Unlimited Possibilities

Unlimited Possibilities 12 X 6" acrylic on canvas 

 

It has been a strange winter here in Nova Scotia. One day we have 10 C and the next we are back into the deep freeze -27 C.  No snow just ice. People are slipping and falling like bowling pins and breaking all kinds of bones.

This morning, I was trying to catch one of our Gulf Shore bald eagle on camera, however, no luck. Every morning in the last couple of weeks, one of these amazing birds has been soaring over our roof. How lucky am I to see these birds flying or sitting on trees across the road in my neigbhourhood. I feel a strong sense of reaffirmation about myself when I see these bald eagles, with gratitude I stand by the road and look up at these majestic birds. 

Giving myself permission to explore product making for this years Farmer's market. I felt overwhelmed by working in all different mediums and needed to allow myself, one month at the time to work on different things.

It is important to give space to all our different abilities to create, in order to concur the overwhelming anxiety of the never quiet inner critic.   

Handmade Leather Journal 16 cm x 12 cm x 3 cm by Archan Knotz

My first handmade Leather bound Journal

Mental Health and journaling are going together, for me. So, I decided to make my own. Some of the material used was in it's previous life a blouse, or just a piece of paper but stitched and decorated with intention it becomes something very personal. 

In the last couple of days I was struggling to connect with myself, lots on my mind. My journaling became a list of what I did, or how amazing the weather has been in Nova Scotia, it doesn't matter, anything goes. I will settle in and connect with a deeper inside again. To quote a friend, "it keeps my hand moving" (n.s.)

I draw, press or glue things in my journal, anything that speaks to me and supports my connection to more meaningful things in my life. 

What makes journaling worthwhile for me is, that it is about me, my thoughts about a book, music, visit, person, adventure, situation.....my thoughts are important to me. 

Writing in my journal, slows the world down, gives me a different perspective, helps me understand.

Some people call journaling a - Brain dump-, I like it, that is how it feel a lot of the time. 

Creating space in the brain, letting go of old thoughts and creating space for new once. 

I create in one of my journals new stories for my life, new possibilities and in the other I write about my inner voices that keep me back from this new journey.

   

Amazing work! Congratulation to all of you who are doing this challenging work of self-care!

Paper cover Journals by Archan Knotz

  

Calm

The last couple of month have been pretty emotional for me. 

It feels good to produce art with lighter colours. It reminds me of summer. Well, today reminds me of spring to have 8C and sunny in February in Nova Scotia is amazing. 

Tomorrow, it will be 23 years that I have taking the journey to come to Canada. 

Just last week I have taken my Canadian Citizen test, how exciting!

Canada and it's people have been good to me, despite the cold winters, the warmth of the people is the compensation.

Sipping tea, looking out the window at the birch trees, the bark stripped by a hungry porcupine, and listening to the tripping of the snow hitting the ground. Calm! Today, not quite grounded to make some more art, but calm.  

10" x 8" monotype print by Archan Knotz

Enjoying still electricity and therefore the connection to the web is wonderful on a stormy, blustery day in rural Nova Scotia. Time to create some art. I have been experimenting with monotype printing as you know and feel I have been somewhat successful. However, there are so many variables. Sometimes, the paper is not wet enough or to wet, or I have not applied enough watercolour on the plexiglass.

plexiglass of monotype print

This is the plexiglass before I transferred the image. Looks to me as if I have enough paint on it. However, as I transferred the image the paper lost some of it's fibers which never happened before. Maybe, I had the paper to long in the water. Well, anyway I had fun producing this monoprint, loving the texture.   

...and all this Jazz!

The hours are counting down to the first work day in the new year. Wanting to stretch the hours longer but time as its own way of moving. Nevertheless, I go back not just a bid more relaxed but also with a plan of spreading compassion. 

Yesterday, we had a wonderful meeting at our house. Like minded people got together and we talked about what a compassionate circle could look like for us. Like Mary said, we are in Nova Scotia, therefore, we needed something to eat and to drink, all was provided for, the fire in the wood-stove was warming us, as we allowed us to be vulnerable, honest, and filled with hope. Brave people we are!

Nevertheless, I feel irritated and have the Sunday blues, therefore, the lino-cut ...and all this Jazz. The ink is still wet as I took the photo, struggling with the background, however, I started to explore, I moved a step ahead.