Rotorua Artist Janet Keen, Rotorua Artist, Janet Keen, Rotorua Artist, Janet Keen, Rotorua Artist Janet Keen.

Janet Keen Mixed Rotorua Artist/Teacher. 

all the way from Rotorua New Zealand, volcanic heartland. 

Latest fine art photography exhibition, Rotorua Public Library. 

Just a few of the people I have taught and events I have been involved with ...

Mosaic with Bonnie, all the way from America.

 

Joss, all the way from National Park central north island in the snow.

           Tarquin and Roman, all the way from Rerewhakaiatu

Nadia and her Hippo, all the way from Holland.

After school pupil Kyle Burling loves trucks, all the way from Rotorua.

Families art workshops, all the way from America

  And more of this  lovely, intelligent, talented family

 

Ruby all the way from Rotorua

Debbie all the way from Rotorua

Debbie's exhibition pieces, yes I even organise exhibitions for my regular pupils.

This was in Essence Cafe all the way on Ngongotaha.

Moira, all the way from England.

I teach beginners to advanced, realistic to abstract. 

 You name it I cover it.

Lynette all the way from the lake front

This was Lynettes first portrait of her mother, amazing. 

I have an easy peasy,  portrait lesson that guarantees good likenesses, even if you are a first time painter.

School pupils, murals and paver projects. All the way from Te Kuiti.

Miles, all the way from Australia.

After school, holiday and weekend workshops of animal mosaics for kids and adults.

Lisa's first portrait, this is a beginner artist, my lessons ensure success as long as people are prepared to put the effort in and be patient.

 

  All the way from Japan 

You'd be surprised how many different nationalities seem to make their way to my studio door. 

You could almost call me an international school.

At the moment I have Chinese, Japanese South African, American, Maori, Indian and Dutch pupils.

It's great to get to know other cultures.

 I have recently put in a Japanese peace garden and my next one will be Chinese. 

I am hoping to go to China this year with my husband when he has to go for his work. 

John Paul College student, John all the way from Ngakuru

I have taught many Catholics over the years. 

Maybe the reason for this is that Catholics are exposed to a lot of amazing artwork in churches so they have a highly  developed appreciation for it. 

 Kyle has won numerous awards since being taught by me for the past 10 years.

 

I have taught a surprising number of boys and we have had a great time, my lessons can be tailor-made to anyone's interests.

 I have taught a surprising number of teachers  who are excellent learners and brilliant  team workers. 

Look at this collage done with gold leaf and plaster, very imaginative. 

If you give a person encouragement and tools they can really do some very creative work.

 

 I  teach painting techniques from bright 

(Hilary loves really bright landscapes) 

To  low key colours.

Heather prefers subdued and monochromatic hues.

As an artist I  need to versatile because things change rapidly and  don't want to get stuck in a time warp. 

 I spend as much as 60 per cent of my time on marketing,  getting my name out there and having exhibitions to showcase my work. 

 

My aim is to have everyone in Rotorua knowing who I am because if people know and like me, they will work with me.

 I learned this from super networker Debra Bell when I attended her workshops on networking a number of years ago.

Evelyn with the start of her landscape work in Autumn tones. 

I spend a lot of time on the computer writing press releases and letting people know what I'm up to on facebook.  

 Laura and Heidi . 

These girls came to me from the internet, all the way from America and Holland.

 Lovely positive, young and risk taking attitudes.

 This is their very first landscape work.

If you want to reach young people you have to have a strong computer presence. 

This is Jenny Argante (far right) my  former writing mentor, she is originally all the way from England.

She has introduced me to loads of people all the way from Tauranga.

She bought these Canadian Writers over to my studio for lunch one day.

 She has commissioned me to do two mosaics and a cover for a book.

 

 It's about believing that there is a bigger picture being painted for you and it will all be ok as long as you have faith and just keep on hitting that ball. 

This year I have been focusing on attending Photography workshops. Why do you think I'm doing this? 

It's because artists of the future will need to be competent in photography and videography if they want to market themselves successfully on the web.

I have met some absolutely incredible photographers. 

 Without exception they have been some of the nicest most positive and flexible  people I have ever met in my life. 

I belong to the Rotorua Camera club and I  just love it.

I also belong to the Tokoroa Camera Club as well, they are also a great bunch .

Have a happy day and always remember that I am available to service your creative needs whenever you feel like contacting me. 

No idea too big.

Email me on jkeen@clear.net.nz

Creative Quotes of the day

“The test of courage comes when we are in the minority.  The test of tolerance comes when we are in the majority.”

-Ralph W. Sockman

 Worry does not empty tomorrow of its sorrow; it empties today of its strength.''

-Corrie Ten Boom

"You've got to follow your passion.  You've got to figure out what it is you love--who you really are.  And have the courage to do that.  I believe that the only courage anybody ever needs is the courage to follow your own dream."

-Oprah Winfrey

.

Photography and haiku exhibition by Janet Keen, Rotorua Library from 3rd September to 13th October.

Here are the photos for my exhibition for all of those people who can't make it in person because of geographical locations. 

fantail on a branch

showing us

the way forward

  giving bread

outstretched hands

to outstretched wings

 she loves him

he loves her not

one more heart to console

evening shadows

stalk

the lonely gull

 near the boardwalk

paradise duck

begins his dance

 forest walk

ears ring

listening for bellbirds

she watches

he paces

dreaming of escape

 gently

licking a leaf

with his tongue

even in tall places

no avoiding

food at the zoo

 rising sun

the forbidden berries

appear tempting

 brief moment

before it pops

rainbow balloon

 morning breeze

daffodils nod

in peace 

soft white

hands

dandelion seeds

 when the stone

is warm

the frog returns

 winter morning

neglected grass

lit by frost

 feathering the sky

plumes flow

from the mill

 light slices the lake

like a cake

into thirds

 
misty lake

divided in two

by a wharf

 Whisper

her eyes follow

wherever you move 

broken down car

turning to moss

at the mill

 sacred tree

points the way

to the catholic church 

 finding his way back

he wonders why

it took so long

  farewell

I stay smiling

after the end

 This is my exhibition of 23 haiku in the Rotorua Public Library. 

I am asking people to visit it, vote for their favourite haiku and write their own to go into the draw to win a photo of their choice.

For those of you who can't make it, please feel free to email me some of your own haiku in response to my photos and I'll put them on this blog with your byline. 

jkeen@clear.net.nz

 Here are some shots with me and various people visiting my exhibition.
 

Janet  Keen with haiku and photos in the Rotorua Public library

 When you run your own business you have to be a shameless self promoter
 
It's surprising how people will react when you put yourself out there. 


Some people will be supportive, some won't. 
In my experience it has always paid off to have a go because getting outside your comfort zone allows others to feel as though they can let their lights shine as well.


A lovely person I met in the library who chose the frog as her favourite, made me a delightful haiku to stick in the box. 
It was her first time. 
We shared a special moment in time together. 
It is my dream to run haiku sessions in schools as part of national poetry day and to welcome in the new seasons.
 I will be running a session with St Mary's Catholic School in Rotorua soon. 
We are working out the details so watch this space.

 Professional Photographer Andrew Warner stopped by while in the library to choose the one he liked best.
Andrew helped me with my black and white photography  for my Visual Arts Diploma at Waiariki Institute of Technology sixteen years ago. 
He used to work at the Daily Post and now he works for professional, award winning photographer Tracey Robinson.

The advantage of living in a small community is that you seem to know everyone.
People will endorse you if  they respect your work which is why it is imperative that you get out there,  get known and be customer focused.  

Creative Quotes of the Day
 “Haiku is not a shriek, a howl, a sigh, or a yawn; rather, it is the deep breath of life.”
― Santoka Taneda, Mountain Tasting: Haiku and Journals of Santoka Taneda


 “When composing a verse let there not be a hair's breath separating your mind from what you write; composition of a poem must be done in an instant, like a woodcutter felling a huge tree or a swordsman leaping at a dangerous enemy.”
― Bashō Matsuo

 “Real haiku is the soul of poetry. Anything that is not actually present in one's heart is not haiku. The moon glows, flowers bloom, insects cry, water flows. There is no place we cannot find flowers or think of the moon. This is the essence of haiku. Go beyond the restrictions of your era, forget about purpose or meaning, separate yourself from historical limitations—there you will find the essence of true art, religion, and science.”
― Santoka Taneda, Mountain Tasting: Haiku and Journals of Santoka Taneda

Love how can we count the ways?

Love of each other
When people have challenges it's great to have empathy.
A simple hug and a kiss can make the world seem a brighter place.

Love of doing things together
 He picks. I take the shots, it's a harmonious arrangement.
 I make the apples strudels which he really loves, but not too many as we don't want to encourage love handles.

Love of children
 The greatest Love of all, sung by Whitney Houston.
I believe the children are our future
Teach them well and let them lead the way
Show them all the beauty they possess inside
Give them a sense of pride to make it easier
Let the children's laughter remind us how we used to be

 Love of the divine
Just letting go, having faith and trusting that it will all work out exaclty as it's supposed to for the greater good is the path to  my serenity.

Serenity prayer
God, grant me the serenity to accept the things I cannot change,
The courage to change the things I can,
And the wisdom to know the difference.

Love where you live
No matter where you live there will always be pros and cons.
It's a matter of focusing on the great things that  home has to offer.
Fresh air, open spaces, walking opportunities, brilliant, sunny  and misty days
There's lots to be grateful for in this hidden gem, Rotorua.

 Love of Change
People often do geographicals to other places.
I seem to make friends mostly with people who move away.
This is good because it keeps things fresh and interesting.
I keep in contact with them and I  ask
Are you any happier living there?
The answer is always the same.
They are usually as happy as they were when they lived here because they take themselves, their relationships and  their baggage or balloons with them.
 You can do a geographcal and that's fine and often necessary but it can be just as important to work on your baggage as well. 

Love of flying free.
You can  feel trapped in a relationship.
Or you can feel free in one.
One persons prison is another persons paradise.
It's a matter of finding your own wings and  having the courage to let go and find your special place in the world.
Find out what it  is that God put you in this earth for and work your way towards it, one step at a time.
I am never happier than when I am creating.

 Love of Friendships

A good friend is supportive of you and your goals.
A good friend is a friend you can trust.
A good friend is fun, unique and interesting.

Lots of people come and go in and out of my life.
I always like to think people as reason, season or lifetime friends.
My  key to having harmonious relationships  is to work out which category each person belongs to and to treasure them for that special place.

 

Self Love

At the moment I'm enjoying being my own best friend. 

 It's fun to go out by myself  to movies, art openings and cultural events as I always meet people I know, have taught and like. 

People often ask me to join them, that's what's great about living in a small community.
Cultivating an air of independence is healthy, so that I don't become too reliant on others.
I'd like to have the courage to travel to Italy by myself , but I'm thinking at the moment I wouldn't be brave enough.
This is something I probably need to work on.

Love of your pets
This is one of my chief loves.
This guy is one of the best friends I have ever had.
He totally adores me and it's mutual .
I love him even when he does naughty things like bringing in rats.

 Love of your job
So many people hate what they do for a living but I love teaching from my studio, making paintings and mosaics, doing photography, writing articles for my blog and magazines and writing haiku poetry
Every day I wake up and face what I  have to do for the day and I count myself  lucky.
No days are the same, I never get bored. 
I only teach positive people who want to learn and that's not a case of being unrealistic, it's a case of focusing on what  I want and making it happen. 

I try to  surround myself with winners in terms of their attitude, this helps a lot.
I only make art that I  want to and people seem to like it so they commission me.
I have a supportive husband who believes in my goals.
I am grateful and I look forward with anticipation to the universe for continued abundance.
I have fantastic clients whose commissions and attendance of my classes I really appreciate.

All sorts of other love
There are probably all types of other love out in the world that I haven't covered here, I could go on all day and night.
But it's important to know when to stop so that I can indulge my other chief loves that of rest,  relaxation and time alone. 

Balance is really important. it's a matter of finding it.

Creative Quotes of the day
Such is the inconsistency of real love, that it is always awake to suspicion, however unreasonable; always requiring new assurances from the object of its interest.Ann Radcliffe

Perhaps the feelings that we experience when we are in love represent a normal state. Being in love shows a person who he should be.

Anton Chekhov

The meeting of two personalities is like the contact of two chemical substances: if there is any reaction, both are transformed.Carl Jung

 There is always some madness in love. But there is also always some reason in madness.

Friedrich Nietzsche

 

Nothing takes the taste out of peanut butter quite like unrequited love.

Charles M. Schulz