Blogtober
Ok so I’m not going to be writing a blog every day in Blogtober. There’s no way I can keep up with that sort of challenge but I’ll be enjoying reading other blogs during October and adding a few of my own along the way. But first I thought I’d introduce myself.
By the West Pier, Brighton, UK
Introducing Kore Sage
Hello! I’m Kore. Have we met? If not there’s some things you might like to know.
- I live in Brighton UK. I can walk to the sea in less than 15 minutes and it’s my favourite place to be.
- I visit the beach in all weathers but blustery, wild days are the best. They are even better than the hot, swimming-in-the-sea days.
- In 1991 I moved here to do my nurse training. I didn’t intend to stay but the city has a big heart that pulled me in.
- The rusty remains of the West Pier are like a magnet to me. It has an extraordinary history and I go there often to see and photograph her. Some days I imagine Edwardian couples walking out in their finest clothes, just ghosts on the water.
- I failed art at school and didn’t start making art again for 20 years.
Creative things
Of course I didn’t just pick up a paintbrush one day and make art that I was proud of. It was the encouragement of others that kept me going. From mixed media artists on YouTube to friends and colleagues who seemed genuinely happy when I gave them another amateur attempt as a gift! I took evening classes in drawing and tried different materials until I found things I loved including acrylics, collage and mixed media.
Finding my style
Most of my art was poorly drawn portraits or ugly art journal pages. Many paintings were never finished because I didn’t know how to fix them when they went wrong. I didn’t understand why they went wrong in the first place.
I worked in lots of different styles, learning new techniques and figuring out what I liked. I took courses and made a lot of art that didn’t look like mine! Somewhere along the line I got brave enough to just make art for me, a lot of it, until I started to tune in to the things that made me happy and doing more of it.
Discovering Powertex
By 2013 I would often catch art and craft shows on tv. Create and Craft and Hochanda were showcasing amazing products and techniques that were wonderful but didn’t inspire me. Until I saw Powertex. The textured art and sculpture was nothing short of mind-blowing to me. I dived in and bought a kit. A few fairy houses later I was busy making textured canvases and layering up all kinds of materials in mixed media art.
Becoming a Powertex tutor
In 2014 I was lucky enough to get the chance to train as a Powertex tutor. It’s so much fun to share not just my love of these products but also show others how to make art with them! This opened so many doors for me. I ran demonstrations, did craft fairs and workshops but my favourite thing was to meet with a crafter in their home and spend a few hours helping them to create a project they loved.
By 2019 I had created all kinds of art and projects. I’d enjoyed a spot on the Powertex UK design team, I’d exhibited work locally and people were buying my art!
A creative life
The benefits of having art in my life have been huge, from the mental health benefits to making friends and starting my own small business. My living room is more an art studio these days and I don’t regret a minute that I spend with my art supplies.
I’ll write more about my creative life this month including tips for balancing art as work and for relaxation, how I make art in a small space and manage multiple creative interests. I hope you’ll join me for my mini Blogtober.
