I wish I could show you
when you are lonely or in darkness
the astonishing light of your own being.
Afez
I know that it has been a rather long time I have sent you some news and I am also well aware that you’ve been waiting to hear from me about the re-opening of my studio and workshops. But until now there was so much instability going on with Covid 19 outbreak, I felt uncertain to contact you. Such dark times, have also shone the light on so much, time was needed to digest.
Slowly waking up
I’m back online after a much-needed break that has allowed me to brew new ideas, while working in the garden tending our vegetable, flowers, and herbs. The garden has been a source of delight, keeping track with life and her tiny buds becoming blossoms, then fruits.
Among others things, we have finally taken on the much overdue project to finally build a upcycled potting shed with old windows we had had for years.
it was quite an intensive job but the result is bringing us joy each day ! Now I can watch our plants and veg grow each day from the kitchen window.
Inspiration
During this slow-paced time , I have spent so much times rediscovering my surroundings, the places I am blessed to call HOME: swimming in the lake daily, wandering the woods, sitting in my garden, just being in that beauty has feed my soul and inspired me.
I do believe that at times, we all need to stop, take it slow and look around and look, really look.
A new buzzzz
Have I mentioned that since the last time I sent you some news, two beehives have been trusted into our care?
Beekeeping has always been a dream of mine.
Painting with beeswax have always stirred me to get a proper relationship with these extraordinary beings.
and boy, do they bring daily joy into our lives !
I do not believe that you truly know what LIFE smell like until you have caught the scent of the inside of a beehive.
it smell like warmth, flowers, life, and beauty.
The way they all move together,
the sound they make has us enthralled on each of our weekly inspection of the hives .
They dance with the sun, what more do you need to know !
Bees have so much to teach us. By the way, do you know about this beautiful ancient lore when it is customary to tel the bees of all important events in the keeper’s life, such as birth, death, marriage or departures and returns to the household. A beautiful routine which I am now obliging each and every evening. They are wonderful listeners too ! You can read more about this wondrous custom here
Studio updates
The studio has been busy too, where I managed to spend a few days a week, amidst home-schooling my teen daughter ( like so many of you, I never realised that maths, after 40 years would still make me cry, oh dear, thank the gods for gin and tonics !)
The solo show which was due to take place in Dublin this summer has been postponed until next year, however I have managed to keep my groove going during the lockdown and have created a body of work which I am very happy with.
Looking back at them, I can actually see two streams of thoughts…
Some still have remnants of memory and longing for the sea, I was unable to go near for three months
Others, as the lockdown deepened, were directly inspired by my immediate surroundings, the deep waters, the damp earth, the giant skies, the moon shining bright on the lake during night swimming.
And now for the big news!
I have finally had the go-ahead this week from some of the venues in Ireland to re-open my registration ( with a delicious early bird offer ) for workshops taking place in July and August.
The workshops will obviously comply with social distancing measures, hence the reason why I will focus my schedule to workshops in Dublin, where the venue is large enough to have space between us.
Yet without affecting the joy and delight of creating together.
it somehow feels surreal and I am beyond exited to meet ( or re-meet) some of you this summer for some furious creativity and inspiration, I am polishing my blowtorch in anticipation !
So watch this space, as I will be opening my waiting list this Friday, 19th June to my subscribers only
This will mean that you will be the first to have a sneaky peak before everybody else!
Now that’s lovely news don’t you think!
Have a wondrous and creative week!
Don’t forget to share the encaustic love to anyone you would think may be interested into trying their hands at this amazing process and do not hesitate to drop me a line if you wish to know more!
Thank you all for your wonderful support and looking forward sharing this amazing process with you in the near future!
Isabelle
#firepaintwithme
PS: I regularly post my artist process, free encaustic demonstrations, and what fires me up along the way on my blog. If you wish to be notified by email, please subscribe to my mailing list, thank you!
