The Roller Coaster of my artistic life.

As 2014 draws to a close I wonder how on earth I got through these last three months.

Back in Sept I started college, had been diagnosed with ITP a month before, just when my course started so did my treatment for ITP, this was not part of the plan.

I bloody did it though, caught two buses every morning and got myself into classes, did what was required and more.
The side effects of the drugs Prednisone and Rituximab were very debilitating to say the least, the list is very very long. The outcome will not be known for a few months, at least my platelete count is 201 as of yesterday, from a count of 10 which had me admitted to hospital a few months ago, I am living each day as it comes.

College has been fabulous, the tutors have been so supportive, being in an art college environment has been wonderful, such a learning curve. Thought I knew so much, couldn't have been more wrong, thought that my drawing skills were a none starter, nope not bad actually, found out (sort of knew it) that I'm a natural pattern maker. Negatives were, that I always want to have a finished product, years of making jewellery, cards and a few other things. The main objective was always to sell my creations, in the "Art" world it is the opposite, it's the journey, the planning, drawing and making notes in a sketchbook that matter more, if in the end what you create is finished, then good, if not, it does not matter.

Contextual studies did my head in at first, choosing a famous artist to research and write about was the easy bit,  I had never done any sort of academic writing in my life and found it daunting, a gap of 42 years is not recommended, that's why an access course is necessary for someone like me, it breaks you in gently to what is ahead when you do a degree. I am now starting to enjoy researching and writing.
So all in all its been very hard work, enjoyable and so worth the effort, believe me when I say hard work, just because it's "Art" does not mean to say it's easy, it's not, but you learn so much about yourself.
Here are few of the "Artists" I have written about and some that are in the works.
Louise Bourgeois, Marc Chagall, Tamara de Lempicka, Sonia Delaunay and Oskar Schlemmer.
all can be found on my pinterest boards, links at the top of the page.

Mark making at college

The class brief on Mon was to make as many different marks on paper, easy peasy you may think, well not too many on my paper, this one is with compressed charcoal, the first picture is the whole paper the other pictures are sections all taken with my camera. I love the darkness of the lines and the fact you can smudge areas with your fingers, it makes you feel like a child playing with new crayons. I am now very inspired to do more of this mark making.

Art College and ITP

Well I have not blogged for ages as I have not been well, recently have been diagnosed with ITP google it for more info, basically its your spleen, platelets attacking healthy platelets, so you don't have enough platelets, so its very dangerous you can bleed to death, not funny, so now I'm having a combination of Rituximab and steroids for a month in the hope that it will kick me into a remission, will keep fingers crossed, meanwhile at the same time I have started college, one year access so I can do a degree, its printmaking, ceramics, and other mediums with loads of essay writing about art, what it means etc, so its going to be hard work for the next few weeks, I know I will get help if needed, I am not one to give up and I'm not letting my health issues rule me, although practically speaking tiredness even when your tired is tired, lol is a factor, will still make jewellery it will be for sale

in Art Parade Saltaire, and my esty shop.

My last fair at Victoria Hall Saltaire

This is my last fair for a long time as well you know I'm off to Art College in Sept for a one year access course hopefully leading to a 3 year degree course.
This is a lovely event, a cake stall, cheese stall, wonderful handmade creations, some that include upcycling, lovely stalls with vintage treasures and workshops, what's not to like, the weather forcast is crap, but this is all under one roof so what are you waiting for.

Packing up my stuff for my last but one fair.

https://www.facebook.com/BelarouciDesigns?ref=hl this link does not work, ok if you want to have a look at my album, the facebook link at the top of the page works.
I honestly don't know how I'm going to be able to make my stuff look nice, there is actually too much, so will get on the challenge and get off the computer lol.x

My last 2 fairs for a while.

I am very sad that these 2 fairs are going to be the last for a while, I have loved partaking in these events I will be visiting as a buyer in the future as I love vintage and antique stuff, I am also having a massive clearout of my own vintage stuff as I am downsizing soon, also there will be allsorts of jewellery bargains and new creations, I will carry on making things over the summer untill I start college, but then I will be packing most of it away, now I have to clean the cat sick, honestly there is always something is there not.x

New Discovery Sunny Bank Mills

This is a lovely place to visit lots of hidden treasures, as an ex textile mill its a wonderful space.

Apart from the lovely Gallery there is an archive of fabric sample books and all sorts of other interesting things to look at, you can visit once a month, soon there are some very interesting new businesses opening one I will be visiting next time I go is Scrap Creative Reuse Arts Project, oh and did I mention that my creations are in the gallery waiting for good homes.x

Its been a while, its cold and damp, need to get back to creating and a new necklace.

Well I am looking forward to spring and this delicate necklace and matching earrings are just the ticket to cheer one up and banish those winter blues, all made from vintage glass beads from different eras.
Its been busy in the Belarouci household sorting out my house to sell it, still not done yet, I have come to realise that I have an addiction, no, really, honestly, your kidding, ha, to hoarding beads, buttons, lace, old books, vintage stuff, the list goes on, so have had to say goodbye to those things that I no longer need or use, its a long ongoing process and will take time, I am sure there are lots of creative types like myself who say "I can make something with that" and never do, the intention is there and there it is in a box or draw gathering dust, so it may as well find a new home, and the hope is it will be made into something sooner rather than later, I will carry on with little snippets of my young life soon.