Look up! open your eyes, see the world, free your mind.

Photo by
Arana Kennedy
Stanley
25.6.2016

Walking out the door early in the morning with rubbish and recyclables in hand, I am draw to look up at the magnificent sky. The big puffy white clouds decorating the sky like paint on a canvas.
At sealevel I can smell the strong salty air as the morning heat starts to thicken the air. It is 7am so the air has a fresh lightness to it. After I took this photo I climbed over the rocks closer to the sea and noticed a strange pulsing sensation oozing from the water. With not another soul around I feel centered and peaceful as I take in this experience.

Photo by
Arana Kennedy
Stanley
25.6.2016

I'm drawn to the shapes and powerful beauty of the balance of rock, sea, clouds and sky.
Captivated by the magic of the stunning early morning energy.
Watching the giant ships cruise along the horizon. On the right hand side you can see the end of Lamma Island and over to the left in the distance are the Chinese Islands, seeing them this clearly means there must be rain in the air. A clear crisp morning in Stanley inspires me so greatly. The peaceful morning walk and solitude, the conversations with those also out to appriciate Nature's first show of the day "dawn" brought to you by the universe.

Photo by
Arana Kennedy
Stanley
25.6.2016

I stood here for a while and I just breathed... 
freed my mind from thought and felt the calm wash over me
It is this calmness I seek, for its what I need to create. Uninterrupted thought and movement flowing with a natural rhythm. Life works out best this way and its a gift we are all entilted too.

Photo by
Arana Kennedy
Stanley
25.6.2016

At the end of the road I look back on the sleepy town of Stanley. I love early morning walks. I feel for the people running with iPods stuck in their ears... they are missing so much! Speeding through life. Staring at the ground.

Look up,
open your eyes,
see the world,
free your mind.

Within Without - Within

The invisible force field surrounding my cage

Trapped in confusion an endless maze

Reaching beyond feels painless and easy

Going within is agonising and hellish

Surrounded by darkness the cold holds me tight

a burning desire is beginning to glow

Can the truth of everything really be close

I'm afraid of myself and how little I have done

As the night enters morning a deep calmness falls

Much of today slumbers deep undisturbed

Many such nights alone in the silence

Inspires a courage that lives in us all

Transformation begins, ends, starts and falls

Connected with nature with nothing to hide

Being present in time and watching down from above

in the shadows a true light is formed

How we live, who we are and how we treat others is important. I am important, you are important and together we can all make this world a better place.

Be present, be aware, share a smile, talk to someone you don't know. 

Within Without - 4th solo art exhibition by Arana Kennedy #AranaART

and when she followed her heart,

her entire world changed.

Within Without

A story of courage, isolation and great adventure!

Ever feel like you have just had enough of everything and simply want to hit the reset button? I did, I had too! things had spiralled so far out of control that I could see no other way to move forward. I had developed such strong cycles it was hard to break, stepping back now and looking this process has very much been reflected in my artwork, often operating in my inner mind, the place where the real grand plan is going on.

My first exhibition, New Perspective was named so as I felt I was bring my art to a new level by exhibiting it and for that I needed to be brave and change the way i looked at things. I was honestly terrified. A good friend advised me, just work on it, because at the end of the day you actually have enough artwork to show now! Just DO IT!

and so I did! But I took it as far as my front door step! HAHAHA I'd pulled off the illusion of bravery! HA! The funny thing was, after it all I was thinking to myself, HEY! you did it! Sure, there's loads more work to do but the hardest part is done! First exhibition done!

A dream come true! The month following my first exhibition sadly both my grandmothers passed away and I was evicted from my affordable flat! I felt in one moment I was on top of the world and in the next moment no ground was under my feet! With all this going on in my personal life following through with New Perspective was hard. Between the heart ache of loosing both my grandmothers and sucking it up just enough to find somewhere to live when I had no money was a serious challenge... I had to spend my next 6 month budget on securing a home to live in. 

The timing was weirdly cosmic I guess as all of a sudden my life, just when it was falling apart, started coming together. I realised that this was my moment, this was my opportunity to re invent the direction I was taking. So I moved to Stanley and went for my second art exhibition 'Stepping out'. I was away from Pan Hoi Street, Quarry Bay my comfort zone for the previous 6 years, in Stanley and right beside the sea. so I found a quite place to camp out and set up all my artwork.

Here I was invited to take my work up to a gallery! WOW second exhibition and already an invite to an gallery... but thats another story...

At this point I was starting to panic a bit, then an old school friend of mine (and patron of the arts) commissioned me to do a very large piece for his office. The whole thing from start to finish was just odd. The concept that he was paying me to paint was totally foreign to me. It all went very well but WOW was it a learning curb :)

I reached summer of 2015 and just totally freaked out. I was almost completely broke and I don't mean I over ran my budget, I had nothing! but pure raw passion and a desire to see this art thing through. So I made it work, somehow and pushed through to my next exhibition 'Reaching out'... because it was time for something to happen, I'd put my hole heart mind body and soul on the line for all this, not mentioning the credit card ;) 

After I set it all up I sat back and thought YES! 3rd time lucky indeed... there was not a thing I would change. People asked me if it was successful unfortunately I feel my reply is quantified in money terms, but this is not what this is about. I want to move forward as an artist. I want to reach out and touch the stars, especially in places where the streets have no name ;) What will I do for money? I guess I will keep moving forward put my values and goals first and hope that one day something will eventually pay off.

What am I saying, it is paying off already. I'm free, I feel passion and creativity growing stronger in me everyday. We all need help to succeed but the best help you can get is from yourself, the only catch being you must believe in yourself and follow no one else's voice except your own. 

Thank you for reading. Check out my website at www.aranaartndesign.squarespace.com 

Reaching OUT - insomnia

Awake

insomnia

my brain won't stop

Everything is alive and I will myself to keep going, to push through the exhaustion, the fears and ideas of others. Blocking out the voices so I can listen to myself think. My inner voice has been weak, so weak I stopped listening to it for a while and that is when I became lost. I fell off my path and struggled to find it again, being lost is hard, being lost and aware you should be in control is terrifying. My heart is racing and I can't feel the air I am breathing. Stop, listen and breath deep.

Lying flat on my back, I drift into a dream like state aware of my surrounding. A sense of PEACE filling every part of my body and mind as I drift freely in my own existence. A beacon of light and power glowing on the distant horizon. Allowing my mind to slowly fade away into sleep.

I dream about everything and nothing. I have memories and blank canvas'. Thoughts racing... I focus on the sound of the birds and calm my thinking. Soaring through the dawn sky free in open space, feeling the wind cleansing a troubled spirit clearing a cluttered mind, waking to a better reality. Empowered by connections with nature, stepping in and out of urban chaos. Finding balance and a place to live without ties, freedom to live.

Jealousy and outrage, torment and conflict, emotional bursts all driven and made more powerful by exhaustion, pressure, low blood sugar levels. Overcoming one's own self is one of the most challenging and rewarding life paths to take. Rushing forward, taking steps back keeping your head above water 

Mind stops racing and begins to wander, contemplate, visualising.

The path ahead blossoms with colour, life, the trees more defined, the sea as a body of mystery and the mediative chime of birds as a reminder to remain centred. Free but in control, living in the moment with a clear way forward. Moulding the shape of my world. My design, my future, my happiness. The stronger we build ourselves by fine tuning our engines, the greater a contribution we can make to society and the world around us. 

A better world starts from within your very own core.

Focus, dream, live.

REACHING OUT
3rd solo art exhibition by Arana Kennedy
September 5 and 6
12-5pm
on the little beach at the end of the market
dress code - day at the beach



Thank you to Hong Kong Noise for a very insightful feature. Follow this link to read more about #AranaART
Hong Kong Noise

Reaching OUT - inspiration (6-11)

Reaching OUT - INSPIRATION

Several months ago, I made some random general remark on FB about me being an 'Artist' my old English teacher from school jumped in and commented about how one shouldn't label themselves... At the time I was so thrilled with this 'label' I had trouble understanding what he meant...

Recently a young man, who was trying to get me to go on a date with him, lead with, 'what do you mean you are busy, you are an artist, don't you just sit at home and doodle all day?' HAHAHA!

That's when I realised, I'm trying to get all this going on my own, so I'm an Artist, YES! but under this 'label' also includes graphic designer, marketing manager, events planner, social secretary, sales person, promoter, accounting, financial planning, writer, photographer, publicist, social and online event attendance...

Then my house wife friends say, 'how lucky youu are to be so free, I need to keep everything running in my home 24-7, i never get a day off!'

Well, As an up and coming artist who is mostly living off fresh air, do you think my place cleans itself? and I can go without cooking cleaning??? I do all that too! so lets add, cleaning, cooking, laundry and household maintenance...

Point being... labels really mean nothing at all... they are just a way to get a very basic perspective of who someone is, but how can you use one word to describe any one person when we all have such complex lives behind the labels.

After my last exhibition an old school friend commissioned a large piece of artwork from me. He told me what he liked about my artwork and said he wanted me to express my art journey on a canvas. Which actually became a sort of closing of a chapter for me on my style, progress :) I built a love hate relationship with this piece. Love because I love all my work, but hate came in as I needed to emotionally detach myself from the work that was going straight to a new home. All artwork is personal to the creator. its very personal.

An artists journey
by Arana Kennedy 

All the images I have included in this painting have been significant icons in my mind. The hunched back flute player in the sun, Both sea and sky dragons, HK skyline and buildings surrounded by nature, my first stage of red, black and gold designs, blending in newer more recent canvas are details from my mini canvas collection.

Completing this significant artwork was a milestone of sorts. I left my art behind and took a deep breath and allowd all the feedback from the past year to enter my heart and mind and really reach out and be bold for my 3rd exhibition.

early stage at the drawing board

This is where the adventure began, with an A4 piece of paper and my sharpie pens. I'd been playing with my 'goddess oracle' cards and one goddess spoke to me, Pele - the goddess of awakening and protector of the volcano in Hawaii. Within a few days of the card reading I was flicking through some TV channels and came across a documentary about the volcano in Hawaii and how you can't remove a single rock, if you do the goddess Pele would curse those who removed keepsakes from the volcano would be plagued with bad luck. This can't really be proven as such, as whatever is going on is clearly invisible to the human brain. However, many have removed 'souvenirs' and bad luck has followed. The only way to break this curse was to return the items. There staff working there report they receive heaps of packages returning these items. Proving... something is very real and going on here.

Then about 10 days later I flicked on a random movie, set in Hawaii, Pele was mentioned in the first 10 mins. 

Deal sealed, 3 very clear messages that I was to follow Pele's advice and allow myself to awaken to a more enlightened way of being.

REACHING OUT
3rd Solo Art Exhibition by Arana Kennedy
5th & 6th September 2015
Stanley Beach - Hong Kong
design and Photo by #AranaART

Starting on the canvas

Living right next to nature, I meditate daily to the sound of birds chirping from dawn to dusk. Such a peaceful and calming sound, I only need to open my windows and the choir begins. The tranquil symphony of nature, inspiring me to concentrate and focus. The image promoting one to think about birds and how incredible they are. Seeing these images displayed on the beach... you will hear nature calling you. Magically swept away into a moment of peace.

going over boarders into the great adventure of NO MANS LAND

 Daily exposure to the brilliant energy the sun provides. Fresh air and beach time frolicking inspire the creative mind with ever changing back grounds in natures dramatic weather changes. I love the sun but the rain inspires quiet painting time. Allowing the mind to drift into deep passionate thought.

Outside is for living and observing, inside is for self reflection.

Finishing off the main canvas

I was nearing the end of completion and something just wasn't feeling right... Suddenly all the voices in my heads started reminding me that one repeated feed back was... MAKE IT BIGGER!

Reaching out, going further, turning corners

So I started to turn some corners and keep painting...

discussing details with my sketch book

making sure the details were natural... The ever seeing eye's. Pay attention to the world around you. put your phone away and look out the bus window. Leave your house carrying only your keys, better still stash them in a plant pot... Give your 100% attention and focus in everything you see. Live and enjoy the moment.

The 2nd stage is coming together nicely

I go on what I like to call 'art benders' I literally lock myself away and turn off my phone so I can focus. Allow nointeruptions in my thoughts... but we all need a bit of a break and some fun. Everytime I have stepped out to join a random outdoor gathering, I am reminded that Stanley started as a Fishermans village... And the fishermen and woman are still here. Which brings fresh seafood BBQ's to all out door events. I have enjoyed so much fresh seafood I just had to incorporate fish into my Mural of life inspiring work.

More detail planning needed 

At each stage, I sit back and think carefully about the direction and details needed. what fits, what colour blends do I need... 

Loving the vibrant life and action in this part

Thrilled with the vivid contrasting colours I feel I am expressing the intensity of how wildly passionate life is if you just let yourself tune in and follow your instincts

Make up ready for application :)

 More canvas, more inspiration, less blogging ;) back to the canvas...

in the meanwhile have a read of this...

Hong Kong Noise Feature #AranaART

Next blog  update Friday 21st September 2015

Reaching OUT - a state of mind (5--11)

A state of mind

over the years friends and family have tried to encourage me to painting on the side, after hours... but who has the time or energy after returning home almost 12 hours after you left for work that morning, struggling with a gluten allergy after that 12 hours I needed to prepare all my food. I felt on some level this was interperated to mean laziness. If I really wanted it, I would find a way and just do it.

Standing Strong
20x20cm canvas artwork by Arana Kennedy

I decided, for me, the only way to really do this was to throw myself into art and creativity on a daily basis. Hind sight has taught me one thing, i was right in thinking that. When painting, I discovered that being in a zen like meditative state is the most effective way to channel creativity and maintain a calm and peaceful centre of balance. I go on 'painting binges' I find its a bit like sport, I guess in that you need to stretch and warm up. Same with anything you do in life. It's just a very different choice I have made. I wish to connect to the world in my own creative way. Sharing light and love and having time for all the small and simple things that make life so much more rich.

Hong Kong vibrant city
40x40cm canvas by Arana Kennedy

Connecting with this rich new way of living stirred up life and imagination bringing vibrant colours into my artwork. Exploring acrylic blends of sharp striking colours on canvas' of all sizes. Not everyone has space of decretionary income for large artworks, so I hope to continue working on my 'mini canvas' collections too. 

I am woken daily by sunlight and birds churping... from 6am to 10am Stanley is particularly quiet, with no traffic sounds at all. It's a time of day I feel I can manage a lot of work, total tranquility helps the mind focus. The solitude feeling of mornings is the most powerful of the day. 

The more I connect with all things natural the more alive I feel inside. When I feel so alive, its like my senses are heightened I can feel things around me. Which is why at times I need solitude, I'm to easily effected by other peoples emotions so being alone means I can work at my own pace, my natural inner drum.

Currently as I type, I have this inner drum quietly starting up in the back ground, as I look over at my progress of my exhibition work. It speaks to me... The images dancing before my eyes, willing me to continue painting. Daring me to let go and just follow my instinct. This is a new developement in my evolving style. I'm feeling the direction pulling me to where I need to be. and right now, it's painting on the canvas :)

Next blog update

Monday 18th August!!!

YIKES! better get my paint on!

Reaching OUT - work in progress (4-11)

Reaching OUT

Solo ART exhibition

by Arana Kennedy

Saturday 5th & Sunday 6th

September 2015

Design & Photo by Arana Kennedy

THE PLAN SO FAR...

Details were missing,

Blown away in the last typhoon,

Waiting for the storm to settle,

New ideas are born.

Creating something from nothing

is a challenge I intend to do

With passion and thoughts abundance

It grew into a creative NEW...

I am lucky to live in a super relaxed beach town just 30 mins away from the center of Hong Kong's CBD. I have 5 beaches to choose from that are all no more than 5 mins walk away. and all you can hear from 6am to 10am are birds...

On the weekend of September 5th & 6th pop down to Stanley between 12-5pm to see my new art project I have been working on. My art exhibitions are a growing work of art in themselves and I certainly hope this one will provide more than previous ones. With a background in Hospitality I enjoy organising events, so I'd like this exhibition REACHING OUT to have an event like feel to it. I'm building momentum and will gratefully welcome all visitors to my exhibition. 

ART WALK

Photo by Arana Kennedy

I will do an 'art walk' at 12,1,2,3,4pm on both Saturday which will be a bit of a description and insight to the work I am presenting. This will involve removing shoes and breathing in the (hopefully) fresh clean sea air :) and finish with a refreshing paddle in the sea.

On Saturday & Sunday from 12.30 to 3.30pm there will be sand castle building, shell and sea glass collecting. Make sure you wear your sun screen/lotion, hat & sunglasses a MUST! Throw in swimsuit and sarong/towel, you can take a cooling dip in the sea.

SUNSET SURPRISE

5-7pm winding down the day with sunset drinks on the beach. more details to follow as this plan evolves. Face painting will hopefully be available too!

Location is the little beach at the end of Stanley Market.

Take a bus to Stanley Market/Village bus stop.

Walk to the end of Stanley Market (away from  Stanley Plaza)

Where there will be signs put up dirrecting you to the beach, just around that corner :)

Photo by Faisal Bukhari

This is how my last exhibition looked, I'm expecting a much more summer feel to this one. 

The art work is in progress and if you look on my instagram @AranaART I put regular updates of things I'm working on. Also my FaceBook page Arana ART also has updates of links to my blog, ETSY, online purchase of my artwork and daily updates of my outdoor office.

Next blog up date Friday 14th August

REACHING OUT - A state of mind

Reaching OUT - Stepping OUT (3-11)

After my NEW PERSPECTIVE exhibition I thought to myself... I did it! I pulled off an art exhibition. Loads of hard work with each and every moment being a gifted reward. I felt my inner strength growing, the sense of accomplishment in doing something I created by myself and to my design, was incredible. I decided that the only way for me to move forward was to keep the momentum going. Picked a date 6 months later and labled it STEPPING OUT

7th March 2015

#AranaART Exhibition Stepping OUT

In January I realised I hadn't started planning far enough in advance, hadn't really found the dirrection I needed in my artwork... It is like wanting to get up and dance to a specific song, but I wasn't quite sure what song I wanted to play. Feeling overwhelmingly terrified of putting any of my artwork on display i decided that in its self was part of my challenge here. Could I logistically pull of a beach exhibition on my own? With zero budget, I had no choice, if I was going to continue to move forward... I had to find a way.

Along the path of my artistic journey through these past months I have also focused my attentions towards my physical and mental health. Having a clear and healthy mind opens up the connections and magic of the universe. I remember clearly going to bed one night, fully content with the world and myself. As I drifted off to sleep I entered a truly amazing dream of vivid colour no story, just a collective flash of imagies and feelings. Waking up with the sun rising and the birds awakening in song... I started to draw and capture this feeling I experienced.

Inspired by a dream I called this drawing

The Dream

by Arana Kennedy

original ink drawing A4 size

Stepping OUT - ink artwork

 With March 7th fast approaching I decided to create a canvas. In my mind this painting didn't quite cut it ;) There was something missing but I couldn't quite put my finger on what... Reflecting now, i can see it's obvious, the detail... 

Stepping OUT - painting

Stepping OUT was a huge success in my mind, as more friends joined and I realised I was starting to spark some genuine interest. I felt I had reached my 'beginning stage' the part where I could see this journey a little more clearly. I was learning and evolving my style.

Following my art exhibition on the beach, I took some selected pieces to a gallery on Hollywood Road. This was like being in a totally new world! In this world of 'art lovers' 'art patrons' I realised my value... Learning that I was not alone in my passion. Having spent most of my life in 'rain stream' living, I hadn't yet connected with my true self. This fabulous oppertunity opened my eye's to a whole new life of adventure and creativity.

And for the first time I started to breath deep

Next blog update
Monday 10th August

'RAIN STREAM' - a totally made up thing meaning following the flow.... ;)

Reaching OUT - Finding courage (2-11)

Finding courage

First I had to find a NEW PERSPECTIVE which I marked with my first solo exhibition on September 5th 2014. Having quit my job in July 2014 to pursue full time art, I realised that everything since my A-level art was self taught and I had been so focused on working to pay my bills up till that point, I hadn't devoted anytime to myself or my artwork.

and I knew nothing!

My whole life I have believed in magic after all the impossible becomes possible everyday. I believed in Santa, my Mum was great for that. When I came home saying kids at school said Santa isn't real the gifts are just coming from their parents, My Mum just laughed and said, Yes! It's true, kids who don't believe in Santa do get presents from their parents pretending, Santa stops visiting kids who don't believe in him, so if I were you, I'd keep believing coz its  not worth the risk! Well, I was almost satisfied with this answer but decided to stay awake on Christmas eve to find out for myself...

That night as I was lying in bed, I heard Santa enter the bedroom... My first thought was... I smell toothpaste!? Santa just brushed his teeth!? As Santa came closer to the bed I suddenly had a rush of thoughts through my head, the loudest saying Do you want Santa to be fake? Do you want this magic to go away? NO WAY! Santa brings awesome stuff! And I lay there with my eye's firmly shut while I listened to Santa.

After Santa left the room I quickly checked to see if my stocking was on my bed... YES! I'd saved Christmas!

Years later I always feel a little crushed when people talk about Santa as a commercialised because for me I believed that Santa had his work shop filled with hand made toys for all the kids in the world. What's so 'EVIL CORP' about thinking that as a kid? 

As an adult I feel I want to create something special and share that magic. The magic that leads to anything being possible, if enough people collectively believe in that magic I honestly believe this world will continue to grow into a better place. 

Equality for all, as a kid in my mind, Santa had toys for ALL the kids in the world. My idea of Santa didn't discriminate. 

a NEW PERSPECTIVE

 SteppingOUT exhibition at the beach March 2015

 SteppingOUT at Chu's gallery, 1 Hollywood Road

New Perspective exhibition at Pan Hoi Street

Being able to do this on my own terms a very special and magical thing. It makes what I'm doing feel real, following my decisions and choices. I believed in myself and the rest seems to be falling into place. But I have devoted time, thought and energy to embrace this project with all my heart. Driven by seeking truth and honesty in the world around me, I find beauty everywhere. You see an ugly corner, I see the opportunity to transform that corner into something beautiful.

I want to break it down, take it apart and rebuild creating a solid foundation built on magic.

I recently sold this painting NEW PERSPECTIVE it was painted to represent a doorway or port hole into a new way of thinking. Now that I feel I have confidently made the leap of faith and entered through this doorway into another dimension of thought. I am ready to pass this magic to a new home. It is blessed with the power of opening one's mind to the infinite possibilities within the universe. And as the universe expands so to do those possibilities.

I thought that this first art exhibition would be the giant hurdle I would need to overcome to reach my goals, how wrong could I have been :) The last 12 months has been littered with hurdles... but after the first exhibition I needed to step out of my comfort zone...

Next blog REACHING OUT - Stepping OUT (3-11)

Friday 7th August 2015

support the artist and buy some art

Mini canvas artwork for sale

Reaching OUT - 365 days (1-11)

Happy one year no job anniversary to me!

Did i imagine one year ago when I walked out of a full time job that I would be here today over joyed with what a fantastic year I have had? Yes! But I wasn't so certain I would make it to this point... there have been many tantrums and tears along the way but I knew it wasn't going to be easy. That just made me more determined.

Emotions are like roller coasters, the more complicated one's life is the greater the dips and turns. With this in mind, I decided I really needed to focus on simplifying everything in my life. Suffering from depression (worrying about the past) and anxiety (worrying about the future, I had to start living in the present.

I have spent the past year working on my art. Finding focus was incredibly challenging... for the past 20 years all my jobs had been active, hands on work... so sitting quietly to draw and paint was something I needed to train myself to do... Looking back now at some of the more simplistic artworks I have done, I can clearly see my state of mind reflected on the canvas, the ideas are there... but the attention to detail is poor...

Visualising my dream and working through each progressive step, I have gained so much knowledge along the way. I am also very grateful for those who have supported me in buying my artwork, if feels like such an honour when someone treasures my art as much as I do.

Here in Hong Kong now, everyone is away overseas and its lovely and quiet... A brilliant time to be out and about in Stanley and preparing for my 3rd solo art exhibition, ReachingOUT

Here is my official poster design for the exhibition. I'm currently working on a canvas 120x100cm of this picture as one of my 6 featured new artworks. This design will be available at my exhibition for sale as a large canvas, smaller mini canvas features, and greeting cards. All at very special exhibition prices only ;)

The image of the lady in the middle is inspired by the Hawaiian goodness Pele, protector of the volcano and feminine divine of awakening. In times of stress I look to my goddess oracle cards for guidance. Free readings will be available on Saturday from 5-7pm during sunset surprise.

Sun, moon, sun represents the exhibition days and times Saturday, night and Sunday.

My daily meditation sounds everywhere I go in Stanley is birds, there are some many birds here such a peaceful energising sound.

My fairly recent move to Stanley has connected me to the ocean, water. Endless amounts of natural healing in various different ways, my favourite is swimming at dawn, at 5.45 before the oldies rock up at 6am.

The spider is Charlotte, she lived by my front door as I also attempted to confront my fear of these 8 legged beasts. 

And the fish, symbolising the generosity I have received in these last few months, the most surprising being receiving fresh fish from the fisherman here. Happy to share their daily catch and have a beer at the end of the day :)

With September fast approaching I am busy working on and organising the details for my Exhibition. 

As mentioned earlier, I will have 6 new canvas' so as a build up to my Exhibition I shall have regular updates here on my blog. 

On a personal level, I feel very bless and pleased that I am gaining momentum and this is going to be AWESOME!

Next blog update Monday 3rd August

Reaching out - Finding courage (2-11)

REACHING OUT

Solo art exhibition by Arana Kennedy

Sat 5th & Sun 6th September 2015 Stanley

AranaARTnDESIGN website

Painting - New Perspective

"When at first you don't succeed, try again!"

or continue working on the project because, maybe its just not finished yet...

For my first solo art exhibition a needed a new piece, something that was personal to me, something that portayed the symbolic new dramatic angle and life I was about to embark on. With NEW PERSPECTIVE on my mind, I needed to re think everything I'd previously known and decided if I was about to take this giant leap of faith and follow my natural instincts... I needed to think differently and change everything. I needed a door way, a secret doorway that would help me catorgirise what I am doing, in my mind. I decided to leave the dragons for this part of my project. And I needed to introduce a colour other than red, black and gold, hold onto your seats folks... I added a bit of yellow! WOW! hahaha!

Featured here at my first exhibition on Pan Hoi Street, Quarry Bay.

I wasn't pleased and it just didn't feel finished, was it the painting or was it myself reflecting in the colors a sense of incopletion within my soul?

Having a new and different perspective, adjusted the way I looked at things, I no longer am choosing fear, I am choosing to be. Nothing need be final or unchanged, we choose our own paths and destiny everything else is a fleeting moment, a random act... So I got back and started to complete my first transitional process, really embracing the NEW PERSECTIVE.. 

My New Perspective was ready by the time I decided it was time to Step out... 

So I featured my completed peice for my second Art exhibition

Stepping OUT

The final completion and the amazing feedback was incredible... I made this, I created this... and Mr Tilbroke... we aren't in Art class anymore!

Stepping OUT Exhibition

SteppingOUT

An exhibition of Artwork by Arana Kennedy

Artist of acrylic and ink design

Just over a year ago, I decided to turn my attentions to working on my artwork in a more serious capacity. By March 2014 new work contracts came out and I decided I had far too much to learn about becoming a full time artist, now was the time to take that leap... so I ticked no and resigned. Driven by a desperate feeling that there was so much more to life, but I somehow wasn't living to my full potential. I was super confident until the last day of work... thats when I started to get nervous. I had to come up with a plan, anything to keep my eye on the bigger goal, so I planed my first Art exhibition NEW Perspective. A close firend pointed out to me, that I had nothing to loose and if I couldn't find the motivation needed, it didn't matter, as I had so much other artwork to exhibit, why not make it simple and start there? 

I was still heavily sedaited by my previous life when I decided to paint a bunch of ladders and bring my art to the strreets of Quarry Bay, with no money and nothing to loose I just continued to hurtle myself forward. I had to go through my brain and try to think of any friends who might have some idea about what I was about to do, so I reached out to one, suddenly I had a gallery owner at my first exhibition on the street. She wanted me to be a part of a street exhibition. 

I was not ready for this! A friend many years ago asked me why I kept saying this, "I'm not ready" well because I wasn't... :) Of course, when you say this, people flock and think maybe you are loosing your confidence, well simply put I had no confidence left to loose, so that really wasn't the issue... Why wasn't I ready? Because I simply didn't have enough of a portfolio to present. So I got to work on creating, designing, translating dreams, thoughts and idea into images. It's all very well having these bold ideas, the real trick is presenitng them into a painting. 

I needed to work, and I needed to work hard. So I got to it and decided that I was due to completely run out of funds come March, so lets just go for it and have an exhibition at the beginning of March, 6 months after NEW PERSPECTIVE I went forth with SteppingOUT.

My biggest break through wasn't measured in how many people came to my exhibition, or in how many paintings I sold, but in how I was able to transform my feelings onto paper, and how do I know I managed this? because every once in a while someone comes along, and they connect with the picture and feel the energy that is gives. This for me, is what true magic is. To bring other peoples joy to the surface so that they can be happy. 

Art is meant to provoke feelings and there is no judgement in how you feel because its your feeling, only yours. The artist intended you to connect with yourself, to think to feel... Many people ask me what my paintings mean, but that is not for me to say, as I don't wish to influence your mind, I want you to draw from your own life.

People who 'know' about art, can appreciate time, effort, maybe a deeper understanding in looking at the brush strokes. Others as fascinatited by techniques and appearance. And some simply like the colors. The point is, there is no right or wrong, you either like it or you don't :)

After my exhibition SteppingOUT I rushed my art down to an art gallery in the main art district on Hong Kong... No time to think, ponder or worst of all fear! Just kept on going... And WOW... WOW!

Behind every painting I create, there is a story...

Behind every moment I spend drawing, there are hours of meditation and thought...

Behind every movement in time, there is a choice...

I feel lucky and blessed, but most of all I am so happy that all my focus and hardwork is paying off and now I can continue to move forward with a little bit more confidence in my life... or is it simply just balance I was seeking :) Well this is not the end of my journey, it's just the beginning.

Arana Kennedy

Artist in training

Watch out for her next solo exhibition on September 5th & 6th 2015

NEW PERSPECTIVE - mash up!