Vivian Bonder

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no title - one

mixed media 

92x92cm

I know I know... this blog has been... pretty much abandoned. Not only by me but also by my readers! That is only a natural response... when blogs don't get updated there is no reason to keep going back. Now I could of course say I will update more frequently, and make a promise I may or may not be able to keep. But I am not going to. Life has been so much fun without feeling 'obligations' of any sort and I enjoy simply painting and getting messy in the spare moments I get instead of sitting behind the computer screen. So. That is it.

I will have 2 pieces in an upcoming exhibition with Interactive Arts running from 10th July till 5th August I believe.

Other than that I have not been very active on the creative side of things at all ;) Cleaning up my work room to make more space for canvas work. I can see a garage sale coming up with these piles and piles of stuff.. 

Gotto go.

this is what i have been upto.. (new canvas)

This is just a tiny detail of a larger (120x120cm) canvas which I entered intto the Melville Art Awards a couple of weeks ago. The full pictures are in the right side bar (under Mixed Media). Might as well stick one down below.. At the moment it hangs very beautifully in our living room :) but is for sale.

And another wrist cuff..

I am fully enjoying the process of taking some steps back and although it is taking me some time to adjust and find myself almost wonder at times: what next? I do realize I have made a gigantic leap forward by choosing for me this time. 

How about you? Do YOU choose for your Self often enough?

wrist cuff anyone? :)

Now on my Etsy. If you let me know you came through my blog, I'll pay for postage! ;)

etsy updates!

These wonderful silk strips are back in my Etsy shop - they vary a bit from the previous batches I received, more frayed and lighter colours. Still really lovely tho and as cool to use as the other ones ;)

I am also destashing some stuff..Like little felt purses to store art supplies or how about a crochet hook and some wool? Ah now theres an idea.. lol..

I also have these..

Nice? I didn't make them so I can't really put them up in my Etsy shop. But if you would like to purchase one for AU$5, feel free to pop me an email. 

Too busy to keep typing, also finally getting some destash-piles together... be patient my dear..

every ending means a new beginning..

My dearest blogreaders ;)

I almost feel like writing a letter ha, because this post is totally meant for you, readers. I won't tho, because I would write a whole heap of nonsense (I write better than I type) and then scan and you probably would not be able to make very much sense of it all. I remember the letters I used to exchange with a very good friend of mine while I was traveling, they included so many drawings and strange anecdotes and wonderful surprises... Oh, and by the way, she is one of the most inspiratonal artists I have come across. Ever.

Some awards came flying my way, for which I am very grateful :) The awesome Audrey (when are we catching up!?) sent me one and it looks like this:

   As for the rules: List 7 things that make you Awe-Summm and then pass      the award on to 7 bloggers you love. Make sure to tag your recipients and let  them know they have won! Also link back to the Queen that tagged you.  Uhhm.. this is really not easy. But I will give it a go.

 1- honest and open

 2- always want the best outcome for everyone involved

 3- a good cook

 4- creative and artistic

 5- kindhearted

 6- true to myself

 7- recycle and re-use as much as possible

 Please everyone who reads this, do your self a favour and make a list for  yourself. See and note down all the awe-summm qualities you have. There  are more than you might think!!

From the lovely and talented Sam I received this friendly award which is wonderful. No rules with this one I believe. Please feel free to pass this award on to anyone you would like. I find most people I have 'met' through blogging are very friendly. The list would be looooong!

Quite a while ago this lovely award came my way from Karoeza (oh-oh such inspiration to be found on her blog!) - thank you!

This Renee award was created by Bella and Ces in honour of their friend Renee.In Bella's own words "this is a brand new award and I have the pleasure and honor of spreading the seed, watching it grow. I hope it finds it's way to those who are like Renee: the acorn, a small package becoming a tall and sturdy oak, giving more acorns, becoming tall and sturdy oaks, giving acorns..."Now to pass it along........ I am going to nominate 8 women who I love so much, and thank every time they take some of their time to visit and comment on my blog and everyone else's art. Please check out their work they have so much talent and amazing creativity!!!

Today... why don't you click on the links of a few of the people who leave me comments every now and again? Each person is very inspiring in their own unique way. You might come across someone who will become your bestest {online} friend ;)

Now, as to the reason for me wanting to write a letter to you today. A couple of things. Firstly, I have again overcommitted myself and will be slowing down. This has been quite a consistent pattern in my life for a while now and I am finally getting the message. Ok, ok, I am getting it. For real. I need to allow space for something new to enter into my life, whatever this may be. Stepping back from most of the things I am doing right now.

In real-life terms this means the following: no more dig deepers. Please let me know if there is anyone out there who would like to take over and take it to a different level. You are more than welcome. I realise I only started a few weeks back, but this is also part of the pattern. 

The Art Journal Series are running for the very last period. If you really want to do it, you will need to sign up now. I will leave sign-up open for a week, till Tuesday the 26th and then it won't be possible to sign up any longer. Of course you will still have 3 months access to the private classroom etc, as per normal and I will still be here as usual to assist with any queries and questions. Just no more new students after that.

Also, the Vivian Bonder Ning network will close down as per next weekend. Thank you all so much for participating in the challenges and sharing your art and inspiration. I just do not have the time to keep everything going as I would like to. I do not enjoy doing projects by half and things become very time consuming that way.

My Etsy shop will be updated soonish with some silks (maybe the plane is still waiting to take off?) and maybe some leftover packs as promised earlier. At the moment I am working out what to do with it further.

Anything else? Let me scan my mind... Not for now I don't think...

Oh yeah, the wing-winner from the previous post! 

Barb, please send me your address and the wings will be flapping your way! 

Have an absolutely wonderful day people - embrace life!

about wings.. {continued} and a RAK (random act of kindness)

Thanks so much for your comments regards the stack of wings. Over the weekend I have divided them up into smaller packs and I'll leave it totally up to you if you'd like to swap or just keep them as is. Happy with either. Please send me your address Kris, Marianne, Jill, Diane, Chocolate Girl, Judy, Annette, Corinne, Petrina, Pam & Dani and I will send a small pile of wings to you. 

Now as for the RAK, I have one pile extra leftover, looking something like this:

If you'd like to receive these, please leave a comment on this post. 

Last week I added some kits/pieces to my Etsy shop and by now it looks all empty again so I'll update later today with some more leftover/de-stash kits which include chipboard shapes, wings, silks, foil tape and whatelse I can find. I am still waiting for recycled silk strips to arrive, but as soon as they are here I will upload. 

See you soon :)

Dig Deep - Two

The first Deep Digger *already* has brought up some amazing stuff for some people this week, without naming anyone. Some extremely sensitive subjects which we don't always talk about in the open can be good to incorporate into your Art pieces or your dig deep box/journal. Apart from the fact that no one really needs to know about some stuff (and sometimes we even hide from ourselves right?) it can feel very freeing, liberating to open up some old canisters full off 'rubbish', untreated stuff you have never thought that it was (still) there. Yes, it can and will often hurt. But  once looked at, it is easier to deal with. 

What you resist persists. What you look at disappears. (Neale Donald Walsch)

Now for the second deep digger.

Change.

What does change mean to you? Does it worry you if you hear the word come close? Do you thrive on it? Are you the type of person who gets bored as soon as life becomes 'regular' and requires change to stay sane? Does change mean something in the bigger picture? As in Evolution? Do you feel connected to change? Has there been a certain event which has changed you, made you stronger? Weakened you? Lit compassion in you? How do you feel when circumstances change? When others seem to change? Or when you change? What is your reasoning for changing certain behaviours or circumstances? 

There is a flickr dig deep group where you could go to discuss or post your pictures and you are also more than welcome to come and discuss or post on our ning network. 

However, remember with these diggers, there is no need to share. Feel free if you like to, but keep them to yourself if you would rather do that, I don't mind either way. Bliss. 

is everybody 'over' the use of wings??

I wonder... I truly wonder if everyone really is completely over the use of wings in their artwork or maybe it is just too difficult to come up with a creative idea to take this pile of my hands, because to be quite honest, not many people seem all that interested. Maybe I should have 'sold' them better, but see; I have never really been good at that. Can you imagine I used to work as a Travel Consultant? Truly! Ok, let me try... This fabulous pile of fabulous artchix and german scrap wings is up for grabs.. There are copper, red, white, silver and gold wings, lots of them! Use them in your art journals, atc's or mixed media work! Let them shine and give your fish, dog or angel wings! If you would like to send me a proposal before Sunday (mothersday right?) they could be yours. Otherwise I think I might put them on ebay or something.

 

Taken from the web somewhere: "The Ankh Cross represents life (immortality) and death, male and female, balance. It can also represent zest, joy of life, and energy. It's closely related to the looped cross that can mean fertility and life."

Just a thought today. I remember loving the National Museum in Cairo years ago. Would have liked to stay longer, much longer. Maybe there will be a time to go back.

How are your Deep Diggers going?

anyone feels the need to fly? -> wings on offer <-

"Come to the Edge."

"We can't. We're afraid."

"Come to the edge."

"We can't. We'll fall."

"Come to the Edge."

And they came. And he pushed them. And they flew.

[Apollinaire]

And I am now officially over wings. Have had it. It would be great if these gorgeous shimmery shiny wings could find someone else to use them in their art. There are lots of them and I was going to add them to my Etsy shop however... I'd like to offer my dear blog-readers a chance to grab them. Here's the deal: 

Whoever shouts me the best offer (monetairy or otherwise) before Sunday will get these wings flying your way!Email or comment is all good. If there is no suitable offer I will add them to my Etsy on Monday, as part of my de-stashing and renewing project. Who knows, there may even be crowns added to the stash. ;) I wonder how many wings there are?

new on etsy

Mixed Media, 4x4" (10x10cm). Both are now in my Etsy shop, which looks really bare by the way. I am looking at updating soonish with more work and also silks should be coming back. I will keep you posted.