Monday, June 23, 2014

After school art pupil feature, clever Matthew.

Meet Matthew
Matthew comes to me for an hour for painting and drawing lessons and here he is with his latest creation

 Matthew is a very keen artist.
 His behaviour is always perfect. 
He is eager to learn and tries his best at everything he creates. 
 He goes to St Mary's Catholic School which he enjoys very much. 

 This is a creation of a giraff, a tiger and a lion. 
 I love the colours he has chosen and his wonderful quirky interpretations of his favourite animals. 

The next painting in this series is of a dog, a rooster and a cow so watch this space. 

Matthew has decided that he wants to set up his own gallery in his parents bakery at Te Ngae Shopping Centre because he would like to sell his art. 

This is very exciting as in my classes I  am always encouraging my pupils to think like real artists. 
I will be going into the bakery to have a look at the space so that we can  look into setting everything up attractively. 

 I  absolutely adore children's art, it gives me such a warm feeling  to see how they interpret the wold.
 It's spontaneous and imaginary.
 Young children are always a pleasure to teach. 
It's very important at this age to value where each pupil is with their drawing ability and to praise them for their work so that they gain confidence and want to keep on developing. 


My studio is open to people from 5 years of age and upwards for after school classes Monday. Tuesday, Wednesday and Friday from 3.30 for one hour. 
Lessons $25.00 per hour per student including exhibitable and saleable materials.  Each person has their own tailor-made art programme and I am always kind and patient. 

Creative quote of the week 
Every child is an artist. The problem is how to remain an artist once we grow up.


Phone 346-3435 or email jkeen@clear.net.nz to enrol your child for next term, numbers limited so each person has lots of attention. 




Writing engaging blog posts that encourage your readers to talk to you, advice by Michael Hyatt.


I've stolen this content from an online blogger, called Michael Hyatt. 
 I think it's clever and I'm going to try it. 

 Question: Why don't you join me or make a comment so that I can see you are reading this?
Send me a  comment about my blog, saying what you like about it;  I will send you a hand made water colour card with a special happiness message just for you. 
This offer is open to the first five people to comment.
Just send me your postal address on my email at jkeen@clear.net.nz
Feel free to comment on the posting place below.
I love receiving comments.

How to write engaging copy on your blog
  1. Commit to a specific number of posts per week. 
  2.  Frequency is more important than you think. In fact, it is second only to the quality of your content.
  3. Determine when you will write. Everyone’s schedule is different. 
  4. You might be in a season of life when you can only commit to an hour a week. 
  5. Perhaps you can commit to more. But, if possible, schedule your writing time just like any other appointment. 
  6. Keep your posts short and to the point. 
  7. Blogs are not a long-form medium. Brevity is a virtue.
  8.  I shoot for 400–500 words. I often go over this, but I am working to whittle my posts down.
  9.  I can tell you from experience that readers will bail out or scan if your posts get too long.
  10. Make it easy to get through your posts. Lists—both bulleted and enumerated—are magic. 
  11. Why? Because reading is hard work.
  12.  Lists, subheads, and even quotes make your content more accessible and help people get through it. 
  13. It creates a sense of forward progress.
  14. Invite reader engagement. Make it easy for them to comment. This is why I do not require people to register to comment or fill-in some silly  to prove they are human.
  15.  All of this just adds friction and discourages people from commenting.
  16.  Yet, I rarely have a problem with spam or inappropriate comments.
In summary, focus on creating content before you get too concerned about driving traffic.
 If you don’t post good content with enough frequency, none of the other items matter.



If you would like to enrol for mosaic and painting classes in Rotorua, New Zealand  please email me at jkeen@clear.net.nz 

If you would never in a million years enrol in one of my  classes please write and tell me why. 

Creative quote of the day  

Sunday, June 22, 2014

Heather Vail Stor- E- Cards in Atlantis Books



Heather Vail in Atlantis books promoting her stor-E-cards

You buy the card for $7.00 which are all Heather's own lovely photos.
You can scan the QR code and read the uplifting story she has written about each card.
 or you can go to her site stor-e-cards.com and order them online.



Heather went on Saturday to Atlantis Books and promoted her cards and offered these lovely looking and tasting biscuits to people who came in.

Fraser Newman the shop owner who is planning to open another Atlantic Books in Whakatane is in the background.

Her special little dwarf/gnome was there to be the mascot.


My friend Christine came along with me and bought a couple of cards. She thought it was a great idea too.



Isn't Heather a lovely model?
 Her cheery smile is so welcoming and uplifting.



Heather works at the Waiariki Institute of Technology and she is a gifted writer. She has experience in journalism, fiction writing  and copywriting.

Heather and her family came to me as a group and did a six week acrylic painting class and they produced 6  different paintings that reflected their interests and personalities. 


I have some animal paintings in the kids section of the Atlantis books.
 I teach this lesson to children in my after school painting and mosaic lessons.

Your child will feel like a professional artist from the first day as I have lessons on board which they are encouraged to display.

Phone 346-3435 or email jkeen@clear.net.nz  to book your child in today. Monday, Tuesday, Wednesday  and Friday $25.00 per hour per child.





 Enrolling now for next term, Tuesday is the day I am aiming to fill, but there are still gaps on Wednesday and Monday
$25.00 per hour per student, top quality materials and nice, kind teacher.
 Studio classroom at 374 Clayton Road, Rotorua

But hurry because classes are restricted  to 5 people per class so everyone gets lots of help and attention to rise to their true potential.

Creative Quote of the day 
 In everyone’s life, at some time, our inner fire goes out. 
It is then burst into flame by an encounter with another human being. 
We should all be thankful for those people who rekindle the inner spirit. ~Albert Schweitzer
 


Friday, June 20, 2014

Rotorua Public Library mini display


This is the display that I have in the library about my holiday programme. 

I  am happy with it. 

I even have articles about how to make things from my Daily Post DIY column on it. 

 I see exhibiting there  largely  as a community service, to encourage others to be creative. 

The best place for getting feed back for my classes is the Rotorua Daily Post and the Weekender.
I love that paper.
Ever since I worked there so many years ago, they have been very supportive of me and I really appreciate it.

Doing a display in the library is an interesting exercise because you can see if your message is getting through. 
I've stood and watched people walk past and you would be surprised how many people go by and don't even look at the boards. I was  intrigued by that because I always look at them.
I am interested in seeing what is going on in my community.

But it just goes to show you that all people are different so if you want to appeal to your target market, (ie people who will sign up for courses), you need to find out where they are and I am thinking that they don't seem to be in the library.

You may think that people know what you are trying to market but if you ask them you would be surprised how many people don't take in your message. 

I'd like to stand outside my display one time and ask people to comment. 
While I was hanging it up people kept coming up to me and saying how much they liked my flower and mirror project, so I think  it would be a hit if I had an exhibition of them.

I am selling School Holiday mosaic and painting classes at the moment so if you are interested please email me at jkeen@clear.net.nz or phone on 07 346-3435
I'm running them from 9.30am to 12.30pm  Monday, Tuesday, Wednesday and Friday both weeks and the kids can make a bird, fish, heart or flower mosaic.



 This is really because I want to be a travel writer and I am visualising that someone will discover my blog and it may go viral.
It makes me feel like I am inching towards my target of being world famous.
 
I would also like to make enough money to travel overseas spreading the word about how to be creative from a New Zealand perspective. 

I am looking into crowd funding. 
Creative Quote of the week
“For every minute you are angry you lose sixty seconds of happiness.”
Ralph Waldo Emerson




Tuesday, June 17, 2014

Shawn Achor: The happy secret to better work


Be happier in 21 days




Try these daily exercises for 21 days and see how much happier you are.  I am going to do it and report back to you the success I have been having.
     

    Being happy for happiness sake, is this not enough of a buy in for you?
     If not watch his TEDs talk on my next post and see how inspired you will be.
    It's utterly amazing,  by Shaun Achor





    You will see that if you are happier you produce more endorphins and serotonin which helps with all sorts of areas in the brain like productivity, setting and meeting goals and overall success.
    When you reach your goals you will be happier

    This is why I am doing it. I want to be happier but I also want to be more successful so I can go overseas and have amazing travel experiences .

    If  I'm happier I feel like getting out of my comfort zone and trying harder.
      
Recall three things you’re grateful for.


After doing this for 21 days, people’s brains begin to “retain a pattern of scanning the world not for the negative, but for the positive first


  • Journal one great experience you had.
     “Journaling about one positive experience you’ve had over the past 24 hours allows your brain to relive it.”


    Exercise.
    “Exercise teaches your brain that your behavior matters”, and it helps you solidify the connection between your actions and their rewards. Exercise is also a great way to focus better.


    Meditate
    We find that meditation allows your brain to get over the cultural ADHD that we’ve been creating by trying to do multiple tasks at once. It allows our brains to focus on the task at hand.”

    Perform a random act of kindness. It doesn’t matter if your act of kindness is buying a coffee for the person after you in line, volunteering, or sending a positive email. Achor gets “people, when they open up their inbox, to write one positive email, praising or thanking someone in their social support network.”making them much happier.



    If you want to join me on this exercise for 21 days feel free to contact me on jkeen@clear.net.nz  See me on facebook at  janetkeenartist (Link is to the right) Creative Quote of the Week

    “Folks are usually about as happy as they make their minds up to be.”

    Abraham Lincoln

      Sunday, June 15, 2014

      Waiotapu Volcanic Wonderland, Waikete hot pools Saturday date with my husband

      People come from all over the world to visit Rotorua and its volcanic surroundings. 

       As a local I think that some of us forget about what beautiful places there are to visit within a very short drive. 



       My husband Graham has lived in Rotorua for over thirty years and he has never been to Waiotapu.


      I couldn't believe it.


      I have been here about five times and most recently because of the Rotorua Camera Club, due to it being such an amazing place to gain potentially award winning photos.




       I don't think a lot of  local people are aware that if you take two forms of ID, one showing your address, you can get in for free.

       

      The whole family could, I think, as long as they had ID. 

       




      This is a saving of around $39.00 per adult.
      The place is really well maintained and the walk is a good seventy minute work out. 



       Graham and I went around 3.30pm and just got in because they close the gates at quarter to four. 



       We were there until 5pm. You must be out of there by then. 


       I went deliberately later so that I could catch the shadows of the setting sun.
      It is best to avoid the middle of the day if want great photos. 



      This is the champagne pool and everyone in the world takes shots of it. 



      Using different filters in Nik software.



      It's so beautiful and it changes a lot according to the light



      It is lovely standing beside it and feeling the heat come up onto your face from the boiling water.


        I love taking shots of the earth and Waiotapu, it is so interesting


       
       I like the soil samples they are so vibrant, like mini worlds of wonder
       
       The oranges are so vibrant




       The pool is this colour and in some cases more lime
      It's called the Devils bath


       I love the quaint looking signs at Waiotapu, it's quite inventive and tells a story.
      You get a good handout that tells you all about the pools, features and history.


       The moss is incredibly green here.


      The Kanuka trees

      have a vibrant almost sinister sinewy way of growing here. 


      This little fantail flitted around in a friendly manner.


      They are hard to get shots of because of the speed that they move. 

      We then went to Waikete Valley Hot pools for a swim  


      Here is the water being cooled down



      We often go to the private pools so we don't have to wear bathing costumes , this  is the view 



      Here is my lovely man looking relaxed

       And sleepy.
      It was time to go and we had a lovely Saturday afternoon and evening date/adventure.


      Creative Quote of the day
       
      “The best love is the kind that awakens the soul and makes

       us reach for more, that plants a fire in our hearts and brings

      peace to our minds. And that's what you've given me. That's

      what I'd hoped to give you forever” 


      So if you are a local or a visitor from out of town go to Waiotapu these school holidays.
       You won't be disappointed.  


      School holiday mosaic projects for families and individuals. 
      $75.00 per person for 3 hours. 
      Come and make you very own glass mosaic shape to take home as a reminder of your stay. 
      Monday to Wednesday and Friday mornings from 9.30 to 12.30
      374 Clayton Road, Rotorua.

      Phone 3463435 or email jkeen@clear.net.nz for bookings. Limited to 6 people per session. 









      Wednesday, June 11, 2014

      Surrounding yourself with Special people.



      There's no doubt about it.
       Being with certain people makes me feel  happy.



      They fill me  with the power of possibility.
      They are bright, shiny and encouraging and I am a better person for knowing them.

      It is also true that the opposite is apparent.



      They may not even say anything that's obvious but their negativity wraps around  like a thick blanket of fog.




      The trick is to recognise them and stay as far away as possible.
      You don't want anyone or anything disrupting you from your trajectory.



      If you are really sensitive, I don't think you can just shut off and toughen up.
      To do so would deaden your creativity.
      People have been known to become really ill by being around toxic souls so you owe it to yourself to protect yourself.  
      You need to surround yourself with white light before you see them and wish them the best in your mind.



      Deflect their negativity from you and above all don't ever buy into their passive aggressive power plays.



      Luckily I have a lot of people around me who are light shiners.
      My pupils are really amazing and of course my husband and some lovely friends ( some of whom are animals), who are treasures.


      So I am blessed and all is well with the world.



       This is an article from the Oprah Winfrey site which  illustrates it in detail.
      Some people bring unexpected lightness and comfort to your life.
      They crackle with energy, practically electrify you with their presence.
      And then there are those who leave you feeling stressed out.
      Or guilty.
      Or exhausted down to your very last molecule.
      I call them energy vampires, and obnoxious or meek, they come in all forms.
      The sob sister, for one, always considers herself the victim.
      The world is always against her, and she'll recount every horrible thing that has happened to her, wallowing in every perceived slight.
      The charmer is a constant talker or joke-teller who has to be the centre of attention.
      The blamer, on the other hand, doles out endless servings of guilt.
       And then there's the drama queen, the co-worker who claims she almost died from a high fever or the neighbour who lives in extremes of emotion—life is unbelievably good or horrifically bad.

      No matter which type of energy vampire you're dealing with, you're allowed to walk away.

       Many of us find this really hard to do.
      We're afraid of being thought of as impolite; we don't want to offend people.
      But there are plenty of ways to remove yourself from a killing conversation.
      When leaving isn't an option, you can still maintain your energy level by making a few minor adjustments.

      Recognize the Signs
      One of the first things to do is to recognize when you're being drained, and that begins with tuning in to your physical reactions.

      Is there a tightening in your chest when a certain person enters the conversation?
        Do you feel tired when you hang up the phone after speaking with someone?
      Does your head ache, or do you feel what I call "slimed" when another guest at a cocktail party starts talking to you?

      Take a Deep Breath
      The moment you feel zapped—or hemmed in, or stressed out—I recommend taking a breath.

      Breathing is a wonderful way to centre yourself.
      Just follow the breath and tell yourself that you know what's happening and you can deal with it.
       It's important to remember our individual power.
       I know from working with patients that we can lose it easily.
      The minute somebody comes in who's bossy or blaming, we feel diminished and tense up.
       If we can focus on the breath, or on an image of a striking sunset or a view from a mountaintop, the tension will drift away.                    


      Use Your Energy You can also use some of your own subtle energy to counter the effects of an energy vampire.
      Visualize a protective white light around you: an energy shield.
      You can still hear the person who's yelling at you or blaming you or pushing herself into your sphere, but she won't cut into you so viscerally anymore.
       You've created a buffer zone, where her negative influences can dissipate.

      Set Boundaries
      Setting boundaries is another way of protecting yourself; you draw a line saying, for instance,

      "This is what I can do for you, and this is what I can't."
       You don't have to convince the vampire of the rightness of your stance.
      Getting defensive simply adds to the negative charge of the encounter.
       You want to remain neutral.
      When someone starts pushing your buttons, and you start sizzling inside, you've got to make the decision not to react.

      Step Back
      I also suggest you step back and think about what type of people aggravate you, because I believe that one law of energy is that we attract what we haven't yet worked out in ourselves.

       If I'm a very angry person, I'll find myself surrounded by angry people.
      By paying attention to the people who seem so draining, you might discover something you need to address.
      It has been my experience that once you've worked through a particular issue, you're no longer worn out by that kind of energy vampire.
       And the vampires, robbed of a source, move on to more easily drainable audiences.                    


      Creative Quotes of the week
      Surround yourself with positive people and you'll be a positive person.
      Surround yourself with only people who are going to lift you higher.

       Keying into your creativity can make your heart and mind sing.
      The key is to do it often.
      Creativity classes available, Monday to Wednesday and Friday.
       email jkeen@clear.net.nz
      Phone 346-3435
       To book special time out for yourself to make some lovely mosaics and paintings.

      Tuesday, June 10, 2014

      Magic Book By Rhonda Bryne



      I have been receiving emails from Rhonda Bryne about her book Magic.


      She is sending me instructions for 28 days on how to bring miracles into my life.





      My miracles are having enough money to go to Italy and America next year and to teach people overseas art lessons for money every year. 




      Plus having amazing relationships, health, energy, peace and happiness.

      Also to have full classes for mosaics and painting of happy caring wonderful and uplifting clients.



      Plus happy uplifting adventures 

      I would like to keep on producing more paintings  and mosaics that sell well



       I would also like a tidy, clean and fully renovated house.

      The secret to attaining all this is to live with an attitude of gratitude.

      Each instruction that Rhonda send me helps me to focus on areas that  I am grateful for.

      It is so easy to slip into the negative at this time of year in New Zealand when the weather becomes cold, dark and rainy.



      It is so easy to be put off by the passive aggression, indifference and negativity of people, especially if you are sensitive and artistic.



      But this book helps with your relationships so that if these people come into your orbit their energy will be deflected and you won't   be put you off your course. 

      You will attract positive, upbeat and effective people who by their shining light will help you get to the next level so that you can help others.



      These are my dreams and goals  for the next 28 days.

      Every time a negative thought about something or someone enters my head I am going to counter it with something I am grateful to them or it for.  

      I am also talking to my pupils about this and some of them are coming along on my journey with me.

      This is exciting because when you teach others and spread the good word, you really get a chance to make magical things happen.


      "I like going to Janet's after school art classes because we have fun and we can do what we like instead of being told exactly what to do all the time." Anneke



      "I like Janet's art classes because they are fun and I am able to find time to express myself creatively and have some time out."
       

      At the end of the 28 days I am going to honour Rhonda by buying her book and recommending other people also buy it.


      Creative Quote of the week
      Over­all I really enjoyed this book and I feel more at peace inside. I have wit­nessed some pos­i­tive bless­ings in my life, have more love and sup­port from fam­ily and friends and over­all have grown I feel as a per­son. I have become a bit more hum­ble, less self­ish and learned to be thank­ful for the world I live in, the peo­ple I am sur­rounded with and the love from above that shines on me everyday.

      If you would like to join me on the journey for 28 days 
      Ring me on 346-3435 or email me and we can organise a series of creative exercises for you around the practises of this book.

      Email jkeen@clear.net.nz for classes Monday, Tuesday, Wednesday and Friday mornings.