Peacocks, butterflies, lions and 99.9% of the animal kingdom all have one thing in common, it's the males that have developed to adorne the brightest decorations, do the most elaborate dances, or amazing building to attract their female mates.  Whether it is in the form of beautiful feathers, like my peacock friend above, or the luscious locks of a lion's mane, male animals have gone through a great deal of physical changes in an effort to impress the ladies and pass on their DNA to the next generation.
 
My favourite scenes from David Attenbouough's TV shows are always after the poor male creature has given it everything he's got, to the point of near exhaustion, the drab little female, shrugs her shoulders, says "Meh!" and runs off as fast as she can in the opposite direction! I suspect they are one of David's favourite sequences too! 

My point of pondering today is, 'What the hell happened to us humans to make us run in the complete opposite direction from the tried, tested and established laws of the animal kingdom?  Last time I checked, most of the bright colours, long hair and eleborate dances were being done by us human females! As a mother of three girls, one heading into her teens, I wonder if it is better to reintroduce my girls to the true laws of the natural world, rather than to allow them to follow the trend to dress themselves up like male peacocks, and have the rest of humanity expect them to show of their tail feathers to get any attention? Embrace your inner Peahen girls and let the guys do the all the dancing. If they make a mistake, say Meh, and move on!

My advice for other young woman about to embark on life's crazy journey... Dress to show off your inner spirit and creativity,  and not to try and impress those around you.  Say it out loud, 'This is me, and not who you want me to be. I dance for noone but myself', I will express my joy and happiness in my own way, and I will go where I please. What I choose to build in my life is for me, and is not there to be judged by others. If I'm lucky enough to find someone who wishes to accompany me on my path, there will be no need for bravado, from either of us.

To the journey, where ever the wind blows you...

Chrystal
Animal Artist

  Olivia is outside with some scraper foils - its safer that way, Julia is shouting at the TV as its not working properly and Emily is having a tantrum about her first attempt at painting in acrylic on canvas.  Getting started is always the hardest part. Headstrong as ever, Emily always ends up doing her own thing, and doesn't take advice from anyone... hummm, I wonder where she gets that from?? I have no idea! ;-)

I do however, have an idea in my head about doing some bohemian furniture pieces alonside my animal portraits.  They'd have to feature animals of course! Also Trees, Suns, Moons, Butterflies, Peacocks, Flowers and Dragonflies! Do you think this kind of thing would be popular around here?  I have a lot of space, and the noise and movement associated with sanding and varnishing would certainly alert folks to my presence! 

​Above is George the Pug, he was my last Pet Portrait of 2016!  I am excited and nervous to find out who my first portait of 2017 will be?  Email me today and put me out of my misery!  The first day back in the studio, its quiet and the sun hasn't broken through the clouds yet.  The two older girls are off to the school oval with their bikes.  The eldest convinced that she can teach her younger sibling how to ride her bike with out training wheels.  No mean feat, if she herself is anything to go by. Three weeks of constant screaming, in one of the wettest UK Summers on record, to acheive her 2 wheeled freedom.

Hope you all had a nice Christmas and New Year?  We brought in the New Year at a Campsite in Warburton, our first Aussie Camping and River Swimming experience.  The River Experience could have gone better, but the only near death experience was had by me, I wasn't expecting the current to be so strong or the river to be so deep... Lesson learned, life jackets all round for next year!

2017 is filled with the promise and potential.  I have decided to spruce things up a bit at home, in the wardrobe at the studio and everywhere else and recapturing the favoured fashion of my youth - The Bohemian Style.  My favourite symbols are Celestial bodies, and trees, I also am quite partial to elephants!  So if you happen to be trowing out anything from the 70's or remotely Bohemian is style then you know where to find me! Sitting at the computer pineing over tie dyed throws, waiting for someone to requisit a portrait of their furry  of feathered friend.
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