A profile of Max Gimblett and his work will be airing on TV one's Sunday programme. Thanks to all of you who emailed me and texted to make sure I knew. Max had let me know too. I will definitely tune in for the show. Wouldn't miss it for the world.

Here is a link to the promo http://tvnz.co.nz/view/news_minisite_index_skin/news_sunday_group

Personally I don't like the negative slant - still at least he gives them something to think about..."do people really send you crank emails. That's horrible....I feel sick at the thought of it" I emailed him.

What is wrong people. Didn't they see the movie Bambi? "If you aint got nothing nice to say don't say nothin at all."

here is what they posted on the web

Max The Brush
Love him or loathe him, Max Gimblett is our most internationally prominent and successful artist. Living in New York for 30 years, Gimblett throws, smears and sprays paint and ink at a canvas. Aficionados say his work is broad, stylistic and philosophical, and people pay hundreds of thousands of dollars for it. His critics say it's kids stuff and New Zealanders send him crank emails. Regardless, he's our greatest artistic export.

Henri Matisse's critics said his work was kid's stuff too - so Max is onto something -- personally I find his work incredibly serene, spiritual and uplifting - can't say that for much of the so called "adult" work I see out there - all angst ridden and totured complaining about the ills of the world or the angst of their soul...I'd personally hate to have that energy in my home of office

Give me Max Gimblett's work any day - in fact I have just purchased another of his pieces! It's gorgeous! Just wait until you see it!



Hugs

Cass the colourgirl

It's a gorgeous day here in Wellington today. I am off to Shed 11 tonight for the launch of New Zealand in Watercolour, produced by my good friend Denis Robinson. It's also the annual Watercolour Society of NZ exhibition - aptly named Splash 5.

I have three paintings in! Come on down or check it out over the next week while it is on!

As you will see from my earlier thread I was feeling a bit grey myself. I was doing some research and came across something I had written 2 years ago.....just shows - we all need reminding now and then!

Here it is just for you!

It’s official: black is banned from everything I do. It’s fine as an accent but other than that does little to lift the spirits or inspire. John Gage, author of Colour and Meaning, believes that colour is more than just a physiological phenomenon. It affects feelings and emotional states. Just how and why it does that, he believes, lies in the particular historical context in which it is experienced and interpreted.

In parts of Asia for example, black is believed to be a very lucky colour. What about New Zealand? Other than the (normally) positive association with the All Blacks, black too often is a colour of mourning – the stock standard attire for funerals. I walk down Lambton Quay in Wellington and I feel like I am going to a funeral every day. Perhaps it is the same in your city or office building. Heaven forbid it may be the standard color you put on every morning!

As artist Paul Klee said, “one eye see and the other feels.” If you want to feel passionate, positive, motivated, excited or any other joyful state join me in the November Colour Challenge and banish black from your life too. If you can’t banish it completely try to do something every day to bring a little more colour in the world. You could accessorise with new shoes, a scarf or tie, a brooch or environmentalise (new word) with flowers on your desk, a lick of paint, happy music (see interesting facts) a colour screen saver etc.

The truth is that the more colourful you are the happier you can make others feel. Today it was rainy and cold so I put on my most colourful dress (purple, orange, red and white- recently purchased in sunny Hawkes Bay) grabbed my orange bag, popped on orange shoes and headed into town. The first thing my local barista said was, “here’s my little rainbow - you’ve brightened my day.” I didn’t even say a thing. What I wore said it all. What are you saying when you wear black? How do you want to be remembered? Maybe you don’t! Some colourists believe that black can prevent us from changing and growing.
"We often wear black when we wan to hide from the world,” says author Suzy Chiazzari.

Note: if you love the colour black, it suits your skin tones and it makes you feel good, then by all means wear it! Think “little black dress", think The All Blacks, think Audrey Hepburn. Put together well black can be ultra sophisticated. However my ardent, not evidenced by exhaustive research, intuitive sense, is that the majority of people wear black because mass produced clothing outlets offer few alternatives and people just don’t know what suits them. See a colourist, find a tailor - or fly to colourful Thailand and get your clothes there! If you can’t afford to travel, buy a colourful painting or purchase a photograph that puts some joy on your walls….I know just the place:) Come visit me at www.cassandragaisford.com



Websites
http://www.soothingminds.co.uk/Articles.aspx?artid=158
interesting articles including one on colour astrology – no surprise to see that not one of the zodiac signs is black. Being a Libran my colour is green. Currently though my favorite colour is orange…but I am shifting to purple….but I thought it was interesting to learn what my astrological colour says about us “greenies:” Libra is the balancer and green is the energy of the heart chakra and harmony. Those who are born under the sign of Libra are known to be peacemakers. 'Green' people are the ones that you can go to when you have a problem as they are the most compassionate of all the astrological signs. So colour can also help clarify your vocation! As a life coach being compasssionate is essential! Check out the site to see what colour you are.

Books
Colour and Meaning John Gage

The Complete book of colour Suzy Chiazzari.
Includes tips on clothes and make-up, colour and interiors, colour diets for health, finding your soul colours, colour in the garden, healing with colour, your personal colours and more much more!

'How to Heal with Color, Balance Your Chakras! Ted Andrews

Faber Birren Color Psychology & Color Therapy.

Interesting facts

Several of the world's best musical composers have seen colors in music. Franz Liszt was known to say things like, "This is too black," "More pink here," and "I want it all azure."? Ludwig van Beethoven referred to B minor as "the black key." Franz Schubert described E minor as being "unto a maiden robed in white and with a rose-red bow on her breast."

In Thailand every day of the week is assigned it’s very own colour
Sunday - red
Monday - cream/yellow
Tuesday - pink
Wednesday - green
Thursday - orange/brown
Friday - blue
Saturday - black/purple
What is your lucky colour. Go back and check out what day you were born to find out
http://www.thai-blogs.com/index.php?blog=5&title=what_is_your_lucky_colour&more=1&c=1&tb=1&pb=1

Try it! It really works. My colour came out as orange! Anyone who knows me knows I wear a lot of orange – I even painted my garage wall orange!


Note: if you love the colour black, it suits your skin tones and it makes you feel good then all means wear it! Think “little black dress, think The All Blacks, think Audrey Hepburn. Put together well it can be ultra sophisticated. However my ardent, not evidenced by exhaustic research but intuitive sense is that the majority of people wear black because mass produced clothing offers little alternatives and people just don’t what suits them. See a coloursit, find a tailor (or fly to Thailand and get your clothes there!)

Labels: Colour, happiness

Have just purchased a website domain "thecolourgirl.com" and all ready to get out there and fill the world with colours that incite positivity..I have been feeling a bit flat myself this week - has been a very taxing, trying week

I realised with a jolt that much of my flatness was due to the bleakness of the sky, the blandness of the buildings that surround me and the harsh grey road that weaves its way around the city. Plus, here in Wellington everyone looks like they are permanently going to a funeral - black reigns king.

So now I am busy injecting more colour into my world. So far I have been busy rearranging my paintings and moving more colour onto the walls and have just purchased the most amazing citrus orange shot dress and a zingy yellow one too - nearly purchased a red silk flowing number..but don't feel just ready for red yet - too strong......will post photos!

Colour always uplifts my soul. As fellow visual artist Paul Klee said, "one eye sees and the other feels." That's why surrounding myself with and wearing more of the colours that make me feel the way i wish to feel are an essential took in my wellness kit.

How could you wear more joy in your life? Right now I am planning to purchase another Gimblett - this one a juicy quatrefoil in succulent orange, meadow green and a dash of cheery red...ooh nearly forgot the dashes of heartwarming yellow...a very joyful piece indeed.....Common universe...send me some $$$$ to pay for it! As always I begin with my intent and challenge the universe, and myself, to catch up.

My new business line, I am sure, well definitely help! So many people have said it will be fantastic..a french can thought I could be the Gordon Ramsay of the colour world! (the C word!..c for colour that is!)

Am wondering if i need to decamp, sell up and move toward the tropics myself...will see what flows in weeks leading up to Christmas..everything so grey and windswept here - a domination of black and grey threatens to consume.

Talking about one eye seeing and the other feeling...take a good look at this image and consider "how does it make you feel?"
It's horrifying to think that this is the Child Youth and Family Mental Health Centre in Wellington. IF you weren't depressed before you will be once you clap eyes on it. What a nightmare....unloved, uncared for and painted an insipid mental ward green.

Labels: Colour, happiness, Thecolourgirl.com

I’m excited to announce my new business line Thecolourgirl.com. As many of you know one of my greatest passions has been colour. I love the energy, vitality and transformation that colour can create in people’s lives. So now I’m making a bold, colourful commitment to make helping people bring more colour into their lives.
So as of December I’ll be extending my range of personal services (life and career coaching; creativity workshops; and art and photography) to include:

• Image and colour analysis
• Personal style and body shape analysis
• Personal shopping
• Wardrobe analysis and make-over
• Make-up techniques
• Corporate workshops and seminars
• Interior design

My new website www.thecolourgirl.com is a work in progress at the moment. I’m off to Auckland to study with professional colour and image consultant Beverly at the Fashion Academy.

You know when you’re in flow when things seem to happen effortlessly. I’d just made the commitment to do the training when a lady approached me and told me how much she loved what I was wearing. I told her what I was planning to do and the next thing I knew not only had she booked an appointment but four of her colleagues had too.

I’ve already practiced on one of my friends. Initially I went over to help her with her wardrobe and colours, but the moment I went to her house it was obvious the house needed a de-clutter too! “How do you feel when you look around your home?” I tactfully asked. “terrible! There’s so much clutter – I just don’t know where to start!” “one room at a time I suggested, and off we went! It was great fun and therapeutic too. I know because I have had a great friend help me too. Everyone needs a helping hand from time to time – there’s no shame in that!

My friend was so thrilled. “Thanks so much for the motivation yesterday. You are amazing. I have never had anyone like you. What you did was so lovely – the combination of actually getting me started on some action within taking over. You have that gorgeous way – it’s a fine balance motivating people and you’ve definitely got it. “

If you would like to book a pre-Christmas image make-over and/or help to de-clutter your home contact me now. I still have a few spaces in my calendar prior to Christmas. My aim is to help you recession proof your life by making change affordable too. Call me now on 04 972 4663 0r Cassandra@cassandragaisford.com It would be such a joy to hear from you

Labels: Colour, Thecolourgirl.com

Do you dream of making a living from creativity but wonder how you'll pay the bills. Check out this Campbell live video and learn how three aspiring artists went from living on the dole to earning a living from their creative passions. Click here to view

One of my clients Romana drew the image above. The title “naval gazer:” she gave it acurately sums up what can happen when too much time is spent dwelling on things and not enough time actively evaluating options and challenging unhelpful assumptions and mistaken beliefs.

In a state of decisive paralysis many people get stuck. A simple but effective way to get unstuck is to explore a range of different thinking styles - ideally ones that challenge crippled thinking, open up possiblities and move you into a state of inspired, solutions-focused action.


I came across this great summary of creativity guru Edward de Bono's Six Thinking Hats while doing research for my book "Happy@Work: job hunting for mid-lifers +"

Six Thinking Hats
Looking at a Decision from All Points of View
"Six Thinking Hats" is a powerful technique that helps you look at important decisions from a number of different perspectives. It helps you make better decisions by pushing you to move outside your habitual ways of thinking. As such, it helps you understand the full complexity of a decision, and spot issues and opportunities which you might otherwise not notice.

Many successful people think from a very rational, positive viewpoint, and this is part of the reason that they are successful. Often, though, they may fail to look at problems from emotional, intuitive, creative or negative viewpoints. This can mean that they underestimate resistance to change, don't make creative leaps, and fail to make essential contingency plans.

Similarly, pessimists may be excessively defensive, and people used to a very logical approach to problem solving may fail to engage their creativity or listen to their intuition.

If you look at a problem using the Six Thinking Hats technique, then you'll use all of these approaches to develop your best solution. Your decisions and plans will mix ambition, skill in execution, sensitivity, creativity and good contingency planning.

This tool was created by Edward de Bono in his book "6 Thinking Hats".

How to Use the Tool:

To use Six Thinking Hats to improve the quality of your decision-making, look at the decision "wearing" each of the thinking hats in turn.

Each "Thinking Hat" is a different style of thinking. These are explained below:

White Hat:
With this thinking hat, you focus on the data available. Look at the information you have, and see what you can learn from it. Look for gaps in your knowledge, and either try to fill them or take account of them.

This is where you analyze past trends, and try to extrapolate from historical data.

Red Hat:
Wearing the red hat, you look at the decision using intuition, gut reaction, and emotion. Also try to think how other people will react emotionally, and try to understand the intuitive responses of people who do not fully know your reasoning.

Black Hat:
When using black hat thinking, look at things pessimistically, cautiously and defensively. Try to see why ideas and approaches might not work. This is important because it highlights the weak points in a plan or course of action. It allows you to eliminate them, alter your approach, or prepare contingency plans to counter problems that arise.
Black Hat thinking helps to make your plans tougher and more resilient. It can also help you to spot fatal flaws and risks before you embark on a course of action. Black Hat thinking is one of the real benefits of this technique, as many successful people get so used to thinking positively that often they cannot see problems in advance, leaving them under-prepared for difficulties.

Yellow Hat:
The yellow hat helps you to think positively. It is the optimistic viewpoint that helps you to see all the benefits of the decision and the value in it, and spot the opportunities that arise from it. Yellow Hat thinking helps you to keep going when everything looks gloomy and difficult.
Green Hat:
The Green Hat stands for creativity. This is where you can develop creative solutions to a problem. It is a freewheeling way of thinking, in which there is little criticism of ideas. A whole range of creativity tools can help you here.

Blue Hat:
The Blue Hat stands for process control. This is the hat worn by people chairing meetings. When running into difficulties because ideas are running dry, they may direct activity into Green Hat thinking. When contingency plans are needed, they will ask for Black Hat thinking, and so on.
You can use Six Thinking Hats in meetings or on your own. In meetings it has the benefit of defusing the disagreements that can happen when people with different thinking styles discuss the same problem.

A similar approach is to look at problems from the point of view of different professionals (e.g. doctors, architects, sales directors) or different customers.

Example:

The directors of a property company are looking at whether they should construct a new office building. The economy is doing well, and the amount of vacant office space is reducing sharply. As part of their decision they decide to use the 6 Thinking Hats technique during a planning meeting.

Looking at the problem with the White Hat, they analyze the data they have. They examine the trend in vacant office space, which shows a sharp reduction. They anticipate that by the time the office block would be completed, that there will be a severe shortage of office space. Current government projections show steady economic growth for at least the construction period.

With Red Hat thinking, some of the directors think the proposed building looks quite ugly. While it would be highly cost-effective, they worry that people would not like to work in it.

When they think with the Black Hat, they worry that government projections may be wrong. The economy may be about to enter a 'cyclical downturn', in which case the office building may be empty for a long time.

If the building is not attractive, then companies will choose to work in another better-looking building at the same rent.

With the Yellow Hat, however, if the economy holds up and their projections are correct, the company stands to make a great deal of money.

If they are lucky, maybe they could sell the building before the next downturn, or rent to tenants on long-term leases that will last through any recession.

With Green Hat thinking they consider whether they should change the design to make the building more pleasant. Perhaps they could build prestige offices that people would want to rent in any economic climate. Alternatively, maybe they should invest the money in the short term to buy up property at a low cost when a recession comes.

The Blue Hat has been used by the meeting's Chair to move between the different thinking styles. He or she may have needed to keep other members of the team from switching styles, or from criticizing other peoples' points.

Key points:

Six Thinking Hats is a good technique for looking at the effects of a decision from a number of different points of view.

It allows necessary emotion and skepticism to be brought into what would otherwise be purely rational decisions. It opens up the opportunity for creativity within Decision Making. It also helps, for example, persistently pessimistic people to be positive and creative.

Plans developed using the '6 Thinking Hats' technique are sounder and more resilient than would otherwise be the case. This technique may also help you to avoid public relations mistakes, and spot good reasons not to follow a course of action, before you have committed to it.

The original source is http://www.mindtools.com/pages/article/newTED_07.htm. You can also read more about this technique at http://www.debonothinkingsystems.com/tools/6hats.htm or pick up your very own copy of Edward's book!

"Toys are often the precursor to serious ideas“
Charles and Ray Eames, designers




I can't believe I missed the Serious Play conference!

Playfulness can:
Improve decision making
open the mind to more creative ideas
tap into intuitive intelligence
Boost confidence and self-esteem
help overcome perfectionism and an acute fear of failure
Be dammed good fun... but wait...

there's more!

if you are as curious as I am click here and learn all about the power of maintaining a playful attitude:

I came across this interesting site while doing some research.

Here's what you can expect to find and learn at The School of Life:

The School of Life is a new cultural enterprise based in central London offering intelligent instruction on how to lead a fulfilled life.

We offer evening and weekend courses, holidays to unexpected locations, stigma-free psychotherapy, secular sermons, conversation meals, a floating faculty of experts and a new kind of literary consultancy service called bibliotherapy.

Our faculty is made up of some of the brightest thinkers and artists at work today. They include Alain de Botton, Geoff Dyer, Susan Elderkin, Tom Hodgkinson, Brett Kahr, Robert Macfarlane and Martin Parr.

We are based in a small but spectacular shop on Marchmont Street, a thriving and bohemian part of central London. We've organised the shop as a chemist for the mind, a place where you can try out a variety of cultural solutions to everyday ailments. We sell books, artworks, courses, holidays and therapeutic services. ....

learn more about who they are and what they do by visiting online

Passionate people are like vitamins for our souls. People who do what they love with all their heart radiate an invisible ray of energy that touches all those who stand in its path. Passionate people make what they do seem so easy. Yet it takes great courage, hard work and often sacrifice to pursue ones true calling. Often these passionate people are the artisans and creative creatures who live amongst us. Sometimes they are the ones who pursue the less traditional career paths that so few have the courage to tackle.

Yet turning your back on traditional careers and office based jobs can be profitable on many levels as European musician Virgil Luriciuc and his band of musicians has found. Since the age of 6 years he has been perfecting his passion for playing the violin. His talent for playing the violin, hard work, and heart based playing has enabled him to travel and work all around the world to the delight of those that flock to hear him play.

For 10 years he has played in Venice at the most famous café in the world. His heart wrenching music moves people to tears and inspires people to fall in love all over again. He has met famous people and been winded and dined by princes and princesses. Playing the violin has also been fabulous for this love life. Now he lives and works in Japan – doubling his salary twice over. It may sound like a glamorous existence but it still requires a great sacrifice. He cannot afford to live and work in his own country and sends all the money he earns to his family in Romania, but he is doing what he loves and what he believes he was born to do. People show their appreciation in tears of happiness and great rounds of applause and he feels the sort of fulfillment that comes from being true to himself.

How do people successfully manage creative careers? Here are 5 simple strategies:

1. Up skill in the areas of business and marketing. As successful author Robert Kyoskai says, "Everything in life is about marketing." The more you know the more you can differentiate yourself from the rest of the crowd.

2. Do a career combo – sometimes having many strings to your bow is the best way to manage unpredictable or unsustainable cash flow. DJ lemon is passionate about reggae music but combines his love with working as a barber. Shelly is training to be a movie maker but knows she can always fall back on her nursing skills when work is thin.


3. Be passionate - Passion is a source of huge energy from the soul that enables a person to produce extraordinary results. Extraordinary people get noticed! As Anita Roddick says, ’ We communicate with passion and passion sells.”

4. Finance your passion - discard unneeded material trappings and trim expenses

5. Persevere – maintain the faith. As Winston Churchill said, “Never, never, never, give up.”



To deny passion and your creative calling is to deny Who You Are and Who you Truly Want To Be. As Pablo Picasso famously said:” “My mother said to me, "If you become a soldier, you'll be a general; if you become a monk, you'll end up as the Pope." Instead, I became a painter and wound up as Picasso."