Exploration of the mind....

Stanley Bay
July 4th 2016
photo by Arana Kennedy

I was drawn to the sky today and this photo I took captures what I couldn't describe in words. There was a magical summery feeling with a hint of storm creeping in from the side... A strong wind was blowing and the sun was out in force. Todays weather could go anyway!

Stormy day?
Stanley 4th July 2016
photo by Arana Kennedy

Leaving my sun filled flat, I was surprised to step out and see dark storm clouds looming over part of the sky. I move closer to see if I can capture the intense greys and greens that my naked eye can see. It's the sharp constrasting colours that draw me towards the water.

Rough sea and dark clouds greet me at the waters edge...

Then I turn to my left and bright sunny blue skies with sharp vivid contrast.

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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.

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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 :)

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 :) 

ART on SUNDAY

Flower Power Junk
Ink on Paper design
prints available
by Arana Kennedy

ART on SUNDAY

Living in Hong Kong and deciding to take on full time art has been one 'eye opening' experience. At first it felt like an impossible task, but the impossible soon turned into a challenge. I like to take something that has been discarded and forgotten about, breath new life into it and make it beautiful and valuable again. Which is probably why my love life has been such a disaster! HAHAHA! I tend to like 'fix up' projects ;)

I started all this with enough money to pay all my rent and bills for 12 months. Then a few months in I was asked to move out of my very cheap flat and that move cost me 11 months of my living costs... 

I saw it as a blessing in disguise as I moved back to my HK hometown of Stanley. Back surrounded by nature again. People asked where my inspiration of colour into my art came from... I paint how I feel... The move to Stanley opened my mind, I started to live and dream in vivid colours again.  It is a reflection of my subconscious mind at play.

Getting back to basics and nature really inspired a new way of looking at the world. At one point in my life I tried moving continents but I soon discovered the unrest I felt was a part of me and no matter where I was, I would still have to face this internal struggle I had going on. Nature is truly a magnificent gift of raw power and beauty. These days you are more likely to survive stranded on a deserted island than you would thrown into a city with nothing... But then maybe that's the point of all those scenario's on books and film... you can survive in nature, the real world.

Stepping out and considering my next move I discovered how 'rent for buisness' works in Hong Kong, not sure about the rest of the world. But not only do landlords get to charge over what is reasonable, if you manage to make enough money and start doing well then the landlord will expect to also profit from your business in the form of 'rental increase'. Your work your ass off to establish yourself in business and so I guess the landlord justify it by saying, your business value has increased therefore the value of this property has increased as a result of your hard work... Someone who is making money off property already now gets a cut of your handwork, time and energy. I'm sorry, it all seems a bit shady to me!

Since I am already struggling to pay my rent taking on a 'business rental' is completely out of the question for me now. So I decided to set up 'shop' in my home in the hope that friends, friends of friends and family could help by simply using word of mouth. This is where my idea came in to make cards. I thought its a good way that people can support me by not spending too much money. I feel really blessed when people buy one card from me. Because to me, that small gesture says 'I love your work, I can't afford to buy a painting but I support you' 

I am also asked why I don't show my work in galleries... When you have no budget to work with, hiring a van to transport work to and from events, soon adds up and is an expense I simply cant afford right now. I'm working towards that~! 

ART CARDS for all occasions 

ART CARDS... buy 1 card support an artist

To support my art contact me to 'buy a card' online, for HK$38. You can choose one card out of 30+ current designs, postage included. This will put you onto my 'members list of art patrons' So you will receive and email every time I put out 10 new designs so you can keep up to date.  Times are tough so every small bit counts.

So... the exciting part... the gallery! I decided to do 'open house' every Sunday, so poeple can just come down and take a look. It's fun to sit back and have a glass of vino or a coffee and chat art. People's budgets vary greatly, so with this in mind I do have artwork ranging from HK$250-UP as I try to provide for all. I understand that no everyone can afford large artwork, but as the artist who spent over 2 months working on a large piece I can afford to drop the price too low either, as that is 2 months of my time. I can lower the price, but only so much.

Art on Sunday, its open house, so don't feel you need to buy anything when you visit, I also take great pleasure from people's simple interest in my art. So far I have had a few groups in my gallery and have loved sharing wine and talking art. I often get a lot of useful feed back too so I'm happy to open my home.

With summer coming, I am getting into Henna tatoo designs, so if you pop down for a visit you can get a free henna tattoo! 

Contact info@AranaART.com (me) for more information, gallery veiwing at other times is by appointment only.