The CreativeLife - abstract painting #1

Hey Creative Friend!

About two months ago I pulled out the last three square stretched canvasses in my stash and put them out on the table in my studio. At first I just painted the background a plain neutral grey. Then added the black and white blocks with palette knives. I liked the result but it was not yet a painting, or three.

Holding the 3 canvasses next to each other

A few weeks later, the muse tweaked my ear and the first layer of texture went down. When it was dry I was rather disappointed with the result. It was too smooth. Then I pulled out the heavy stuff. And that texture is really rough, I tell you. Had to stop myself several times from touching it while it was still wet. But I love the result! Now I can start painting.

Disappointment :(

   

That's more like it :)

The purple is a favourite colour of mine but it is just the first layer of many. 

Purple 😍

Stay tuned, as this project comes to life over the next days.

Until next time!

💜 🎨 Linzé

The CreativeLife in review - books, paintings, and living with pain

Hello Creative friend!

I wrote this post over several days.

Did March really go by that fast? It was like here and then gone before I could blink. I did get a lot done, I have to say and perhaps that is the reason I didn't notice the date change. Work is slow, and that is a bit of a concern, but I do have some things to test this week, so things could be picking up again.

I cleaned my gouache palette 😂

April is difficult because we have 3 short weeks in the month. For most people that is great, and it used to be for me as well when I was employed full-time. Since changing to self-employment, fewer workdays in a month can be difficult - this month it will be, as this year has been so far.

You may have seen the Blog Challenge logo here on my blog, but I had a change of heart. Sometimes it is necessary to decide where you have to spend your time, and prioritise that before what you think you can fit in. Since making that decision, I stopped worrying about it and focused my writing energy on a novel I am trying to finish. To help keep me motivated, I am taking part in Camp NaNoWriMo.

Past experiences have shown me that the writing challenge is useful to help me finish a book; at least the first draft of it anyway. At 79k words, I am close but there is something about to happen in the story that might push it over 100k. Because it is a novel in my fantasy series, the word count does not bother me. It will bother my pocket when it comes to editing time, but that is a problem for later. Right now my priority is to get the book finished.

Today is Good Friday, and the end of an eventful week. I hope you are enjoying a Blessed Easter.

For the past few weeks my right shoulder have been acting up a bit. Not painful exactly, but more a sensation of discomfort when I moved it. I don't know what caused it, or perhaps I forgot. On Wednesday morning I woke up with such excruciation pain in my shoulder that I could barely move my arm. Yes, that was a surprise - and not a good one.

One of the SBR2023 ink and
wash paintings I made

Since I could move my hand ie, no difficulties below the elbow, and could at least finish the report I had to write for work and managed the words I had planned for Camp NaNoWriMo. I just had to take it really easy I thought. But it was not enough.

One of the SBR2023 ink and
wash paintings I made

After a sleepless night, and a potent painkiller, yesterday morning started with my husband having to help me get dressed. He leaves for work at 5am, so it was an early start for me too, but it couldn't be helped. Yes, I hated that because it made me feel like a child. But pain is a horrible thing on the best of days, right? 

I made an appointment to see my doctor, but he was only available in the afternoon. There was some work to do, but I decided to go out for breakfast mostly because I was a bit too lazy (and in too much pain) make it myself. My local Wimpy is close to my home, but the drive told me that my shoulder didn't like the trip. Driving really hurt, even though I took care as best I could.

While enjoying my breakfast, my doctor's receptionist called to move my appointment earlier. I was grateful to accept the option. Two hours later I had a cortisone injection, and prescription for potent anti-inflammatories to take for a week. My shoulder it would seem was badly inflamed.

My Podcast listening this week ArtJuice: 

https://open.spotify.com/show/3jFtwBciHeEPlNF5Gf411T

This morning there was no pain, amazing, so after a lovely breakfast with Hubs and my father-in-law, I decided to work on some of the paintings for the exhibition. It was fun to push texture paste around with a palette knife. Since I practically plastered the stuff it will take a day or so before I can paint the textured sections.

I am taking it easy the rest of today, even though my shoulder might feel better I don't think for a moment that it is healed yet.

And on that note I think it an appropriate ending to this post.

Wishing you a creative week!

💜🇿🇦Linzé

The CreativeLife in review - change, art, and loadshedding

Hello creative friend!

It's been a while since I chatted with you, and of course it is my fault for not keeping to the Sunday schedule. But that is going to change. My Sundays seem to be filled with so many activities, even though I seldom plan my day that way. It also impacts my blog, which makes me sad for not getting to write it like I want to. So I am going to make a change - and experiment with a few different weekdays. It may also vary from week to week, but let's see how it goes.

My books and many more at https://buff.ly/3xLi8UH
from March 5-11!

February has been a difficult month. We decided that we had enough of the problems of loadshedding, and installed a solar power system at home. It helped to resolve one concern created by the constant loadshedding...saving my poor fridge. When it took me 20 minutes to get the fridge to start the compressor (the previous few times it took about 10 minutes) I called Hubs and told him, that's it. We cannot afford to replace appliances that we need. I don't care if the TV is damaged, or if we needed to replace a microwave (for example) but replacing food storage appliances could have huge financial financial implications. You might think that such losses could be claimed from our insurance, but since loadshedding have gotten worse, the insurance companies have been refusing to payout such claims.

The second thing remains a problem, but we are managing it for now. At first the service technician said it was because of loadshedding, while we disagreed. Well, it is still a problem even without the power going out anymore. So will have to see.

The first of the planned stories for publication is with my editor and I am working as fast as I can to finish the 6th novel in the Nations of Peace series. I am struggling however to make the story flow at this point. It happens and it is a pain in the butt. But I keep going. Editing will probably delete a lot of these words, but if I stop the book won't get done. Onward it is then!

Another art exhibition is also coming up and I am working on a new series of paintings. At least they are progressing without a struggle, and I am having a lot of fun in the process.

Some of my paintings are now featured in the Wild Baobab online gallery if you want to take a look. Yes, it's me, Linzé is my pen name. I avoid using both my real name and pen name on social media. Aside from being confusing, it makes life easier for me.

And on that note it is time to wish you a creative week.

Until next time!

💜🇿🇦 Linzé

The CreativeLife in review - planning, time management, and the creative life

 Hey there, creative friend!

It's been a week or more since my last post but mostly because I have been taking time to do other things. Work was a bit slow, but that will change tomorrow. More on that a bit later. I have not been working, or making art - what I have been doing is reading. Not only books on my to-read list, but also a few of my own unfinished manuscripts. I do that for the simple reason to find inspiration to work on my current novel-in-process. I feel a bit stuck.

I know the next major scene involves a kidnapping, but what is bugging my creative brain is making that happen in a way that will actually work. It is one thing to kidnap someone, but making it happen in a story is a different matter altogether. The solution has not yet presented itself, so in the meantime, I found an interesting book well worth reading until my creative brain cells figure out what I need to write.

The book is called Four Thousand Weeks by Oliver Burkeman. It is an interesting take on time management. I have only progressed about 25% into the text, but I am enjoying learning a few things.

Ballysaggartmore towers ink and wash

Back to the work thing. Tomorrow I have to start testing several industrial pieces of equipment coming in to the lab one after the other. This type of equipment is a huge challenge (which I thoroughly enjoy, mind you) but they also take a lot longer to test than the multi-media and high-tech equipment that we normally test.

I am not anticipating problems, but I feel that it is important to be prepared for the feeling of being overwhelmed which will invariably happen along the way. If you have been reading my musings for a while, you will know that I have a game plan in place for when that happens. This time around, I think that perhaps an adjustment to the game plan might be in order to anticipate the situation and work with it before the feeling hits me head-on. Because once I feel overwhelmed it can often be difficult to recognise the feeling and then sit down to work on resolving it. And this book might be helpful for that. It is too early to tell, but I have a feeling that using the 12 Weeks Year planning I am implementing this year, along with Four Thousand Weeks, I might be able to live a productive and creative life in 2023 without pushing myself too hard.

I do have an ambitious list of goals for sure, but what I have put in place with that list is to prioritise those goals. It does not only help me figure out where to put my time when things get busy at the lab, but it will also help me focus on the things that I feel are a higher priority.

Prioritising goals might seem weird, but I love what I do in my work life and my creative endeavours, so it is a win-win situation as long as I remember to take care of my health and well-being too.

One of my creative goals this year is to work on improving my skills with oil pastels and oil paint. Oil pastels have always been a difficult medium for me, but I am finding it more fun the more I use them to create drawings. In the Artkula group, there are two challenges every month, and I find doing at least one of them with oil pastels to be an enjoyable way to improve my skills.

Oil painting remains difficult. My sketchbooks do not lend themselves to oil painting, so I purchased a sketchbook purposely designed for oil painting. Since I am still a pure novice with oil paint, it takes time for me to do an oil painting. To this effect, I have done an outline of a self-portrait during the past week on this new paper. I finally made my own Mahl stick, set the pad on one of my easels, and I am ready to start painting.

There are a few things on the to-do list this week that needs to be done for the solar power installation in our home, but if that happens quickly then I will have a bit of time to start work on the portrait, otherwise, it will be early next week. Am I worried about the potential delay? To be honest, I was worried, but I decided to let things happen as they should, then there will be less pressure on myself to do stuff. Since I am prepared to start the painting, it won't be such an issue if there is time available earlier than anticipated.

Organising my studio remains a thorn in my side. I found a small bookshelf at a really reasonable price that will help to organise one area in my studio that has been annoying me to no end. I ordered two of them. That corner in my studio is used to store items I use for journaling and mixed media, so if they are better organised, it will be easier to find what I need when I want it. I will post a few before and after pics when I got that done.

An exciting week ahead for me, and I wish you a creative week with time for loads of fun time too!

Until next time!

💜🇿🇦 Linzé

The CreativeLife week 1 and 2 - planning my CreativeLife

 Already halfway through January and it was barely yesterday when we started the new year.

Hello creative friend! I trust your 2023 is off to a creative start and that all your creative hours this year will be satisfying and fun!

I am sure like me you have already set your goals for the year and cannot wait to work on them. Did you remember to plan time to rest and time to rellect? I had to remind myself to do that too and deliberately spent the past week focusing on that even though I did do some work too.

The lab is back to work already, but I will only get stuck in this coming week. We have big industrial pieces of equipment coming in for testing and I will probably start on those within the next month. They require more time and energy so it will be a busy time for the safety section for the upcoming three to four months.

My creative goals for this year include the publication of three more books. Two shorter stories, and then the 6th novel in my Nations of Peace series. The book is entitled, Prime Prey, which is the first of the Protector sub-series.

The shorter stories are almost ready for professional editing, and I have already spoken to my friend Vanessa Wright, who is the editor of an award winning children's book. Well done, my friend! You are an awesome editor and soon children in many schools in South Africa will know your name too.

Portrait of a lady in Panpastel
and coloured pencil

Vanessa has edited multiple of my books in the past, so it will be yet another great year to work with her again. More details on release dates in future posts, so keep an eye out!

Goals for my 2023 artistic journey will be a bit different than the past few years. For one, I am not going to take part in Inktober52. The prompts were becoming less inspiring and frustrating. I will say however, that taking part has siginificantly contributed to my drawing skills. Inktober in October? Will see when the time comes.

Since joining the ArtKula community I have been more inclined to rather take part in their monthly challenges, so those will be my focus for this year. I have laso decided to focus more on the oil mediums (oil pastels and oil paint) this year to work on improving my skills in using these mediums. I also plan to continue my study of my favourite artist's work, Wassily Kandinsky. I have a book, but my study will include copying more of his work so that I can learn more about abstract work.

Our art group is already actively busy with our projects this year, starting with experimenting with expressive abstracts (in sketchbooks for now), and a large fantasy style acrylic painting. This coming week we will start work on an ink and watercolour painting of an Irish castle. Definitely a challenge because of all the details. But we need to challenge ourselves as artists too, otherwise how are we going to improve our skills while having fun?

While all these projects may sound like a lot, and they are, I have decided to include one session per month in my creative planning to just do anything I am in the mood for. The group will have the same choice: do something other than a group project, catch up on a project, or just relax. Our Lifebook project will be an excellent choice for this free time. It is our third year doing a Lifebook, and for me it has been worth it on so many levels. My journal is for writing, but my Lifebook has the added element of art with little to no writing, but it is still a record of me and my life, only expressed in a more visual way.

This post is already taking up a lot of your time. Thank you for reading and let me know in the comments what your creative goals are for 2023.

Until next time!

💜🇿🇦 Linzé

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BOOK FEATURE: TRINOYONI: The Slaughterer of Sonagachi by Moitrayee Bhaduri

‘Someone is stalking the streets of Sonagachi.’
It’s the 1870s, and Calcutta is bustling with commerce and colonialism. A sea of changes has been ushered in by the relatively new British Raj, which has led to migrants from all over India filling up the city with their hopes and dreams.
Amongst these struggling masses is a serial killer on the prowl. Corpses of sex-workers start turning up at ponds and in the by-lanes of Sonagachi, Calcutta’s famed pleasure district, choked to death and stripped of all their ornaments. Fear has gripped the city and the nascent police department seems to be chasing shadows.
This is the story of Trinoyoni Debi: a sensuous seductress with a silver tongue and a love for all things shiny. But behind those eager eyes lurks a savagery that has made Trinoyoni the stuff of legends. How could such a breath-taking beauty be so terrifying? How many more will she kill before she is satiated? And is there anyone who can stop her? Follow her life as she transforms from a child widow to a famed courtesan and merciless murderer, becoming India’s first-ever serial killer.

Book Links:
Goodreads | Amazon.in | Amazon.com

Read an Excerpt from Trinoyoni

Early Life

On a scorching summer noon in 1853, a tired Priyogopal Sanyal entered Purnendu Shekhar Chattopadhyay’s house, wearing an irritated look. The 50-year-old Sanyal had travelled a long distance and could barely sit straight. His drowsy eyes and half-broken walking stick made him look much older than his age. He was chewing on a betel leaf and behaving rudely with his hosts. 

People crowded around the house, inquisitive to learn about the man who would be marrying the prettiest girl in the village. Trina managed to catch a glimpse of the man and felt disgusted. She was appalled and couldn’t understand why God had chosen this tragic destiny for her.

‘Jamai babu was bedridden for two years because of a life-threatening disease,’ Trina overheard her neighbour saying.

‘Even in his bedridden state, he married four girls and rescued them,’ Priyogopal Sanyal’s friend, who had accompanied him, informed Purnendu.

With folded hands and a lowered head, Purnendu Chattopadhyay said, ‘Our daughter is very sensible and compromising. She excels at all household chores. She will not give you any reason to complain. I am grateful to Sanyal babu for rescuing her and agreeing to marry her.’ 

Tears trickled down Trina’s eyes as she saw her father begging Sanyal. 

‘Priyo babu has rescued ten other girls too. But your daughter is much older than his other wives,’ Sanyal’s friend remarked scornfully. 

Purnendu looked at the groom apologetically and pleaded, ‘I am an unfortunate father, burdened with the liability of an unmarried daughter. But as a Kulin Brahmin, I couldn’t commit a sin by marrying her off to a non-Kulin gentleman! Please forgive me.’ 

Priyogopal Sanyal looked at Purnendu and nodded dismissively. 

Sanyal’s friend added, ‘Priyo babu will accept the dowry and marry your daughter tomorrow. He will leave for East Bengal soon after to see his newborn son. Your daughter can continue living with you for now. You can complete the remaining rituals during his next visit.’ 

Purnendu nodded with folded hands and said, ‘We are truly blessed to have found him.’ 

About the Author:

Moitrayee Bhaduri is an author, screenwriter, and content specialist. Her first book, The Sinister Silence (Srishti Publishers, 2015), is an edge-of-the-seat murder mystery that introduced the feisty private detective Mili Ray. Her second book Who Killed the Murderer? (TreeShade Books, 2019) is a fast-paced psychological thriller that revolves around the murder of a TV actress in a beauty parlour.

Moitrayee also writes screenplays for TV and freelances with IT firms as a content consultant. Before switching to a full-time writing career, she worked with organizations like IBM, Deloitte, and Oracle, among others, in various writing and people-managerial roles, for 15 years. An alumna of Loreto College and Jadavpur University, Moitrayee also has a certificate in Creative Writing from the University of Oxford.

Moitrayee enjoys conducting writing workshops for children and adults, encouraging them to cultivate a habit of reading. She is passionate about music, enjoys reviewing books and films, and loves dogs. Currently, she lives in Kolkata.

Contact the Author:
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BOOK FEATURE: Wrong by Shilpa Suraj

One wrong choice on the eve of her wedding has left Ananya married to one brother and in love with THE OTHER…

Ananya Saxena is the good girl who has always done the right thing. She is a dutiful wife, faithful daughter-in-law, fierce champion of the law. Except, in her heart was another phrase—reckless lover. An impossible choice for a good Indian girl. Duty had Ananya marry her best friend only to end up with a bitter, vengeful husband. Arvin Saxena is now a cripple, both physically and emotionally, after his wife’s confession the day before they were to be married. So, Arvin’s never-ending pain finds release only in hurting her. What he doesn’t know is that her secret sin was loving Arnav Saxena.

Arnav turned his back on all of them when she discarded him and married his younger brother.

When he is forced to return, it sets Ananya on a collision course with fate and she chooses desire over duty to embark on an affair with Arnav. For a brief glorious time, they have it all.

But soon, Ananya is faced with yet another life-changing decision when adultery, bankruptcy and a web of lies bring her to a crossroads. The dutiful wife or the defiant lover... who does she choose to be? And does she really even have a choice?

Book Links:
Goodreads | Amazon.in | Amazon.com

Read an Excerpt from Wrong

There was a special place in hell for men who were in love with another man’s wife. Arnav contemplated the fifteen-year-old scotch in the crystal glass in front of him. It helped fan the flames of the hellfire in his gut. It didn’t stop his gaze from being drawn to the back of her dress. The outfit shimmered like silver smoke over her lithe body. He could see her husband’s hand resting possessively on her exposed back, a thumb gently gliding over her creamy, unblemished skin.

He clenched his glass and gulped down almost half of its contents, savouring the burning trail it left inside him. It did nothing for the guilt that was his constant companion, but it numbed the pain that clawed through him, be it only for a moment.

She laughed. It was a tinkling burst of sound that cut through the quiet murmur of the sophisticated, high society crowd that had gathered for the charity event. A few tendrils of her hair escaped the complicated hairdo her glorious waist-length mane was caught up in and flirted with the nape of her neck.

Cursing, he pushed back from the table. He needed a smoke and he didn’t care if the world thought it was rude of him to walk out right now. As he made his way through the throng, a part of him registered the way she leaned against her husband and murmured something into his ear. Turning towards her, he gave her an indulgent smile that spoke volumes about their relationship.

Oh yes, there was a special place in hell for men who loved another man’s wife. He breathed, crawled and existed in that abyss, for he didn’t just love another man’s wife, he loved his brother’s wife. Amidst the scum that grew in the filthy gutter of the deepest, darkest bowels of hell, he was the slime you scraped off the bottom of your shoe. He lived and breathed guilt, remorse and gut-searing pain. She was his friend, his passion, his endless torment, his curse. And yet, he loved her.

About the Author:

Shilpa Suraj wears many hats - corporate drone, homemaker, mother to a fabulous toddler and author.

An avid reader with an overactive imagination, Shilpa has weaved stories in her head since she was a child. Her previous stints at Google, in an ad agency and as an entrepreneur provide colour to her present day stories, both fiction and non-fiction.

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