Books

Art and literature to soothe your soul…

| seaglassvisuals

Book cover

Extract from An Apothecary of Art – Pg.119
Text: Lisa Azarmi, from Thoughts on a Dog (2022)
Art: Amy Katherine Browning, Lime Tree Shade, 1913

Extract from An Apothecary of Art – Pg.39
Text: Beatrix Potter, from The Journal of Beatrix Potter from 1881 to 1897
Art: John Atkinson Grimshaw, Spirit of Night, 1879

Since l can remember, art and the written word have both been an integral part of my life. My creative spirit feels instinctively drawn to paintings, poems and transformative quotes.

So to be gifted the enchanting An Apothecary of Art to soothe your soul by Ravenous Butterflies is a wondrous treasure of delights for the senses.

It was on a wintry afternoon when l set out to explore this book. With a spirited approach, l closed my eyes and randomly chose a page.

How marvelous to fall on page. 119, an extract from Thoughts on a Dog by Lisa Azarmi, founder of Ravenous Butterflies. Being the doting owner of a furry ball of Goldendoodle energy called Bertie, Lisa’s heart-felt words profoundly spoke to me.

Another joyous highlight, amongst many – Beatrix Potter’s charming reflections on retaining the spirit-world of childhood. Speaking to my inner-child, it completely resonates. The Spirit of Night painting combined with the text makes for the perfect composition.

There are many other notable sections dedicated to a plethora of emotions, which l shall happily leave you to explore at your leisure.

The journey finder in the opening pages, provides a playful navigation, inviting readers to travel, explore, and match emotions to a page – an endearing introduction to the book and its contents.

As the book’s introduction beautifully describes, ‘alchemy occurs when the images and text combine’ – An Apothecary of Art richly reflects this magical transformation in abundance.

May this illuminating book light up your path, teach and soothe you as much as it does me.

Purchase the book

Connect with Ravenous Butterflies

Warm thanks to Lisa for graciously accepting my invitation to share her beautiful book on my Looking Glass, creative inspiration blog. It is a joyous delight to shine a light on this carefully curated collection of art and literature.

An Apothecary of Art content has been shared in this post with kind permission from Ravenous Butterflies.

Photographs: Elizabeth Hitchman

#Meet the writer…

| seaglassvisuals

It was on a wintry Sunday afternoon, when the #meetthewriter challenge came spinning into my creative sphere, “l think you might find this interesting” were the choice of words, from my equally fabulous book coach Tracy Stewart via an Instagram message.

My enthused-filled reply – “that sounds fun”… and it was!

For a joyous 15-days, with daily prompts guiding us along, best-selling author Beth Kempton invited writers to join her for a community challenge. The objective – to help your audience get to know you as a writer.

Alongside this compelling goal, it was Beth´s witty words set in parenthesis (…help take your writer identity seriously – go on, l dare you), which gave me the extra sparkle of encouragement, l mean if you´re going to dare me – l´m in!

The timing couldn´t have been better, as parallel to this challenge, l was participating in another challenge – Gabrielle Bernstein´s annual Manifesting Challenge, and also knee-deep in preparing for my first STIL workshop. All required me, to wear my writing hat, as well as my design beret.

Creativity on all levels was definitely at an all time high!

What a joy it was – sharing my view, handwriting, and inspirations, to name but a few of the marvellous prompts, encouraging me to share a glimpse into my (creative) writing world.

One of the insightful discoveries made during the challenge – l have always written. Since my graphic design student days, l have kept sketch notes and journaled in some form or another.

While the origins of my writings may have happened many shimmering moons ago, the enthusiasm has never left me – in fact it´s quite the opposite – blending rather perfectly with other creative projects. My soul feels nurtured as l continue to connect all these invisible threads.

Thanks to a universally aligned series of life events, for which l hold much gratitude and appreciation, my writing has grown, developed, and is blossoming, in ways l had never imagined.

lt feels rewarding to have participated in the #meetthewriter challenge, enabling me to share, express and have creative spontaneous fun – all rolled into 15 glorious writing posts! A richly fulfilling start to the year indeed!

Explore my Instagram #meetthewriter posts.

Discover STIL – my personal growth writings

Where do we go from here? – a thriller by Tracy Stewart, steeped in suspense…

| seaglassvisuals

Summer provided the perfect time to step into the mysterious world of The Glass Key Trilogy.

Book One – Where Do We Go From Here? starts with the introduction to Ella, living alone in a secluded cottage, with a wide open opportunity to reinvent herself.

Despite the relaxed narrative of Ella walking along sand dunes, nestled within the rugged North England coastline – the juxtaposition of tension hints at the protagonist running away from something (or possibly someone), from her past.

The undertones of escapism, loneliness, and reminiscing, compassionately leads the reader to understand the attraction to rekindle a previous relationship – a connection, which after many years, still burns a desirous flame.

Before you know it, you´re whisked off to the enchanting hideaways of Paris. With the pace quickened, and espionage becoming centre-stage to the story, you can´t help but get swept up by the romance, mystery and thrilling suspense.

As Ella continues to solve another part of the puzzle, in her quest to find an elusive key, it certainly feels like the adventure has just begun.

Alongside the clever nod to the ´80s and ´90s, which raises a smile, the author´s love for the Parisian lifestyle, shines through, reflecting their knowledge of the city – noteworthy for its charm and intricate details.

This skillfully paced burner of a thriller, packed with secrets and intrigue, rapidly turns up the heat, leaving the reader with much anticipation of wanting more.

As suggested in the title, and upon turning the final page, l found myself eagerly questioning, Where do we go from here? …

l for one, can´t wait to read the second installment of The Glass Key Trilogy.

Where Do We Go From Here? by Tracy Stewart is published by SpellBound Books.

To discover more about Tracy, explore her FreshlyPress website

Where Do We Go From Here? can be purchased via Amazon.

On an author note, it is with much pleasure and delight, l introduce Tracy Stewart and her thriller novella series.

As my book coach, l feel honoured to be working with such a talented writer, editor, and author – a spellcaster of words.

To have Tracy´s support and guidance, as well as her encouraging thoughts on my own writing is humbling. A beautiful connection – mutually flowing with joyful creativity.

Launch of the STIL Web-shop

| seaglassvisuals

Time seems to have flown by since writing my last post, introducing art, especially created for my book, Seeing The Invisible Line.

During the past month or so, l have been focusing on setting up the web-shop, and working with my local printers to prepare the STIL postcard collection.

Beautifully weaving art with uplifting STIL affirmations, l am thrilled to announce the launch of the shop, with a set of A6 postcards now available to buy online.

Blended with artistic expression, each card depicts a printed image of my hand-painted acrylic on watercolour art. As a former graduate from Edinburgh College of Art, working in the field of graphic design, it feels like a coming home of sorts, as l expand my creativity – creating art-based pieces for purchase.

Acting as an visually engaging accompaniment, and with the aim to widen the themes and topics expressed in my book, it has been a joy to design this postcard collection – enabling you, to share and send encouraging STIL art & affirmations, to your circle of friends, family and loved ones.

Enjoy browsing the online store – another exciting addition to the Seeing The Invisible Line website.

You may like to also explore the STIL blog, Instagram gallery, and playlist features – all created with the intention to stimulate personal growth, inspiration & creativity.

Take me to the STIL web-shop

My creative expression shining through Seeing The Invisible line…

Image | | seaglassvisuals

⁠ ⁠

It was during the early stages of writing my combined book and journal Seeing The Invisible Line, l visualized going into a dear friend´s art studio to paint pieces of art for both the book and social media.⁠ ⁠

With paint brushes and palette knife in hand, l have gone on to have immense fun creating paintings for you to enjoy – with the intention to further weave my own creative expression into Seeing The Invisible Line. ⁠ ⁠

It feels like an organic step in the process, to nurture my creative spirit…a “coming home”, enabling me to blend my creativity with my personal growth – two paths flowing to meet each other…⁠ ⁠

This artistic development has led to the creation of an affirmation card deck, and postcard collection which are currently in the making…so do keep a look out as they become available to purchase on my Seeing The Invisible Line website – where you can currently sign up for the STIL Monthly Connections newsletter.

In the meantime, you can view more of my art – blending my creative expression and personal growth by connecting on Instagram @seeingtheinvisibleline

Please feel welcome to also say hello and follow me on my personal account @elizabeth_hitchman

Art: Acrylic on watercolour⁠, 24x32cm⁠ / @elizabeth_hitchman⁠

Name that tune…

Image | | seaglassvisuals

Music has the power to evoke memories – be it a riff, a lyric, the sound of a certain instrument, or vocal, a song has the magical ability to conjure up a visual in the mind…transporting us back to a moment in time.

Combined with curiosity as to the creative process of other designers, and my love for music l feel totally captivated by Katrina McHugh´s project and subsequent book – “Pop Charts: 100 Iconic Song Lyrics Visualized”. With a artful mix of poetic understanding and visual positioning, Katrina draws us in to ponder on a song title – in all its playful beauty.

As an artist, author, creative director and co-founder of Flight Design Co . Katrina started her work while participating in “The 100 day project” – undertaking a daily practice of visual creativity. How inspiring that this path would organically lead to the development of “Pop Charts”.

l love the idea of dissecting a song and reflecting it in a visual capacity. Fun for the eye and uplifting for the spirit. The approach to weave elements of nature into the piece highly resonates – as l am a graphic designer who finds the natural world balm for the creative soul.

l warmly invite you to further explore the project, its thought-provoking origins of visual inspiration, and to happily discover the answers to the diagrams above – personal favourites of mine.

Wishing you plenty of joyful “name that tune” moments.

D is for…dream catching

Image | | seaglassvisuals

Every journey begins with a new step. l find this statement exciting, it carries a heady sense of exploration, possibility, and promise. This carefully chosen note-book sits perfectly aligned with the origami wish-boat, instinctively named ´Dream Catcher´.

With a joyful feeling of renewed creative buoyancy…as the year unfolds, l wonder where my dreams will take me ?

l love the idea of catching my dreams (even dreams still to be realised) – with imagination, meaning, curiosity and insight as my fellow travellers. Naturally visualization (in its various forms) plays an integral and creative role – my daily tool at play.

Wishing you all sparkly dream catching.

Welcome to Flow – an exhilarating paper playground

| seaglassvisuals

l was introduced to the creative charms of Flow by artist friend Sandra Ondraschek, who on a trip to Edinburgh wrote, “I thought of you as I picked up a copy of ‘Flow’ (magazine) and wondered if we had talked about it?”. lt was early morning when l read her e-mail, yet l felt immediately compelled to discover this sparkling jewel for myself…

Pure delight swept over me as l set out on my journey and explored my first port of call – the Flow app. Smiling to myself, l read the editors note to the tapping sound of the typewriter – just lovely! The attention to each (imaginative) detail was a wonderful start to my design day!

Founded by Creative Directors, Irene Smit and Astrid van der Hulst, Dutch-based Flow magazine celebrates its fifth anniversary and l have a feeling it will continue to flow for many more years to come.

Published eight times a year and with a recent international launch, (English copy being published twice a year) Flow is a visual feast, offering inspiration, insights and solutions for paper lovers. A paper playground which brings enjoyment to me on a daily basis.

It’s pure joy to plan my agenda, write letters and cards utilising the various “Flow” items as a source of visual creativity.

Welcome to Flow, a gloriously vibrant hub of paper innovation, a positive energy field which lights up the path of inspirational creativity!

* Photograph credit: ‘Flow Book for Paper Lovers’ by Elizabeth Hitchman

 

Whistling the tune of ‘The Bookbirds’

| Maru Saurer

Whether it be laying in the long summer grass, or curled up by a roaring fire during the winter months, reading a book is a favourite past-time of mine.  And so to discover ‘The Bookbirds’ was a moment of pure bliss.

Dutch artist Pia Drent artistically combines her marine biology background with her love for reading – paths which stem from being read to as a child, while growing up by the sea. l find it richly unique to tie these two elements together, in the form of mixed media illustrations.

Taking the vintage book as the canvas, watercolours, acrylics, and inks are applied to the aged paper, creating art that celebates the soothing fusion of nature & reading.

With the digital age in full swing, it clearly feels refreshing to hark back to nature and the nolstagic appearance of the printed word.

It’s an alluring tune, that which belongs to the voice of “The Bookbirds”.