A SMIDGEN OF MY SOUL

"Creativity is the way I share my soul with the world" - Brene Brown

A lot has happened in the year I have taken off from my blog. The busier I became with commissions and life, the more I found I had less time to compile blog posts. As mentioned in a previous post I decided to simplify by posting on Face Book instead but I have missed Art Propelled! For years it was my little sanctuary where I have made wonderful friends, many of whom are not on Face Book. 

 I have decided to continue my compilations on Face Book but I would like to post here on Art Propelled a few times a month as well.

Commissions bogged me down last year. I have given a lot of thought to how they affect my work production. Through no fault but my own I took on too many commissions and didn't leave enough time in between to create new work which meant I was feeling stale and lost interest. For the first time in a long while I gave myself a month to create something new. 

This piece, "Ancestral Voices" has revived my love for creating art. I began waking in the mornings feeling excited to get out to my work bench to start carving. I purchased a new work bench made of fragrant cedar wood. The moment I set up work for the day the scent of the cedar seems to trigger my creative flow. For years I have worked outside in the courtyard where the heat just about flattened me so I made another change and moved my work area onto the veranda. Though I still do the messy work out in the courtyard I do most of my carving in the shade of the veranda. It has made a huge difference!

A very beautiful quote I kept with me while carving this piece....

"I am listening to a deeper way. Suddenly all my ancestors are behind me. Be still, they say. Watch and listen. You are the result of the love of thousands." - Linda Hogan

In 2014 Roxanne Evans Stout invited me to create a new sculpture for her book, Storytelling with Collage . The book is out! And what a beautiful book it is!

This is the piece I created for the book. It is made of fragments from my early totems, previously banished to the back of a dark cupboard. There were parts of the old totems that I loved, so I cut these parts off to use in the assemblage.

"Spirit House" was inspired by the Sepik spirit houses in Papua New Guinea, as well as the "house of the hogan" in Mali. A hogan is a Dogon spiritual leader whose house serves as a conduit for spirits to drift through while communicating with him. I was amused by the idea of a mobile spirit house that could fly or sail.... or drive over a bumpy road in Africa.

I'm not sure what the next post will be about but it certainly wont be about me!


"I had to create a world of my own, like a climate, a country, an atmosphere in which I could breathe, reign, and recreate myself  when destroyed by living. That, I believe, is the reason for every work of art" - Anais Nin

NEW WORK at FILLINGDON FINE ART

"Strandloper III" by Robyn Gordon

The daffodils are out just in time for the opening of  the "Primary Palette"exhibition at Fillingdon Fine Art. I'm delighted to have 3 pieces in this exhibition including the piece, Strandloper III, above.

The meaning of strandloper ....

1. a member of a Koisan people who lived on the southern shores of southern Africa from prehistoric times until the second millennium AD.

2. a person who collects items on the shore; a beachcomber.

warmly invites you to  "Primary Palette" an exhibition of original paintings, sculpture, ceramics, jewellery and craft from Saturday 11th - Saturday 25th April 2015 daily 10am- 4pm at Fillingdon Farm, Piddington, High Wycombe,  Bucks, HP14 3BL, UK Other times by appointment www.fillingdon.com This exhibition features work in the three primary colours of red, blue and yellow by new and regular artists from Kenya, Zambia, Zimbabwe and South Africa; across the media of oils, pastels, bronze, stone, porcelain, silver, shell and many others.  Monochromatic balance is added with a new collection of drawings by master draftsman Arthur Azevedo.  As always there is a wide variety on display to appeal to all tastes and pockets, and each unique, handmade piece has been personally selected to ensure the ultimate in quality and originality.  Entry is free and refreshments are on offer.  A donation is appreciated for our chosen charity Farm Africa (reg. charity number 326901). The work is available to view on our website, which is constantly being updated.  We look forward to welcoming you, and please feel free to tell like-minded friends! For directions and a map visit our Contact Us page

STRANDLOPER

The name STRANDLOPER is an Afrikaans word meaning "beach walker". It is a term for San-derived people who lived by hunting and gathering along the sea shores of Southern Africa from prehistoric times until the second millennium AD. The term has been extended to refer to present day beach combers.


While we were on holiday in the eastern cape we came across many middens. One of them was particularly old and high. It formed a bank covered with grass but a landslide had ripped the bank open to reveal  layer upon layer of shells at eye level. I did a little research and came across this post about Strandloper middens.

"... these piles of shells are often thousands of years old, and represent the last signs left by the Strandloper people, who belonged to the larger communities of either San or the Khoikhoi.... "

"The women would find some place in the dunes that was protected from the wind, and transform it into the family kitchen. They would shuck the shells and often prepare the food here as well. Pottery shards found at the midden sites indicate items of Stone Age crockery." - Chris Marais

After our holiday  I was inspired to carve a Strandloper to remind me of the blissful days spent gathering pebbles and driftwood on wild beaches.

FILLINGDON FINE ART

I'm pleased to announce that my work can now be found at a beautiful gallery in the Uk.

The present exhibition @
FILLINGDON FINE ART
Fillingdon Farm, Piddington, High Wicombe

SUMMER SELECTION 2014
opened on 31st May
and continues through to
28th June

The 300 year old beamed barn provides a modern yet historical setting for paintings and ceramics, whilst the sculptures look striking against the backdrop of the rolling Chiltern Hills of Buckinghamshire.

Meet Debs Digby, charming owner of Fillingdon Fine Art. I was lucky enough to meet Debs this year during her annual visit to Africa.  She breezed in to our home like a breath of fresh air and by the time she breezed out again I was totally under her spell. Debs takes great pride in personally meeting all the artists to discuss their art and what inspires them.  
Click for website here

HAPPY NEW YEAR

 Robyn Gordon 2013

"Every man should be born again 
on the first day of January.
Start a fresh page.
Take up one hole more 
in the buckle if necessary,
or let down one,
according to circumstances;
but on the first of January 
let every man
gird himself once more,
with his face to the front,
and take no interest in the things
that were and are past."

-  Henry Ward Beecher

Wishing you all everything of the best for 2014

THE WOOD GATHERERS

 Tracey Deep is a floral sculptor inspired by nature. See more here

There is nothing quite like 
the feeling of calm that envelopes one 
when out gathering 
I love returning from a walk
laden with bouquets of drift wood
I'm drawn to driftwood colours
soft greys, warm woodiness, sun bleached naturals.
Wood, tossed about in the sea
the edges rubbed smooth by sand and water.

 North Carolina artist Patrick Dougherty create's freeform sculptures woven together out of branches. See website here.

As a boy, Patrick Dougherty gathered twigs. He began "drawing" with sticks and later he used saplings and tree cuttings found along hydro lines to create his magnificent sculptures.

Patrick Dougherty gathering branches. Website here.

"It seems like humans have to continuously struggle with ideas about nature and redefining our relationship with the natural world. Domesticated gardens versus the wilderness are part of a worldwide discussion and part of my (our) inner conflict. Certainly gardens are a kind of rendition of the unfettered wilds. Shrubs, trees, flowers and grass become commodities and are forced into human geometry. I try to free the surfaces of my work using sticks as a drawing material, work them in such a way they look like they are escaping those chains of being planted in a row. I imagine that the wilderness lurks inside my forms and that it is an irrepressible urge."  -  Patrick Dougherty

I enjoyed John Grande's interview with Patrick.

Large scale temporary sculptures from materials gathered in the nearby landscape by Patrick Dougherty

"It seems that people like gardens and grass, but they desperately desire a connection to wilderness" - Patrick Dougherty

"Tree Fall" by Andy Goldsworthy. The ceiling and suspended tree branch have been covered in clay. Goldsworthy has succeeded in creating a "Hobbit hole". Read about this new installation here. 

Andy Goldsworthy with his installation, Tree Fall

"I enjoy the freedom of just using my hands and "found" tools -- a sharp stone, the quill of a feather, thorns. I take the opportunities each day offers: if it is snowing, I work with snow, at leaf-fall it will be with leaves; a blown-over tree becomes a source of twigs and branches. I stop at a place or pick up a material because I feel that there is something to be discovered. Here is where I can learn."  -  Andy Goldsworthy

Islamic/Meso America by Loren Eiferman. Website here

"The wood, for me, is now a line in space created by hundreds of smaller pieces of wood jointed together to create one sculpture. To create my work, I usually begin with a drawing, an intention of what direction I want my sculpture to go in. I start out each day with a walk in the woods and gather sticks that have fallen to the ground."  -  Loren Eiferman

 Black Hole by Loren Eiferman. Website here.

Loren Eiferman. Website here

Roger Ackling "draws" on found wood with a ray of sunlight through a magnifying glass. 
I know! Amazing!

Found wood assemblage by Roger Ackling. See more here.

Assemblage by Roger Ackling

Flying machine by Wim Del Arte. Blog here.

Wim Del Arte spends many a day out walking along the banks of La Palma, gathering drift wood and found objects. He then creates the most amazing array of art with his lucky finds. The flying machine is assembled from driftwood, aluminium, copper, rusted metal, bits of twisted plastic and spark plugs found on the beach of Tazacourt.

"Collectors are happy people"  -  Goethe

OSHUN, AFRICAN GODDESS

Oshun, African Goddess carved by Robyn Gordon

OSHUN the African Goddess of beauty, love, prosperity, order and fertility.

Her name is synonymous with transformation.


"She is widely loved, as She is known for healing the sick and bringing fertility and prosperity, and She especially watches over the poor and brings them what they need. As Orisha of love, Oshun is represented as a beautiful, charming and coquettish young woman". 
Read more about her here and here.

Initially I was drawn to Oshun because she is  the mother of the birds and the fishes. Fish (my husband is a passionate  angler) and birds feature highly in our lives. At first I  knew only a smattering of facts gleaned in books but later the internet provided a deeper knowledge of her qualities and I became even more intrigued. 

I have a Brazilian friend living in the States who knows her as Oxum.  With the African diaspora Oshun was introduced to the Americas. Her name changes slightly from country to country but no matter where she is,  she is loved and respected.

Oshun, African Goddess carved by Robyn Gordon

SILENT CHATTER

There was a time 
before I started selling my totems.... 
(before I was brave enough to put them out there) 
when I created solely for myself. 
The walls of my little studio were lined
 with totem after totem
stacked one against the other
their weathered faces watching over me.

I discovered a quote by Wosene Kosrof
which was an Aha! moment for me
He said "The more I go to the studio, 
the more I create my spiritual crowd".
I felt strongly that I had created
my own spiritual crowd. 

After my first exhibition my studio emptied
It was a time to rejoice 
but I also experienced feelings of loss.
Thankfully my work sells quickly.
I am grateful that people feel a connection to my work
and I wouldn't have it any other way.....
but I do miss my spiritual crowd
filling my studio
with their silent chatter.

Setting out on a road trip. Weaver wondered about my neck of the woods, KwaZulu Natal. Click here and scroll to get a general idea of where I live.

THE STORY OF AN AFRICAN QUILT

My wood quilt has been a long time in the brewing ... the tinkering.....

the carving .... and finally the assembling.

I intended to take my time with it but a part of me kept niggling...

it ought to be finished by now.

"I really do prefer to give the ideas time to surface .... and I need to work repetitively with impulses to make them part of my vocabulary or language .... a way has to be found into the rhythm that works ... quite simply". - Sophie Munns

I found my rhythm as I was creating each "patch" of the wood quilt but when it came to putting them all together I lost my way and spent many weeks pondering. Eventually I decided not to "sew" the pieces together as originally planned because the quilt was busy enough and I glued them instead. Even then it was not quite right. Another few weeks of tweaking ensued. On the day I deemed it fit for the gallery it sold to a regular customer who just happened to email me on that very day. It was meant to be!

As with a patchwork quilt made of cloth this piece has memories and stories worked into each square. You can see a few of my ideas here. I kept in mind that in Africa nothing is wasted and had fun using found objects and rusty bits that had been lying around in the bottom of boxes. I also wanted to use elements that reminded me of Africa.

(The name for the piece came to me while I was assembling it, inspired by a favourite book ... The Story of an African Farm by Olive Schreiner)

Shards from an old African pot.

Pebbles, driftwood and shells from Transkei beaches.

Cowries symbolizing feminine energy and wealth.

White seed beads symbolizing purity and protection, faithfulness, spirituality, holiness.

A carved wooden sun bristling with nails for protection.

Black and white patterns which represent the contrast of:

dark and light

good and evil

male and female

WHEN NATURE AND DESIGN EMBRACE

When nature and design embrace,

beauty is created.

Domingo Totora's work is extraordinary

and his website is pure poetry.

From the amazing photographs...

to the beautiful location .....

the designer's philosophy...

....the studio

and of course the work itself.

Just poetry!

Collaborating with designers, artisans and communities,

Domingos Totora designs breathtakingly beautiful objects and sculpture from recycled cardboard pulp.

CARDBOARD PULP!

It is a labor intensive process

whereby cardboard is torn into small pieces

and then turned into pulp.

The pulp is used to mold anything from rocks...

to objet d'art ....

.... vessels

... to furniture.

Domingos Totora's studio and workshops are "nestled between the deep blue of open sky and the emerald green mountains" where "the natural light is tangible, giving form to surfaces of objects and sculpture. Nature and work embrace and interact with each other".

I could quite easily post every photo from the website,

they are THAT inspiring,

but you need to get over there to see for yourself.

You won't be disappointed!