Another Visual Obsession: Artists At Work, Part II

Hello Lovelies,

More visual goodness - collected over this past summer - on the theme of "Artists At Work" that I love so much lately:

 

Helen Frankenthaler at work on a large canvas

Enjoy!
Alix of TeaButterfly.

Alix of T

Another Visual Obsession: Artists At Work

Hello Lovelies!

Anonymous artist's studio

"Artists At Work" is the title of a book of photographies by David Seidner that Ireally love. It's also the theme of a visual obsession I had lately: collecting pictures of artists and their studios/workshops, close-ups of canvases and brushes, etc... Maybe the fact that I have been a bit creatively stuck can explain my current fascination with the theme.


Anyway, here are a few faves on the subject:

 Recent view of Lisa Congdon's studio

 

  Playing with paint at Sandra Juto's house 

 Last page from a manuscript by William Styron, or the writer at work, via tumblr

A Scandinavian studio, via tumblr

 Playful abstract art on the walls of a Brazilian home

And don't even get me strated on the subject of home offices! Here's just one, a great one from Paris:

Enjoy!

Alix of TeaButterfly.

Creative Every Day 2014

Hello Lovelies!

I'm a bit late in updating this but here goes: I'm renewing my pledge to daily creativity and I'm signing in CED 2014! You'l find the CED logo on the right column of this blog.

I like a challenge that is calling to add more creativity in our everyday lives, art-wise or otherwise. To learn more about this challenge, you can read here.

So... to get my creative juices flowing I got myself a notebook from MUJI and started doodling away. Here is a preview of I've done sone far:

 

I'll post a whole new series of drawings soon!

 

Isn't that notebook lovely? I'm a stationery junkie!

Alix of TeaButterfly.

While Trying to Disappear

Hello Lovelies,

print by Olivia Jeffries, can be purchased here.

I stumbled upon a very ironic fact today: a few years back I had a crush on Olivia Jeffries' images and bought a work from her. It was called "Trying to Disappear".

Which is exactly what I've been busy doing since last november. Disappear. Not only from the internet, but IRL, too. I just don't want to be found by memebers of a family that I've discovered to be very toxic to me.

So I've disappeared quite successfully so far (but it's something that has to work on the long run, too). I just find it highly ironic that a few years back, when I was absolutely naive about the toxic qualities of my family, I was already... "trying to disappear", through the purchase of this beautiful print (see above).

Alix of TeaButterfly.

On My WishList for September 2013: Fashion, Beauty & Home Decor Things I'd Like to Have

Hello Lovelies,

Don't get me wrong, I am thankful for what I already have but these beauties have caught my eyes lately.

A new perfume:

Perfumes from the niche range by l'Arquiste.

Affordable frag samples are available through reliable sites such as LuckyScent or SurrenderToChance. I really want to try both L'Etrog - citrus frag - and Infanta en flor - an orange blossom/jasmin kind of frag.


Things I'd like to wear:

This silhouette is from Caroll (I usually like that classic with a twist brand).
And:

I like the whole outfit and feel i need a zigzag Missoni-inspired loose top, a classic black skirt and thin leather belt. after digging in my wardrobe I found out I already had all these items, or something similar.

I am inspired by this view from the catwalk, a perfect mix of masculine (the fabric) & feminine (the loose cut, the lipstick) for fall 2013:

Jewelry I fancy:
something from Rachel Unger Jewelry, of course - I received myparcel today, YAY! so more on that purchase soon. And this statement piece, spotted earlier this year in a Paris shop's window:

A beauty product or two:

Though I do tend to buy organic skincare and mineral makeup, those versatile lipsticks by Givenchy are a hell of an (expensive) temptation.

Accessories:

Wedge shoes and large tote in greige and black from www.minelli.fr

A felt wool cloche hat: (photo coming soon).

And a new pair of shoes! (photo coming soon).

A dramatic pendant light for my living room: (photo coming soon).

...and contemporary art by Jane Cornwell to proudly display in my entryway: (photo coming soon).

Would you care to share any important addition to your wishlist, lately?

Alix of TeaButterfly.

Hyper-creativity - a coping mechanism

Hello Lovelies,

This an updated post, formerly published on July 31st 2013 (oops, i just realized there are still a couple links missing in the post, and hope to be able to add them before the weekend starts).

"Art is a form of consciousness.

-Susan Sontag, 1964.

I've always liked (and seeked) the opportunity to be "trying something new", but I finally realized I am a "hypercreative" person - this is simply my coping mechanism as a former abused child (please note that I'm still abused TO THIS VERY DAY by family members and strangers alike).

Why hyper-creative?

Because during my lifetime, as a way to cope with abnormal, absurd and non-comprehensible violence towards me - physical, emotional & sexual types of violence - I tried (and was pretty successful) my hand at all of the following artistic disciplines:

writing/reading poetry and fiction (I have been published in digital format several times on ecrits-vains.com)
painting (oil, acrylic, mixed media) - several exhibitions as a solo artist at the Nozart Gallery in Toulouse, France
drawing
doodling
calligraphy
engraving (rubber, wood, metal and plastic sheets etc...)
textile printing
singing (this really SAVED MY LIFE, more on that process later)
dancing (mostly alone in my living-room, though I'm now determined to go out and rock the world, a bit!)
classical anatomy sculpting
swimming in an athletic way
I also walk for hours and can ride a bike pretty well, despite both activities being used by my abusers to make me suffer, too
acting: important support role in short film at age 5, several amateur theatre plays
in the film industry: editing, live translating, sub-titling
photography (official film set photographer etc... now an avid instagrammer)
speaking fluently 5 languages
...
the list goes on and on...


This long, long list makes me think about Shiva.. I know nearly nothing about Hinduism, but... but Shiva or even Kali, the Dark Goddess do come to mind...

I think this image of terrifying Kali:

is really me, the terrified abused child trying to make scary faces to scare off past & present abusers...

But maybe I am not a Hindi deity, but rather some kind of "nobody", aka the Beatles' "NoWhere Man":

Since June 2013, I have started to tap dance (yes, alone in my living-room, just by watching tap dance beginners' videos on youtube).

I desperately want to go back to engraving, some time soon (workshops will resume during back-to-school 2013 time).

Being hyper-creative helps me avoid resorting to violence myself, and it provides a place to express anger, anxiety and high levels of sadness in a non medical (aka official psychiatry) way.

I am NOT crazy, I am a SURVIVOR of repeated rapes and other wrongs done to me repeatly throughout my lifetime.

I do NOT seek revenge, other than in a metaphorical way:

* "the pen is mightier than the sword" - so I have started to write a testimonial about my first hand child abuse experience in short fiction form. I have chosen my working title and opening quote already and have a rough plan for the plot.

* "living well is the best revenge" so says the quote. Merely by surviving, by coping by thriving by being - albeit fleetingly - happy, and by taking good care of myself (no drugs whatsoever, no work in the porn or prostitution industries) and undertaking therapy, I daily mock my torturers' intention to kill me - literally.

(reflect on the meaning of the word "discipline" btw... it means both the abuse and punishment by abusive parents as well as my self-imposed artistic activities... weird double-entendre,here! see this except from wikpedia's article on child abuse: "Until quite recently, children had very few rights in regard to protection from violence by their parents, and still continue to do so in many parts of the world. Historically, fathers had virtually unlimited rights in regard to their children and how they chose to discipline them.")

So I chose the "D" answer as my main reason for joining the Feminine POwer FREE webinar, it's tonight live at 2AM Paris, France Time.

The D answer stands for " Infusing your life with meaning and purpose" - when your very own parents actively hate you and want you dead since your in utero state, it's hard to make any sense out of this life of absurd happennings and endless pain. 

links (still missing fro the time being): more about fem power here (simply check out their facebook page or feminine power.com ) + find your own time zone here.

there is NO WAY I am gonna be ashamed of myself: this is my true *NEW* name, my true face and my true story you see here. My google+ profile now displays a phot of Lana del Rey, but this is temporary of course and I'll add my own selfie soon.

No need to apologize for being alive and well!

...but the past abuse(s) don't really matter anymore - I'm moving forward. AND I'm taking my life, identity and own name back.

I was born again this very day and from now on my name is "Alix" - it's a mix of the normal-sounding-to-me first name "Alice" and the word "phoenix" because I am daily ressuscitating from my own ashes, "Alix" is also the name of the beautiful heroine of the recent French movie "Le Temps de l'aventure" featuring Gabriel Byrne and Emmanuelle Devos in the leading roles.

-Alix (formerly known as "Naomi Lipson").

Things I Like Friday: The Decluttering Edition

Hello Lovelies!

"Softly glowing Japanese paper lamps" - photo, my own. 2013

Today is Friday, and I'd like to share with you a couple of links and highlights of beautiful and/or useful stuff I have found online this week.
I am in the midst of a major decluttering process which you can view and follow here.. It's (not-so) hard work, yes, but mostly, i am having fun doing it! This will give me freedom, and will help a situation like the one I told you lovelies about a year ago LINK and will my moving house (soon) process a breeze.

I am loving simplicity and embracing minimalism in my daily life now because of the sheer happiness & joy it gives me.

 Fall 2011. Photo, my own.

So, what did I find worth a read or a look this week?

Well, through the ZenHabits forum, I have found a new blog called "The Minimalists". I really like their blogposts, the most popular are listed here and Joshua, one of two authors of this blog, has a cool playlist to share with us.

JFM's Top 12 Albums of 2012

I am also very excited by this upcoming Fall season - as end of summer (2011 LINK) and back to school are my fave time of the year!

I have listed a few pros and cons about Fall. Enjoy!


A few cons a friend of mine reminded me on Facebook recently:
too much to do, rushing arounf, being stressed out, mess daylight etc...

Painting session with my nephew. Photo, my own.

But... lots of pros!

The heat is bearable again. It's Indian summer, with its beautiful "golden hour" light still lingering.

My fave designers & artists are showing their new creations. I plan to buy an original painting by Jane Cornwell as soon as I can afford it, to add to my small personal collection. F&B has a new range of paint colours due in September 9th. It's the "rentrée littéraire" in France - hundreds of new books are published between end of August and September each year. I plan to read 1% of it all. This means about 5 new books to read by Halloween (details here).

I am enjoying my end of summer decluttering process so much that  I have decided to make up a new tradition: very year from now on, from august 21st to 31st, it's assessing your own possessions and decluttering time!

 

"Shadow of a chair". Photo, my own.

Now is also a great time to enjoy the outdoors and take great photographs (I eally like the shadow of a chair I took, shown above). Or you can go visit a city and admire its street sculptures and monuments, like in the pic below:

Or visit local artists' market:

 "Haiku". Photo, my own.

Of course, back to shool is an exciting time for a stationery junkie like me! I just need to carefully write down a wishlist and assess my wants vs. my needs.

image via

 

image via

There are also plenty of photo-a-day challenges out there from you to choose from, so...

Enjoy!

-Alix of TeaButterfly.

"Ghosts": My very Own "Happiness Project" [personal photography project]

Hello Lovelies!

When illness imprisons you, you have to break free!

IMPORTANT NOTE: All pictures were taken by me, Naomi Lipson, during May 2013, in the park of the hospital I was staying in at the time. All rights reserved. Please ask for permission before using. thank you.

I think and read a lot about happiness, and I am pretty sure I am not alone in this. Two regular reads of mine on the Happiness subject are:

* Gretchen Rubin's famous Happiness Project
* Maria Popova's Brain Pickings blog, which deals quite a lot with the issue of happiness, too.

I am forever indebted to the lovely Jane Flanagan, who, through her delightful blog, made me aware of the ideas goldmine that is the Brain pickings website.

About my own "Happiness Project" - and what it has to do with ghosts.

First of all, you might be aware that I suffer from a chronic kind of illness, which means I have to check into a hospital, from time to time. This is a chronic illness, I have to live with it, but it is not life-threatening... Anyway...

As I am currently in a hospital, I wanted to describe through photography the long, not-so-often taken path from misery to recovery. In my initial project, I wanted to take pictures of a patient whose face I found particularly interesting, but after a few days of reflection, he shied away altogether from the project. He looked a bit like this:

photo (c) Naomi Lipson, 1999-2000.

So what I did is take pictures anyway, of all the places I wanted to take *his* photograph in, except he will be no longer there, except as a ghostly presence.

These are the photographs I came up with...

At first, you are behind the bars of illness and misery, you are a prisoner of depression (or any other illness). Can you see the unhappy ghost behind those rusty bars?

Then, through a more or less intricate labyrinth or maze (which symbolizes any kind of path, like undertaking therapy, you are chosing to get yourself out of misery), you  try to set yourself free:

On the long, complicated journey from misery to happiness, you might find different landscapes, open gates that symbolize opportunity, such as this one:

Sometimes, on this long and difficult journey, you may need some rest and will sit down on these scattered rocks:

I guess you get the picture now...

More photos available at my flickr photo set called: "The Ghost Project".

Naomi of TeaButterfly.