Danielle tells it, on fear mongering

Watercolour blues and greens background, with white print in hand-written looking font with a paragraph from White Hot Truth.

Be encouraged, bold soul. :)

I enjoyed the book, White Hot Truth by Danielle LaPorte. Have you read it? What did you think?
She espouses that our search is very personal and we have a lot of independence, and there’s also some big stuff trying to weaken us. ‘Hidden’ in the book is this ^^^ paragraph. And once you see it, you can’t un-see it.

Have a great week,
Love Meg x o

 

PS Order your November Print of the Month now, if the Vincent Van Gogh guavas resonate with you. I’d love to hear if there’s another of my pictures you’d like to see as a future Print of the Month :)

PS 2 Would you believe? I now have a homewares section on my website – how exciting! Today I made time to enter all my available cards, which now total 95, not including a few discontinued pictures that you can still get in person at markets! If that gives you decision fatigue by osmosis, there’s a link to the Serendipity packs of 10 – picked for you, on a theme.

PS3 If you’d like to read more inspiring quotes that I’ve collected, check out my Inspiring Quotes Pinterest board!SaveSave

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What is a Vision Board, anyway?

Have you made a Vision Board before, kindred spirit? Was it fun, useful?

close up of a 2017 collaged vision board overlaid with title, reading "What is a Vision Board, anyway?", Tangerine Meg

What and why I like Vision Boards

I’ve gotten a lot out of my yearly collaging. I love that it’s visual, and that it’s kinda like encouraging time travel…  when you send light and guidance to your later-in-the-year-self, going, hey remember we wanted to get this stuff done in this way, don’t get cluttered or overwhelmed, ok? Then a breath and a pause. And things get more back on track. Even when you’re putting out daily fires emails, liaising, doing errands …

It looks like I’ve been doing a yearly collage for around 5 years. I got onto them via the Leonie-who-formerly-called-herself-Goddess who said a tiny percentage of people plan their year and even less write anything down. A Vision Board is a visual way to bring a to reality longed for plans you’ve never quite got to. [Note to self: There seems a disproportionately high ratio of awesome folks called Leonie. *Sends virtual *mwah* to beautiful Leonies the world over*]

I can’t remember where I read it, but I agree that business and life planning is more like guesswork and parenting (see also: guesswork) than it is like say a spreadsheet or a static list. If you start off the year knowing what you intend, you can fine tune or even re-think the details along the way as things become clearer or evolve. Vision Boards are more of a light, a guiding hand-hold reminder of, “..is that what we wanted?”, “remember we thought we’d aim for this …” It’s a message from Now Selves to our During 2018 Selves.

Another activity I find valuable at the end/beginning of the year/s is writing and answering difficult questions. I’ve sourced my set from a variety of places, and you could write them for yourself if you’re good at creating insightful questions! It’s also useful to summarise yearly income and outgoings, ‘specially with a business and not a GoTo job, thought it’s good to have your head around money stuff, either way.

How I do it

I like to take the opportunity of the down time week between Xmas and New Year and spread out all the magazines I can lay my hands on, cut out way too many things that light me up – inspiring or relevant phrases, pictures of health and home, archetypal ‘me’ images I relate to, usually some pictures of well-lit fruit, and illustrations of happy people in fields with balloons or flowers.

Then I cull cull cull, down to the crux of what I want to hold in mind for the year as best as my creative dancing mind can hold. It works, though … when I look at my vision board now in October, it still makes me happy and reminds me of XmasNewYearMe’s goals, inspiration, intentions. I’ve make something I love to look at: a rainbow of colours, uplifting phrases, things I’m aiming for in my life, words that make me feel like I’m speaking and anchoring my truth. Paste it all on. It’s right there, and doesn’t talk, it shows, so it works quickly and is more accessible than say a hidden word document on your computer (though they’re useful for plenty of things, too).bolsters, blocks and other yoga equipment neatly stored under the OM sign and fairy lights

Adelaide Bold Souls, want to book in some accountability?

Have you been meaning to make a Vision Board for years, and never quite gotten around to it? Or want to make a start early, so that in December/January you simply add in your last sunny epiphanies and then you’re done? Or, gah, don’t want to make a beautiful in-progress mess for the cat to sleep and stretch all over, or get out AllTheEquipment and the good stuff gets taken by small loved people into different rooms not to be found for ages?

What if you could make a date now – paid, for extra accountability and with all materials provided – to get going on your 2018 Vision Board? You can expect to leave at the end of the session with your Vision Board in hand, if not finished then well and truly started. Go here to read more if you can get to Christies Beach, South Australia, on November 12 and it’s your cup of tea (oh yeah we’ll be having tea there), ‘cos Yaisa Nio (of Yoga Here and There) and I are putting just such an event on, combining our zones of genius to guide you along this process… yoga feet with a cool tat surrounded by colourful creating materials

We’ll have lovely colours, plentiful magazines to cut and paste, kindred spirits to keep you company or even to help you find that picture you’re after, good scissors and sticky glue. So it just works. Go here to book your spot.

tangerine meg showing her last years vision board

See you there? Technology permitting there’s a link below. If not, click this to go get your limited spot. The strictly limited spaces are almost half booked as of this writing.yaisa nio and tangerine meg looking at the camera with fairy lights in the background

These pics are from our practise run last week :) Salt Yoga is a gorgeous venue, right?

Even if you can’t or don’t want to do this Vision Board workshop with me and Yaisa – there are only 12 spots after all – post a picture of your Vision Board on my Facebook if you like. I’d love to see!

Talk soon,
Love Meg

 

 

PS My Studio Clearance artworks are getting quietly snaffled up by early bird kindred spirits. Click that link ^^^ if you want to check them out. Don’t wait and think it will be still there at the Murray Bridge makers market. Though I’d love to see you there too :)

PS2 Cat art calendars are back in stock! Custom Cats are nearly booked out for the year – one spot left. You can still get your October Print of the Month here.

PS3 Click these groups of words | for other times | I’ve written about | Vision Boards

Live Bold List 48: In defense of Listicles

In which I put forward that the maligned blog format, a list – sometimes fondly (or not) known as a listicle – is as valid as other post structures.

Header featuring cat art, post in defence of the humble list post

Live Bold List 48: In defense of Listicles

  1. I think a list can be just as deep, complex, beautiful and connecty as another article! It depends how you approach reading and writing them… I like the structure of a list and try to write as much detail and explanation as I would in a well-edited sentence or paragraph.
  2. A list is a ‘specially relatable format if you are an organised and action oriented person.
  3. Calling it a listicle kind of indicates they’re ephemeral or melty like a popsicle, right? Or is it a reference somehow to a testicle (which they also rhyme with)? << Not gonna follow that train of thought! I think lists are as strong and lasting as their content, not weakened by their structure.
  4. My preference with prose is for it to be nicely broken up, illustrated, have headers, and maybe even small numbered/bulleted sections. Why not introduce with a sentence, have the bulk as some hearty listiness and even illustrate within the listicle? (Or not, as today).
  5. I love doing a link list to cool stuff I’ve found on the net, and finding new things that way, too!
  6. It’s a great ‘limitation’ to make sure you’re succinct! The numbering somehow guides you/me/the writer to make points clearly, which I think is a good thing.
  7. I myself have written about 48 list posts – I like ’em! Happy to share thoughts, feelings or other points in a list!

In other news

Had a lovely time on Sunday, when Yaisa and I held space for 6 beautiful souls to make a start and a difference to their 2018. Shining Lights.

6 beautiful souls holding up their vision boards for 2018 in a wood-lined yoga studio

What are your thoughts on list blog posts, dear one?

Talk soon,
Love Meg x o

 

 

PS Want to read a longer post by me? Check out this Series: Be Kind Part 1 and Be Kind Part 2, both have many pictures, thoughts and activities and require much scrolling :)

PS 2 Go Australia! The postal vote came back with a majority saying “yes” to marriage equality! Of course we want to treat everyone as equally able to marry under the law! Want a celebratory tshirt? Go here :)

PS 3 We do however have a lot of work to do regarding welcoming guests in distress. :( Here are 2 sites where you can help: Asylum Seeker Resource Centre and Gifts for Manus and Nauru (the second is where you pay for phone credit so folk can keep in touch with their people).

PS 4 See below or click this to check out my November the current Print of the Month :) Limited numbers <3

 

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New Thing: Print of the Month!

watercolour red and purple background with hand-lettered looking font saying "New Thing: Print of the Month" with an angled image of a nasturtium watercolour still life by Tangerine MegLast week I assembled the final pieces for something I’ve been wanting to offer for ages. I was recommended to a place that does superb quality giclee prints, ordered a few to test out both the print and choose a suitable paper stock, figured out how to pack and mail them, and set up my online gallery shop with the first one!

Print of the Month – it’s here!

I’m now offering superb reproductions of my artwork in limited editions – just 25 this time – printed with archival pigment ink on gorgeous acid free paper, hand-numbered and signed by yours truly. This inaugural edition will be available throughout October 2017 or until 25 are sold, whichever happens first.

I picked (get it? picked!) Nasturtiums in Handmade Glass for the first because it’s been a tribe favourite. Maybe because of the intriguing light reflecting and refracting around the nasturtium stems in the glass? What do you think? Also: general #nasturtiumobsession

Technical details

The paper size is A3 (297mm x 420mm or about 11.5″ by 16.5″) allowing white space around the image for mounting if you choose to use it, though it also would be perfectly lovely displayed in the crystal clear cellophane bag it will ship in. There’s a foam core backing so you can lean it up in your office or sun room for display, or get a simple A3 frame to show it off.

This is still in the experimental phase – note the beta price which I’ll hold for as many months as I can before I need to increase it!

You had me at Print of the Month… Technology permitting, just below this sentence is a little picture and Add to Cart button, etc. If not, click this to get whoooshed to see the current Print of the Month in my gallery shop.

 

What do you reckon?

Do you have a favourite picture of mine you’d like to see as a print? I’d love to hear your suggestions! :)

What have you taken step-after-baby-step towards and made come true that you’ve really wanted? I’d love to hear, either below  or in the Facebook comments.

Talk soon,
Love Meg x o

PS Print of the Month is here :)

PS2 I’ve been sending our Bold Art for Bold Causes order percentage contributions to TPRF as usual, lately directing it to “Where the Need is Greatest”. There is much humanitarian aid needed right now. Sending love and light to affected souls, too.

PS3 I’ve ordered another wave of calendars… if you want to ensure you get yours, order here! Mwah! Talk soon :)

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Bold Living 59: Georgia O’Keeffe on flowers and friends

watercolour red and purple background with hand-lettered looking font wiht Georgia O'Keeffe quote, with an angled image of a nasturtium watercolour still life by Tangerine MegI so appreciate you – thank you for coming here, and reading this!

Pretty sure I’ve featured this Georgia O’Keeffe quote before; it fluttered again at my temples for this nasturtium still life picture with the reflect-y refract-y light in the glass. It’s such a lovely thought, ‘cos it reminds us to make the time to see a flower and/or a friend. Funny that she would’ve said this back in the 1920s or so, and we can barely imagine things being so time consuming as they are now… I guess there’s always a juggle!

Have a great week!
Love Meg x o

 

PS if you like this picture, check out my New Thing: Print of the Month. Nasturtiums in Handmade Glass is the October 2017 image – indeed the first image! – for these superb prints of my artwork. I’m swooning over the gorgeous paper and print quality.SaveSave

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Work in Progress: Be Kind – Part 2

The scene is Parliament House, the event is a Marriage Equality rally…

This my favourite sign at the Marriage Equality Rally, and what a perfect segue (segway?) from Work in Progress: Be Kind – Part 1 to the second set of photos!sign outside Parliament House: "Have Courage and Be Kind"

It was really nice to be at a rally for something positive – recognition of love – rather than the recent need to show up and shout about destructive things that need to be stopped! I know there will likely be further steps once the law changes (back) but Marriage Equality is at least a measurable, specific goal along the way.

I couldn’t get a clear photo of these signs:

  • “If Penny was PM we’d all be having a brunch right now”
  • I wasn’t going to ask your father, now I have to ask the whole f*ing country
  • YES with a picture of Mr Burns from the Simpsons
  • A family wearing t-shirts reading “I know what my family is worth ~ Penny Wong”
  • There were other great ones, too, but I can’t remember all the cleverness, d’oh!

Penny Wong, the Penny mentioned above ^^^ (twice) gave a speech:

Penny Wong speaking at the Adelaide Marriage Equality rally

Here is my favourite sight… So iconic and happy, right?

Re-looking through the pictures, I’m liking the grand grey classical architecture as a backdrop to the rainbow finery.

images from a marriage equality rally

I’ve kept people back or side view as much as I can, because I don’t know how to begin to find anyone who’s in the pics, so I’ve gone with an I-can’t-ask-their-permission-so-I’m-not-including-their-faces-on-my-blog policy.

We couldn’t hear the speeches, just the chants – the organisers hadn’t realised just how far the amplification would need to reach! It was a 5,000 strong crowd, reaching beyond the tram line in the centre of the road!

These t-shirts with my art on them have been selling well… Us Australians must be taking our time to get around to this, ‘cos I made this artwork years ago and we’re still working on it. Click the picture if you want to order a t-shirt, clock – “It’s time!” – leggings, or phone cover, etc, for your very own!

Items with rainbow heart Marriage Equality artwork by Tangerine Meg. Items are tshirt, mobile phone case, spiral bound journal, leggings a clock and a studio pouch.

Can we pleeee-ease Be Kind and inclusive?

There’s beyond enough destructive squabbling on this planet right now. Can we please reach out with a little kindness to each other? The whole of society is stronger if we include everybody.

The Australian marriage equality postal survey is nothing but what it says – it’s not linked to school programs, or to the decisions of churches, or other incorrectly associated things I’m not going through here. Reinstating marriage equality is choosing social inclusion, fairness, kindness.

Beautiful friends and family, I support you. So do many many others. I hope we get a big ‘yes’ from Australia and that the law changes (back).

me on the train with the sunshine behind me, overlaid with seth godin book entitled "we are all weird"

My and Tangerine Man’s marriage isn’t perfect, but nobody tried to prevent or argue against us getting married. Why should all adults not have the chance of the same opportunity and recognition?

<<< Here is me after the rally, in my rainbow accessories, overlaid with the cover of the Seth Godin book I was going to read on the way home. I didn’t read it though, ‘cos I felt a bit sick on the warm train after maybe not quite enough lunch. Quite soon after, I drank some coconut water and felt much better – and I’ve been continuing the book at home :)

I hope you have had a wonderful weekend/week! Leave a kind comment below if you like! Hateful comments will be deleted without discussion.

You are awesome!
Talk soon,
Meg x o

 

PS Be Kind A2 poster prints (from Part 1) are here. Work in Progress: Be Kind – Part 1 is here.

PS 2 Marriage Equality rainbow heart t-shirts are here.

PS 3 If you’d like to share on Pinterest, use this tall image…

Photos from Marriage Equality rally as a header image for Be Kind blog post

 

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Work in Progress: Be Kind -Part 1

I love collaborating with people who respond like this to my artwork offerings:

A screenshot from a mobile phone showing artwork on a screen and a reply saying "love"And I am rather nerding out that the title of this blog post, not only refers to the artwork and sketches below and relates to the rainbow rally I went to on the weekend (more on that in Part 2) but also reminds us me that being kind to self and others is a process!

I was invited to contribute my artwork to a lovely event in Adelaide. The Be Kind theme is one of my favourites, and it was a no-brainer to say “yes!” Here are some of the first drawings on the theme of BeKind:

The final result needed to be horizontal, so I took the middle one (can you see the little pencilled ‘this one’ star at bottom right?) and redrew in a horizontal format. The final artwork is below. I then scanned and re-traced within the computer so it could blow up and shrink down without losing quality.

left hand holding a page of a spiral bound book with "Be Kind" typographic illustration marker drawingHere is the final event picture. I took the grainy photography at right – with my phone – as the light faded! You may have seen the postcard-sized version on my instagram.

By the way, Project Work Life and I are making available an A2-sized, signed print, limited to just 20 or however many are ordered by Friday, whichever comes first! Go here to get your Be Kind print, pick up only.

Woman in Marriage Equality top beside a poster of a marker drawing with patterned yellow and purple lettering spelling out "Be Kind"

This Red Bubble mockup lady is wearing the Marriage Equality rainbow artwork from my Red Bubble page. More on that in the next post, or click the picture to check it out right now! She’s my visual segue (segway?) to the Work in Progress: Be Kind – Part 2.

Remember to be kind to yourself! Hopefully learning even more how that works will make for more ease when you are being kind to others. See also: Full cup, overflowing.

Have a great week!
Love Meg x o

 

PS Be Kind art prints available here until Friday or sold out.

PS2 Marriage Equality rainbow art t-shirts are here. Work in Progress: Be Kind – Part 2 is here.

PS 3 If you want to share this on Pinterest (please do), use this tall version!

3 drawing book pages in a column with header type and a watercolour yellow background

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Work in Progress: Pomegranate

Gorgeous gifted Autumn fruit leads to luscious still life!

Header image for "Work in Progress: Pomegranate in blue and white bowl" Tangerine Meg art

Mother Nature you surprising, wonderful thing!

Who could have know when our permaculture garden designer – and bold art calendar stockist – Nadja from Nadja’s Garden came around bearing a large pomegranate, that a colour still life was hiding inside? I didn’t!

I cut through the firm skin and beheld such rich colour I was drawn to begin a painting featuring the wonder! Here are some stages of the drawing process:

Two panels with early and later stages of drawing on a pomegranate still life. The hand is shown holding the dip pen in both panels

 

It’s not easy to hold the phone in my left hand and hover my right – without messing up the drawing!

Here’s a pic from somewhere in between those two ^^ of the drawing stage, including my salubrious equipment! The tablecloth is an inherited seer sucker (Note: not “See ya, sucker!” Haha!) cotton, and the blue flower and ikea circle cloth behind was pinned up before we had curtains with actual curtain rods to keep out that late Summer heat.

Here’s a little section of the artwork, finished. Click through to see completed and in entirety in my gallery shop. Or even make it your own if it’s calling to you!

 

What’s your feeling when you look at this?
Homey?
Happy?
(Seedy? Haha.)
I’d love to hear on Facebook or below in the comments.

 

 

Talk soon!
Much love,
Meg x o

 

 

PS New art collector or want to be? Click this to learn about framing artworks on paper – it’s not as other worldly as you think! – and click this to check out my new Art Collectors board on Pinterest!

PS2 Beside calendars held by dear stockists, I’ve just seven (7) copies left of the 2018 Cat Calendars, 14 left of Bold Women and 26 Still Life … click this if you want to be sure and get yours! The Pomegranate pic is featured in June of the 2018 Still Lifes calendar.

PS3 If you want to share this on Pinterest (please do), use this tall version!
Pomegranate still life in progress, with checked cloth and blue and white bowl

Why I love printed calendars

Why do I have a place in my heart for a printed art calendar in this era of electronic scheduling?

Header image for blog post, with a watercolour background overlaid with photo of Tangerine Meg holding a 2018 art calendar with a Bold Art for Bold Souls sign behind and a glimpse of a framed watercolour painting of nasturtiums

I’ve been producing my bold art calendars for 5 years now. All the time, I’m learning what people like about them, and finding my own joys and insights amongst the process. One friend said:

Double daily inspiration from Tangerine Meg’s beautiful art AND the inspiring quotations on her calendars!
~ Michele McCrae, Adelaide

Thank You card on a pile of Bold Women art calendars amidst being wrapped in bubble wrap

 

I like the physical constraint of space on a real page … if there’s not enough room to write it in the boundaries of the little rectangle, maybe there’s not time to do it in the day! [Are you fighting the tendency to over-schedule yourself or your family, too?]

If you have to walk into another room or come home to check in with the calendar on your fridge, you’re prevented from accidentally overcommitting when on the spot! As well as an antidote to simple double booking, this builds in a feeling of general spaciousness and decreases pressure.

In my bold art calendars, along with enough-but-not-too-much space, are vibrant pictures to make us smile, plus thoughtful quotations give something to think about during the day/month.

“… just want to say I am loving the quotes on this years calendar… I say thank you to you every morning as I read them!”
~ anonymous bold soul

an art calendar page featuring a rainbow cat painting, and the matching cat art picture on a computer screen

I love putting pictures, type and other elements together. [studied Graphic Design twice, dontcha know?]

This work in progress picture <<< of the Thea (Rainbow Goddess) page of the 2018 cat bold art calendar gets meta pretty fast…
I made a real painting, which was scanned into an electronic format, which was then printed into a real calendar. Then, took photos for showing you online, to order and get a real one in the mail!

My point though: art calendars are fun to make!

It’s almost time to turn your 2017 calendar page over to September. Shall we all do it together on September the first? With different time zones, it might be more like a page fluttering mexican wave of September-turning-pages around the world over the course of hours? That sounds airy and lovely!

Talk soon,
Love Meg x o

PS if you only listen to one podcast this week, let it be this one. We need to share as many reminders as possible that we’re all human and connected and in this together, right?

PS2 Have you organised your art calendar/s yet for 2018 2019? Click this to go tony online shop and get yours… Sales are going healthily especially for August. #haveiprintedenough #limitededition #notprintinganymore

PS3 Can I get a virtual high-5 for *not* doing this little ramble as a list? Not that there’s anything wrong with lists at all – I do them often and I’ve a rant brewing about that! Stay tuned :)

 

Why I Love Paper Calendars in white text with a watercolour background, and featuring an art calendar cover with a thank you card photo.

Bold Living 58: Matisse on serene things and annoyances

Quote by Matisse on a watercolour rainbow backgroundMatisse seems to have had a similar approach to his art that we do with social media … wanting to uplift, not impart annoyance! Although I’ve a designer’s eye and want my social media feeds to be congruent, I am also cautious of curating my sharing to within a whisker of (my idea of) perfection.

Remember, I previously wrote upon the positives of social media here.

For the sake of my own privacy and overall vibe of my contribution, neither do I want to share every gritty grimy bit of day.

Mr Matisse doesn’t say to fake the serenity. It sounds more that he’s into a story that’s beyond the Good-Bad realm. That’s hard for an enneagram 1 to even say, but I’m slowly learning more nuance as I get older!

It’s a cyclic thing with social media, too: Have a nice day and want to share a photo, but then stay too long and need a break!
I think the Instagram bold soul / commenters who responded “It Depends” on this annoyances/serenity Matisse quote are right!

Ideally, I aim for uplift-based-on-reality – life itself is quirky and beautiful. Shall we play  our day as best we can, and aim for an overall real / positive contribution on social media? … I’d love to hear your approach below, or on my Facebook page! #irony :)

Talk soon,
Love Meg x o

water colour background overlaid with bold art calendar covers in themes: cats, bold women and still lifes

PS 2018 Bold Art Calendars are flying out to good homes! Click the picture to order yours!

PS2 Regarding my last-post-but-one’s ideas, here’s an absolutely fascinating addition to that conversation.

watercolour background with hand-written-looking font with a Matisse quote