Tuesday 4 March 2008

Ringing bells in other people's spirits

YOU KNOW when you stumble across another person's work and you are drawn into their world in a tumbling ecstasy of combined respect at their skill, delight at their creations and enjoyment of their mind?

Well the internet is a wonderful place for this sort of thing to happen and for this I applaud it and its magical wires that aren't really there and that seem to pass paintings and tunes and thoughts and words and films along them as easy as if all of us were sitting in one big room sharing stories. Not so long ago we would have fallen backwards off our chairs to hear of such a contraption. But now it has become an extra limb, and a very useful limb indeed for those of us who are trying to make things at home, trying to paint and create and make a bit of money (not that we like it really but it helps to pay for teabags), very useful it is indeed for those of us who want to hide away in our nests but also want to show people what we do in case others might like it, in case it might ring bells in their spirits.

And so that brings me to the odd world of blogs. I was a novice at this not so long back, but find that I have connected with others who are also making beautiful things and this is helping us all to make a living doing what we love to do. From time to time I have seen that people pass on "awards" or "memes" to one another for their work, thus promoting them.
I have never been a fan of those brash chain emails that under a charitable guise, whip up a sort of superstitious dread that some terrible luck might befall you unless you clog up ten more people's inboxes within the soonest few minutes.
The point of me telling you all this is to say that I received a one of these awards the other day from Cliodhna Quinlan and have found some other lovely things written about me and my work here and there and here and there and here and there. Thank you to all of these people ~ it is genuinely appreciated. I even found someone who included me in their commentary on artisan blogging.
As you may have guessed, I don't really want to follow the crowd in this matter, but I would like to show you some lovely work by some people whose creations drew me into their world as people above have been drawn into mine...

Carson Ellis paints and draws after my own heart. Her work is strange and sad and she seems to share my fascinations with lettering and Russia and accordions. She blogs here occasionally and her lovely website is here. You may have seen her work adorning the albums of the Decemberists.

Gretel Parker is a lovely friend whose work enchanted me as soon as I saw it. She is a fellow lover of wheeled creatures and tales and a master watercolour artist, conjuring tales of melancholy and loss in a far off toybox world. Here is her lovely collection of work and here in the middle of nowhere is her well read and so well written blog. I was lucky enough to have the loan of her studio where I painted my first watercolour.

Lisa Hurwitz I discovered via the lovely land of Etsy and I was very glad. Her paintings are scratchy and large-headed, melancholy and strange and her drawings are beautiful. I am a great admirer of her work. Read her blog here and see her portfolio here.

And finally the fabulous Cart Before the Horse folk art of Jo James makes me smile no end. Her creations are beautifully made and suitably strange and topsy-turvy for my tastes. Read her lovely bloggings and doings here.

These tagging businesses are supposed to include seven facts about yourself or somesuch.. but ... well... for that you'll just have to keep reading this blog! Suffice to say.. as you may have noticed, I like beautiful things with a little bit strange and a little bit of sad.



15 comments:

Anonymous said...

Hi Rima,
thanks for your comment on Siopa Eile. Just enjoying your animations on the sidebar. Hedgehog in the Fog is so beautiful.
Have you ever seen Father and Daughter? http://www.youtube.com/watch?v/RvmTsH4iHBo

Simply Wired Custom Jewelry said...

Hi Rima...thanks for including me on your list of Heres and Theres. :0D

Also...thanks for providing a list of great links...these sites will make for some wonderful reading.

Shelley Noble said...

I love your way with words.

Anonymous said...

Thanks for sharing this Rima. You've named a couple of my own favourites too! Thanks for introducing the work of Carson Ellis -wow! I love it. It's no exaggeration to say that the internet and blogging has changed my life :)

Tess Kincaid said...

What a wonderful treasure trove of interesting art today! I connect with the same beautiful with a bit of strange and sad combined. Enjoyed these talented artists. Thanks for sharing!

Jo James said...

Very nice.
We sure do like the same things.
Looking forward to checking out more of your links.
And thanks :) I feel the same way about yours.

Anonymous said...

oh rima....i can not thank you enough for including ME in your wonderful world and giving ME a place in your magical blog...i feel more honoured than words can express....i can not wait to do the same for you...for your work brings me endless joy and inspiration...thank you!!! xoxo lisa

Gretel said...

Rima, thank you so much for thinking of me - was that really your first watercolour in my studio? It seems like a hundred years ago now...I am off to check out the other artists - Jo James looks particulalry promising.
BTW, I am not at all surprised you get so many great reviews :)

Elizabeth said...

What lovely things you have to say about other talented artists.
some I was familiar with some not.
Yes, I really admire Gretel's work.
I was also really interested in the post about hands.
We have a hand of Fatima knocker on our door.
When we were away it was stolen and the young man who looks after the house was horrified and rushed out and replaced it.
The dead man's hand sounds spooky.
Did you see Polanski's Macbeth? the scene where the witches bury the hand on the beach?
I'm glad I managed to write a comment on your blog.
Sometimes it's hard to get on to.
All best wishes

Rima Staines said...

Thanks folks for all your lovely words.... and inspiration :)

craftswithcare said...

Hi Rima,

I just stumbled upon your blog... I am so amazed by your writings!
Your illustrations are fabulous!
I also love the way you appreciate other Artists works!
I will keep checking your blog!

Hugs,
Mithua

Ted Marshall said...

Sheesh, the links on this post are like a rabbit warren, drawing me in. Time to put on my White Rabbit costume.

Joanna said...

The world of the internet is amazing beyond what ever I could of imagined. I do love seeing your word and others thank you for sharing it.

Leicia said...

Beautiful work, beautiful selection,
great blog.
thanks for sharing!
I´ll come back.

BumbleVee said...

Hi Rima....just hopped over from Blackberry Briar comments...

having fun looking through your blog.. you enjoy some unusual "stuff" and even if I don't particularly like all of it I do appreciate it....
your information is second to none ..... great stuff. now I am off to look at some Pysanky as I was just remarking the other day about it and wondering how it is achieved...

I'll have to come back to do more reading....

tx for an interesting blog...

ps...I don't like tags and such either...most of them are just trying to add 7 to 10 more people to their blogs in hopes of selling things...but without the work of reading, commenting and keeping up with the blogging....