My Mutsvairo …

Taking palm fronds.
Sweeping the earth free of footprints
free of yesterday.

Gone are thoughts …
worries, regrets.
creating a blank canvas potential just for today

Lin Barrie

Working towards an exhibition is always energizing

Sweeping Clean!

Burnt Offerings is a recurring theme for me..

I have always been fascinated by fire. 

It has a terrible beauty; it’s dual nature is destructive and creative at the same time…

For years, since we suffered two successive domestic fires in our lives, one in Harare and one at our bush lodge, I have been driven to collect the burnt memorabilia of my life; to create an offering of artworks in response to that experience….. Burnt Offerings.

Sweeping clean, using a traditional broom, a mutsvairo, made from Lala palm fronds, to clear my hearth, my canvas, to create new work- lay down some fire….

Of course there’s no smoke without fire so I start with flames – acrylic and oil bar – abstract expression of my creative fire burning ..

I cut and tear palm fronds from my mutsvairo to create calligraphic pens to write with – such satisfying scribing tools

Asemic writing, secret writing- it means whatever you want it to mean- and I find it deeply relaxing and empowering as I write thoughts deeply hidden without having to actually form words!

Scraffiti, graffiti, calligraphy- Secret stories laid at my feet, fueling my creative fire !

My canvas is #onfire #flaming and #makingmarks #writing #scripting #scribing with #palmfronds from my #mutsvaire #broom makes me happy!

Of course there’s two sides to every story and this huge canvas I am working on has a flip side- two sides to every coin and no smoke without fire- so the second side of my canvas will be smoke (and mirrors?!)

How will I display it?!
watch out for the next post…..