New Ways Of Working...

Technology scares me.

I mean, really scares me.

It's this intangible entity, that in one moment can be our best friend, the next our worst enemy.

I still can't believe that I actually have an online shop and that Instagram has become such a wonderful community that means a great deal to me.

Technology has become a huge part of my life but I have had to get through many a wobbly moment, as I suspect many of us have had to also.

It's been like that when I decided to try and learn how to use Photoshop. 

It took me years to pluck up the courage to begin, because for years I simply told myself so often that I couldn't do it, and so, in a way, it became my truth.

Now, I'm never gong to be a master of Photoshop, and I will probably only ever use about 1% of its abilities, but I do enjoy slowly learning its tricks (thanks to my amazingly patient friends and some fab online tutorials!)

This past few months I set myself the challenge to create a zine, initially for some teaching prep, but it has evolved into more of a passion-project that I would possibly like to develop further in the future.

I've really enjoyed creating a series of digital-collages that include snippets of my own artwork and scanned vintage papers. 

At first I began trying out some of the new techniques that I have learned, but I think that the theme of 'womanhood' and the different roles we have to play in our lives has started to emerge.

A book that often surfaces through my work in a myriad of ways is 'Women Who Run With The Wolves' by Clarissa Pinkola Estes, and the digital collage of a woman having to wear her protective 'Mama Bear' mask echoes the influence that this amazing writer has had on me over the years.

I hope to finish the zine soon, I purposefully haven't planned it out and I just want to let things emerge - it may be a little strange, but then, so is Life!

Wishing you a wonderful week chucks X