Romance Writers and Psycho-Drama

On Saturday I made the two-hour trip to Piopio for the October meeting of our romance writers group (pic is Lake Whakamaru where I made a quick stop to take some photos). We met at a cafe called the Fat Pigeon for lunch then moved on to Jenny's home for a most enlightening afternoon. Our guest speaker was a psycho-drama specialist, Ana Namu. Ana demonstrated how we could use psycho-dramatic techniques to explore characterisation. It was a fascinating session. Actually putting oneself physically in the place of your characters, speaking aloud to them and responding likewise seemed to bring those elusive beings out of hiding. A marvellous way to challenge both writer and character to dig a little deeper and find solutions that might not be apparent when quietly thinking in front of the laptop.

The drive to Piopio along State Highway 30 was lovely. Late spring, the countryside glowingly green, old fruit trees with tangled branches growing by the roadside, spectacular views at the top of steep inclines, dips into quiet little valleys. Made me appreciate again how lucky I am to live in such a beautiful country.

Farewell Sir Howard Morrison

While we share the same home town, I never met Sir Howard Morrison, nor any members of his family. Sadly, I have no ear for music, but I certainly feel very sad that Sir Howard has died. I wonder if it's simply to do with getting older oneself, looking backwards along the trail of years.
I don't remember a time in my life when Sir Howard wasn't in it - 'My Old Man's An Allblack' emanating from the white bakelite radio that sat on the kitchen bench in our home in an isolated forestry village; smiling handsomely from the black and white TV set when our family moved into the suburbs; his rendition of 'How Great Thou Art' at a Royal Command Performance (colour TV this time and I can remember exactly where I was at the time); live performances at Rotorua Lakeside and Stadium concerts.
It could be that it's my own aging I grieve for, as much or more than, Sir Howard's death.

Writing romance / Mixed meda art

Drove through beautiful spring countryside up to the little gold-mining town of Waihi over the weekend to meet with other romance writers. As always we enjoyed a delicious lunch and lively conversation about various aspects of writing. Writers in the group are involved in different projects, some writing catalogue and others paranormal, fantasy or single title.

Sandra expanded our knowledge of blogging and shared a particularly good strategy for creating blog topics. Although romance writing hasn't featured largely on my agenda this year I always enjoy our meetings and come away with renewed inspiration. Am now a few pages into a catalogue romance and martialing myself into a new writing routine.

I also brought home the attached mixed media artwork: 'About the Obscure', by Sandra Toornstra, a writer and mixed media artist from Waihi. I ordered the piece from Sandra a few months ago but our paths haven't crossed until now so I was delighted to be able to finally bring my new piece of art home and hang it on my wall.

Another of our members hurried home and set up her own blog. Check out writer Shirley Wine's new blog.

Book Review - Hunters, Rogues & Heroes by Connor McKenzie

A link to my Suite101 book review of 'Hunters, Rogues and Heroes' by my best mate, Connor McKenzie.

Still Life in Blue

This is a really basic piece of art - acrylic on paper - but I'm going to have it framed because I feel as if I've made a breakthrough. Why? Because for the first time since I began painting four or five years ago, I had a clear awareness of what I had to do to achieve something like the finished piece I had in mind.

A few months back I felt as if I needed to go back to the beginning when I leap-frogged all the sensible advice about making colour charts, doing tonal studies etc. I just wanted to rush in and make pictures - not muck around with basic stuff!

Now, I somehow have an understanding that in order to advance I need to regroup. Since I started painting I've hardly read anything except art books and magazines so I've certainly been searching for knowledge and inspiration, but at the same time trying to avoid the hard yards.

Instead of buying canvases and worrying about wasting money I've been using deskpads, card and bits of board for practise. It's been very freeing and I'm so looking forward to the warmer weather when I can move outside and paint more often than I'm able to during the winter.

Inspirational Art

One of my favourite things is to come home (usually on a Friday evening) with a new pile of library books. We have a wonderful library and there are always new art books and magazines to tempt me, or old favourites to re-read.

I recently discovered an American magazine 'Cloth, Paper, Scissors' which is full of ideas for mixed media artists. Inspired by the work of Kelly Rae Roberts I made the attached art for my daughter, hoping to lift her spirits a little as she had seemed downhearted. I used a map of Europe for my angel's skirt to symbolise my daughter's brave, adventourous spirit in travelling through various parts of the world, and the bellbird (one of our native birds) to symbolise her return home to New Zealand. For some of the text I used excerpts from New Zealand writer, Shonagh Koea's 'Sing to Me, Dreamer', a novel I absolutely love.

My mixed media piece isn't for sale so I hope I'm not contravening any copyright laws. For me, this was a tiptoe into mixed media work, but I loved making this picture and I know I'll be doing more. I'm afraid there's nothing original in my piece but I'm spurred to use my own writing in future. We don't generally give ourselves enough credit for the day-to-day things we achieve - they might not be especially glorious but they're so often done to make others' lives more cheerful and comfortable; I think having a special piece of art to remind us of our unique qualities is a wonderfully uplifting and inspirational idea.

NZ Affordable Art Show

This piece of my art sold at the NZ Affordable Art Show. I was so excited to be selected for this show and delighted to sell a piece among the many hundreds of great art works exhibited. I love painting the play of light and am currently experimenting with different ways of achieving this. Amongst friends and family I'm known as a bit of a pessimist and cynic, but I don't think I can be at heart, because in my art I prefer to reflect colour and joy than the greyness of sombre thoughts. Some of my art, including sold pieces, can be viewed on my website http://www.lynrasmussen.com/

Whoever bought my art - thank you. Naku noa (peace be with you).