Art Summit

 I have been listening to Elaine Luttrull on Day 3 of the Fine Artist Summit free tasters of the event.  Elaine is the founder of Minerva Financial Arts and has a book in publication Arts & Numbers 

I am putting out feelers to learn how to help Bushra with her artwork to get an income to build her future. Though she has had a spontaneous unexpected sale of one piece of work already.. Family Link Up  

From today's film by Elaine she has helped me to think of a portfolio structure.

Elaine is dividing this into 3 parts.

1. Starring Role... the production of work and how it is defined -  is it story telling or illustrative... is your work narrow or broad. With the broad scope does it demonstrate your skills in a number of different types of  productions.  ( my thoughts on this) as it reminds me of one of the artists I spoke with at the Bayswater Artist group that exhibit on the Hyde Park railings in London - he produces work that fits all types of tastes and was brilliant at this... so he always had some sale from his work!

2. Supporting cast role ... this is relating to the Starring role and how it supports that work. Maybe with affiliation to a college or institution that gives credibility and a spotlight to your work.  It may be teaching art that raises your profile.. But I am thinking also putting on workshops and in these days of Zoom and Webinars maybe your profile can globally increase... it would  have been good to have discussed this with Elaine.

3. Production System... this is behind scenes work that helps to bring in some funds from alternative work so you can put into your starring role. But there is a danger to this in that you can become over tired with this and it stunts creative time.  Elaine points out you can be spending 40 - 50% time in a job that only gives you 20% of your income need.  However working in an area where you can network with customers can help.

But the overall portfolio has to have some marketing time and finding gallery space too I feel. Elaine was pointing out it may take time to get a solo exhibition.. and of course that is where the value of your art increases... Though we have to be mindful of commission on sales.

I still feel some good exclusive prints are a turnover and other shop marketed products if I am to replicate say what I see in V&A museum and other institutions in London. 

Elaine brought it home to me as USA citizen the added pressure to brig in an income for Health insurance as well as living costs... 

Art upliftment

 

Well pleased with the art cards I ordered from Jessica Stride Art the cards are so pretty, the colours & detail uplifting...the customer service top class with lovely packaging & presentation I will be ordering more for sure..

Celebrate the beauty of nature

Visit Marjorie's Yard 

to see the NYR Christmas Gifts

to celebrate the beauty of nature.

Each gift carries a promise 

Plant Propagate Protect

trees for our Planet 

 

Zoom with Mums in Politics

This was a good webinar to listen too.. Particularly as a retired nurse/midwife and as a mother and grandmother.  My career built round both roles of mother and clinician.  It was an eye opener how the MPs that are mothers be they new mums to mums of teenagers have to juggle their roles.. They have a right to be both Mother and MP.. We sure need more nurturing caring compassion in politics and it would seem that we women can offer this... well with exception of Maggie Thatcher who took on masculine dictator power control and shed her femmine side! Until her son got lost then her mother side penetrated her politician side as she authorised action to find him!  But in honesty despite being a Labour woman when we did have a female PM with twins and two degrees I had high hopes of compassion being in the Tory party...I was wrong! Losing all to her dictatorship and induced recession she failed us all!  

Tonight I heard very caring passionate women that are dedicated to their role as MPs and to their roles as Mothers... But it would seem that the system in parliament causes as lot of issues.  It seems easier for those in London constituencies but for those around the country the geographical distance from home to parliament can be a major issue. Some with children in nursery do bring their children to London for a few days as week and the children have to adapt to nursery in London and nursery for other part of week in their home town. 

For MPs pregnant and with new babies it can be a particular issue as Tulip highlighted from her difficult pregnancies and birth.. She had me in tears as I am in the campaign to help #FreeNazanin.. and Tulip is Richard's MP.. she was so passionate about his case that even with a new baby she saw him with Jeremy Corbyn to see how to help him and Nazanin in Iran.  If only I could have helped Tulip as a retired midwife mother and grandmother over that time! Bless her she is a star in my eyes the way she cares. 

Baroness Helene Hayman was interesting to listen too from her early days as an MP with a baby.. She highlighted the media criticism to make me think we have had social trolls around for sometime.. wishing to hurt those that are trying their best to serve their constituency and bring a family up.  But she rightly pointed out that men too can find a clash between their political role and father role...with all the hours demanded of the role. 

In my question time I pointed out that their was an irony in that over the River at St Thomas's Hospital we have consultants, surgeons, midwives, nurses in all specialist roles having to juggle the demands of being a mother and clinician with long hours of work. But I was wondering if now we have zoom and electronic voting does this now make it easier to operate though all are effective MPs no matter the challenges.

I was thinking it would have been good if Ursula von der Leyden the President of the EU commission could have joined in the discussion. She is a mother of 7 and took in a Syrian refugee.  She has had a long political career in the German parliament before her present role. 

We are amazing as women we have such a talent for multi tasking. 

ref: Fabian Women's Network plus I am going to put in the link to Fawcett Society to remind us all of the right to vote women fought for. 

The Healing Garden arrives

Timely receipt of this book order from Amazon .. "The Healing Garden" I needed this upliftment as like us all in this pandemic year it is a roller coaster of emotions ..up proactive most day, adapting as you can...then drop into frustration, sadness and despair... so yes the garden becomes a healer with its beauty and link to the hope of the seasons.   It is therapeutic to be in touch with nature and work with its rhythm and designs..
 

community voices, barriers and enablers

Thursday I was able to attend the webinar in the series put together by Lord Nigel Crisp in his is look at building a healthier society.  This webinar was looking at Community Voices, Barriers and Enablers. It was a powerful time with some inspirational speakers and projects.  Projects made even more powerful and of value in this pandemic year of challenge...  See the link to the webinars and you will be able to watch all when loaded Webinars Healthier Society  I was impressed by the work of Peter Aynsley, a retired police officer that had engaged with the youth in the community to empower them and help them recalibrate their lives from Anti Social Behaviour to connecting with themselves in creative way.. giving them a voice and platform to formulate their own projects. One young woman had me moved to tears with her creative strength as she found her passion for dance.  Tia Fanelli is a 17 year old that is a CEO of a Dance company helping to connect others to the power and passion of dance. Tr14ers She is very eloquent and knowledgeable on the health benefits of dance, clearly explaining the physiology feeling of well being and the stimulation of endorphin production, through movement and dance.  Visit the website to see the wealth of dynamics.  A model for communities up and down the country. But note relies on charity funding not government funded.  To date BBC Children in Need and the Lottery helped.  But the funding success is down to the drive of Peter Aynsley applying for grants and from the efforts of the youth themselves in fund raising projects.... A positive action in itself as they problem solve the need for funding. 

TR14ers, named by the young residents after their post-code, is a youth led Community Dance Charity based in Camborne, Cornwall. It was originally set up in 2005 when the Camborne Neighbourhood Police Team, looking for new ways to reduce youth related anti-social behaviour (ASB), undertook the first ever Connecting Communities (C2) programme, developed by frontline health practitioners at Exeter University

Women Together zoom

 

Yesterday afternoon was a good zoom International meeting with Women Together. We are growing close over the weeks with our Wednesday Zooms ..a mix of fun and indepth sharing.  We share music and dance yesterday being from Scottish to Brazillian..lol.... we had a share of African women in a village decorating house walls with amazing artwork..we realised how it is a drive in us no matter where we live to make home pleasing for our families..art creative skills being sharing our love for our families and visitors..  our break out rooms worked well yesterday in our meeting. 

We looked at ways we cope with stress and anxiety ...how we empower ourselves..

I shared how my gardening helps me and shared this lovely quote from Monty 

Brunel Webinar

 

A mix of random screen captures from a brilliant interactive webinar part of the Brunel Business Webinars series.. Yesterday was looking at "Adapting for Growth in Extraordinary Times" We had presenters from FUSE Machines  AI technology and how in the pandemic the education side of the business flourished. We also heard from Maggie Sarfo from  Meres Consult and how business needed support from the shift from office to managing remote teams working from home. Ben was interesting as CEO from WeCoffee  his business to provide working spaces in and around cities so you can work anywhere.  We clearly have seen cities turned inside out with remote workers in suburbs and out in surrounding towns.. Zoom taken over meetings.. But there is still a time when physical meet up enhances the workshops or business negotiations so the niche is still there. As I have googled found a good article on Ben Carew and how he started up.  I was particularly impressed with Ann King who started up her own elegant luxury scented candles and room sprays..  Illumine Just for You  she has developed her company with retails in top stores & spas but overnight with the lockdown that cashflow suddenly stopped. She has calmly accepted situation used that time as think time to adapt her business that clearly had to involve more online presence.  Her scented candles are her own unique design with a link to astrological signs.. and this has good market for special gifts at birthdays. They have a healing mindfulness feel and perfect for creating a special ambience to reduce stress & anxiety create a space for loving too!  When the recorded link is available to this webinar I will load the link for you all as it was truly a special hour of sharing and inspirational. It also brought home how businesses large or small suddenly had the most dramatic need to change to adapt to the crazy situation of 2020.. on that point of years it is now a time when it makes future planning tricky as we do not know what 2021 so we need business planning with flexibility and with routes planned out for any course of events.

By the way my birth sign is Pisces so here is my Illumine candle ..love the Melissa in this candle and the message "I sense I believe"  

Your Wellbeing Garden book

 

Wow that was quick I only ordered this book "Your Wellbeing Garden"  last night from Amazon after the inspiring webinar .. just arrived ..beautiful book looking forward to learning and sharing from this. Very well presented. Webinar  Amazon RHS Your Wellbeing Garden

Webinar recording on child poverty

 Here is the webinar recording from Action against Child Poverty and the effects on child welfare from the  2 child limit and here is my post from the meeting with references Post with references Thursday

Gardening for Health & Wellbeing Webinar

 

Only today spotted this Webinar in my newsfeed so registered and had the most fascinating interactive hour on the healing properties of gardening. Something that is already a passion of mine to help me heal and reconnect with mother Earth through my gardening. Gardening for Health & Wellbeing organised by Healthy in your own skin HIYOS a progressive GP practice that looks at wellness & personalised care. 

A Brilliant guest speak Alistair Griffiths from Royal Horticultural Society and is the Director of Science & collections at RHS Wisley found on Twitter as @BotanyRocks  

There are some book references 

Your Well being Garden

The Biophilia Hypothesis

The Healing Garden

Others in the chat referred to Dirt Cure by Maya Shetreat

 Japanese forest bathing.

Colour psychology book

There was the recognition that gardening helps in the immune response

Loved Alistair say he eats less chocolate now he has planted plants 

with chocolate aroma!!

There is a recording of this webinar and will post link 

- below are screen captures

Beauty in my garden but delinquent foxes report!

Chippendale Rose 

 This beauty of a rose survived a delinquent playful raid on my garden by Foxes the other night.. they have been digging up rose trees and all the bulbs I planted the other day... my morning check yesterday found bulbs all over the place lol funny not not funny tooo.. naughty young foxes! They totally dug up my Queen Elizabeth rose tree that I got from the Queen ....(well from her Windsor farm shop) ...but replanted it gave some seaweed food, crystal healing and verse of God save our Queen seems to have worked hhhhh as this morning the young shoots erect again lol viagra in seaweed food hhhh but it will still need some tender loving care as was shocked with dig up. 

Here some photos 

Lulu surveying garden playful fox raid effects..

Passion

 

Good Morning 

Seek what sets your soul on fire

With passion & enthusiasm 

Stimulating & proactive Zoom AGM Medact

 

Very good AGM Zoom meeting for Medact. Good to see attendees from all over the country and from various specialities.. We have wide range activist work on problems facing UK at the moment from covid to economic issues, Climate and international issues.. So very stimulating meeting with chance to get voices heard in chat and questions... The goal a Safer Healthier & Peaceful world... if you have those goals in your heart and soul then you can become members to get your voice heard too.. Medact Website Some screen captures to get a flavour of the work for you to join in .

Prints of favourite flowers this season

decided to print favourite flower photos from my garden have them framed for my wall to have joy all the time. Great service from Razpics Uxbridge so pleased with the choice of frames.. 
 

Lovely creative idea

 

Found this beautiful artwork in my twitter feed.. art on wood from Scotland by 

Elbri Crafts  see the link to their Etsy shop ..💞

Child poverty in UK yes UK

 

A random mix of screen captures from todays webinar on Child poverty - understanding the 2 child limit of child benefit - A benefit we all pay into but has been refashioned by the ongoing Tory government to limit payment to families. Based on lack of understanding of the impact on families and the added cost of spin off problems. I continue to put forward to groups and meetings that - Poverty is diagnostic of failed leadership and that all citizens should have the right to financial dignity.  We heard from the frontline on how one father was struggling with now a third child and cut in child benefit a right for all... He was a trier and had coped with mental ill health but was trying to be proactive. His wife a nurse. However, the cut in benefit and added expense of their child had become financially stressed to the point of the marriage briefly breaking up.  The said debts he had were as I put forward to the APPG Poverty meetings not HIS debts but the system malpolicies creating debts.  The webinar was recorded so will load the link as soon as I get it... But the speakers were a mix of researchers from York University and Leeds University with the Church of England too. Thank goodness for caring people to see the problems on the front-line and fight for reform to stop the pain of lack of support. Of course the job losses from the pandemic will and is hitting families that have been just about managing with feeding clothing their family. There are some that have gone from being self sufficient to now needing Universal Credit as no work and trying to find work.

A stat that is strongly on my mind is that 1.1 million children in poverty and expected to rise to 2.2 million by end of this horrendous year.  That takes some absorbing this is the United Kingdom that is long considered to be a wealthy country... yet has had the UN reporteur for Poverty Philip Alston investigating the UK and filing a report which government will not accept!!!  and we have Sports Aid raising funds for UNICEF with a highlight that food parcels are now being allocated UK children by UNICEF... Sorry but this government needs to hang its head in shame!!!  My thoughts on this and i cannot believe my Ancestral motherland is in such a state. It is not what my mother and father fought for.. They fought for all to have financial dignity and life dignity. We are not all asking for limousines, diamonds and tiaras but dignity to have food for our families, clothing be able to pay bills and live simply live - thrive not just be surviving. These are my thoughts from this thought provoking worrying meeting.

Here are some links to follow: 

Child Poverty Action Group 

two child limit Parliament pdf

Welfare reform larger families

All Kids Count C/E pdf