New items listed on Etsy!

Lille plays guitar, based on some wonderful memories of going to see Lisa Hannigan in Manchester with a friend. She was fantastic! She's writing a new album at the mo I think, if she tours and comes to Manchester again I am most definitley going to be there:D

Christina. This portrait is based on a film I saw featuring Christina Ricci and Johnny Depp,
The man who cried. It had mixed reviews, not everyone liked it. I thought it was very beautiful.
I've not put the original drawing on Etsy yet, I thought i'd try one of the giclee prints I got done recently.

xxx

http://www.etsy.com/people/TracyEmmaCupitt?ref=si_pr

Cherry Blossom Heaven

It's that time of year again, it makes me smile:D 

"Could I die under a cherry blossom tree in full bloom on a full-moon night of spring?" Saigyo, Japanese monk.

My gorgeous mans next door neighbour had someone in to cut his cherry tree whilst it was full bloom! It did mean that I got to have some of it to put in a vase and paint though.

 

Here are some more lovely spring pics.

Love and light xxx

Communications are back:D

The beginnings of a new painting. I haven't painted a landscape for quite some time, so it's a little scary, but exciting also. I try to paint only the thing that I love, things that cause love and all kinds of goodness to well up in the heart, and I love parks and gardens and natural places, so I figured it was about time I tried to incorporate them into my work.

I think it's just about finished, just a few tweaks maybe, what do you think? I was aiming for a feeling of serenity but my gorgeous man said he does not find it so. I'm happy with it though.

 Woman, bell, Shiva, shell. This painting represents some of my favourite things, the shell for the ocean, the pure sound of a bell or singing bowl (I'd love to have a proper Balinese bell), the grace and elegance of the Geisha, the dance of Shiva.

Mobile found, new router installed, only the landline still to be sorted. I'm glad to be back online so I can share some of the new work I've been doing recently. I'm participating in the Derbyshire open arts again this year, but rather than doing it at my house I'll be at the Ghislaine Howard Gallery.

The open will be held over the last bank holiday in May, 28th, 29th and 30th May, 11 -5pm.

The Derbyshire Open Arts Website can be found here if you want to see who else is involved across Derbyshire.

Thanks for popping by:D

xxx

Is mercury in retrograde or something?

I've lost my mobile, my landline's not working and my reuter broke so I can't get online at home at the moment! Communication breaakdown. My friend, Brian, an astrologer, tell's me that Mercury is the planet of communication, so come on mercury, gimme a break.

Oh well, less distraction equals more time to work:D

My jewellery work is all finished and has been handed in. I'm really looking forward to the next module, I enjoyed the last one so much, I think I could easily get quite obsessed with this!

These are my favourite pieces:

 

  Face, heat coloured etched brass

                                          Oxidised etched silver

                                           Oxidised etched copper

                                          Etched enamelled silver

                                                  Enamelled copper

 

Etched enamelled copper over etched polished brass.

xxx

Heartbroken

Like many people I was devastated to see the death and destruction in japan caused by the earthquake and tsunami. I was grateful that all of my friends there are ok but horrified to think about what everyone was going through.

I thought that I'd re-post something that my friend, Taoyoga founder Jesse Lee Parker, wrote about the situation there:

During this time in Japan, there are many amazing stories and people are coming together and expressing a positive and brave state of heart in these trying times; the country is working together to rebuild externally, and also to regain the inner state of a Positive Heart.

Here are some amazing stories I have seen that have inspired me:

~Hideaki Akaiwa, was startled at work by the now infamous earthquake and tsunami that shook and overtook Japan on March 11, Akaiwa rushed to high ground and immediately called his wife of two decades. When she didn't answer, Akaiwa ignored friends' pleas to wait for a military rescue, instead rummaging up some scuba gear and diving into the dark, cold, debris-filled tsunami. Hundreds of yards of swimming later, Akaiwa found his wife struggling against the 10-foot current that had overtaken the couple's Ishinomaki home. He later went on another scuba diving journey through the dangerous and dark waters to rescue his elderly mother who was trapped and alone on a roof top surrounded by water.

~Red Cross Hospital Stories from Ishinomaki, Miyagi
This hospital which escaped serious damage,
seems like a field hospital, with doctors working round the clock.
Rika Suda, 22, gave birth to her second daughter on Friday,
and was the 61'st baby born in the hospital since the earthquake hit this area on March 11.
Life goes on, and new life is coming....

Doctors and nurses across Japan have come together to offer their medical help and services to those suffering in the north of Japan - we must all give our respect to their hard work and sacrifices...

I spoke with my spiritual friend and teacher the other day, who is a Zen Priest, and a teacher of meditation, Yamashita Roshi, about all that is taking place in Japan. He said this is a unique and special time for all of us living here. He spoke on how often times we read books and scripture to gain spiritual learning, but such learning is of course limited. He went on to speak that NOW, we are able to learn spiritual lessons in a direct way, due to this intense experience we all share here in Japan; this is real spiritual learning....

Let us all pray for Japan, and let us as a world community come together;
let us shed the barriers of race, country and religion....
for in the end, we all wish for the same things...
We all wish for Peace, Happiness & Harmony...

Let us all come together,
Let us all be a world family,
Let us create Peace on Earth....

I love reading what Jesse writes because he focuses on the postitive rather than dwelling on the horror and fear. If I was still in Japan I'd be so grateful for his classes and wisdom.

Here are some of my photos from my time in Japan that I'd like to share.

 
To read more about Tao Yoga click here to see Jesse's website. 


Love and light xxx

A big parcel of felt and other fabric

I got this wonderful parcel of handmade felt from my friend, Ailsa, yesterday! What a lovely surprise:D 

Ailsa has also handstitched into the felt and added elements from nature that she finds on her walks or in her garden.

She's sent me some of her felt with the idea of me experimenting with it and making it into something. I'd quite like to try making a  felt book for my jewellery course to put my samples in, and a hanging. I shall have to have a think about it.

The above fabric are 2 lengths of silk that I printed at Uni, one on habotai, the other on georgette. I did a devore print with that screen too, and then the design was washed off the screen ready to be used by another student, and so these lengths of fabric are unique. I just can't decide what to do with them, they're too pretty to be sat in my wardrobe, they're too big to hang in my house. 
Ideas welcomed.

 My dress is coming along very slowly, painfully slowly. I've never made a dress before and I've never used a pattern before, so I'm a complete beginner. This is the back panel. The fabric is a lovely liberty print.

Thank you Ailsa:D

Love and light to everyone xxx

A sigh of relief

How wonderful it is today to feel actual warmth coming from the sun, to feel that hint of spring in the air:D

Walking through the park today it was like my whole body heaved a big sigh of relief, the warmer weather is coming!

 Tinker is happy in the warmer weather too.

Love, light and sunshine xxx