Taking Time Out For Me

Since walking away from my job, I have had plenty of time to reflect on my future, and to give my "academic" side of my brain a rest for the time being. Low and behold, I have almost become obsessed with art projects and find myself working on them from morning to night.

This was one of my first projects - a three series set which really doesnt have much meaning to it, just that it looks good! Its that interior designer part in me that worked on this.

I then started on paintings that took a South East Asian flavour to it. I made a series of them, and have given some away to people who have come and visited me.

These two pieces reflected my mood at the time... at the time, the blue symbolised a calmness, and the purple symbolised a quiet peacefulness within....

Again, this piece took on a South East Asian flavour and reminds me of some of the work I saw in Bali. It kind of took a life of its own, starting with the circle in the middle.... its one of my favourite pieces.

These three pieces show the process of a woman mending her heart. The heart severed, the heart mending and the heart full. The words are personal to me, but they basically ask the many questions that we all ask as women, as we are in each stage of the ending of a relationship.

I realised that my art was becoming a sort of therapy for me. I found myself cutting out words that I felt associated with my feelings towards my profession at the moment. Sure, this feeling wont last forever, but it is quite a telling piece of art work - that I have become disenchanted with my profession and that its time for a rest.

This piece of art shows a hand mirror, and shattered glass. And in amongst the shattered glass, there is a question mark. It is me saying "what is my identity now?" It asks "am I who I thought I was?" And "Will I recognise myself later down the track?"

This started off being a picture found at Gloria Jeans coffee shop while waiting for my coffee. This little girls picture was in one of their pamphlets. It then became a piece which writes a verse from Michael Jackson's "Man In The Mirror", lyrics which I have always felt were quite powerful, and now have even more meaning.

I had a little bit of fun time, trying my hand at Aboriginal Art!!!!

A reminder that, no matter how much fear comes my way, I am indeed brave (the glue on the side hadnt yet dried!)

My Three Core Values - Grace, Integrity, and Honesty.

This piece of work is in Mandarin, and it says "Courage". It shows three stars by its side, which represent what the Chinese consider as a number that represent "birth".

My wonderful, amazing new friend Laurence surprised me by bringing to me a big canvas. One night, just after dinner, I grabbed charcoal and produced this piece of artwork, one I will treasure forever because I have never drawn before like this in my life. It represents a vulnerable girl, looking out at the world, not knowing what is out there, waiting for her.

And finally, a bit of a hawaiian feel!