Morrinsville, visit to Granville the Yellow Crested Cockatoo in Fitness Furnishings with his beloved owner Ray.

They have been together for thirty years.

Granville loves Ray so much that he doesn't like to be away from him

Which is why he comes into the shop and lives in his cage during working hours

Granville is a great attractant to people visiting this lovely shop and the Caffiene Cafe in Morrinsville

He talks to you, has a variety of words

And if he likes you he will let you scratch his neck

I would love a parrot like this

Because he would be a great friend.

When he gets home he is allowed to fly around in trees

For some exercise

And he can always be relied on to come back

Because he is bonded in a way to Ray that no other bird could replace

The people at the shop said that when Ray dies the parrot will be buried with him

Because his grief will be inconsolable

It is lovely to celebrate the long time I'm sure they still have to be together. 
So if you are in Morrinsville; go into Fitness Furnishings have a look at all the beautiful accessories and furnishings they have for your home. Have  a beautifully prepared  cup of coffee at Caffiene and something delicious to eat. 

And please visit Granville, he would love to see you and to have a little chat.

Creative Quote of the day 
 Live in such a way that you would not be ashamed to sell your parrot to the town gossip.
Will Rogers

If you want to learn how to paint or mosaic birds, including parrots, come to my drop in morning art classes on Monday, Tuesday and Wednesdays from 9.30am to 11.30 am
Together we can fly with creativity. 

Phone  Janet Keen,  (07)346-3435 
Email: jkeen@clear.net.nz
374 Clayton Road, Rotorua, New Zealand 

 
This is the story I  wrote for the Rotorua Daily Post Weekender.

 A great way to motivate yourself creatively is to have a project. 
I have an ongoing photographic project that i have been working on for the past three years and it's called  Pet Love Stories.

 I will be having an exhibition of these photographs when the venue and time is right . 
Meanwhile I'm having a lot of fun collecting images from all over New Zealand and Australia. 

Recently I took off for an adventure to a shop in Morrinsville called Fitness Furnishings where a sulphur crested cockatoo called Granville lives.
 I have met him twice before with my husband and he always says "hello" and bends his head down for a scratch. 

I'd love to take Granville home and install him in my art studio. I've always fancied the idea of carrying a parrot around on my shoulder and teaching it motivational phrases like "You can do anything you set your mind to" and "work smarter not harder."
 

Staff at the shop have told me  that when his owner passes on   Granville will be buried with him because the two are inspearable. 
This makes me sad.
I keep imagining how he will be killed and who will do it. 

I am wondering whether his wife has the same passion for the parrot that has been with them for over thirty years. 


Ray came out and unlocked the cage and Granville hopped onto his hand and swooned. 
They did lots of endearing poses and Granville had a fascination for knocking Ray's glasses to the ground.

The display of  devotion made me feel so happy, it was a precious moment to be a winess to such a beautiful   love story. 
I took lots of shots which you can see here. 
I am wishing them both a very long life so that I can keep visiting. 

School holiday mosaic and painting classes featurng birds  Monday to Friday mornings and afternoons. Ring to book your space. 
(07)346-3435 email jkeen@clear.net.nz
374 Clayton Road, Rotorua. New Zealand.

Book Art by Janet Keen Rotorua Artist, New Zealand

                   Copyright Janet Keen
I used  old children's encyclopedia's, titles out of an old music book and Steam punk black and white artwork that I printed out on the computer.

               Copyright Janet Keen
I am writing a very loose series of short poems which are  unplanned and spontaneous.
 I am juxtaposing various pictures of people with other people and random elements.

                                
I am not stating anything in particular, the vision of this is coming out of my subconscious.
All the gaps are not filled in, the viewer can bring to it what they want.
 This is the beauty of semi abstract art, it allows for other people's interpretations.

The temptation of  is of course to dumb it down and make something that will appeal to a wide commercial audience so I  can obtain some sales for my trip next year to Italy.
But I don't want to do it.
I want to show this work as if it's in a series of dreams where everything is mixed up.

I want people to be inspired by the possibility of this idea and to sign up for a series of classes. 

You can do anything you like as long as its on top of old book pages.

People who sign up will have their book artwork featured on my blog

Article about book art featured in Saturday 14th September Rotorua Daily Post.

All images copyright. 

Collections of book to make book art. 

See my collection of other people's book art at  janetkeenartistpinterest

As Picasso said  "making art is just like writing a diary."

Creative quotes of the day

Any book that helps a child to form a habit of reading, to make reading one of his deep and continuing needs, is good for him.

Maya Angelou

The World is a book, and those who do not travel read only a page.

Saint Augustine

 Drop in Workshops in book making art Friday morings from 9.30am to 11.30 am.

374 Clayton Road, Studio of Janet Keen 

Group enquiries welcome. 

Phone 346-3435 

Email jkeen@clear.net.nz

NB You need to bring your own black and white images photocopied artwork to use on your book art. 

Advice for Making Changes in your Life and Relationships

 I found this on the internet and thought it was useful. 
It certainly helps me focus on the things that are important.

How do you find the motivation to change?

What is the secret for making changes in our relationships and lives?
Why does is usually take something “big” to  happen to us get us to shift from where we  are to something much better?

Most of us wait until it’s almost too late before we make the changes we think or feel we should have made all along.
At various times in our lives, each of us is given an opportunity to “wake up” to all the love and joy that is  possible–if we take advantage of it.
If you’re like most people, that “opportunity” usually comes in the guise of a catastrophe in our lives like divorce, a car wreck, cancer (or any other serious illness) or even the death of a loved one.
Although we certainly don’t consciously want these things to happen or consciously create them, most of us need something like that to  jolt us out of our patterns that keep us stuck in limiting and self-defeating thoughts and actions.

You don’t have to go through cancer, any other life-threatening illness or any other catastrophe in your life to come into awareness of what’s possible and live it.
You can be your own catalyst and begin choosing what’s important to you and how you want to have your relationships to be and what you want for your life.
Here are some ways and new understandings  you’ll find helpful to begin to awaken without the trauma and drama of the catastrophes in our lives…
1. Know that you are worth it.
Know that you are “enough” and that you are worth the love that you want.
 Most of us have experienced and taken to heart criticism that says we aren’t good enough in some way or another.
When self-defeating thoughts come into your mind, simply tell yourself that you are good enough to have love and you deserve to have it.
2. Live in the present moment.
We probably say this every week but it bears repeating–and repeating–because most of us (including us) have a hard time doing it!
When your body and mind are anchored in the present and with the person in front of you, you become aware of the joy, pleasure, excitement or whatever in that moment.
If you are constantly in the past or future, you can’t possibly experience the happiness from what’s happening right now.
3. Be on the look out for small expressions of love.
Start noticing expressions of love from others in your life. 
So often we’re so focused on what we don’t have, we miss small ways that we are loved and cared for. 
Don’t miss what’s right in front of your nose.
4. Learn to master the “twin forces of pain  and pleasure” in your life.
 Tony Robbins said that the key to creating or accomplishing anything in your life is being able to master these two forces called pain and pleasure in your life.
One thing is for sure… we all have had and will continue to have both pain AND pleasure in our lives. 
One trick to being happy, successful and creating close connected relationships (or anything else) is to learn to associate more pleasure to the things that will take us toward what we really want and to associate more pain to choices we could make that will take us away from what we  really want.
4. Be on the look out for ways to love yourself and others.
Ask yourself these questions–
“How can I love myself today?”
“How can I love others today?”
Take time today for one or more expressions of love for yourself and for others.
If you do, the joy and love you receive will begin to show in your very being.
You will awaken to who you were truly meant to be.


Creative Quotes of the Day  
 Where there is love there is life.
Mahatma Gandhi

 A flower cannot blossom without sunshine, and people cannot live without love.
Max Muller

 Let us always meet each other with smile, for the smile is the beginning of love.
Mother Teresa
 
 Make a creative change in your life for the better. 
Enrol on a Monday, Tuesday or Wednesday morning for  a set of creative mosaic or painting classes with me. 
9.30am to 11.30 am
$25.00 per hour per person, plus materials. 
Phone 07 3463435 
Email jkeen@clear.net.nz

Friendship

It is my belief that you have to love yourself and be your own best friend.

It's really as simple as that.

But it takes practise, approving of yourself for doing exactly what you want to do, without worrying about expectations  of others.

For instance today I did a meditation and I was supposed to also do some tidying and design work.
After the meditation I fell asleep.
I woke up an hour later.
Instead of feeling guilty that I wasn't good enough for wasting time,  I  just carried on and then my after school clients came.

It was a challenge, they were a bit fractious, they are only young  like 7 and 8 and it was late on a Friday. 
But we got through because I was rested.
 A number of times I  had to show patience and understanding, plus perseverence.

I did a lesson with them expressing loving themselves with their art and by the time they left they were both happy and smiling.
I told their mother and she was happy too.

Next week I am going to encourage them to do an artwork that demonstrates their love  for themselves.
At the end of it the girl said  "I love you Janet" and the boy said "goodbye beautiful Janet".
They call me their fairy Godmother and this is just lovely. 
My day is always better after teaching those children; as it is after teaching all of my  pupils. 

If I hadn't been rested it would have added to the stress.

When my husband came home I  told him and he smiled and said that's good as long as you are happy. 
I can see you love those children and they are good for you.

And that is why I love my husband so much.
He is a strong believer in loving himself. 
He supports whatever I do without ever putting any expectations on me.
He is happy that I'm happy and that is great.

As an artist it is important to be careful who you associate with. 
Only associate with people who genuinely like and approve of you and themselves.  
If you have a funny feeling about someone, believe in it and be wary.
Your intuition is always right. 
If  people who are supposed to be your friends are giving you mixed messages,  back away from them because as an artist you don't need them in your life.
Travel lightly and with people who help make you feel like soaring. 

It is better to be alone than to be with a false friend.

Creative Quote of the week
An insincere and evil friend is more to be feared than a wild beast; a wild beast may wound your body, but an evil friend will wound your mind. Buddha

.
Be courteous to all, but intimate with few, and let those few be well tried before you give them your confidence. George Washington

Let us be grateful to people who make us happy, they are the charming gardeners who make our souls blossom.
Marcel Proust 
 
 Make some new friends and meet positive, uplifting people in a creative, artistic and happy environment. 
Enrol on a Monday, Tuesday or Wednesday morning for  a set of creative mosaic or painting classes with me. 
9.30am to 11.30 am
$25.00 per hour per person, plus materials. 
Phone 07 346-3435 
Email jkeen@clear.net.nz

Kiwi Coffin Club Rotorua, Makers of Fine and Affordable Underground Furniture.

If you would like  to join the coffin club and decorate your own or a family members coffin 

 

Contact: Ron Email: olivine@xtra.co.nz

Deidre   Email: deidrebarnett2@gmail.com

Phone:

07 345 3553,

 027 224 5698

or 07348 2291

 
Come on Kiwi's, give it a go, make and decorate your own coffin

 if you want to know more about it or to join the group read on...

 Founder of the Coffin Club Katie Williams, says that everyone is welcome.
 She decorated hers for only $20.00
 Katie documents the entire process,  to all people wanting to make their own, giving a photo album and DVD to each person when they finish their coffin to remember the experience.

So have you ever thought you may like to decorate your own coffin? 



Why not give it a go?

This group from Rotorua will show you how.

    For a very affordable price, you can put anything you like on it   and no-one will have the same one as yours.

 You will also have some fun being creative

 You will save money

 You will make new friends

who will end up being like family


Whole families help decorate them.

The coffins cost around $250.00 to build, minimal compared with a standard coffin which is about $3600.

Each coffin has a story behind it.

It is a way for older people to come to terms with death and stay in control right up to the end.

“A lot of older people try and tell their family what they want when they die but are brushed off by their children saying don’t talk about that or you’re not going to die.

This is a way of people making sure that everything will be fine when they go.

If people around New Zealand are wanting to set up their own coffin clubs...here is the information about how to go about it. 

 The History of the KIWI COFFIN CLUB.

( information supplied by Katie Williams)

It all started at a general meeting of Rotorua University of the Third Age (U3A).   

New groups were needed to encourage fellowship and learning for the members.  

 It was muted by one person that she wanted to build her own Coffin.   
Dead silence!  

 When people had time to ponder the idea, there was a small group that were interested.   

These folk met and a carport at the instigator’s home became the “coffin face”.   

Some could build, some could paint and a retired paper-hanger came to the party.  

 It was rather a long but dedicated making of the first few coffins.  Lots of fun was had and the socialisation was grand.

This was early 2003.  The beginning of a wonderful experience for many folk.

After two years the home front was way too restrictive and the La Grouws came to our aid with the free use of one of their workshops. 

 The group has burgeoned into a close knit, caring fellowship of approx  50 friends.

Early in 2013 they came away from under U3As’s umbrella as the role of U3A was limited to Education and Socialisation. 

The Kiwi Coffin Club emerged with those two aims intact but with a strong wish to help those that cannot afford to have funerals with unlimited costs. 

Each week they meet at the rooms from 8am till about 1.30pm. 

  with up to  40 people.  

 Some have made and decorated their coffins ages ago. 

  Some are in the middle of their project and some are coming to plan and to do their underground furniture. 

The men in the workshop make three in a day with help as able, from the owner. 

The timber is purchased in bulk and kitsetted.   

Decoration is done by the owner to their own design. 

 It is wonderful to see these wooded boxes made to depict the owner’s life and interests. 

 The help given by the knowledgeable volunteers is wondrous.  Nobody need go it alone.

They share time together and food for morning tea and at lunchtime. 

They have been making small boxes (4 sizes) to use for Foetal deaths from about 22 weeks gestation to full term still births.   

These are lined with delicate fabrics and lace.  

 Each box has a little teddy bear or animal in it.   

These are stored at the Obstetric Unit and offered to the grieving parents at a very distressing time.

The volunteers help with whatever is needed. 

 Lining the coffins, painting, wall papering. 

Transport to take the coffins home for storage is provided by a man with a van.  

 The ladies in the kitchen organise the meal times and appreciate the full plate donations.

   A huge benefit of the Club has been the opportunities of family involvement in the planning of their loved ones wishes at the end of their life.  It has often been a taboo subject and it so good to see it out in the open.

They  have started two groups on Maraes. 

 More have shown interest and hopefully these will get off the ground. 

It has become more difficult for some families to cope with the expenses of a death. 

One couple have joined, as both come from very large families and they want to help with trying to reduce the costs.

SO:   50 wonderful volunteers working side by side and having a great time together.

They are helping many people to prepare their families and themselves to leave this earth with class, showing who they were and with the pride of a life well lived.

This is one awesome group of great Rotorua people.

Contact: Ron Email: olivine@xtra.co.nz

Deidre   Email: deidrebarnett2@gmail.com

Phone:

07 345 3553,

 027 224 5698

or 07348 2291

 

Creative Quote of the day
If you don't have humour, then you may as well nail the coffin lid down now.
Roger Moore

Mosaic Artist New Zealand, Rotorua. Janet Keen

                             Janet Keen, Rotorua, New Zealand
                  Mosaic commissions, ask for a quote
          

   Custom made signs ask for a quote

Mosaic Crosses, ask for a quote
 Catholic Schools or church groups of  minimum 8 people, come and make your own. 
Workshop priced per person plus materials, ask for a quote.

 Kids after school mosaic classes $25.00 per person per hour
 including materials.

Kids school holiday mosaic fish workshops. 
Book now

Kids school holiday mosaic bird workshops, book now $75.00 for three hours, including materials.

Adults weekend mosaic bird paver  workshop $250.00 per person including materials.

Mosaic garden tours $10.00 per person, minimum number 6 maximum 20. 
See mosaic demonstrations. 
Book now 

 Teachers If you want coaching to run your own class in a school the cost is $250.00 per person including materials. 

Schools mosaic murals, priced from $1000  including materials. 
Enquire about your group. 
Catholic schools especially welcome. 


I am  fndraising to go to Italy to see the mosaics in 2014 so business right now is welcome because I  can't fly on a broomstick. 
Phone 073463435
email jkeen@clear.net.nz. 
All classes from Janet Keen Mosaic and Painting Studio
 374 Clayton Road, Rotorua. 
 
 Creative Quotes of the Day 
 There are very few human beings who receive the truth, complete and staggering, by instant illumination. Most of them acquire it fragment by fragment, on a small scale, by successive developments, cellularly, like a laborious mosaic.
Anais Nin

 We become not a melting pot but a beautiful mosaic. Different people, different beliefs, different yearnings, different hopes, different dreams. Jimmy Carter

 People are fighting over how our heartsongs are different. But they don't need to be the same. That's the beauty. We are a mosaic of gifts. Each of us has our inner beauty no matter how we look. Mattie Stepanek
 
.

Who is your muse? What is a muse? If you haven't got one, get one it will help you fly with creativity.

I have a client who comes to me for art lessons and her muse is her boyfriend.

That is great, I get plenty of work out of her. 
It's a win, win for both of us
She gives her boyfriend a lot of the work she creates in my studio.
I think it's romantic, innocent  and lovely. 

 More about muses.

A muse turns on the light within....       

                            A muse sparks inspiration in others.....                                              
                                                                   A muse inspires others to do something different .....better. greater...



 



 A muse awakens the soul....and unlocks the power of the mind...
                                                                                         A muse helps imagination become a reality...and dreams to become reachable goals...

  A muse unfolds the layers of discovery...unfolds the layers of your wisdom... 



         A muse is an alchemist of the senses who sparks the passion in ones nature....
 A muse is discovery....

 

                                                                                           A muse is Nature....
A muse is the bridge connecting yesterday with the present and today with the future....
                                     A muse is Love.

 

A muse reminds you to listen to your heart, consider the mind, and see with your soul   

                                                                                
A muse takes you to the moon and beyond....
A muse shows you the rose petalled staircase to the stars.....


 A muse is free of limits...and endless possibilities


What I think about muses
Clients can be  muses, especially if I like what they want me to make and if I like what they are making.
They can be students of mine, it goes both ways.

They can be real people or imaganied or they can be the spirits of people who have passed on.

You just have to stay in the now and enjoy their positive influence. 

You will know who they are when you meet them.
It's like an instant connection. 
Being in their presence makes you want to be a better person. 
They make you feel more alive. 
They make you stretch yourself. 
They make you want to do things you haven't done before. 
They make you stretch outside of your comfort zone. 


When you find someone who is your muse and you theirs it's a friendship that transcends everything. 
You don't even have to talk about it to each other  because you both know that each other knows.
 It's that simple. 
It is magical and special, it doesn't come along every day, so if you have it you need to honour, respect and treasure it. 

 Creative Quotes of the day 
 You should treat a muse like a fairy. Paulo Coelho

 The ancient Greek oral poets all had this anxiety about the deficiencies of their memories and always began poems by praying to the Muse to help them remember. David Antin

 Muse. Mu-se. It's a great thing, for someone to feel that they can draw inspiration from you. And I don't think it's necessarily a man 'taking' from a woman. It can go both ways, both can stimulate, excite. Chloe Sevigny
 

Janet Keen Muse Services.
If you havent got a muse, let me offer my services. 
Come  to me for a series of art mentoring lessons. 
I will be encouraging and helpful and you can  go further with your your creative project. 
Bring all your own art materials. 
$25.00 per person  per hour for painters plus materials. 

Ring me to discuss your project. 346-3435  jkeen@clear.net.nz

I can help anyone,, no idea too big or small.

Rotorua local body elections, Steve Chadwick for Mayor.

The most important thing is for everyone who is elegible in Rotorua is to get out and vote  for your mayor and the counsellors you want to see representing you. 
Just tick the box and send off your form. 
Have your say.

 This is your golden opportunuity to have some creative influence. 
Go for it and best of luck. 



Always vote for principle, though you may vote alone, and you may cherish the sweetest reflection that your vote is never lost.
John Quincy Adams