's OK and possibly essential to aspire for so much more than we know can ever be achieved. Thank you.
A beautiful and wise way to describe dealing with the comings down of an afterwards. Also reminds me of something Oscar Wilde said about setting off for the island called Utopia. That soon after arriving there we’ll always spot what might be the real Utopia, somewhere on the horizon. And so prepare to set sail once more. Always reaching, I guess, for the Agnes in ourselves.
What can I do but echo all these comments? I too am grateful that you are Sam. The exhibition looks wonderful and I wish I could be there. I love that little breath one takes involuntarily on entering a room full of the paintings one is particularly drawn to, and then sitting down among them for a while (having taken more breaths in the meantime, of course). I think I'll read 'The Clearing' again now that I know you better. Go well, Sam. And thank you.
Thank you Barbara. Yes, I love that moment too, the intake of breath, the realisation that here is something worth pausing for, worth making room for in our lives....
This is lovely. And true. Thank you. Be more Samantha.
Thank you Ruth. Yes, only Agnes can be Agnes…
"To aspire to make great art that helps people to live, knowing we won’t ever really achieve it"
Ah, but you have Sam. You have.
(But let's keep that our little secret so you will still have more to strive for!)
Fabulous writing Samantha, what you are achieving and what you are sharing with others, taking one step (brush stroke) at a time is inspirational. You must be exhausted, be kind to yourself and enjoy getting back into nature in Orkney soon, to recover yourself, and find renewed inspiration. I love your work, and hope to save up enough to hang a small piece on my wall one day:)
Thank you Sarah! Yes, a break from the studio is probably a good idea though I must say I am missing it!
Another gem. Thank you!
I wake every morning to a bedroom with art on the walls. From an 18th century Japanese woodblock print through some Landscape watercolours from the 1920s to a pen and ink sketch. From the last 20 years there is an engraving, a woodcut and an oil from a local artist. Each in their way gives me enormous pleasure as I scan them, attach my memory of when they came into my life, where they've previously hung and follow all manner of mental wanderings that lead me into my day. Art is us.
Yes there is something really special about living with art every day, and all the associations and memories each piece holds...
I could not live without art including the ones on my walls, collected from here and there. They bring so much pleasure.
The ego falling flat after so much concentrated work and effort and looking ahead to 'where to now', 'is that all' is understood by many but not stated so eloquently as you have here, Samatha. I do love how you tuck little bits of political dismay in amongst your writing as we all watch on helplessly as men with too much power and ego play with the world.
It's in all our minds, all the time, is it not, colouring everything else...yes 'dismay' is the right word.
I get so much good energy from studying your paintings and how you share your process. I can feel the creator vibe in all your marks and together they build to a most awesome energy. Wishing you well and lookin forward to future life rafts.
That’s wonderful to hear, Jennifer!
Good morning Samantha, Allow me to say that my admiration for your thinking, wisdom, and your creative art skills only grows. Hearing your voice while seeing your written post seems exactly as it should be. All the very best.
This was beautiful and wise writing…and exactly what I needed this morning here in Canada. Thank you for that. I also love Agnes.
Heading for the horizon today!
Keep going Laurie! 💪🏼
"We set off in full knowledge that we’ll never ‘achieve’ or ‘win’ or ‘hit’ those goals."
It can be very difficult to hold onto this knowledge in among all the noise about goal setting/get more followers!/Sell more stuff! and such that we live amongst. When I remember (or am reminded, thank you :-) ) that just to continue creating is an immensley enjoyable end in itself, well that feels much more about why I got into art/crafts making in the first place.
So true Fi, we live in a culture of goal-setting that comes at the expense of being present here and now.
I know it may be hard to imagine, but to some of us, you are Agnes. I adore both your writing and your painting.
Gosh, thanks Nena!
So glad to let this into my bones… be more Agnes, is an inspiration be more who we are… I am a lifelong student of Chögyam Trungpa, lived his quote here… he definitely encouraged us to stretch🎨‼️💖
Oh, how lucky you are to have been his student, Judith! You had some good karma there, that's for sure!
Congratulations on your exhibition. Your works are incredible. To see through your eyes!
And your words were very inspiring and comforting ~ it's OK and possibly essential to aspire for so much more than we know can ever be achieved. Thank you.
Thank you Cathie. I'm so happy to know that my post has inspired you!
A beautiful and wise way to describe dealing with the comings down of an afterwards. Also reminds me of something Oscar Wilde said about setting off for the island called Utopia. That soon after arriving there we’ll always spot what might be the real Utopia, somewhere on the horizon. And so prepare to set sail once more. Always reaching, I guess, for the Agnes in ourselves.
Thank you for making this connection to Oscar Wilde, Ronnie, and that reminds me of William Morris' 'News from Nowhere...' too.
What can I do but echo all these comments? I too am grateful that you are Sam. The exhibition looks wonderful and I wish I could be there. I love that little breath one takes involuntarily on entering a room full of the paintings one is particularly drawn to, and then sitting down among them for a while (having taken more breaths in the meantime, of course). I think I'll read 'The Clearing' again now that I know you better. Go well, Sam. And thank you.
Thank you Barbara. Yes, I love that moment too, the intake of breath, the realisation that here is something worth pausing for, worth making room for in our lives....
Really beautiful love your work
Thank you!