Category Archives: Painting

When it Rains Down in Africa…

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Travelling by ferry with some of the participating artists on a cold and rainy day.

Travelling by ferry with some of the participating artists on a cold and rainy day.

Finally… I am making the time to share with you the fruits of my time in South Africa as an invited participant of the Global Nomadic Art Project 2016 South Africa. I had such a rich and productive time there, that I slightly shied away from writing about it – I just did not know where to start.

The GNAP ‘Stories of Rain’ Art Project was an incredible journey through South Africa’s landscapes, myths and lively land art scene. Very well organized and carefully planed, we were treated to so many different places, warm hospitality, creative time in nature and an exciting selection of fellow artists. I appreciated the constantly changing small groups in which we travelled. They enabled us to meet so many local and international artists, exchange ideas and create together in a very unique way. Thank you to the GNAP team for this very special platform and project and thank you to all the many South African organizers, especially Strijdom van der Merwe and Anni Snyman,  who made the South African leg of the journey such a memorable one!

I have decided to split all my artworks into smaller groups and introduce them to you in separate blog posts. Trying to keep each one short and sweet, but still let you in on my ideas and thoughts as much as possible.

During the ‚Stories of Rain’ Art Project I continued with my rainmaker project and research. Can we create rain through a conscious and intentional creative process? I have used the surrounding landscapes and materials to explore different ideas from creating clouds out of stones or mud, performing a cloud dance and working with the idea of female tears being conducive to calling the rain.

First I will share with you one of my more familiar looking rainmaker works:

The final Rainmaker Cloud, Porcupine Hills made with earth pigment

The final Rainmaker Cloud, Porcupine Hills made with earth pigment

In the following gallery I will share with you the story of how I created this artwork and rainmaker and show prove of the rain that followed. (Click to see larger versions of the images)

Collecting red pigment from the earth
Grinding pigments for my artwork
Making paint from earth pigments
Learning new skills, from Cha Davenport, our wonderful host and fellow artist. Together with Chris Lochner (botanical artist)
Painting on a rock on a very steep rockface
Close-up
Finally an offering of water to give thanks for the coming rain.
Close up of the water wetting the rock, lichen and small plants.
Me and the finished rainmaker cloud.
The final Rainmaker Cloud, Porcupine Hills made with earth pigment
First clouds appearing on the blue sky
Porcupine Hills – a beautiful place to stay – View from the Rainmaker Cloud towards our accommodation
Inspiration for the clay pigment painting coming from the walls of the Porcupine Hills guest farm.
Porcupine Hills – a beautiful place to stay
The rain always came, perfectly timed, when we were on the road again… here is the photo prove.
The rain always came, perfectly timed, when we were on the road again… here is the photo prove with a rainbow.

I loved the stay here! Thank you to our hosts Cha and Tony Davenport are such wonderful people and made us feel perfectly at home. The place is great – recommending it fully if you would like to break away from the city for a weekend or longer!

Porcupine Hills offers self-catering guest accommodation and boutique olive oil.  Close to Cape Town (100km) but a world away from city and suburban life.  This is the perfect place to escape into nature and spend time in a quiet, tranquil and beautiful space.

The underlying farm “Diepklowe” is a Private Nature Reserve within the van der Stel Cluster (four neighbouring conservation farms) and is designated as a Cape Nature Stewardship Programme area. It is a core member of the Groenlandberg Conservancy.

The farm was acquired in 2012 by Tony and Cha Davenport and their two sons, Justin and Tobin.

Lucky Free Workshop Recipients

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kadinskyquoteI am very happy to announce that we have two winners who will receive the 21 Secrets Color! Color! Color! Workshop package.

I made a list of all the old subscribers (who wanted to participate) and new subscribers. This morning I was happy to have Patrick Tagoe-Turkson, an artist from Ghana who currently is on the Global Nomadic Art Project with me in South Africa, to name me two lucky numbers, so that I have a totally impartial selection.

So, without further ado I can now announce the lucky two people who will hopefully soon spend their time emerged in colour and creativity and learning lots of new information and techniques.

The winners are Number 6 and 9, which translates to:

Drumroll….

Renate N. and Jackie B.

Congrats, I hope you will enjoy your workshop!

For everybody else, I am so sorry that you did not get the free workshop package, but you can still buy it by clicking on the 21 Secrets Image on the right-hand side column of this blog, or click here.

(The winners have been notified per email.)

Click on image to find out more or buy the workshop.

Click on image to find out more or buy the workshop.

It’s FREE… (and some insight into the life of an artist)

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Yes, it’s free.

It seems these days one has to spell it out in capital letters or mention it over and over….

FREE… FREE… FREE…

…and then still somehow get misunderstood or frowned upon.

In my last blog I shared with you the 21 Secrets Color, Color, Color! Fall 2016 Workshop at which I am a teacher and offered you the chance to receive one of these workshop packages valued at US $98 for … FREE.

I can give away two workshop packages at my own discretion to whomever I like. And I decided to offer this to my valuable supporters who follow my blog. By the way, I could have also just decided to gift them to my two best artist buddies as birthday gifts. 😉

Reminder:

All you have to do, to stand a chance of receiving one of two FREE workshops, is to subscribe to my blog, or if you already are a subscriber, write a comment on my blog, stating that you are interested in the workshops. If you like more privacy, you can even send me an email, as long as you are a subscriber to my blog. Deadline is the 18th of September and I will announce the two winners here on my blog in the week thereafter.

Have a look at the official workshop page to see what is on offer! Just click on this picture:

21-SECRETS-2016-Color-medium

From the mixed reactions I got, I guess something was not clear.

Some told me: This sounds fantastic, but I cannot afford it.

Really? Which part is not affordable? The FREE part? Taking a chance on winning? Or can’t you afford to leave a comment on my blog, or subscribe to my blog (which is the one favour I am asking in return, in order to be considered for my free gift)?

Others told me something in the line of: Oh, you just want to promote yourself… I am not going to share this or support you.

Hmmm, now, let me put it to you like this: YES, I do want to promote myself. But actually this was more about offering you the opportunity to get a FREE inspirational workshop to learn new skills. Remember I could have just given it to my buddies, who would have loved such a gift.

KadinskyQuote

So just that you understand the thing of artists and promotion:

Unfortunately in this reality, artists have to do self-promotion in order to survive. We seldom have the luxury of a gallery or agent to do it for us. As an artist, I have my artwork, my experience and my knowledge to offer (and earn my money with). Most of that I generally offer for free most of the time. I generously share my artwork, creativity and experience and knowledge on various social media in order to inspire, uplift, entertain, delight or question. Everybody has access to it, without needing to pay or even say thank you.

And I am happy to share as much as I can, as generously as I can.

It might surprise you, but I, too, have to pay rent, buy food and pay for my medical aid, amongst others.

I can only pay my bills and make an honest living with the artworks I sell, or offering my expertise and experience. And in order to do that, I need people to know about my art and offerings. Ideally I need to have many people who know about my art… because not everyone either likes or buys an artwork or would participate in a workshop, or be willing to pay for my expertise.

That is the (sad?) reality of being an artist. We can only survive and keep on creating and sharing, if we put a lot of effort into promoting ourselves.

If more of the people, friends or blog or Facebook followers who enjoy my art and who find inspiration, solace or joy in what I have to offer, would tell their friends about it, then I could focus more on creating and sharing my art for free, than into promotion and marketing.

Instead I spend hours trying to make my offerings exciting and worthwhile AND then trying to promote my work as best I can.  I also take on opportunities where I can share my expertise in a workshop, get paid for it and have the possibility of earning a commission on any sales generated through my small community. I assume that is acceptable practice?

You might have also noticed, that I am always trying to offer some value in return. Like, hey, I am giving away stuff to the value of US $196 for free! All I am asking in return, is to follow my blog (so that you can receive more news and offerings from me and get to know me and my art better) and you can un-subscribe with one easy click at any time you like.

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This is me, blatantly promoting my art through sharing my work, accumulated knowledge and experience 😉 while presenting my video lectures for the workshop.

OK, now that I have finished ranting, I hope you are still interested to find out more about the workshop. I did not want to drown you in information in my previous blog, so here is a bit more detailed information about what you can expect to learn, when you either are selected as one of the two lucky recipients of the workshop, or even are willing to invest the US $98 in yourself and buy the package.

Since you are a follower of my blog, you might be most interested what you will be learning from me specifically?

The title of the course, which I am presenting for the 21 Secrets Color, Color, Color! Workshop is:

Feeling Blue? Spiritual and symbolic influence of colour in your journal and life

And here is the short description, which I wrote about the contents of my course:

What colour is the rain?
Red is life. Or is it death?
Why are we drawn to one colour and hate the other?

I welcome you on a colourful journey to reconnect with the ancient wisdom and power of colour. Discover the magic, myths, symbolism and effects behind the individual colours, create your personal colour reference guide with the ‘Colour a Day’ exercise and gain a deeper understanding how you can select and use colours for specific intention and purpose in your journal and life.

I will also share with you how colour is understood and used in Feng-Shui and in the seven main Chakras (energy centres) of the body. For the workshop I have compiled a lot of written content, fun and interesting exercises and 3 videos, where I share many thought-provoking aspects about color.

This is only my part. And that is not all! By far!

There are 23 more amazing courses prepared by 23 wonderfully inspiring and creative artists from around the world.

Just as some examples: Tori Weyers will teach you to tango with colour (Color Tango: Make your Colors Dance) while Mystele Kirkeeng will take you on an exploration of the colour of skin (Flesh in Living Color), she says: “When you really, really explore skin tones with color media, it becomes increasingly apparent how ridiculous it is that we still attempt to label the races monochromatically.“

You can learn how to easily create watercolour sunsets with Lorraine Bell or test the benefits of a limited palette and how to use it to your advantage from Jeanne Oliver.

Connie Solera, the founder and director of this incredible 21 Secrets workshop series, will teach you how to boldly overcome the point where you are too scared to continue as you fear you are messing up your artwork, but know that it is not finished yet.

As you can see, there are many interesting, fun and stimulating courses for you to explore.

Untitled mixed media work by Imke Rust

Detail of Untitled mixed media work by Imke Rust

If you do not know me yet, here is a short description of who I am:

“Can we create rain through a creative process?” This question, together with my deep-seated curiosity, interest in shamanism and alternative worldviews and stubborn insistence that we can make the world a better place have guided my journey as a multi-passionate creative being. I love uncovering the deeper meanings and mysteries of life and figuring out how everything is connected.

I am a Namibian multi-media artist, rainmaker and curator. I grew up in the desert of Namibia and since 2010 I am splitting my time between my home country and Germany, between the desert and the forest. I have completed my Bachelors Degree in Visual Arts at the University of South Africa and have won Namibia’s most influential art competition, the Standard Bank Namibia Biennale, twice.

My artistic expression is versatile, with a strong attraction towards nature and land art. I also enjoy sharing the joy of creativity with others, through joined projects, workshops, interventions in public spaces and via my blog.

I am excited to welcome you on a joint exploration of the stories, symbolism and effects behind the colours we use to paint the stories of our lives.

(You can find similar course descriptions and artist introductions from all other 23 courses in this package in the link to the course.)

Curious?

Well, you know what to do. I hope.
If not, you are welcome to ask!

Click on the image to find out more or buy the workshop.

Click on the image to find out more or buy the workshop. As a teacher I am also an affiliate and I do get a commission if you buy the workshop if you used my link to get there. So please, treat yourself to a fun course and at the same time thank you for supporting me and my art!

21 Secrets – Color, Color, Color! Workshop Pre-sale and Give-Away (time sensitive)

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21-SECRETS-2016-Color-artistblock-imke-rustI am thrilled to announce that I am one of the teachers presenting this year’s 21 Secrets – Color, Color, Color! art journaling workshop, which it is going on sale NOW.

Connie Solera from Dirty Footprints Studio, initiator and organizer of this successful workshop series says: “… because you can never have too much color – I went a little bonkers and invited 24 talented teachers instead of my usual 21 – all for the same low price!”

And this low price is: US $98!  — for a plethora of information (follow the link or see below, to find out about all the goodies which are included).
(for European people, that is about 87€ and for my Namibian folks: N$ 1320.)

To celebrate we’re having an Early Bird Sale now through Friday.

Enter discount code: COLOR and save $10.

Click here to get to the Early Bird Sale!

Click here to get to the Early Bird Sale!

AND…

You have a chance to receive one of two courses, which I am giving away for free to my valued supporters!!!

I love free goodies, especially when they are so valuable and exquisite and it is an even better feeling to be giving them away myself…

All you need to do, is to

  1. Subscribe to my blog – in the left hand column. If you already are a subscriber, please either comment below this blog or send me an email to tell me that you want to be included in the draw.
  1. Share this blog widely through your social media, such as Facebook, Twitter or Instagram. Tag me, so that I know #imkerust21secrets.

Signing up to my blog gets you one vote and sharing another, so if you spread the word your chances are increasing of being selected to receive one of the two workshops.

Recipients will be selected randomly by a third-party person and will be announced on my blog between the 19th and 23rd of September.

To make sure you do not miss out, even if you are not one of the recipients of the two free courses I am giving away, you can pre-order the course now and should you be selected, you have the option to cancel your pre-order (up till the 26th of September 2016) and receive a full refund. Or even better, just give away one of them as a gift to your best friend, so that you can do this course together!

I am an affiliate for the 21 Secrets course, so please use this link from my page to get to the 21 Secrets Course and purchase your workshop. That way you will support me and ensure that I can continue sharing my creativity with the world, as I will be earning a percentage of each sale generated through my page.

What is this 21 Secrets – Color, Color, Color! workshop?

In short, 21 SECRETS is a 150+ page downloadable eBook filled with 25+ hours of videos, full colored photos, templates, and clear instruction that will guide you through a colorful adventure with your art journal!

But what makes 21 SECRETS spectacular is that you receive all the content at once. We know you’re busy, so YOU get to pick and choose which workshops to do and when! Dive into your favorites first and never once feel rushed or falling behind — these workshops are YOURS TO KEEP baby!

Find out more about the teachers, short descriptions of each of the courses on offer and other information by clicking on the image below:

Click on the image to find out more...

Click on the image to find out more…

Do you have any questions? Please do not hesitate to ask – either by commenting below or sending me an email to: imke(a)imkerust.de   (please replace the (a) with an @ for sending your email)

Oh, and please do not forget to share this widely with your friends who might be interested too! Thank you!!!

21-SECRETS-2016-Color-medium

KUISEB Namibia – Exhibition in Berlin

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(This post is in German. It announces our exhibition opening on the 28th of May, in Berlin. If you are interested to attend and would like more information in English, please leave a comment or contact me via email. Thank you!)

Kuiseb_AusstellungPRESSEMITTEILUNG: BrotfabrikGalerie // Ausstellung

KUISEB Namibia

Xenia Ivanoff-Erb, Fotografie
Imke Rust, Malerei
28. Mai – 3. Juli 2016

Eröffnung: Samstag, den 28. Mai 2016, um 17:00 Uhr

BrotfabrikGalerie,
Caligariplatz, 13086 Berlin-Weißensee

Begrüßung: Petra Schröck / Jürgen Becker, Deutsch-Namibische Gesellschaft
Grußwort: S. E. Andreas B. D. Guibeb, Botschafter der Republik Namibia
Musik: Elemotho & Samuel Batola (Namibia)

Die Künstlerin Imke Rust wird anwesend sein.

Die BrotfabrikGalerie präsentiert in Kooperation mit der Deutsch-Namibischen Gesellschaft zwei Künstlerinnen aus Namibia, die sich in unterschiedlicher künstlerischer Weise mit der Wüste Namib und dem Trockenfluss Kuiseb auseinandersetzen.

Die Designerin und Fotografin Xenia Ivanoff-Erb wurde in Südafrika als Tochter einer Deutschen und eines russischen Don-Kosaken, Victor Ivanoff (Künstler, Karikaturist und Sänger), geboren und wuchs in einem von der Kunst geprägten Umfeld auf. Seit 2012 in Swakopmund/Namibia, hinterlässt sie im künstlerischen Leben des Landes zunehmend ihre eigenen, vor allem fotografischen Spuren, ob in Zeitschriften oder Ausstellungen. Als ihr letzter Erfolg gilt die Foto-Schau „Namibia Inspirations“, mit der sie zum Jahreswechsel 2015 / 2016 ein breites Publikum begeisterte.

„KUISEB Namibia“ ist ihre erste Werkschau in Deutschland. Sie gab der Ausstellung ihren Namen und schreibt dazu: „Etwas versteckt, verborgen in unserem ‘Hinterhof‘, dem großen Sandkasten Namib, liegt ein grüner, baumumsäumter Streifen, der Trockenfluss Kuiseb. Eine faszinierende Vielfalt an großartigen Landschaftsformen und eine besondere Tierwelt bieten dem interessierten Naturfreund besondere Anregung. Doch kommen wir auch beinahe bei jedem unserer Sonntags-Ausflüge in Berührung mit den Nachfahren eines tausende Jahre alten Nomaden-Stammes. Kaum eine Stunde im Auto von Swakopmund entfernt führen heute einige hundert Leute vom alten Volk der Topnaar-Nama ein relativ einfaches, bescheiden-glückliches Leben.“

Die namibische Künstlerin Imke Rust wuchs in Swakopmund an der Küste Namibias auf und verbrachte dort einen großen Teil ihres Lebens. Dadurch entwickelte sie eine besondere Beziehung und Faszination zur Wüste Namib, in der auch der Kuiseb als Trockenfluss liegt. Vor allem die Widersprüchlichkeiten des Landes und der Wüste haben Imke Rust schon seit ihrer Jugend beschäftigt. Ihre Malereien zeigen kein gewöhnliches Wüstenbild. Vielmehr drückt sie mit ihrer eigenwilligen Bildsprache, Farbgebung und Technik eine Vielfalt an inneren Eindrücken und Gefühlen darüber aus, was Wüste für sie bedeutet.

Beim ersten Eindruck einer Wüste denkt man schnell, hier sei ja nichts außer Sand. Nach genauerem Hinschauen entdeckt man vieles mehr: Leben, Schönheit, Mythen. Aber auch den wundersamen Tanz mit dem Tod. Imke Rust gibt einen Einblick in die Abgründe der Wüste und die der menschlichen Seele. Ihre Bilder laden dazu ein, die tieferen und größeren Zusammenhänge, die in den Sedimentlagen unter der Oberfläche versteckt sind, in unser Bewusstsein zu bringen.

„Durch Gier und Machtanspruch spielt der Mensch in dem sehr sensiblen Ökosystem Wüste eine schwerwiegende und oft besorgniserregende Rolle. Aber auch wenn wir mit allen Mitteln versuchen, die Wüste zu beherrschen, stoßen wir dabei immer wieder auf unsere eigenen Grenzen. Wir werden uns unserer Schattenseiten, unserer Vergänglichkeit bewusst – spüren, dass wir nur ein weiteres, kleines Korn in einer großen Wüste sind.“ (Imke Rust)

Das Ausstellungsprojekt wird von der Senatskanzlei Berlin im Rahmen der Städtepartnerschaft Berlin-Windhoek gefördert.

***

Ich freue mich darauf, euch persönlich begrüssen zu dürfen! Und JA, meine Bilder können bei dieser Gelegenheit gekauft werden!

Diese Einladung darf gerne weitergeleitet und geteilt werden. Xenia und ich freuen uns über viele interessierte Besucher.

Text zu den Arbeiten von Imke Rust, die in dieser Ausstellung gezeigt werden.

Text zu den Arbeiten von Imke Rust, die in dieser Ausstellung gezeigt werden. (Bitte auf das Bild klicken um eine größere Darstellung zu sehen)

Weitere Information auf den Internet-Seiten der Brotfabrik http://www.brotfabrik-berlin.de und der Deutsch-Namibischen Gesellschaft www.dngev.de . Und vielleicht möchte auch jemand auf die Ankündigung der Ausstellung durch das Süd-Afrika Magazin im Internet schauen:  http://www.sued-afrika.de/

Creation is about allowing… (and upcoming events)

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Blue Sphere 2, carefully allowed in the branches between two trees in the forest, by Imke Rust

Blue Sphere 2, carefully allowed installation in the branches between two trees in the forest, by Imke Rust

Creation is about allowing
– not about going out and doing.

Recently I found this quote and it made me stop in my tracks. Coming from a society and background where doing is considered the highest virtue, this thought seemed so out-of-place and plain presumptuous. Yet, I could not dismiss it, as it also stirred something deep inside of me.

For one, I realised some time ago, that doing is not always the answer. I have written about this idea before HERE.

But even more importantly I was struck by the ‘allowing’ part. When we grow up, our life is filled and directed with an endless list of do’s and don’ts… In my younger years, I was convinced if I just learn this list and follow it to perfection, I would be happy, and so would be everybody around me. Because I was doing things right… Later in life, I realised that this list became more and more complicated and it was not always possible to separate clearly between the do’s and don’ts. This realisation was confusing and also depressing, because my neatly arranged roadmap to life seemed to be crumbling and I had nothing to hold on to anymore that would guide me along.

Allowing…

Wow, what a big concept.

In life. In creativity. In love. In believes.

What would happen if we allowed more and were less constricted by the do’s and don’ts?

Allowing… the creative process of the universe, of life, to happen, without the need to control it.

It is a difficult concept to grasp (at least for me). And I guess I will be allowing myself to ponder on this much more. And allowing the creative process more and more, instead of trying to go out and ‘doing’.

And as if the universe wanted to let me know that it was serious about this, it send some sunshine on Saturday and nudged me to go out and explore a new part of the forest. Allowing myself a break, with no responsibilities or work to do. I was so deeply touched by the spirit of the forest, the cold, fresh air, nature’s first slow attempts at spring coming, the sunlight playing hide and seek and the majesty of the trees…

I took some pictures. And when I arrived home and downloaded them onto the computer, I realised that without any intention or doing on my part, a special moment was created and captured. Yes, it is just the flare of sunlight hitting my camera, but it is also magical. As if a sphere of blue light has been installed perfectly between the trees… and documented.

If you just allow yourself to imagine that this was a carefully created art installation.

Blue Sphere 1 & 2, carefully allowed installation in the branches between two trees in the forest, by Imke Rust

 

Here are some upcoming events, where you can see or experience my art:

Save the date if you are in Windhoek, Namibia:

Art Inside 2016  

One of my artworks (Happy Mongoose, 2015, Mixed Media on Canvas, 112 x 145cm) has been selected for the Art Inside Project and exhibition at the National Art Gallery of Namibia. You are welcome to the opening this week Thursday! If you cannot make it then, the exhibition runs till the 23rd of April 2016.

Happy Mongoose

Happy Mongoose

OPENING DATE 24 March 2016
OPENING TIME 18:00
VIEWING 24 March – 23 April 2016
VENUE NAGN

Press information about the project and exhibition from the National Art Gallery of Namibia:

“The project Art Inside, which was first launched in 2014, is a nationwide art awareness project aimed at Namibian Government. The initiative aims at acquiring original Namibian visual art for installation in all Ministries and semi-government premises. By installing the artworks, the project aims to celebrate visual art as an important mode of creative communication, and to foster an appreciation for visual art as inherent part of government’s working environment.

In the previous editions Namibian artists from all Regions have responded positively by submitting inspiring art and craftwork of an exceptional quality for this project. From these, the best pieces were first exhibited at the NAGN and then purchased for the Government of Namibia Art Collection.

The Art inside 2016 exhibition will run from 24th March to 23rd April 2016 at the National Gallery of Namibia.”

*************

And save the date if you are in Germany and interested to participate in a special Land Art Workshop which I am offering in conjunction with the Fair Camp Berlin program:

Die Fülle in dir
Fair Camp Exkursion „Kreativ im Grünen“ mit Imke Rust am 24. April 2016

Wann: So. 24. April 2016, ca. 13 bis 18 Uhr inkl. Mittagessen, Wo: bei Oranienburg

Die FÜLLE in Dir: Raus in die Natur! Rein in die Seele. Sehnen sie sich auch nach neuem Ausdruck, Natur und kreativem Schaffen? Der Frühling ist die perfekte Zeit auch unsere Seele aufblühen zu lassen und neue Impulse in unser Leben zu bringen. Lust auf etwas Neues und eine Auszeit vom Alltag? Dann lade ich sie herzlich ein, gemeinsam mit mir die Fülle, ihre Kreativität und die Natur neu zu entdecken. Wir kreieren, gestalten und experimentieren mit und in der Natur und lernen dabei unsere eigene innere Fülle und die der Natur bewusster zu erleben und auszudrücken.

Sie brauchen keine Vorkenntnisse, nur Offenheit, Freude an der Natur und Lust sich auszuprobieren. Als deutsch-namibische multimediale Künstlerin und Regenmacherin freue mich darauf, sie dabei zu begleiten und inspirieren zu dürfen. Imke Rust

Dieser Workshop ist der Arbeit in und mit der Natur gewidmet. Aber vor allem soll er die spielerische Kreativität, den persönlichen Ausdruck und die Freude am Schaffensprozess anregen. Wir werden die meiste Zeit draußen im Wald verbringen. Falls das Wetter nicht mitspielt, arbeiten wir mit Naturmaterialien im Atelier. Alles ist in kurzer Laufentfernung.

Bei Ankunft gibt es ein Mittagsmahl, eine Spende von Wünsch Dir Mahl. Wasser, Saft und Kekse für zwischendurch stehen bereit.

Click HERE for more information.
Space is limited to 10 participants, and places are already filling up quickly…

Kreativ im Grünen_FairCamp2016

‘Let’s be more adventurous’ she whispered

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Lying awake at night I saw myself painting a huge canvas entirely black and immediately I thought how dark and depressing that would be… and dismissed the thought.

Then I remembered that some time ago I promised myself and the universe, that if I get any clear inspiration, I would trust it and follow it. So the next morning I took a 100 x 100cm canvas and started to paint it black.

It did not feel dark or depressing… it actually felt comforting, calming and very rich in its smooth deep blackness. Not at all as bad as I had imagined.

While painting I got the following insight:

Sometimes the darkness is not as bad, as it first seems...

Sometimes the darkness is not as bad, as it first seems… (Text added digitally to the photo.)

Then nothing. No new idea, no insight as to how and if to proceed. I hung the canvas on the wall and waited.

Yesterday I heard the kudu softly calling me.

Paint me! Remember, we have a long and special history together…

(When I was about three or four years old, my father worked in the field and my brother and I explored the near-by hill. I was the one who spotted the kudu, very close by. It did not run away immediately, which these wild antelopes normally do. How exciting… a tame kudu!

So what do little girls do? They wanna go and cuddle and play with any nice and tame animal…

Fortunately I had my brother follow close on my heels. We were really unbelievable close to this wild animal and it did not make any signs of running. Being older and already more knowledgable about the wild, my brother noticed strings of saliva running down from the kudu’s mouth. A sure sign that the kudu had rabies and was dangerous. This also explained why the kudu seemed so tame…

Immediately he grabbed me by my arm, softly, but urgently told me to back up and run. I was not very happy about this, as I already was so close to touch this cute and majestic animal. But, fortunately big brothers can be very persistent when they are about to save your life. 

So we ran. Down hill, all along a fence. Chased by a rabies infected kudu.
It is a common symptom that animals with rabies appear tame, but then also attack you… We ran for our lives.

My brother was faster and ahead of me. I realised that the kudu is getting closer and my short little legs had no chance against his (or hers). Somehow I realised that I could slip sideways through the fence and hope that the kudu will continue with his downhill chase. It worked…

But now the kudu got closer to my brother and my brother was getting close to the corner of the camp, with another fence right in front of him. He duck through the fence and at the same time the kudu lifted into the air with his powerful hind-legs to jump over the fence…

Another thing which happens with kudus who have rabies, is that they get weak. Usually they easily and gracefully jump over fences, but now they do not manage the height and get horribly tangled in the wires. Caught with its legs by the wires, this kudu came crushing down to the ground where my brother had just climbed through the fence. It fell partly onto my brother, but fortunately he could quickly get away and was not hurt.

My father, who was already alerted by my screams that something was wrong, came towards us and once he has ensured we are save, he put the poor kudu out of his/her misery.

This was a pretty unusual childhood encounter with a kudu and probably one of my very earliest, clear and lasting memories. And it made a huge impression on me… )

So yes, I do remember. Also the first time that I was asked to paint your portrait. I answered in my mind.

Ok, so will you paint me again?

Mhhh. Ok, maybe with white on black, that could look cool.

Ok.

What do you think of this?

Kudu White on Black (Detail)

Kudu White on Black (Detail)

Uhh, I like it. It is pretty. But…. hey let’s be adventurous tonight, otherwise we are finished so quickly… and black and white are so… mmhh, boring? Let’s just try something crazy…

I don’t know. I am scared. You look so pretty, what if I will mess that up?

You might, but wouldn’t it be fun? And anyway… if you do mess it up, you can just paint another one like this again, can’t you? Common, let’s just be a bit wild tonight… I dare you.

Ok, I trust you. And yes, I need to remember that I can always start over again. Art, like life, lets you start over and over again, as long as you are breathing. Mistakes can happen and they do. But it is not the end of the world and often they lead to amazing new and unexpected results.

So, yes, I dare…

(Untitled (Kudu on black background), Acrylic on canvas, 100x100cm)

(Untitled (Kudu on black background), Acrylic on canvas, 100x100cm)

So this is the kudu at this stage of our dialog… I think we leave her like this. Maybe, we will rather start another adventure on a different canvas.

And till we do, I am enjoying her presence. We are having fun, like girlfriends do, giggling and enjoying the neon colours we used, her prettiness and weirdness, marveling at the world, laughing at our vulnerability, fears and constant search for the elusive perfection… And think: who cares? When we can just be pink or turquoise or whatever we feel like? We should be more adventurous and less scared of making mistakes.

How did the dog get onto the beach?

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I painted it there…

There is a dog on the beach... (Hotel Deco Busting by Imke Rust)

There is a dog on the beach… (Hotel Deco Busting by Imke Rust)

Intervention Against Tasteless Wall Decorations in Hotels and Holiday Apartments. (Part 18)
Intervention gegen geschmacklose Wanddekoration in Hotelzimmern und Ferienwohnungen. (Teil 18)

Since 2010 I have secretly been slightly altering tasteless or boring hotel or holiday apartment art whenever I had the chance to.

This is another intervention from our seaside holiday’s in August this year. The holiday flat we stayed in had numerous wall decorations all in the form of calendar images framed in cheap frames. So I just had to give them all a face-lift and add some originality and life. Now the flat has 6 original art intervention works by me. It must be a really worthwhile holiday art experience 😉 …

Once again I forgot to take a proper ‘before’ photo, so you will see I have already started on this one:

There is a dog on the beach... Before(almost) and After pic (Hotel Deco Busting by Imke Rust)

There is a dog on the beach… Before(almost) and After pic (Hotel Deco Busting by Imke Rust)

And here two more pics:

Sometimes I feel that I just have to add a comment to the back of the artwork, just in case somebody will look one day.
Final Image: Dog on the Beach. (Hotel Deco Busting by Imke Rust)

If you enjoyed this, you can view more Hotel Deco Busting Interventions Hotel Deco Busting Interventions by Imke Rust.

How would you like your story to be told?

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Yes, how would you like your story to be told?

Will it be a story full of excuses and reasons, perfectly plausible, why you did not live your dreams, succeeded at your goals or lived happily?

Or will it be a story of how you overcome the obstacles and challenges, on how you tried and maybe sometimes failed, but then tried again and how you chose to live happily despite whatever bad things life threw at you?

And how are you yourself telling the story of your life?

Thinking about this, might be a good way of telling how you are living your life and to consider if this is the best possible way.

Which kind of story do you most like to hear others telling you about their lives?

Untitled (sitting person) Charcoal and Acrylic on paper, 105 x 135cm by Imke Rust

Untitled (sitting person) Charcoal and Acrylic on paper, 105 x 135cm

When I prepared for the workshop I had to present in the Ukraine to young curators I was struck by this question. I was faced with preparing a two-day workshop in a field where I knew that I did not have the proper recognized qualifications and also could not match up with the experiences of my co-presenters, who in my eyes were the ‘real curators’, the ones who have curated the big Documentas and who earn their daily living and a great deal of international recognition with being curators.

And I? Who am I and what could I possibly share in these dreaded two days, which they could not do better?

My head was in a flat spin. I thought of the messed-up situation that was my so-called curator job at the gallery many years ago. I remembered the challenges I faced at the experiencing.etosha art project and how disillusioned I was afterwards, about so many things. I cringed when I thought about the endless hard work that went into the ‘shared experiences’ cultural exchange program which I called into life with Oliver Schruoffeneger and co-managed for several years, the ingrate artists and constant nerve wrecking scramble to keep sponsors and artist and everybody else happy, while feeling totally unappreciated…

What of any of this is worth to share? But yet, somebody must have thought that I am the perfect person to offer my two-cent’s worth of wisdom to some wonderfully ambitious and young curators, otherwise I would not have been invited. They have done a lot to be able to attend this workshop, they expect to go home with lots of new and worthwhile knowledge and they surely do dream of becoming influential curators and this should be a stepping-stone in this dream. And I owe it to them (and to the workshop organizers) to do my very best to somehow enrich their lives and career through my presence.

I agonized for days about this. Then it struck me…

While I focus on my failures and on unrealised expectations, others see what I did have achieved and admire me for that. If I am totally honest, I also do believe that I have achieved a lot, maybe not always in the way I wanted, or with the results I hoped for, but still… Yet, there are also many people who are critical (or openly hostile) about me, my art or what I am doing and how I am doing it. So to which of these groups should I give the stage?

None. Because both scare me in their own way. The positive ones, do not know or see my struggles and the negative ones only focus on what (according to them) I am doing wrong. I am the only true authority on my life, and even if my vision of it is sometimes rose-tinted and at others overcast with insecurities and doubts, I do have the main role in it and do know it best. It is not the critics who count, but my intentions, my efforts and me living my live wholeheartedly.

Facing the Eagle 100x130cm, Acrylic and charcoal on paper Inspired by a dream I had... by Imke Rust

Facing the Eagle
100x130cm, Acrylic and charcoal on paper
Inspired by a dream I had…

So, I could have told the story about my curatorial experiences just as I did above. Or I could take one step back, focus on the bigger picture, relate my intentions, my hopes and ideas, the challenges I faced and how I overcome them, or how and why I failed or succeeded. I could tell what I have learned. What I will do better or different next time. And most of all, I could tell how I moved on, started over, tried again. I realised that in my own way, I have collected interesting experiences, learned many skills worth sharing and found solutions where others just saw problems.

I have true in-depth knowledge about that. And I know that I have a great critical mind, which I can trust to guide me in being direct, honest and practical. And that is what I did and the story of my life which I shared. You can read more about how that was received in this previous blog.

While preparing for this, I realised that I do not want to look back at my life and tell the story of why things did not work out as I wished and how that is the reason for an unlived life and unhappiness.

I want to have the courage to do my best and if that did not work out, then try again and again and again. To have the courage to decide to live a life that feels purposeful and inspirational to me; with or without great achievements.

My father urged me to read the biography of George W. Carver (The Man Who Overcame). I decided to use my flight back from the Ukraine to start with it. I cried throughout most of the flight. It felt pretty embarrassing, but hey, what can a girl do who is extremely sensitive to the injustice of this world?!

Born into slavery (+-1860) with a wish to get an education and find the answers to his questions this young black child was determined to find a way. I lost count of how many dreadful experiences he had, how many huge obstacles he overcome and how hard he worked to get his schooling and finally be admitted to college on grounds of his extraordinary good marks, only to be rejected again when he arrived and they realised that he was black, and black men were not allowed to study there. Still he continued with an incredible amount of perseverance, hard work, patience and humility. Despite all odds, he went on to become one of the most prominent scientists and inventors of his time, he was also an extraordinary artist, botanist and pianist. And most of all he made a real contribution to the upliftment of his people and the fight against poverty… (If you have not heard of him, you should do yourself a favour and read the abovementioned book –also available in German – or check him out in this short movie http://www.biography.com/people/george-washington-carver-9240299#early-years )

Life sometimes deals you heavy blows... that is just how it is. But we have the choice to make them part of the dance. To turn them into something beautiful. 'Part of the Dance' Charcoal and Acrylic on paper. 105 x 140cm by Imke Rust

Life sometimes deals you heavy blows and knocks… that is just how it is. But we have the choice to make them part of the dance. To turn them into something beautiful.
‘Part of the Dance’ Charcoal and Acrylic on paper. 105 x 140cm

I am telling you about this man, because he seemed to have everything counting against him. He would have had every possible excuse to feel sorry for himself and to curse at the cards he got dealt again and again. He could have blamed every thing and so many people for having a miserable life and everybody would nod and fully agree that he did not have a chance. Yet, he chose to overcome. To try again and again. He worked damn hard. He hurt and he doubted, yet he got up again and tried again. And even when he had all the fame and could have had all the fortune, he stayed humble, refused a salary increase for most of his life and worked till his death in search of ways to improve the lives of the people around him.

What a man! And what an inspiration! What a life well-lived!

If he could overcome all this and be such an inspiration to so many people, who am I to not at least try to live my life purposefully, content and try again and again. In comparison to him the obstacles I have had to face in my life faint into nothingness.

I believe we can all choose to overcome so many things. We can end up telling an exciting, uplifting and inspirational story of a life well lived and that is what I want to do. And every time I feel like giving up, I want to ask myself: is this the end of the story you want to tell about your life? Or is this the beginning of another awesome creative adventure?

I need reminding of this every now and then – that’s why I am putting it in writing here 😉 .

Imke Rust. Are you having fun in your life? If not, how could you change that? I had fun with the large format paper and painting whatever I like... 'Having Fun' 120 x 105cm Mixed media (Charcoal, graphite, arylic and waxcrayon) on paper

Are you having fun in your life? If not, how could you change that? I had fun with the large format paper and painting whatever I like and this came out of it…
‘Having Fun’ 120 x 105cm Mixed media (Charcoal, graphite, arylic and waxcrayon) on paper

 

An Artist’s Life

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Many exciting new things are happening in my life and I did not have much time to write for my blog. Today I thought of sharing a few pictures from my life with you, to give you an impression of what has been happening. That is, the fun stuff, which happened between all the admin work that took up most of my time.

First, as it is becoming warmer, I decided to prepare one of the outside rooms as a temporary summer studio, so that I can paint again on bigger canvasses, be messy and not mind paint splatter on the floor and allow space for offering workshops.

Those who have followed me for a while, know that I moved to a small village close to the forest, with a garden and an outbuilding and garage, which we want to turn into a wonderful, light and spacious studio. Unfortunately we discovered that we first need to get a new roof, as the old one is leaking beyond repair. So it may take a while, for our/my dream to come true. But the temporary studio will work fine for the warmer months for a while.

I have also been lucky to have received a second-hand drawing cabinet and large drawing table as a gift, which I am so grateful for.

Studio pics:

(Click on the images to see them in full.)

Furniture found on the Sperrmüll (discarded next to the road).
The new drawing table.
The new drawing cabinet
and view from the studio window.

Yes, there was also time for making art. And I have noticed something odd happening in my life, kind of like a deja vu, just different. Similar kind of circumstances, situations or images appearing two or three times in a short period, without any relations between them. Only that I see them connected because they are so similar and unique in a way. I am feeling, wow, I just saw the exact same situation in a different way yesterday. I guess this means something, just not sure what. Let me explain it with an example concerning my art.

Recently I saw an image on the Internet of an adult woman sitting on a small children’s rocking horse. I liked it for its weirdness, and saved it as inspiration to draw from later. During the open studio event, I met the wood-carving artist Bodo Henke. One of his small sculptures was really adorable, so I decided to buy it – a horse with a rider, who is much too large for the horse…

When I came home, I realised the similarity to the image I had found in the internet. So I decided to actually start drawing my version of the lady on her rocking-horse. To me my painting looked more like a horse on a carousel. I decided to add white stripes and turn the horse into a Zebra, to express my connection to Africa and it just looked more exciting.

Yesterday, at the harbour festival, I saw an exquisite, antique, mini carousel for children. To my amazement, the riding figures on it actually were Zebras!

(Click on the images to see them in full.)

Tiny sculpture by Bodo Henke which I have bought.
My artwork in progress
Finding Zebras on a carousel in Germany, after I unwittingly painted something similar…

 

In between admin and other work, I also really take great pleasure in experiencing the spring for the first time in our own garden. I love to watch all the sprouting and blooming, and revel in the shapes and colours. Here are some impressions:

(Click on the images to see them in full.)

Our garden: Magnolias
Our garden: beautiful colours and shapes
Our garden: a promise of some stunning purples
Our garden: Cherry blossoms
Our garden: Dandelions blooming
Our garden: Dandelions
Summer salad with Dandelion leafs and daisies from the garden
Making a rose garland from dried roses instead of discarding them after they did not look good in the vase anymore.

 

With the spring weather and more sun, I have also felt much more like getting out and do things. We have been to visit several artists in the region during an open studio day, watched the aeroplanes land and take-off from the side of a highway during sun-downers (a Namibian habit of celebrating the sun going down with a drink and good company) and briefly visited the harbour festival in Oranienburg. Here are some pics:

What an awesome studio space! Studio of Alexander Heil in Zehdenick.
Seen in one of the studios… hmmm, this goes on my wish list!
After moving the gifted drawing furniture we stopped for sun-downers next to the Tegel Airport.
Plane-spotting next to the highway
Plane taking off
Harbour festival in Oranienburg – unfortunately they were already packing up when we came.

I wish you an awesome, happy and creative week ahead!

PS. if you missed my previous post, please have a look for the exciting announcements of our up-coming film debut in Berlin.