If you've been following me on my Instagram or Facebook, you'd see that I've really been pushing to experiment and expand my brand. I have been dabbling a bit more in fabrics, experimenting with different mediums and materials. With that said, the easiest first step since I live on a tropical Caribbean island, is to start with crop tops!
Crop tops are fun, shorter versions of vests. This to me means more breeze and comfy drive-round-the-island runs. So far, I've experimented with pastels, inks, pencil crayons and paints. In the crop tops below are a perfect mix of all three mediums. I manipulated each to bring out their strengths on the material without compromising the integrity of the durability of the design.
Above are a few of my #473 designs that I created. The model is a dear friend of mine, who embraces island life even more than I do (a.k.a. he drives) and takes beautiful pics. He's always been one of my favourite models too over the years so it made sense to use him. He's also a very talented local reggae artist, A#keem, making you can peep his story of here.
I've found that pastels work best for large background bursts of colour. Inks work well for outlines or to fill in areas of solid colour. As for paints? Paints are just all-round boss comfort and hassle free. Paints are still my go-to preference for fabrics. It's the easiest to apply the colour and distribute on the fabric surface, especially cotton.
Have you experimented much with fabrics? What worked best for you? Post a comment in the comment section.
I haven't posted for a while and that's because I've been doing a lot of reflective meditation. Recently, a close friend passed away. This would make it the 5th friend within a year span. This one though, was a very close one, like a little sister... And about 2 weeks before that, a college friend passed away as well. Granted she was sick, it doesn't make it easier to process. For the first few weeks, I found myself digging through the archives to find all my photos of and with her, going through our old conversations, so desperately trying to relive the good times and not to forget her. And of course, the knowledge of the growing list of "Never again" realizations made me incredibly teary eyed when I wasn't bawling down the place.
When the first death happened last year, with Tony, I asked myself why. It was one of those deaths that didn't have to happen - likewise all that consequently followed. But they did pass away regardless whether it was preventable or not.
I've found myself looking within a lot more and having more conversations with God and taking a closer look at everything happening around me. The last year has had many deaths, not all literal, but each coming with their blow to the stomach, knock the air out of your lungs affect nonetheless. Each one surprising and shocking - like I said, because you can feel something coming doesn't mean it doesn't hurt and shock you when it happens.
This last death though happened in such a funny way that I couldn't help but laugh a little looking back at it. I just left my "dream job" to pursue my heart's desire of being an artist in February. Filed my 2 weeks' notice and by midmonth I started my life's dream of being an artist - a real one, registered business and everything. My friend passed away roughly 2 weeks after her birthday, 2 weeks into March. I remember praying to God actively to give her health and strength to make it to her birthday, but I never envisioned she would pass away after. 2 weeks into the first real month of my new career, I found myself blindly booking a ticket and hopping a plane to Guyana to bid a final farewell in body because deep down, I know it's what she would've done. That was my motivating thought throughout this whole thing, "I have to do it, it's what she would do."
While we had our fall outs as all friendships do, she was always there for me when I needed her and vice versa. Most of our conversations started with "I love you" so that if nothing else, regardless of vexation or not, know that the love is there when heated emotions subside. She was one of the most loyal friends I've ever had, in that I knew in all certainty, once she was able, she was willing to help me out in any situation. And I too, with her. Everyone has a crazy wild friend and while I'm that person to most of my friends, she's that person for me. She always had a bold, matter of fact approach to life. She did exactly what she wanted, said exactly how she felt and, even if she had any self doubt, approached school and work 150% energy... despite being sick for most of her life. I remember her telling me when she was 16 that would die young because of it but I didn't want to accept it. Now that it's happened, looking at her life story, at the path she's left behind for others, the lives she impacted upon from professors to the student body at the University, to past workmates, to people who've just interacted with her... She didn't go too soon - she served her purpose. She lived full, and taught everyone around her to be full of life and go hard at everything you do because you don't know when that day will come when you don't get that chance anymore.
After she passed away, I was surprised at those I heard from and those I didn't. Over the last year I've learned the hard way that most times in a crisis, you're alone, and the person you find sitting next to you most likely is not the person you'd think.
Now that she's passed away, I'm sad. However, after looking back and going through everything, she told me everything that I needed to remember. In fact, there's things that only now, I understand.
This past year of deaths has taught me...
Love everyone but don't give everyone all of you. I found myself emotionally exhausted - a lot - due to this. Often times, especially if we're kind hearted, we find ourselves giving more than we should to others who don't appreciate it. We operate as fillers for the time they need to pass, or lesson to learn or whatever. I've learned that if I'm emotionally exhausted, that I won't even have the energy to love myself to do the things I have to do. And not everyone has to know everything about you.
Give your energy where it grows. People who love you back, give some of their energy to you as well. Therefore the bond leaves you feeling good and happy, not insecure and feeling like you have to try harder. If in any relationship, platonic or romantic, you feel like you're fighting for the attention or to be appreciated or competing then... that is not a healthy situation.
I've learned that it being unhealthy doesn't mean the person is bad, it could simply mean, I'm doing too much. Sometimes you simply have to match the energy you've been hit with. If it's 10%, then 10%, especially if it's been happening a while because... What's the point of investing more than that? The other person is giving 10% of themselves regardless of how much you put in.
Don't overinvest. Time is your most expensive resource. Who you choose to spend it with is your most expensive gift. It's important to examine your company and determine how much energy is to be given into the relationship. Relationships change at times, over time, sometimes. Other times, it could simply be we did a lot more than was asked for, more than the other person is willing to do. The latter is a personal decision of choice on spending. I still believe in acts of kindness regardless of returns, but I also believe in spending my time with those who show up without me having to ask, beg, persuade them to. If they can end up in other places without being begged or persuaded, then most likely I'm not their first choice of time investment and... that's ok.
Take note of who shows up in your down times and up times. I saw a meme circulating on Instagram and Facebook that says "Be mindful of 3 people: Who helped you in difficult times, who put you in difficult times, who left you in difficult times." So far, I've learned this to simply mean, expect the unexpected. The people who knew most intimately about my relationship with my friend, how I felt about her being sick, how I feel about death, I haven't heard from them at all. Who I have heard from are from people who remember seeing us around, giving us a ride here and there, hung out with us once or twice, etc. Most of these people are not even people that I speak to very often or regular... and they've checked in multiple times since. This period of quiet in my life has given me a chance to regroup and refocus and reexamine my direction, my purpose and my energies.
1) People who are always with you no matter what happens to you
2) People who are with you only when you are happy (or celebration time)
3) People who are always with you when you are in need. These people give you emotional help. They are there with you days and nights when in need.
4) People who are always with you and want to see you regress (or downfall)
5) People who are praying for your downfall from behind you; You don’t see them. But they are watching you.
6) People who puts you in trouble. They are smarts who always know how to escape a situation to put you in the hot seat.
7) People who brings you out of trouble. These people differ from #3. They suggest you what to do and may also work with you to bring you out of trouble.
8) People who praise before you and bitch about you from behind. These are dual personality people who you would not even think tal bad about you. But shit happens.
9) People who always hates you no matter how nice you are to them. Dont know why but they are there.
10) People who think you are good and want to see you grow personally and professionally. They believe in you and they stand by you.
11) People who are role models for you in some categories of life.
12) People who use your relationship (with them) to get their work done. They neither like you nor hate you but you are a means to their end
Because someone doesn't call or check in though, doesn't mean that they don't love you. But it does mean that there's a fair chance that you're both approaching the friendship with different energies or perhaps they have major things going on in their life that they haven't shared with you. Whichever the case is, tell those you love that you love them often, see them or speak to them as often as you can with our busy adult lives, and show up if you can regardless because you never know who is feeling overwhelmed, alone or unloved...
On work as a international west indian flavored song and what it means
About a month or so ago, I stumbled onto an interesting Facebook video by Mr. Vegas, speaking out on the situation with Dancehall music internationally. Up until that video from someone with personal expertise on the subject, I never realized there was "a situation."
Locally, everyone loves danchall music here. According to my Instagram timeline and Facebook, people overseas love dancehall. Even the people who don't like dancehall music have a few songs stuck in their head that they secretly tolerate. As silly as this is going to sound, I assumed everyone everywhere knew what dancehall was. It isn't exactly a type of music one island or country alone listens to... it's the type that's across a whole region, even the Spanish territories have dancehall influenced music, as well as sub-cultures in several countries.
His argument though was based upon the intrinsic of music - the stuff that it's essence is made of, and so accepted that we don't notice it but know exactly what he's speaking of when he says it. He said, to paraphrase, that most of the dancehall music produced today isn't marketable overseas. The essence of dancehall is dependent upon its rhythmic beats and sultry feel-good feels. When you hear it, the beat makes you want to groove. Hence why there's all those famous dancehall dances being created. He also noted that other types of music have started implementing dancehall rhythms into their own songs and being successful like - 'Cheerleader' by OMI, 'Sorry' by Justin Beiber and 'Lean on' by Major Lazer(but we expect that from one of his remixes.. after all, they're Jamaican). But still, all these folks have kept their pop style but borrowed the rhythm from dancehall music. The last big song that went internationally was his song, 'Bruk it down.'
While soca music has been evolving into something bigger and bigger - the essence of what makes it soca, the rhythm and the beat, remains in all of those songs that make it out of the region. The original sound and feeling that it gives you remains, but other influences step in. However, with dancehall, he says, dancehall has become more poetic and less about the rhythm and dancing, with a lot more borrowed hip hop and rap influences. It's hard for the folks who don't know or have never known or appreciated dancehall music to be able to understand it. (Click here to view the Mr. Vegas clip.)
This got me wondering, what if someone who is already popular with Caribbean roots, was to use their musical platform to produce something with strong Caribbean flavour... and along came Rihanna with "Work" this month. Of course I loved the song from the moment I heard it. Of course I understood what she was saying and easily learned the lines by ear. But this is me. I'm an island girl. I'm a Caribbean girl. This is what I know.
What I was curious about was to see the social media response to the song. I first heard it in a clip by one of my favourite Instagrammer 'OfficialBadGyalDyDy.' She's Jamaican, her fan base is a lot of Caribbean folks. Most of us, if not all, understood and appreciated the song. Go across into my American and UK timelines and there's a world of memes regarding 'WHAT is she SAYING before and after work work work work work.' It was hilarious.
Then along came the first video which I loved. It felt very Caribbean and something that, although I've never seen, something that I could actually imagine easily. Especially if I had to paint a restaurant/liming spot scene and summarize Caribbean flavours. There's the simple restaurant setting, with the DJ at a table, girls all decked out hair and nails done in the strangest and/or sexiest outfits they could find, with somebody repping a flag, somebody rolling a joint in a corner and everyone just chill under some dim lights. What did I read? They thought it was soft porn. Why? How Caribbean people dance, people from other countries who don't know better, may be inclined to say just that. It looks like soft porn. But really? It's far from anything. It's really just a dance that sometimes runs like a game, and when the song ends, the game ends. What's the game? Silly little things like being able to wine good, fast, slow, outdo the other person, make them fall down because they can't handle the wine, little fun things like that. Whereas, I assume in those other countries, people may dance close but perhaps it's more expected for lovers or folks about to become lovers to dance like that.
All this to say, I love the song and I love the videos. And even if a lot of folks think she's singing in a foreign language, they love the song as well. Have you heard it as yet? What did you think?
If you've been wondering what new artistic stuff I have been up to - wait no longer!
First batch of experiments of painting on glass/porcelain
As per usual, in my moments of boredom I look for a new medium to experiment with. For you non-artsy people, "a medium" is simply the things I use to create art be it paint, pastels, pencils, etc. Something I've always been curious about and wanted to try has been working on glass. Year before last, I was approached with the potential idea of designing glass wine bottles for wholesale production. The idea never came into fruition. I'm uncertain as to whether the guy found someone else or decided to go another route, who knows?
With these novel situations, whether it manifests or not, I'm more intrigued than daunted. Why you may ask? Because it's the introduction of an artistic idea I have yet to try and perhaps didn't even consider before the commission was brought to me. So from late 2014 to the end of 2015, I researched, I read, I experimented. By the end of the last year, I had my first set of paints that can work on glass and not wash off.
First batch of experimenting with painting on glass/porcelain
Needless to say, close friends got some of these gifted with ideas I felt they'd appreciate. (Last year was also the first time my friends ever indicated that there's stuff I do that they like and wish listed!) A friend/coworker of mine has a quote up on Skype that I didn't quite understand until that project manifested itself.
Her Skype status is a quote by Abraham Lincoln that says 'If I had 8 hours to cut down a tree, I would spend 6 hours sharpening my ax.'
What does it mean? What does it mean? I lamented wondering the sanity and logic of the status. But with time and my own reality, I was able to place it into context. I'm one of those people that hates to "practice." I want to either do it or not do it. This is the philosophy I've applied in every area of my life that I can think of. How do you prepare yourself to "Just do it?" Just doing it is the easy part, once you've done the preparation.
Experimenting with the gold paint
My perfect example would be in my college days when my Literature professor declared I could not get an A without reading my texts. I did get an A, and I was even more convinced that my method enabled me to understand a broader scope of the text faster. BUT... my method required more work. I did hours upon hours of research, reading differing opinions, arguments, theories, synopsis, anything that could've granted me some insight behind the character development and psychology, author intention and rationale and so forth. When I entered that classroom and we were on half way the book - I was done from beginning to end with quotations with page reference.
A commission birthed from the previews of the first batch.
To me that quote simply meant, prepare, prepare, prepare in advance. So I prepare and research the mistakes folks made before me. Find out the best tools to get the job done efficiently. Therefore, when I'm finally blessed with the paints in my hands, I already know what not to do and have a fair idea of how to go about it. This has been tried and true for most things so far. I actually found a medium that I actually need to practice with - the articles and videos made it look easier than reality... but that's another blog post.
Working with glass is still very different, new and challenging to me - but I like it. The surface is significantly smoother than canvas (obviously). There really is no traction though! You really have to work much slower than you'd like and be patient with your hands. Mistakes can be removed but it can get messy, so I try hard to get it right the first time or to work slow enough to have minor fixable mistakes.
Some like these were available at an event I took part in last December called 'Earth Youth Produce Market.' Since then, I've received lots of love and a few orders. If you'd like to order or speak to me directly - the fastest way currently is through my art page - Shellon (facebook.com/ShellonArt) If you're not on Facebook you can directly email me at shellonart@gmail.com or leave a comment here. (But emails and messages on my art page are much easier)
"If I ain't going to get it, the day is going to waste"
-Big Sean, 'Sky Scrapers'
- @ Instagram - OfficialBadGyalDyDY
I overheard an interesting interaction recently between two people. One was asking the other why they continuously go to a particular place and consistently bring business there. The other person replied simply, "The more business I bring, the less I have to pay when I need stuff done."
It had me thinking that on one hand, that's smart. However, that's a great short term plan designed to keep you in the lane that requires a discount. Sure everyone likes discounts and freebies. On the flip side though, the time and effort it takes to recruit clients to a business or store just to secure a discount could be used for something else... like recruitment to your own business or dream.
That time and effort is an investment. Since the most expensive commodity that one can give is time, if you're dedicating it towards an investment... why not invest in yourself?
I thought about the conversation in terms of how I view my own life these days. Many moons ago, I had a friend named Chad (who's since passed away, God bless his soul), that tried to dispel this same knowledge onto me. He was very business driven and he'd always ask me, "Shellon, how much is one hour of your life worth?" At first, I did think it was conceited to think that way. Who am I to say I am worth X dollars per hour? I'm just a little island girl right? Let me keep my little backside quiet and work for my discount.
But as I interacted with him more and more, I understood what he meant, more so today, what he was trying to teach me. I remember once the topic of laundry came up and he told me he sends it to the laundromat. Of course, I protested. It's a simple task no? But then he explained, to send it to the laundromat takes him about $30 an hour, but in that same hour he could make $100. Should he then forfeit the $100 an hour his life is worth, for the $30? (keep in mind this was a long time ago and I don't remember all the exact figures but that was the rough message) In that hour, he still wins at success by securing $70 minimum. After applying that logic to my own life, even though I'm not in the position to make it as strict as he did (he was really focused by the time I met him and he worked for the things he accomplished - no hand outs), sometimes that hour you place the worth is actually minimum. There have been times when I may not have produced anything tangible art wise to sell, but I invested my time in planning and securing ideas that are worth more than my hourly rate. Meaning that some day, maybe, possibly, hopefully, that hourly value will increase. You will always gain something or learn something when you take time to invest in yourself. There are no losses. I'm not where I want to be, but I have faith I will get there.
If you invest in yourself, at some point, a discount would just be a nice plus, but it certainly won't be necessary. I've since decided to work hard towards my own goals, the way Chad did, so that in time, when I reap the benefits it'll be like a Big Sean song "...I started from the basement, made it to the sky scraper."
Even though Chad was actually only in my life for about a lil over a year from the point of meeting to his passing, he achieved every single goal he told me he had planned during that time frame from finances to education. He had a plan and worked his plan.
Do you have a plan for this 2016 on how you're going to conquer it?
As Chad always used to say, "I refuse to end where I started."
I'm back after taking a short hiatus to sort through my life. All of those reading this, this means you've made it into 2016. Welcome!
The latter part of 2015 was filled with mixed feelings for me. In the early part of the year, shortly after securing my new job, I lost a friend and past classmate, Anthony. Shortly after that, I lost another, Romero. Just as things were looking up, I lost another in December, Anton. Between all of these deaths, I was hit with a phone call that a very close friend now has stage 5 kidney disease and may need a transplant.
Suffice to say, 2015 represented the best of times and the worst of times sprinkled with lessons. Today is Anton's funeral. I have yet to reconcile his parting and often find myself browsing through his Facebook page looking at past photos and memories. It was this death that I realized how trivial Facebook was to some sorts. There was no point of posting "RIP" on his wall, or mine. To what avail? It wouldn't bring back my big little brother.
At the end of 2015, as I struggled to think of gifts for those close, I finally understood the fragility of life, the importance of prayer and the greatest gift you can give someone - that is time. All of the friends above mentioned, I had allowed life to get too busy and fall out of contact. I would peep here and there on Facebook to check in on their pages to see if all is well... but I failed to meet up and hang out or call. At least with Anthony, I saw him a little over 24 hours before his tragic accident... but still. You never know when it is going to be the last moment nor how unprepared you're going to be for it.
Throughout 2015, I met many folks speaking of God and spirituality and trying to get me into church. By the end of 2015, after all that trauma, I finally opened up to being receptive to prayer. I finally started seeing changes in my life. I made the effort to send a message to those close more often. My friend who's very sick, is thankfully, still alive. It's hard but with life there's hope and I'm eternally grateful of each day that myself, those that I love that come to mind immediately, and those that don't, are still here with me fighting the good fight.
Aside from all the deaths, there was much internal family turmoil. However, somehow, someway, it has all worked out. I've graduated from crying in the bathroom in my office from all my worries to quietly saying a prayer of thanks for life and protection of their spirit, wherever they are in the afterlife.
Despite all the tragedies that caught me off guard, I was privileged to be able to meet lots of wonderful people that helped shaped who I am and my experiences like the staff at the dive shop that became like family. The new family formed at my current workplace. The two little fluffy bundles that have entered my home (one is in the picture above).
I must say, getting the pups was a decision that I had to toy with for a bit since my past two had passed away. However, I must say, I have no regrets. There was one scare when my pup Snowie became very ill, very suddenly, but thankfully the vet was able to save her and she survived the ordeal. The two of them have brought great light into a dark period and have continued to be a source of happiness for everyone in my home, bringing great laughter and cheer from their many antics and strong personalities.
The funeral is happening as I type this; I'm at my desk in my office tearing up. I feel guilty for not going, but not sure if that's how I want to remember Anton. In December, one of my other little brothers from the group messaged me shortly after the death and told me that's what he'd like me to draw, Anton. I didn't know how to respond so I didn't. But I think that's what I'll do today in his memory. I think I'm finally ready.
And when I get home, I know those two bundles Amber Rose and Snowie (aka Snow Belle) will be there to topple me with love kisses and bites and remind me that despite all of this... it's ok and be thankful.
On a positive note, I am finally at a the proper starting point I desired to be with my art. In upcoming posts, I'll finally update you guys on what happened with my art while I was busy being too preoccupied with life to update here.
2016 is a wide open road full of endless possibilities, hope, change and opportunity to love. Plan well, act well. This is the year to get your dreams started if you haven't yet. My mom insists leap years are playgrounds for what you'd like to make it.
Let's make it a great one, if not for ourselves, then for those we've lost along the way in honour of them.
I got two puppies earlier this one. The brown pup is named Amber Rose and the white one is named Snowie. They're super cute and fluffy as you can see. These photos were taken on one of their earlier trips to the beach when they were still afraid of the water but in love with the sand. Since they discovered the sand, these two won't stop digging and trying to eat it. I have no idea what is truly so fascinating about the sand.
Here are the pics and a short video of them digging to China.
Advertorial
So folks, Christmas is coming and the struggle to find the perfect gift is upon us. I personally have changed my mind at least 5 times on gift ideas for the special people in my life. In fact, Liz from over at Sandals and Sunnies gives the most thoughtful gifts that I'm racking my brain as to what would be a truly special gift for her, as well as a few others that have been kind to me and brought sunshine into my life.
This year my gift ideas have been revolving around unique jewelry. I've been digging through the webosphere on Etsy, Pinterest, etc. looking for the most unique ideas and stumbled across this little gem. In my searching, I stumbled across the Emma Winston collection of floating jewelry.
Photo Credit: Emma Winston
Of course, as an artist, this instantly made it into my list of bookmarked gift ideas. It was the first time I saw these type of earrings made where it has the appearance of "floating." I've been granted the good fortune to be able to offer not only a giveaway on my blog BUT a 15% off discount to my readers (Promo code: AUDIENCE15OFF and you can click on my sidebar picture to go directly to the site).
Feel free to enter! You may win yourself a perfect gift for you or someone special in your life... and if you don't win, use my code to score any of your favourite pieces at a special discount!
*** Disclosure: I was not compensated for this post, however I did receive a discount for myself and my audience. All opinions are my own and not influenced in any way.
Due to my recent bout of sickness from gastro, which is typically waterborne, I have a new appreciation for bottled water. While I support local brands, I do support any brand that endeavours to quench my thirst with high quality H2O. With that said, I've been granted the opportunity to be a part of a campaign with Evian Natural Mineral Water to help promote a facial spray giveaway the Wilkes Group is hosting.
Evian is a French water brand. The water source starts it's journey from the famous French Alps down through glacier sand and rock filters to a deep underground catchment. Aside from providing high quality water, the world established brand launched the first facial spray in the US back in 1978. However, the facial spray was first launched at home in France in 1962 as per request of doctors for burn patients. How interesting is that? The water contained in the spray is tested 300 times per day to ensure that when the customer gets the product, be it 10 years ago, now or 10 years in the future, that two things are guaranteed - quality and consistency of the unique mineral content. The French Government takes great pride in ensuring the approved standards for the mineral water for consumption. Evian is the only brand to carry skin care product in the USA to contain mineral water, and one that is a popular first choice to drink worldwide. The Evian brand can be found in over 120 countries, including that of little Grenada. Let it be noted that when you're walking through NYC or any of your favourite cities and see your trusted skincare retailers like Sephora, they carry the Evian facial spray as well.
Photo credit: Brand Backer
So back to the giveaway! The Wilkes Group has brought together a French luxurious giveaway with Longchamp and Evian to giveaway a "Le Pliage" backpack, in stylish, durable, water-resistant nylon topped with a textured leather handle and logo-embossed flap, which retails at $125. It is filled with one 10 oz., one 5 oz., and a trio of travel-sized Evian sprays (over $175.00 total value)
That's not all...! Three runner ups will receive a Longchamp pochetter toiletries case, with embossed leather trim in durable, water-resistant nylon, accented with goldtone hardware, which retails at $50, and filled with a trio of travel size evian sprays (over $70.00 total value).
Thanks to everyone who took part in the giveaway! The winners have already been notified privately by the main host and received their prize. The two winners were Kristen S. and Joanne G.
My projects at work are finally picking up momentum and having me busy making sure everything is in order. In the midst of that has been bouts of sickness. I caught a bug going around locally that is like gastro or is gastro. I don't remember what the doc said but I do remember how miserable I felt, it being the worst tummy pain ever and how weak it made me after.
With that said, I have a few adventures to post soon.
Earlier this year, I had the amazing opportunity to work at Dive Grenada, a 5 star PADI certified dive shop located at Flamboyant Hotel, at the end of Grand Anse beach. For the 4+ months that I was there, I made lots of amazing connections and friendships as well as added to my list of amazing life experiences.
What made it so amazing to me? Lots of things. Whilst the folks around me were busy becoming doctors and lawyers, even though I'm teetering well into my late 20s, there were a few things I've always wanted to do. Many years ago, when I was younger, I had come to that very same dive shop and asked about learning to dive and the cost. Of course then I was too young... probably about 10 or 12 years old. However, after I finally finished up university last year and wanted to get a job that allowed me some extra time to play with, I couldn't pass up this opportunity when I heard they were looking for a dive shop attendant. A few years ago, I had dedicated my summer to conquering my fear of the sea. I had developed a good relationship with the lifeguards and was able to persuade them to help me on my quest. As fate would have it, Andre, the lifeguard and dear friend that went out with me the most, helped me score my first(and only) job on a sailboat where I got to practice my free diving skills that he taught me on professional snorkel tours. Then, it so happens that he had worked at Dive Grenada coincidentally prior to my arrival there.
I had the delightful experience of being in the sea almost every day, carrying out tours guided by yours truly, learn about marine life live and direct and be in the position to find out as much as I wanted. Phil and Helen, the owners, were awesome. Phil was in the British Navy and Helen was a medical doctor in the UK. They were incredibly patient with my millions of questions regarding health and safety with scuba diving as well as identifying marine life. I was blessed to be around such highly skilled and highly patient people with so many amazing life stories they were willing to share with ease. I particularly looked forward to Phil's random life stories like when he told us, the staff, the proper and real way to walk with a staff as a shepherd if ever we ventured to become one in Scotland. It was so random, yet so precious and endearing.
Also, as with everyone, nothing is ever perfect. However, they were among my best professional experiences to date. I don't remember if I had told Phil, but it was truly refreshing to have a boss that addressed personal and individual issues personally. I wasn't made aware of other staff transgressions, nor were they made aware of mine. He was incredibly patient and understanding and should something pop up that he doesn't like... he'd simply pull you aside and address it privately. My collective recent work experiences to date locally seem to trend with your boss either shouting at you in front of everyone or in other cases, shouting at the customer. I don't recall ever witnessing that there. The staff, including the two dogs Jack & Jerry, were just as friendly and welcoming as well. I made some amazing bonds there. I still meet up with my old coworkers from time to time to catch up. My most amazing underwater shots, that you're going to see (not in this post), were taken by Ricardo, who was also one of my dive instructors.
Ultimately, I was faced with the current job opportunity I'm at now which I felt was a good career move and we parted on good terms. I still drop by every time I'm in the area. I won't lie, I miss the place and the people. My current office is located in Black Bay, St. John. Every day as I venture to the office, I traverse the same route on land along the coast as I did when I worked there. It pulls my heart strings sometimes to be high up on land and not dashing to the Marine Protected Area by boat, prepping to gear up and enter the water. The good news is a few of my projects are going to be sea based and I was given the privilege and trust of the assignment from my experiences from Dive Grenada.
Working there is definitely not a decision I regret and one I would encourage any 20 something year old, even those falling into 30 to try at least once. The sea has a way of calming the spirit and reminding oneself that you're a part of the huge ecosystem and world, and not the one that controls it. Who doesn't need such a reminder from time to time?
Half way through working there, my Ricoh underwater camera finally arrived and I was able to get some beautiful shots from some of my snorkel trips and scuba diving experiences. Even though work has doubled up on me since I started the new job and projects are finally about to roll out, I'm finally dedicating time to edit and post about my experiences there in pictures.
Hope you enjoy! These were taken in Flamingo Bay.
What did you think? Post a comment. (Click on the post title to open up the post and you'd be able to comment at the bottom.)
Oh... and I have more pics where these came from... expect some more underwater posts!
I've been doing some reflecting on life's strange ways and perception. Often we can be placed in positions where it's easy to pat oneself on the back for being objective. However, being objective as with many things, is limited by the amount of knowledge and understanding of the situation.
You can spend most of your understanding to date believing a situation to be one way, and in one day learn that your perception was wrong. Like spending your life thinking your grandmother didn't like nor care for you, and a year after her death, discover letters and gifts for you returned to her due to mailing to the wrong address. Or spending most of your life growing up with your mother as a single parent, genuinely feeling like your father doesn't like or approve of your existence, and discover in one visit, it couldn't be further from the truth.
What do we do in such a situation? In some cases, it could be a happy ending. A new path to a different relationship is forged. A 'nothing happens before its time' moment. In others? What does it really change? How much time has to pass to make huge revelations irrelevant? To what degree of a revelation need to be to be considered valid enough to trump the experiences life tossed your way? What does it really change? The people in the situation are still the same people. While a revelation may cast them in a different light...does it always necessarily change what has become your truth to understanding how to deal with them? If someone beat you badly for years, does it matter if they reveal a sympathetic sad story in the end? Does it change the way that experiences shaped and molded your interactions with others... Because that is the reality. Life is happening while the secret life is happening. Emotions, defensive reactions learned and so forth are developed. Does this disappear instantly just because you learn to believe what you learn to be true...is not?
I've come to learn its too easy to pin selfishness on people. As a friend pointed out to me yesterday, who ISN'T selfish? As humans, at the core, are our actions based off of selfish desires? For example, let's say you have two pieces of fried fish and offer a piece to your friend. One of the pieces is bigger than the other. Who gets the bigger piece? Do you take the bigger piece because it's yours and your offer and you really want the fish for whatever personal reasons, be it hunger, etc? Or do you volunteer it even if deep down you want it to satisfy your conscience more than your stomach with this act of kindness and generosity? Either choice is motivated by a selfish desire on some level - be it to to quell self doubt on being a good, kind person or to give in to the raw desire of wanting and having what you want for the pure reason of wanting it. The desire of wanting even in the selfless ways are in hopes of gaining something. I remember coming down to the last scenes in "7" the movie (on the seven deadly sins), even though the man had orchestrated the 7 deaths to illustrate his point of societal flaws and insisted it was a selfless act of forcing folks to deal with something real and bigger than all of us... it was pointed out that he took pleasure in each killing. And he admitted that he did, but then he asked who doesn't derive some satisfaction from their work on a deeper smug level? Like when the cop was chasing him hoping to catch and kill him. Does it make the cop bad to have derived pleasure from the skilled chase and hopeful killing of a serial killer? He would've been doing a societal good, but the pleasure on a personal level goes deeper than that to pride at oneself and joy of illustrated skill.
These situations then also beg the question of perceptions of good and bad. It is possible to the perceived right thing to the masses for the wrong reasons. It is also possible to do something that looks immediately wrong but with good intentions. Is murder less of a murder if it was killing a serial rapist? Is a gift of full university coverage from a wealthy man less of a gift to a female if he has hidden intentions of "special" returns on his investment?
Life mandates that we each get faced with at least one of these perplex situations throughout our lifetimes. Some folks have a more dramatic revelation than others but the take away lesson is the same; Treat each situation as individual, don't discredit the notion of your own personal bias and perception is not to be confused with fact. Sometimes the reason behind the action is irrelevant and other times it is.
Hello my lovelies! I'm trying something different. This blog has been my baby off and on for the last 9 years. With that said, I'm trying my best to be consistent and active here for you guys, my readers and newcomers. I know a few of my returnees as they message or stop me in the streets from time to time inquiring about a post or when's the next update. As a reward for dutifully returning time after time to see whether I've updated or not, as well as those who have just arrived and decided to stay, myself and a team of bloggers from a blog community have come together to chump up and co-host an $800 USD back to school giveaway on our blogs. It's open to anyone, anywhere with a few conditions later on in this post. The giveaway raffle officially opens for entry on Tuesday, September 1st, 2015... You have a month to deliberate and secure as many entries as possible!
How to enter:
**The Rafflecopter link will provide directions for your tickets. You have the option to log in with Facebook or with your email. Different requests would allow you to earn more ticket entries to increase your chances of winning. Aside from those I won't mind if you do these as well, if they're not listed in the Rafflecopter (I'm a newbie at these blog giveaways). If you've already done the following already... then great!
Terms & conditions: The giveaway starts on September 1st @ 12:00am EST and ends on October 1st @ 11:59 PM EST. There will be two winners ($400 each). Winners must be 18 years or older to win. Giveaway is open world wide, void where prohibited, Full Lives Reviews will choose the winner no later than October 6th 2015 and the winner will be notified no later than October 7th 2015. The winner has 48 hours to respond by email before forfeiting the prize. The co-hosts (like myself) will be notified no later than October 10th 2015 with the winning names.
In keeping with my recent theme, I decided to do another environmental piece. This one too will soon be up on my Society6 store ready for purchase. With that said, it's of fish dying in a dried up river valley. Initially, I was going to put up a sign similar to the one with the bears saying "Climate change remains yet to be proven" but seeing the dying fish is already such a dire scene, I decided to use floating balloons carrying the message instead to add a little colour and life to the piece. Hope you like it.
The piece is mixed media. It was sketched lightly in pencil. I used markers to superimpose the lines. I used pencil crayons to do the shading.
The following is a guest post by Lizelle from Sandals & Sunnies. (I have often referred to her as Sher here on mine) Also, after you're finished reading this, there will be a link at the bottom of the post for her super awesome free End of Summer Giveaway. Read, enjoy, and then hightail it over there...! You can win one of my art prints...!
***
Life Lesson #18 : On sharing your fireflies with your creative friends to keep the drive alive.
When I was younger I used to chase fireflies in the field beside my house. We had just moved here and there were no signs of development for a constructive purpose yet. It was just a wide open field with tall grass full of butterflies for chasing and catching (alive and well) in masses during the golden hour while you watched daylight turn the rich green colour of healthy wild grass into a colour tinted with the shade of amber. Releasing them then, back into their home ecosystem as soon as the sun had disappeared and watching them spiral into the air happily and relieved into a dusk veiled sky.
At night, it was for watching fireflies (where I am from on the island we call them lightening bugs) pop slowly and with little purpose over the then black grassy plain.
Watching them was and is still amazing; so majestic, it seemed to me. So much so that when I heard those lyrics 'Would you believe your eyes...when ten thousand fire flies...light up the world....' it made me vividly nostalgic.
When I saw them at first they would always be alone; just one bobbing, as if the weight of their light and their beauty was too heavy to keep them steady. Yet, purposeful and driven they flew on, sharing their light with me, with every on looker. Lighting up the world like no human could imagine or conjure....
Much like the creative. Much like the artisan. Much like the ascetic.
Funny story: lightening bugs always seem to move faster to me when in pairs. Every time I sat in silence marvelling at a lightening bug, whether in that field or in the verandah of my own home, I would almost hold my breath as a voice in the back of my consciousness whispered 'Wait for it...'
Sure enough a while later as the first lightening bug was well on it's way, whether from underneath the leaf of a fig tree our from the grassy dark plain or just somewhere out of my peripheral vision, would come a next lightening bug. Soon they would catch up, if not then almost but they would both suddenly seem to be moving so much faster into the distance....birthing a different kind of beauty for my eyes to feast upon.
I feel like the weight of an artists' creativity is like the lone lightening bug.
I recently saw an image, surfing around. It said something along the lines of surround yourself with people who light your path. I have found that good friends and or supporters don't just light your path. Hey lets face it, scarcely is that what we need. We don't need someone to provide the light for us, we have our own light, this is the age of the independent remember? More often what we need is someone to hold their light up as they walk beside us so that we can see further than beyond our footsteps, farther than the top of our toes that we thought would have been further along the track by now. Someone to improve upon our vision when our hands grow heavy with doubt so that we end up lowering our lanterns.
It is then that a good friend raises their own light, in that moment when the darkness of self doubt, obstacles or just plain tiredness seems thickest, when our own light feels too heavy for our hands.
Motivation is a powerful thing, a good friend is there to remind you not so much of the things you have not yet done but of how far you come and how capable you are of going so much farther.
I finally got around to doing environmental themes as intended since I started learning about wildlife and its conservation issues. It's what I completed my degree in (specialization under biology) and something that I found to be very relevant. There are many realities we're faced with on a daily basis. However, to me, the starkest is the lack of regard to the fragile ecosystems that surround us and ignorance of the repercussions for humans should it crumble. Earth will survive, we won't. Of course there are lots of cognizant folks out there like me, raising awareness and doing their part to leave the world better than they found it... but there's so much more work to be done.
This was made increasingly evident after reading all those comments under news articles about the murder of Cecil, the lion. I saw an article about how lions kill people and essentially, the lion deserved to be killed. That is the usual mentality folks have towards top predators. You know what kills humans the most out of all different specials on Earth? Other humans. Here's the real situation, animals don't have boundary lines and fences the way humans do. Yes, they have territories but how the animal kingdom works, without human interference, everything balances itself. They claimed those lands before us. They aren't encroaching on our space, we encroached on theirs. They don't always catch up to speed to acknowledge this and be aware like "Oops... the savannah is now a city."
Also, since we humans are committed to expansion with little thought towards practical coexistence, the animals can't survive and exist as before; they end up getting lazy and linger around human settlements to get easy food like domestic livestock and such. Hell, even cute monkeys are commonly considered pests too. Locally, there are hunters for monkeys. More so today as after Hurricane Ivan there is little to no food in the forest. Thus, the monkeys have relocated to live along or close to agricultural farm belts and raid the farms. Is this the animal's fault? They too have that instinctual need to do what's necessary to survive.
With all this in mind, aside from all the other things annoying me in the world today like the resurface of open dislike of brown people in America... I've decided to explore these issues through art. Here's my first one, "Sad bear and friend." It's of two plush toys sitting in a deforested area holding a sign. Plush toys aren't alive, even though we saw Ted come to life recently... But there are real animals facing this real issue of no longer having a home due to deforestation. This reality extends beyond the bears and the birds to cures undiscovered in plants, insects and other bugs that keep the soil fertile, other mammals, etc. At this rate, we should probably go take pictures of everything for generations to come because who knows what will still exist?
Here is how it looks on my Society6 store.
You can get "Sad bear and friend" in a variety of print options ranging from a tshirt to a teacup or wall tapestry, a pillow, clock or a regular framed print. Want to help spread the message? Click here...!
Welcome to my little piece of the blogosphere. I'm a Caribbean artist/ wildlife conservationist/ adventure enthusiast. Hope my blog brings a bit of sunshine into your life.
