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Africa to Los Angeles with Tim Campbell

Wed, 11 Jan 2012 06:59:19 +0100

On the 20th of December 2011, I spent a great 4 hours shopping with a dear friend from Los Angeles. I met Tim during a short period working at a wildlife reserve in South Africa. It was one of those meetings between initial strangers, whereby after a conversation you felt you knew the person from some place, space or time. I respect Tim not only as an incredibly talented designer, but as a person with a warm and generous heart. On the 27th of January Tim will be hosting a Taste Makers sale on One Kings Lane (www.onekingslane.com) In this sale some of the items we shopped for that day will be hosted. I am looking very forward!! Tim has also afforded me the opportunity to support a cause I am passionate about - Drakenstein Lion Park. This sanctuary homes captive born predators (lions) which have been rescued from abusive situations globally (www.lionrescue.org.za) Thank you Tim for your inspiration, vision, warm heart, positive energy and friendship. (www.studiotimcampbell.com)

In-Spirit-ation

Tue, 04 Oct 2011 08:55:21 +0100

"There is not something you're supposed to do. There's not something that you should do. There is only that which you are inspired to do. And how do you get inspired except by the contrast? It's the life experience that gives you the idea of the desire, and then as you focus upon the desire, the Energy flows." Abraham

Recently I have been contemplating the meaning of Inspiration. Words such as stimulate, energize, galvanize, spark, inspirit.. are listed as synonyms.. Ahh.. that word - inspirit.. or rather In-Spirit.. thats it!! When you look up the word "breathe" in the dictionary, you also come across Inspire.. and so it is truly part of your deepest essence. Once again I am reminded and humbled by the correlation between art and meditation. To access that part of you that is In-Spirit. So often I have experienced or been the witness to the heavy routine of our industrialized lives.. what we are expected to do to conform to the clock, to peoples expectations, to societies definition of success. Meanwhile, a truth that I can attest to is that there is nothing you are "supposed" to do or are "meant to do" but rather the things that you are inspired to do.. and when you break that down even further - it is actually the pursuance of pure bliss, joy and ecstasy that you are after. Inspiration, In-Spirit, bliss, joy, happiness are all the things we wish for and are told often - the best things in life are free.

Art has been my greatest teacher in the fact that She has been a medium for me to learn the power of intent, the freedom obtained in letting go and trusting the process, allowing myself to be guided by the dance of Spirit which flows through the paint, into my heart - to simply show me that we are in fact allowed to be happy, if only we just allow it. Open your heart to your Art today - what ever medium it may be. Maths, teaching, engineering, administration - all of it is art if you can allow it to inspire you. If not - change! My deepest experience of faith has been experienced when taking those leaps of faith to leave a situation if it does not serve my soul.

Blessings in Art, Vanessa.

Welcome to my world

Mon, 26 Sep 2011 10:23:44 +0100

I have been asked - what inspires you when you paint"? Do you use pictures, or do you paint from your imagination. I use both. However, what I have experienced is that the painting takes on a life of its own and that soon you are following the brush strokes, rather than creating them. This is the dance of art.. this is the place where creation flows through you, where time flies and yet stands still at the same time.

With this painting - Fields of Abundance I used a photograph for the shapes of the two Ladies. The rest was created as I went along.