a few things: paris

I apologise for the long pauses in this space - we are extreemely busy gathering materials + inspiration for our upcoming series - I hope to release a newsletter in the next week detailing the exciting classes coming up! In the mean time, I have been wandering through my photos from my recent trip and realised that I missed posting about one of the highlights, read on...

Oh how I love the ease with which everything is 'close' in Europe! Culture-hopping is the norm on any given weekend for adventure-lovers and though my back-packing days are behind me, we did have reason to visit Paris on my recent trip - meeting new family for the first time! We fumbled our way through language barriers and I was thoroughly spoiled by their hospitality. Here are a little of my wanderings, it often takes the unfamiliar beauty of new/old surroundings to inspire creativity...

:: castles...even in suburbia

:: The Louvre...art+architecture+age=perfection!

:: In somewhat gaudy contrast, the christmas carnival of the Champs-Élysées

:: love the retro metro!

:: we were lucky enough to enjoy local family hospitality while in Paris - the food was some of the most extraordinary I have ever eaten! There is a unique attention to and enjoyment of good food+wine here - a reminder to make every meal a celebration - there is such creativity in food!

:: charmed by the cafe-culture - our wanderings punctuated by which cafe to have our next aperitif at!

:: Art is romanticised in the streets and given serious attention in boutique galleries (this is a piece my brother is considering purchasing by french artist Francoise Nielly)

:: and then there is the decidedly romantic and uniquely parisian architecture - I just couldn't get enough of it - I attempted to capture it with a dream-like over-exposure on this wandering, just how I was feeling this day..

:: Yes, the quintiesential Eiffel tower photograph... my second daughter is quite enamoured with the steel masterpiece and required a close up - of course you don't need me in focus, just the stunning night-lights! As irony would have it though, on the night we visited friends living nearby, the tip of the imposing structure was engulfed in cloud! I love this photo it makes me smile!

a few things: art + creativity

Wow! I didn't expect to hybernate my way through January, although that is what it seems like in terms of this space - I expected to be here often during our care-free summer days! Children, however, have a way of insisting you be present in the 'now' and life always throws curve balls and so our January flew by - in both bliss and crazy-business!
I do like January for the thrill of setting new times + plans and there is no shortage of these things humming into place in the background for WEAVE+WONDER this year. While I am still sifting, sorting, organising and planning, my thoughts often wander back to some of the inspirational time spent wandering abroad before Christmas and so here are a few pics following on where I left off.....

I did thoroughly enjoy time spent immersed in a taste of London's art, highlights included the Gerhard Richter exhibition at the Tate Modern and the Power of Making exhibition at the Victoria & Albert...
There is nothing like spending a few quiet hours alone with your thoughts and endless creative genius!

:: as a student of architcture, vista's of buildings keep me captivated for hours!

:: I can't recall the name of this work, a 20-odd metre movie screen with changing cinematography, very sensory and interactive..the ever-changing audience in the foreground part of the animation!

:: The Surrealist permanent exhibition was sensational, nothing like a few of Picaso's works up close!

:: will post more on Richter's work soon - he was prolific and diverse, love!

:: Mind bending making at the Power of Making exhibition, V&A.

:: Power of making exhibition, V&A: wall-size knitting; ballgown made of dressmakers pins; rug made of tesselated wood!

:: Banksy street art culture in Notting Hill

a few things: nature in London

Ahh the seasons! I could live here again if these stunning parks were our playground...

A few things: wandering london

A break from the familiar has such potential to inspire creativity..the sights, sounds, feast for the senses, texture, energy. While we are crazy-busy pulling together our abundantly full and exciting Christmas classes, I thought you might like a few glimpses into my brief trip. There is nothing like shifting focus in order to sharpen the eyes to the beauty of our everyday...here are a few things that caught my eye while wandering. I will follow up with a few things: nature; a few things: art+ creativity; a few things: paris and a few things: hong kong over the next few days..

:: first glimpses of sunlight + rooftops

:: cobblestone lanes + autumn leaves

:: never tiring of wrought iron texture

:: Camden loch... marketplace since the 1800's

:: architecture interrupting the skyline through the centuries

:: the glitz of excess...extraordinary harrods christmas windows

:: Some things change, some stay the same

:: christmas means sugar coating in Covent Garden

:: only when lost in the moment does cheesecake become lunch

:: always a little gold leaf heralding the nearness of royalty

on a jet plane

In the next few days, I will leave four sweet children and one incredible Daddy at home for two whole weeks and fly to London+Paris+Hong Kong to visit my brother's family + friends. A sacrificial gift of huge proportions for which I am immensely grateful! Incredibly down-to-the-wire busy, a little anxious - it is after all the last two weeks of school!! But mostly, very excited! I look forward to many hours of thinking, planning, wandering art galleries, exploring, dreaming and enjoying great company - OH THE INSPIRATION FOR THIS CREATIVE!
I hope to post some travel pics here if all goes well with my technology! If not, I may try Facebook or wait till I return home! I will hit the ground running with final preparations for the Christmas classes - deep breath!
If you have any inquiries regarding the Christmas classes, please email me at melissa@guyatt.net, I will be responding via email.