Hi everyone,
Sending spring blossom greetings and hoping you're well!
Beautiful buds, seedlings and bright colours appearing, here in the Northern Hemisphere and it's a joy to watch the garden birds collect nesting material - one busy blue-tit picked up a large piece of fluffy white fur from my cat Charley that I'd just brushed from him - lovely to know this will contribute to a snuggly nest lining for the chicks!
I've also been watching the garden birds collect cobwebs from the cracks and crevices in the granite walls, to help bind and secure their nests and bedding - fascinating!
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...and recently, walking my Cinnamon Trust dog Moss across the Perranuthnoe fields, I saw my first swallow, reminding me again of the poem by Sara Teasdale x
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*****
I hope things are well for you, wherever you are in the world x
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- The Grace & Joy Podcast - A new episode!
'On wonder, creativity, love and all the angels in our lives'
I'm so happy to share this in the newsletter as it was a delight to have a beautiful conversation with Janni Littlepage, a friend with so many creative gifts and talents, including being a singer-songwriter, artist, writer, garden designer and much more…
You can listen in as Janni so kindly shares experiences, moments and moving insights that have inspired and influenced her life and the conversation also includes thoughts around creativity, sensitivity, being an empath, and gentle advice to our younger selves and others.
Janni recounts experiences growing up and living in California and from where she currently lives in Nashville.
(Many animals also feature, including dogs, cats, quails, monarch butterflies and beetles..!)
‘Remain in harmony, wherever possible.
Create beauty, wherever possible.
Relieve suffering, wherever possible.
That is all we ask of you.’
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Janni also reads her poem 'Transcendence' and shares her music 'A Delicate Dance'.
Please click to hear the episode on Buzzsprout - notes and chapter markers have also been added. You can also listen on Apple Podcasts, Spotify, Google Podcasts and more...
Please do feel free to like and subscribe x
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- Reopenings after Lockdown!
It's wonderful to see the galleries opening again and to start to think about visiting, supporting and attending events in music and the arts... and am so happy to have my artwork in The Blue Bramble, St Ives - feltings, paintings, cards and prints. (The gallery website is currently under reconstruction, so I'll add again to a newsletter soon!)
...& after taking Robert the Quail in last Friday, she flew to her new home the next day! x (You'll have to read 'That Quail, Robert' by Margaret Stanger to find out more about Robert :) and mentioned in a previous newsletter!)
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'The Quail and the Moon', 'The Amazing Spider crab' and 'Zennor Raven Calling (Raven's Lament)' in The Blue Bramble Gallery, St Ives
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...and Minnaloushe, inspired by 'The Cat and the Moon' by W.B.Yeats also Sold! (my semi-wild cat Silver modelled for this one, happily in the evening garden) x
Please do contact me if you are interested in any originals or cards... for wonderful, unique gifts and presents!
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- Spring blossoms and remembering Michael Strang
I will greatly miss my next-door neighbour and friend Michael Strang, an astounding artist and wonderful conversationalist on art, literature, philosophy, poetry, Leonard Cohen, robins, cups of tea :) and more x
Michael has paintings in private and public collections all over the world and popping in next door to see his paintings, (older and fresh that day), and to be asked what I think :) and chatting and reading poetry together will be missed so much.
I had to include one of his beautiful paintings in my newsletter - he was a subscriber too :) and always said such lovely, encouraging things about them x
Thank you Michael x
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Cherry Blossom by Michael Strang
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'Stepping into the exhibition is like taking a walk on a beautiful spring day.' - from the gallery director on Michael's exhibition in Falmouth Art Gallery, 2017 which celebrated the abundance of wildlife in Cornish hedgerows and fields.
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A few more images of Michael, cats and more!... on my Instagram page x
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- Beautiful connection and intuitive painting meet-ups!
International Zoom meet-ups with wonderful women! Come along for friendship, painting, sharing, exploring and experimenting - all in a safe, encouraging and gentle space.
Letting go of fears and self-judgement around expressing creatively... painting intuitively and being open to surprises!
Wellbeing, self-compassion, meditation, poetry, painting exercises, a little Qigong, music and more...
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Recently, painting after meditation on large paper and also to Scott Joplin's Maple Leaf Rag x
Also looking at the theme of threads and 'The Golden Thread'- metaphorical and spiritual, in folklore, myth & woven throughout our days, lives...
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'A lovely, soulful, fun and inspiring workshop today! Thank you!'
Yet another one of Rowena's beautiful Grace & Joy Intuitive Painting workshops! A lovely Sunday (morning, for me) and two hours filled with camaraderie, inspiration, the letting go of creative inhibitions, and of course, always the fun of discovery!'
- workshop participants x
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'Discover the delights of duelling song thrushes, the confident cry of the chiffchaff and the fluting flourish of the beautiful blackcap..'
I'm going to switch off now as it's late on the 30th April and I need to get up very early - I'll definitely try! - I've done this before, sitting in my garden with a cup of tea ...so magical... first the robins, then the blackbirds...then such a symphony!
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Thank you for reading x
Wishing you all a merry May full of colour, birdsong, health & happiness!
Rowena (& the garden birds) x
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Garden Blackbird
'may my heart always be open to little'
by e.e cummings
may my heart always be open to little
birds who are the secrets of living
whatever they sing is better than to know
and if men should not hear them men are old
may my mind stroll about hungry
and fearless and thirsty and supple
and even if it’s sunday may i be wrong
for whenever men are right they are not young
and may myself do nothing usefully
and love yourself so more than truly
there’s never been quite such a fool who could fail
pulling all the sky over him with one smile
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- The Grace & Joy podcast - On aliveness and wonder for sensitives, empaths, introverts and intuitives... for living a heart-centred life.
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Intuitive Painting & wellbeing workshops for women. For International friendships, connection, sharing & happiness!
Intuitive painting, meditation, music, tea and poetry, a little Qigong, oracle cards & more! for women of all ages and no art experience necessary...
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Thank you so much for the wonderful workshop on Sunday afternoon, Rowena! It was very special and so lovely to be together like this.
I loved the feeling of trust within the group. It really helped me to relax and become much less self conscious.
I am already looking forward to the next time!
- workshop participant x
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EFT for Health & Happiness!
Discover how tapping can help you return to your natural state of wellbeing and peace.
A beautiful, simple and effective technique for emotional and physical wellbeing... at your fingertips!
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- Many cards (& packs of cards!) of feltings and paintings are available in my online shop at Love From the Artist (LFTA)
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LFTA is a community interest company, not for profit, helping artists earn a living ... a wonderful, friendly company and you can also add a message and they will send a card direct for you.
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