Learning
Learning brings new challenges, rewards, social connections and stimulates brain health, but adapting and dealing with resistance to change are particularly important benefits. Adults avoid learning new things over 68% of the time to avoid discomfort. Change keeps on happening - so we need to get good at it and the skills involved in learning help us do that. What new things are you or could you be learning? It’s never too late …
After three solo exhibitions earlier in the year it was time to focus on learning Surface Design. Take a look at these quick videos to see the creation of my patterns.
The technical skills required take a lot of focus and attention to learn. It has been very hard as new technical skills usually are, but I’ve hung in there. I’ve made patterns for furniture, fabric and had the first reorders. My focus is still on rare and threatened Australian plants linking the paintings to the patterns.
You can find the patterns on Spoonflower.com the Print on Demand POD site where you can order fabric or cushions/sheets or a myriad of items with my patterns on them. Thanks to St Morris Upholsterers for the items above. Next is to start licensing the patterns.
Big paintings like this Eucalyptus pyriformis take me quite a bit of time. So I made this video 2min so you can watch it emerge and enjoy Gordon’s music. This painting and 2 others will be at Contemporary Spring Art on Sept 6&7 at Loreto in Adelaide. From what I’ve seen Marisha Matthews has curated a really superb show - very worth getting there.
In case you missed or have not yet seen these 3 amazing exhibitions I made little videos for you.
1. Coffee, Turps and Devotion - my hero Robert Hannaford and his wife Alison SALA 2025 at ILA.
2. Kimono at the NGV - as I’m studying patterns I need to learn from the masters.
3. French Impressionism NGV - the Boston collection.
Learn .. take the challenge. What new thing can you learn now? It might be a language or a craft, or simply the tiny habits involved in doing daily tasks more efficiently. You’ll gain insights into yourself along the way and make the world a more interesting place. Enjoy.