Don' t you just love the bravery of these window cleaners, abseiling down with their sponges and water! I came across these guys high up in the centre of Cape Town. Imagine the advert in the Job Finder, "Window cleaners required, mountaineering experience an advantage"Suki has now inspired me to be out with my camera, she has taken so many beautiful photo's of her winter environment.
I love that we can maybe influence each other to try different ways of expressing ourselves. When we paint/write/ dance in isolation, it is so much more difficult to keep on moving and experimenting. We sometimes need to feed off each other to help light that spark.
I have found this blogging experience has really opened my eyes to a whole new experience. I am in contact with innovative artists from all over the globe, who express themselves in their own personal way. Many of these artists are incredibly generous with sharing their own experimental techniques and I love to try out what they describe and maybe incorporate the new-found knowledge into a painting.
Yesterday, my friend, Kathy Hebert posted a painting, “The Fishing Nets”. She is a figurative painter with incredible talent, but decided to paint this abstract painting, having been inspired by me. I feel incredibly honoured and quite overwhelmed to have been an inspiration to you, Kathy! I feel so connected to this work. Kathy is a generous teacher of fledgling artists, she opens the door of creativity and painting to new converts – it must be wonderful to see new artists spread their wings!
18 comments:
That is an awesome shot and I have sweaty hands when I see those guys up there.
I looked at your friends painting she is wonderful!! I especially love the nets.
Those guys are sure brave! No way would I get up there. Thanks for the shout out. I do think we influence each other back and forth, and inspire each other to try new things. I checked out Kath's blog and her paintings are stupendous. Love the fishing nets abstraction too. I am tied up in creative knots at the moment, this always happens at holiday times, but I want to try some abstractions myself, maybe on Paper. Thanks for sharing. Suki
You're absolutely right about blogging, Dianne.... It's been an incredibly positive experience to meet and interact with artists all over the world, as if we were next door to each other.
Hi Di:
How lovely to have my name in your blog. You inspire me so much I can't begin to tell you. AND, you are a great source of sharing and interconnecting that inspires us all!! I feel so fortunate to have been noticed by you! :) _ Kathy
What a beautiful photo...they make it look easy, almost like a dance...I'm afraid of heights so I'm very impressed as well as with the photographer...great color and contrast.
I also visited Kathy Herbert's blog and she had such wonderful things to say about you, your influence and your work...I agree!Blogging has been a rich experience!
Mary Ann
Wow great picture! And these guys are really adventurous(not sure about the spelling here:)! They must be looking at the people behind the windows like visitors at animals in a Zoo (or the other way round?), it must feel nice to float out there...
I agree with you so much concerning the great opportunities here to learn from each other and such give energy to art in general, thanks so much for sharing these thoughts,
have a wonderful day
Andrea
Dianne, what a great photo and wow those guys are very brave to do that!
Dear Friends, I have decided to answer my comments in one large comment, with an answer to each of you, to cut down on all the emails you might receive, so please scroll down to your message!! (or read them all if you have time!)
Teri, what a strange job to do! Thanks for looking at Kathy's site, she is an amazing painter!
Suki, I know that feeling of being tied up in creative knots, what to work on next? I seem to have all sorts of projects half done and then all the other distractions that come between creating. Looking forward to seeing what you are doing on paper.
Suzanne, isn't it great! People are sending me off on all sorts of new creative endeavours. I have been encouraged to view other aspects of my life with a new creative eye.
Kathy, this linking in blogs is an amazing thing! It helps like-minded people find each other.
I am hoping that all sorts of people will discover your blog and be able to enjoy your wisdom and paintings. x x
Mary Ann, my little digital camera is a really simple point and click thing and I am amazed with some of the photo's it has taken. I quite enjoy cropping them on the computer to make a more pleasing composition, isn't it great how all the different creative processes complement each other!
Andrea, I love your angle on this, I never thought about the people inside, these guys must provide quite a bit of entertainment for the workers and the guys on ropes must enjoy having a bird's eye view of the proceedings inside!
Have a great day!
Lynette, my brother is a mountain climber and he has been offered all sorts of strange jobs, he was asked to help film an advert, abseiling off a building with a camera in hand!
Thanks for your comments, dear friends, hope you have a great day!
Love Dianne x x
Dianne, I love the window washers a lot! I can imagine this photo as an abstraction so easily.
I completely agree with you about the inspiration and the encouragement received from other bloggers. I feel as though I have made so many friends around the world and each are such an honor to know. There is also such a wonderful feeling when my friends have successes. People who have known me and my work before I began blogging can identify a very real change in my own work...so all of this give and take is just the way I imagine a cooperative studio working. It is lovely to be working with friends, isn't it?
Dianne, you are a great inspiration to so many...what a blessing to have this lovely relationship with you.
Hi Dianne,,that photo could give me the heebie jeebies if I let it, ha!
I visited Kathy's blog & saw the abstract,,,quite beautiful! I will be back to investigate her work more thoroughly when I have more time, thanks!
Ah,,the blogs as inspiration,,,oh YES,,you bet! I am hopelessly addicted,,,and love every minute!
Dear Kim,
Maybe I will have a go at abstracting the image - I love buildings that reflect the sky! Every time I use a photo for reference, the painting becomes hard and wooden. Shaun McNiff talks about "Mistakes and distortions" bringing life to paintings, maybe I will distort the image on the computer and then further distort it on the canvas. Thanks for getting me thinking about it!!!
You are right, this is like working in a large cooperative studio where we encourage and feed off each other. I notice a difference in myself since blogging, I feel a level of confidence that was missing before in my art-making.
I so value your wonderfully inciteful and supportive comments.
Love Dianne x
Dear Babs, I felt the heebie-jeebies watching them, I used my zoom, so they were quite high up.
Thanks for visiting Kathy's site, she is a great artist and a lovely person to connect with.
Hope you have a lovely Christmas with your family, especially with your little grandson.
Love Dianne x x
Hi Di, have just read Kath's blog in response to this one! She is so right in what she says. You are an inspiration and I believe I'm luckier than most, living in the same city and seeing you at different functions, getting your wisdom and encouragement.
Kath's blog has always been a wonder to read. Her lessons on line are terrific and her paintings stunning.
Dear Liz, isn't Kathy great! Thanks so much for your kind words!
I think we all inspire each other in our own way, thats the great thing about this blogging experience. As Kim says, its as if we are working in this giant, cooperative studio, where ideas are thrown about and techniques are shared - I love it!
Love Dianne x x
hi from joburg. this is a fab photo. i have had so many problems trying to blog here, and have given up, will be back in london on tuesday. it's been an eye-opener being back here after 6 years(in many ways), hugs.
Hi Soulbrush! Not easy to blog when using other people's computers here in SA, internet time is SO expensive here. I use up our alloted gig in about 12 days and then have to top up with a "pay-as-you-go" system. I couldn't possibly post every day and I am restricted to the amount of visits I can make. I would love to have complete free rein like you have in the UK!
I am looking forward to hearing some of your impressions of SA. When you have been away, you see things with new eyes!
Have a lovely festive season!
Love Dianne x
Hi Di. Is this Absa Centre? I used to work there and we would wave to the guys as they cleaned!
You deserve all the wonderful praise that is being showered on you. You are inspirational both in words and art!
Hi Carol, not sure if it was the Absa Centre, the building is on Strand Street. I wonder how many other buildings use this type of window cleaning?
Thanks for your kind words,
Love Dianne x
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