These last few years have been massive.  Really massive.  Going back to college to get my Diploma of Photography, son getting married, starting a studio/gallery and all sorts of other stuff along the way have left me reeling.  Life is finally starting to settle down to a bit quieter routine.  We closed the studio/gallery a few months ago as it was an overhead we didn’t really need but it was a great experience.  Of course, then I sat back saying, “Now what?”.

When I first started study and knew nothing about photography, let alone photoshop, I desperately wanted to make art out of photography.  I loved the surreal, magical photos I saw around the place.  That was a goal.  After learning the bare basics of photoshop, I didn’t think I’d ever be able to reach my goal and never seemed to find enough time to actually study more of it.  I was burned out from study anyway and didn’t want to do more.

With life settling down so much over the last  2 months, I’ve actually found the time to really focus on learning the skills needed to do what I wanted to do.  The imagination has always been there. Creating the images in my mind was easy, creating them in reality was beyond me.  I think this was partly due to the fact that I still had my logical head on.  The one that is a bit more ordered and rigid and doesn’t let me fly.  Now, this quiet, settled period has shut that side of my brain up a bit and allowed the creative side it’s turn.  This side is always harder to deal with as it’s noisier, messier and a whole lot more out of control.

But, I’m loving where I am right now.  I’ve started to be able to bring the pictures in my imagination into reality.  What’s even more exciting is that people are loving them and even buying them, something I didn’t really expect if I’m being honest.  I was making these just for me, to get them out of my brain and into reality.  But, I’ve got commissions (not something I’ll be doing a lot of), orders for prints and I made a calendar for 2016 that is selling like hotcakes.  All this in the space of a few months.

I call this side of my work, Livonne Imagination as I guess I’ve always lived on my imagination.  My imagination has taken me out of the horrible realities that I’ve faced and taken me to a kinder, more beautiful world.  Yes, I’ve been accused of being a dreamer and I’ve always wondered why people use that as an insult.  Without the dreamers of this world, we wouldn’t have phones, electricity, cars, music, films etc.  I love being a dreamer.  It keeps me sane, well almost.

I have added a gallery to this blog with the images I’ve created so far, but I’ll share some here with you now.  If you’d like to see more, go to the Livonne Imagination Gallery at the top of the home page.  I’ve been a bit quiet about it and haven’t said much until I got my head around it a bit more.  Sharing them feels very personal as they offer an insight into the real me.

I will still be writing, although lately, my brain has been too full of pictures to write many words.  I know the words will return but right now, I need to tell stories with pictures.  It’s all storytelling.  If a picture paints a thousand words, then a thousand words must paint a picture.  It’s all the same thing, just a different medium.  All storytelling!

So, feel free to take a wonder around my imagination.  I hope you enjoy it.

Happy Dreaming…

Livvy xxx

You’re either the artist or the muse. Each comes with it’s own set of complications. Each with it’s own unwavering power.

When the world says give up, Hope whispers, try one more time.

When you are surrounded by madness and chaos, immerse yourself in nature, take a deep breath, be still and find your calm. Be the eye of the storm.

Whatever your gold at the rainbow’s end, it’s sweeter by far when shared with a friend.

Trapped by reality. Freed by imagination.

“I’ll share a secret with you. This is no ordinary apple. It’s a magic wishing apple. One bite and all your dreams will come true.”

Where troubles melt like lemon drops, away above the chimney tops. That’s where you’ll find me.