[WORK] MANADALA

I'm pretty sure I'm quite late to try this, but I found myself struggling to get back into the routine of work after a month long holiday and ended up trying my hand at drawing mandalas. To my basic understanding, it's purpose is similar to zentangles (which I will also try my hand at), in that it is a form of 'doodle' to help relax and inspire. There is no 'correct' way to do it, and no 'correct' outcome.

I have so far drawn three mandalas, and for me, it's quite therapeutic. Although it hasn't inspired any other art works, it has been a good way to ease me into some light work related reading or research - which is definitely something I need to catch up on before uni starts! It's a nice thing to do to clear your head, or when you feel the need to do something creative but you're not too sure what. Whatever reason, I'm enjoying them, and the outcomes are beautiful - no matter how simple or complex!

Attempt 1

[ARTIST] DALE CHIHULY

I believe it was either a GCSE or A-level  art project, around that time anyway...I had chosen the title 'TWISTED' to work on. Art, along with design and English, had always been my better subjects and I was pretty used to the school's curriculum of 'pick a title, research artists, produce work in their style, talk about why you like/dislike their work, develop your own piece, produce the final piece, more write up, more development, more research...you get the gist'. I won't lie, I had done incredibly well on my previous work and perhaps got a little cocky about this one. The final piece did not come out the way I pictured it in my head...it was a mess.

But other than that lesson in pride, I had also learned about the magic of glass. If you know Dale Chihuly's work, I'm sure you can see how he made his way to be one of the artists I researched for this 'TWISTED' title. If you haven't, google him right away! Glass never crossed my mind, I had certainly never worked with it, but once I took a look at Chihuly's beautiful glass works I knew it took definite skill, talent and heat to create something simple - let alone the grand sculptures Chihuly and his team create!

That's bascially the story of how I came across his work, how I fell in love with his work and how he's one of my favourite artists to this day. After coming to university in London, I had the chance to finally visit the Victoria And Albert Museum to see the piece that ignited this love afair - the jaw-dropping mass of blue, yellow, green swirls hanging above the entrance of the museum. I'm not sure how long I stood there gazing...On paper, his work was always beautiful to me, almost mesmerizing. In person, mesmerizing was just the start. His 'chandelier' was overwhelming. I'm still not sure what it is about this work that draws me in, but I've definitely not encountered other pieces that re-create the same feeling.

February of last year, there was a quaint exhibition of his work, 'Beyond The Object' - I had to go! And I didn't regret a thing. I'm still patiently waiting for another exhibition, but until then, the V&A will be enough to keep me satisfied.

[Travel Diaries] Twenty One In Paris

For my twenty first birthday back in November, my boyfriend surprised me with a trip away to Paris. It was the perfect present and getaway. I had been to Paris as a child on tours around Europe, so we never stayed too long. It was exciting to be able to explore and wander around in the heart of the city for a few days, and to re-visit some favourite 'tourist' spots like the Eiffel Tower and The Louvre with someone who had never been - it's always engaging to see someone's eyes sparkle at the sight or experience of somewhere, something new. For this first post, I just wanted to share some of my favourite snapshots from the trip - enjoy!