Good morning… oops, good AFTERNOON sweeties! Ha, this illustrates exactly how it goes this Summer: time flies by, I flap my wings and try to catch up… So much happened these last months that I can hardly wrap my mind around it. My mom got sick, had to have surgery and started chemo treatment last week. My friend is embroiled in a divorce. My beloved went to the hospital last week for surgery (Arteriostenosis) and was released the day after. (Thank you to everyone who send their best wishes: he’s recovering fine and the pain in his leg & foot is gone.) While we were in the hospital – waiting for him to be released and go home – in the same room but one floor down my dear aunt Corneel passed away… We met my niece and cousins outside when we walked out the door and they told us their mom had just died… life is strange that way.
I really do hope things (life) will settle down now, I’ve had enough ‘excitement’ to last for the rest of the year! I want to go back to my regular routine which includes creating in my atelier on a regular base, working on new workshops and systematic blog posting.
It’s Wednesday today, so I start with a ‘woyww’ blog post and keep my fingers crossed that the next blogpost won’t take that long to appear.
Last weeks, I spend some time in my atelier but I felt uncomfortable with the way I create… with all the things that happened in my life and around me I felt the need the change the way I work… I want it to be rougher, deeper, raw. To do that, I will have to break down some boundaries inside me and I don’t know if I can. I’m such a ‘pleaser’ you know…
… so I went to the library and collected books about Outsider Art
It’s very inspiring to flip through the pages and it might help to find my own voice.
I bound a small art journal (14 x 18 cm – 5.5 x 7 inch) with old newspaper pages that I gessoed and I will use that as my ‘test journal’ to create raw, intuitive and without expectations.
Here’s the cover of the journal (“Palimpsest” = a manuscript or piece of writing material on which later writing has been superimposed on effaced earlier writing – something reused or altered but still bearing visible traces of its earlier form.)
I’m a bit anxious to show you the first pages as it is different from what you used to see in my art journal – but I show these pages anyway.
I don’t know where this journal will lead me – I’ll have to wait and find out.
I wish you all a nice day and a relaxed week, hope to see you again soon!
Well you have had a busy time. Hope it calms down for you. Love your pages. Sometimes you just have to go with it and see where it leads you! Thanks for sharing. Take care Zo xx 25
I don’t like hospitals, but they’re a necessary part of our lives, it seems. So sorry to hear about your mum, Marit. Hope her treatment will be successful. Good to see you managed to make some great art throughout all this. I don’t think these pages are that different from your regular style – I could definitely identify these as “Marit” pages! Will be lovely to see how the rest of the journal shapes up! Have a great week, zsuzsa #21
Ik juich je luidkeels toe Marit. Go where the wind will take you!!! XX
Hi Marit, firstly, I’m sending my love to your Mom, I know just how hard chemo can be. I do hope everything goes well for her. Second, I applaud your determination to step outside of your comfort zone- not an easy thing to do at all. So much easier to stay with what we know, so it’s great you want to go with what you ‘feel’. Have a great week, Hugs, Shaz xx#7
Nice to see you going with the flow, good luck with it. BJ#9
Sorry to hear about all the troubles lately! Hopefully everything will settle down soon.
Sorry to hear of your trials and tribulations of recent times and hope for the best possible outcomes for all concerned.
Your desk always looks so interesting and neat and I love how you label it all too
Happy WOYWW
Kathyk
#11
Oh Marit what a hard week – my very best wishes to your dear Mother, my father is undergoing radiotherapy at the moment – such a worry. I think your art is definitely reflecting your feelings. Especially where my elderly parents are concerned, I get angry because I feel so useless in the face of their illness and frailty. Palimpsest is such a great single word for describing a lot of your base materials!
Wow! I hope your life settles down.
April #24
So sorry for your loss with your aunt. Prayers for your mom. Glad your husbands surgery went well. Hope things will settle down soon for you. Have a great week. LisaDV #23
Nou Marit, je hebt het de laatste tijd heel wat voor je kiezen gekregen!
Ik snap dat je de dingen anders wilt! Ga er voor!!!
Groetjes Maja.
….en dit vind ik nou juist zó fantastisch. Heel erg benieuwd wat we verder te zien krijgen van palimpsest !
This art journal reminds me of art therapy. It doesn’t have to be “pretty”, it’s supposed to express the feelings of what you’re going through. In that sense, this is even more you than your previous way of art journaling. After what you’ve been going through this is a healthy response, I think. For what matters, I really love these pages! I’m sending you some love for you and healing thoughts for your mum. I’m glad your hubbie is doing well now.
Oh and the tourist season was very noticeable here in The Hague too. Same like you, it make me feel like I was on vacation. Especially when someone was asking for directions in English or German:) And of course the great weather and beautiful surroundings of beach and dunes helped to get in that vacation mood.