The Phoenix is rising

Phoenix Rising
watercolour & ink
A3 size
HK$ 5,800
May 2016
Artist Arana Kennedy

The Phoenix is rising

The fire has just begun...
a slow gentle flame 
Ignited by the possibility of freedom and hope
mythological creatures unite in the imagination
as a transformation begins
propelling upwards to the energy all around us

it gets under your skin
it eats at your core
it turns your world inside out
as you melt into a giant bowl of sparkling stars
you see clearly
your mind is free to think and ponder

Deep within the spirit breaks free
Leaving behind a world of tragedy and pain
Repairing the destruction that was here upon arrival
Looking to the past for the keys to unlock the future
Too fast they progress
they don't think but just act

Fear not for the Phoenix is rising
consumed by passion and wonder
driven by natural forces
beauty intensifying drawing light from the sun
enjoying the shadows in the moon
pulsating to the motion of the sea

Breath deep
the heat of the fire and the smoke of the flames
feel the burn and the calls of those in pain
Fix the broken
Help the needy
Stand up for all people and they will stand up for you

Sometimes when I am at a total loss of what to say, I just shut down and relax and just let the words take over. Painting with words I guess I'd like to call it. This fine creature in this artwork is symbolic as it represents and hurdle I have over come in my mind. These 'blockers' show up in the form of anxiety, fear and a general lack of inner self confidence.

Friends and family often tell me I'm brave and I find that really strange because most of the time I am absolutely terrified! But I guess that's just part of the package you would have to be totally insane not to feel some fear before jumping out of a plane. I guess the braver you are just means you have a higher tolerance to fear, maybe!? I guess watching all those horror movies prepared me to face fear in life LMAO... Nah! I going to cope out here and blame my parents for letting me watch Dr Who when I was 5 HAHAHA! I LOVED it! I was terrified watching it, but I still loved it... slept like a 5 year old should... soundly! That however wasn't the case for my poor cousin, he had nightmares.

Where did I pull the word "brave" from, you may ask? I think I was fairly brave trying to capture a phoenix rising out of fire... I love how the colours BOUNCE and the contrast of the black and white slightly merging with bold blends of yellow and red. I can't feel the grace... I know its there but its only very faint... like a whisper of a new born...

I shall not stop here... I will continue with more, for now the Phoenix watches with a wondering eye.

Thank you so much for reading, I will post a new blog with an art update in a few days.

by Arana Kennedy
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Preparing for the final stages of Phoenix Rising

The pheonix Emerges... A strong symbolic mystical creature...

Creating, living, dreaming...

Awaking from a deep dream filled sleep... the faint sound of early birds warming their voices as the rising sun brings a low dusky light. The air is buzzing with magical currents, the energy oozing out with the first light burst of dawn. As the outside world slowing begins to wake I give thanks for a new day filled with endless possibilities.

Standing in the course sand at the edge of the water, I slowly massage the souls of my feet as I take in the beautiful sea veiw. Nature is alive and being out early in the morning your senses feel heightened... you can feel the power around you.

I submerge myself in the sea as I clear my mind and think of nothing but this very moment. Floating with the cool water on my back as I feel the sun warm me as I drift with the waves and the current.

In times of sudden storms on the sea... swirling winds bring change to the air. A pressure building against the current, standing strong as the water rushes to push me in another direction. I do not fight the current, I drift with the tide and ease myself gentally back to where I am going.

Fear parallises me

Am I strong enough?

Am I worthy enough?

What is this invisible energy pushing me, pushing any of us towards out better selves.

I breath deep until the peace returns. Every part of my is alive and awake and I am ready to face the day with a positive perspective. 

As the phoenix rises out of the fire and enters into a blue space of calm, its sharp constract on the landscape inspires the imagination.

Using watercolour inspired by recent lessons I taught... I was taken back to school art class memories. Refilling my ink pens as I set to work on the final stages of my phoenix.

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Rock bottom ROCKS... Phoenix Rising

Phoenix Rising

stage 1 watercolour

A3 size

Art on Sunday

It's a sunny Sunday morning in Stanley, the birds are singing up a storm and in the distance I hear the sound of Dragon Boat racing in the Bay. This weeks art theme is the Phoenix. This symbolic mythical creature represents re birth from Greek times. 

The Phoenix first got my attention on those FB stickers... People seem rather fluent these days in communication via 'stickers' HAHA My way is to choose a couple of simple favorites and just use them for everything. I started using the Catniss girl on fire with the phoenix rising in the background. Next, my eye just kept gravitating towards phoenix images... Had I simply choosen the phoenix or has the Phoenix choosen me? 

The more I grow, the more all the random events in my life start to make sense. I feel a great sense of purpose in what I wish to achieve, but its going to take a whole lot of courage and courage is the one thing that I don't really see very often. So having courage feels a little bit lonely at times. 

Phoenix Rising

stage 2 watercolour

A3 size

Rising out of the flames

Feeling discarded, beaten and sore from the endless dullness of what my life had become. I hit rock bottom. I was a total mess. Couldn't even get out of bed for coffee in the morning. Didn't want to leave my house. I was terrified of the world. I was terrified of how the rest of my life was going to play out. I did not have the stamminer to keep going that way. 

Every thing just looked dull and bleak. I couldn't breath. I was suffocating on my own life. I'd try so hard to stretch myself across everything that I just wanted to collapse, hit the reset button and just change EVERYTHING.... 

So that's what I have been doing. Re inventing myself. I got bored of the old model ;) this one though... watch out, this persona has some real courage stirring in her soul. The arrival of the Phoenix seems almost magical. THe painting here speaks to me and says... stand aside, I have a wide wing span! I need my space in order to fly!

WATCH OUT... I BITE BACK

When I was younger, I didn't have the confidence to stand up when I saw a mis justice being done in a public place. Afterwards I'd feel riddled with guilt and shame because I didn't say or do anything. Shame on me. I knew better than that! Slowly I started speaking out, small things, like telling both cantonese and putongwha speakers "this is the bus line here, where are you going? can I help?" in their own languages... They smile and thank me and line up. I'm no saint hahaha! I yell at English speakers, hahahaha guess I know THEY KNOW there's a bus line! HAHAHA 

But I also noticed the rest of the line looking and nodding thanks to me. I simply handled the situation like... a kindergarten teacher would, with kindness!

I look around today and see the way adults treat kids and I can't help but wonder if they treated each other with half the kindness they are able to share with kids then we'd all get along a lot better.

Phoenix Rising

stage 3 watercolour

A3 size

personal flare

As the Phoenix prepares for flight

Gathering strength and focus

Aiming for a creative perfection

rising to the challenge of the path ahead.

Right now, for me, its all about the artwork. Everyday I draw and I paint with passion, the more I do the more creativity takes over and I can't stop the colourful imagines dancing through my mind. If you have no passion in your life then I suggest you stop what you are doing and go find what it is you were destined to do. We are all unique and individual, for me Art and creatiivty inspires me, for others it might be surfing or building rocketships. 

Don't let anything stop you. If you feel something is wrong, then make it right.

But then I could have it all wrong, once the phoenix takes flight, the dragon might eat it!? HAHAHAHA... well... anything is possible.

Thank you for reading.

Please buy my art ;)

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Phoenix Rising

Phoenix Rising

acrylic on canvas 30 by 60cm

And out of the furious fires of hell...

Rose an elegant and graceful create

She is young and naive 

Full of wonder and curiosity

Her wings have not been clipped

Nor will they

She draws strength from nature

Feels connected to the emotions of others

wants to grow and learn

deepen her beauty and understanding

She seeks knowledge and wisdom

Happiness and peace

Balance and harmony

a constant flow of evolving change

New artwork idea

From pain comes passion. An invisible driving force. As the dragons that I so dearly love become a part of my art... I felt they do represent a male persona and with the introduction of the Phoenix that compliments the dragon as a yin and yang, or balance. 

Phoenix mythology according to WiKI

So a new adventure begins with the Phoenix gracefully rising from the asses, determined to fly free....

Thank you for reading :)

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New art promo video by 
my artist friend Carsten 
1st draft

SANGRIA & ART updated!

On Friday the 13th of May, I hosted my first sangria night... It was a small gathering, which lead to an impromptu 20th May Sangria night and also have a booking for first week in June. Officially I shall host an 'open house style' Sangria and Art night on

Friday 17th June

4-10pm

Hope to see you there...

Mini Art exhibition and catch up drinks!

Invitation to a private viewing in my gallery

Friday the 13th SANGRIA & ART

As I have my home gallery (an evolving work in progress) I am wanting to invite friends interested in art or my art (also evolving work in progress) , to feel they can pop in anytime for a drink and casual catch up with me (another evolving work in process) HAHA!

From here I am hoping to create a type of word of mouth, secret art gallery! ;) This idea has come from the pricing I set for my artwork. Calculated on the number of hours I spend working on a piece. When I started out, a gallery owner advised my prices were too low... and she promotly bumped them up when I was invited to exhibit in her gallery... After the event, I realised that including all the costs and the commission that goes to the gallery, I actually gained no extra $$ in that rather large price mark up... 

What is actually driving the price of art up, is how much its actually costs to promote it... and after all this extra effort to ensure sales... the artist dosen't really gain much extra $$ wise...

The middle man makes money from all the running around, the artist dosen't. When I was running around promoting attending events, I didn't have any time or engery for the actual artwork.

Long story short, its MUCH cheaper for me to start out this way and its the only way I can afford right now. So I do encourage all to pop in for a visit, all support is helpful :) Even online, these days :)

Sangria and Art was a fun night!

casual, small and friendly, they way I like to do things, this is my art and so I shall choose how it will be presented :)

One day you might see my art in the Lovure, but the support starts here... :) 

Sangria

2/4 red wine

1/4 juice

1/4 sprite & orange vodka

add ice and chopped fruit

And here's some of the art that was on display

With each event I include new art and older artwork... As my collection grows I am finding new ways everyday. Events help me to keep moving forward and making more artwork.

Inner conflict Outer grace

2 x 20 by 60cm canvas

artwork is featured on front and back

Dragon Identity II

canvas 60 by 120cm

Phoenix rising

canvas 30 by 60cm

HORSE - MA

canvas 80 by 120cm

Dragon Identity

canvas 45 by 90 cm

Friday june 17th!

Is my next ART & SANGRIA EVENT so mark it down in your calendar and come down and visit my gallery. Just message for details and bookings (which are free)

Thank you for reading!

Visit my website :)

Inner conflict outer grace

Inner Conflict Outer Grace

acrylic on canvas 2 x 20 by 60cm

(sold)

Chinese New year inspired artwork

To welcome in the Chinese New year of 2016 with the year of the monkey... I decided to get out my red, gold and black acrylic paint and work on some interior textured artwork. Smaller pieces that compliment other art in your home or office. I used 2 shades of gold, one to represent my western side and the more orange shade to show the 999.9 Chinese gold, as it reflects the strong Asian influence I have had throughout my life.

I usually find the best time to paint (currently) is when something is bothering me. I loose myself in the details of the artwork as I ponder the route of an issue I have. One re accruing theme for me is the in equalities between men and woman. And how I was raised to feel equal to a man. Woman go from the safe secure environment of home and school life and get thrown into a 'mans' world. 

Not so long ago, a male friend asked me what I was up to. I told him work work work, as I'm trying to establish myself in the world and work force independently. He kinda brushed this off and asked about my social life... To which I replied, if I was a man would you ask me about my social life after what I just told you? 

Nothing of what he said was intended and once I pointed this out to him he realised oh! You are right, you have a very valid point! 

Am I bitter or angry? I may have been, but that's before my eye's were really open and seeing truths... Now I see clearly that is runs throughout society and even in ones were we think we are equal to our male friends. 

Recently I was offered my first 'co porate' sort of job... I was offered a big beautiful shiny offer, but the first offer of money was... laughable! I couldn't help but wonder if I had been a man, would they have offered me more? Thinking this I started reading up about the unfair pay divide in the cooperate world between men and women, this wasn't the horrifying part for me... The thing that really turned my stomach was hearing a woman working in this world for many years now saying, "that is the way it always is, live with it" 

WOW lady! way to stand up for half the population on this planet!

Inner Conflict Outer Grace

acrylic on canvas 2 x 20 by 60cm

(sold)

Inner conflict

"The abuse of women and girls is the most pervasive unaddressed human rights violation on Earth" - Jimmy Carter

Recently the Dali Lama announced that putting more women in charge will even things out as women are compassionate and have the ability to sympathise in others situations. IE seeing both sides of the coin... 

My reading thus far makes me no expert on women issues at all, I just feel its a rather big issue and its one we all need to consider and think about, because right now, to me, it doesn't feel like its something that is thought about much, or taken very seriously. 

People may be hypocritical about Pope Francis putting on a big show at the end of Easter, saying it is all 'promotional' SO WHAT? It was a huge public statement and a wonderful step in the right direction. Not just for refugees but also for women.

Inner Conflict Outer Grace

acrylic on canvas 2 x 20 by 60cm

Back of the canvas

(sold)

The concept can be bigger than the initial idea

This painting overall represents how we show ourselves to the world, with make up and clothing and how we each carry something inside us everyday. The things we carry can change, we are all different but we are the same, we want love, happiness and a fair and equal life... is that really so outrageous an idea?

Thank you for reading, if you'd like to help support me as an artist, please send money now :) 

Thanks for reading! Have a wonderful day :)

visit AranaART website

Dragon identity II

Dragon identity II
May 2016
120x60cm Acrylic on canvas
Arana Kennedy

A mystical creature emerging from fire and fury. Discovering for the first time that the world isn't exactly a simple place to live in. So this is where the inner search as a dedicated artist began for me.

I tried to escape my world... 

Moved to another country, made new friends but soon realised that life's journey is one of inner reflection. The only way I was to reach true inner peace was to return to where it began and adjust my inner self.

9 years later here I am... Painting Dragon identity II

Bigger, bolder, more insightful, grown through a wonderful collection of random life changing events all leading to this very moment. 

I didn't feel very smart or clever at 20 or even 30... So I continued to put my head down, focus on the task at hand and work hard, to gain the most knowledge and understanding I could because they weren't paying me enough to actually try harder.

I feel like I have had very little life experience, I've never climbed a tall mountain, I haven't had kids, I haven't visited Africa but compared with a lot of people, my life is rich and full of adventure.

Put an artist in a room full of bankers... or put a banker in a room full of artists... Both senario's are the same for that individual. HAHA maybe not, I am of the belief a group of artists can convert a single banker but I highly doubt a room full of bankers could convert a single artist. More people need to start choose 'moral' over 'legal' 

love over anger

understanding over judgment

open to others ideas and opinions 

accepting each other for who we are

not the size of out bank accounts

or

our social standing in "society"

Respecting and understanding differences

finding the greatest qualities in the people around us and helping each other to grow into our own unique true selves.

After spending one week painting in the 'solid' red and black, I get to work by adding details.
I'm into hour 12 and have only added about a quarter of the golden magic.

When I really get into my artwork, I need to be in complete calmness... a meditative state of total relaxation. If you ask me today, What is the most important thing you can do to achieve personal happiness... BE IN THE MOMENT...

That is what creating artwork is about for me, breaking life down into joyful moments of adventure. Contemplating process and outcomes... moving forward, evolving. 

Painting bigger and bolder... this is a reflection of the inner confidence and transformation one acquires in their personal legend. We all have one but they aren't always so obvious.

"if its not working out, try a different way"

Never give up, just alter the plan

It's all about reflection and growth

Dragon Identity II
"work in progress"

 After breaking everything down in my life and choosing a seemiling difficult road... The road to freedom. The path of choice. Society leads us into a false sense of choice, if you really sit down and think about it, are you lead by choice or has your path been decided and until you reach stability in life you can't go forward... and do what you really want?

That's how I was feeling, trapped in my own life... Prisoner to routine and expectations. 

after each 10-12 hour stage of 'golden additions'
I need to leave the canvas for 24 hours to leave the gold set and dry.
Trying to rush this process only leads to smudges and imperfections.

I am not ready to lock myself into who I am, life has far too much to offer to settle for anything less than a wonderful adventure. Everyone is different and everyone has their thing... Be passionate... Turn your phone off at the weekends and let yourself be free from the pressures that society places on us.

Life is great!

I am blessed!

Today I paint!

Tonight I drink Sangria :)