Sparks of Light

 The "ber' months are always difficult for me to acknowledge. They bring the final embers of the garden, making me want to preserve each falling petal that I see. October is here though and I know it will have its own gifts to offer me. As I type this blog post, the changing colours of tree tops are bringing their rich and warm colours into view. They are always a delight to see. 

We circle the seasons and they influence us, each in their own turn. The gilded roundel was part of my May Morris demonstration at Ardington School this week. The colours are unusual choices for me, but they evolved from a deep study of May Morris and one of her gorgeous embroidered book covers. 

There was something about the combination of greens and oranges that gave me the spark of light for my own design. Although I never seek to imitate the work of those whom I study, I am always thankful for the light they give to me on my own journey. Our personal pathways need that spark of light to keep us on track. Understanding how to follow that pathway is a bit more tricky than recognizing those sparks of inspiration as they come to you. 

As I fulfill my teaching obligations, I am constantly looking for enriching content for students. But that content needs to be ignited by my own passion for the subject or it will land with a thud when I present it online. It is easy to be passionate about William and May Morris. Their work is so layered with detail that I can study and unpack it for years without ever becoming bored. Although they have left us a huge body of work to study, finding ways of interpreting it may become a hurdle in your study pathway. When I research and study, I am always treasure hunting and following the sparks of light that I discover along the way. The influence of a fading September played a big hand in the class demonstration at Ardington. So despite my aversion to these "ber" months of the year, I don't think these two designs would have been produced in March or April. I am grateful for the autumnal influence on the work of my hands. 

As I prepare for my last courses of the year, I can allow the seasonal influences to play a big part in the demonstrations. For those of you who want more intricate designs for offhand flourishing, Flourish Like Lace is a new course that launches later this month at The Gentle Penman. I will be able to indulge the lacemaker as well as the flourishing artist in me as we dive deeply into advanced flourished motifs that are rooted in lacemaking techniques. You will observe negative space in new ways as well as enhance your Flourishing techniques.  There will be some new twists in this class!

There is a single space left in my Pretty as a Peacock class at Ardington School. This is an encore presentation of this advanced design. You will create a glittering illuminated letter that is inhabited by a sparkling Peacock. This class uses  your wonderful sparkling watercolours to create the luminosity of the peacock. This is definitely an advanced design, but I will lead you through all the stages.  The red phoenix design is one of my favourites that I have created and seems perfect for this October post. 

The November Festive Rinceau class has a single open space. If you want to join the class I am going to infuse the Festive Rinceau with a beautiful whimsical touch! Think Festive Mice and sweet birds! My favourites!

There is so much to be said for personal study and following the sparks of light that ignite in your mind as something comes across your field of vision.I feel incredibly blessed to be able to share those sparks with likeminded students. Watching what others create and how these same sparks ignite different work in each individual is an incredible vantage point for me as an instructor. In my November Study Day, I want to share the research pathway as well as how to re-interpret these sparks of light in fresh and unusual ways. Gleaning from Marguerite's Garden is open for registration on my website. This is an intimate, online study day where we work together rather than just observe a demonstration. There are some unusual elements on the way in this study day experience. Think vellum, coffee dyed papers, birds, owls and floral motifs!

I know many of my precious friends, students and readers are navigating difficult times at the moment. There are stressors and circumstances beyond our control that can overwhelm us. We all go through these times and seasons and my sincere hope is that through the work of our hands, we will be able to infuse our days with moments of beauty and joy. Whether you pick up needle and thread, ink and paper or watercolour and brush, follow the sparks of light on your path and hang on to the inspiration you find. May your work never weary you and may you greet October with a renewed sense of refreshment. I will be cheering you all on. Thank you for your kindness and your friendship. May you flourish dear friends!