Georgina Lester

[georgina-lester]

Happy Christmas from a very smiley Pushkin and me! I hope that you are able to enjoy a fun day full of deliciousness and love xx https://www.instagram.com/p/Cml2-PUN3oo/?igshid=NGJjMDIxMWI=

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One of the things that I am guilty of doing is residing too much in my head. I forget to listen to my heart. I do not always remember that the key is to not spend too much time thinking and just do. When it comes to my art, I can have a clear idea of what I want to do. In practice, it rarely comes out how I want. I can get frustrated with this at times berating my lack of skills to produce what I imagine. The materials themselves can often open up new ideas. I did not know this was going to be a mountain landscape when I began. When doing my glass work, I do not know what the final piece will look like until it is completed and I can lift the glass up for the light to reveal what the piece is going to be. The journey is very much about trusting a creative instinct. The materials have an energy, a calling. Colours, shapes and textures reflect the atmosphere of the moment. The way the light falls on its evolution tells its own story. The outcomes are no doubt a reflection of my own energy. It’s not just about personal expression or technical skills, it is about what I feel inside. Making art is so representative of life. We can spend a lot of time visualising our ideal existence but the truth is that until we step outside our front door, we are not manifesting what we need for our own original uniqueness. Our happiest moments cannot enter into our consciousness until we let go of what we think our life should be and instead allow it to be what it needs to be. It is in the serendipitous surprises where the magic happens: paint reveals the ghosts hidden within the canvas; characters of a book show new plot twists as it is being written; glass glows when light plays and random, unexpected encounters bring insight, inspiration and wisdom. This is a special kind of magic that cannot be engineered from the head alone. By allowing what is meant to be in the moment, we are gifted so much more than we can manifest alone. #giftoflife #serendipity #flow #creativity #creativeflow #headvsheart https://www.instagram.com/p/Cj-c0MaNCUT/?igshid=NGJjMDIxMWI=

[georgina-lester]

It has been many years since I have focused on my art. It is time that I pandered to the yearning to create instead of just coaching and supporting other artists to promote in their own creative explorations. It will be a bit of a meandering: an experimentation with one thing or another; witnessing ideas evolve naturally and allowing materials to show me what they want to be. All I know is that I want to take my art to the next level. This might be a bit of a surprise for some having only ever known the business coach and marketing consultant. Others’ will have assumed that I have always been involved in the family business and the creativity belongs to my parents alone. A few will know me as a writer - amongst other things. A tiny handful will recognise the artist who started out designing stained glass many years ago. Life moves on and the emphasis shifts as the years help us to evolve and grow. I am hyper creative and need an outlet for that creativity. I have too many ideas to not explore and have fun doing it. My primary medium is stained glass having studied Architectural Stained Glass shortly after leaving school. It was a very traditional course that taught the best practices of this very old art form. Sadly there isn’t a course like it any more. We were lucky to be there at the time. The techniques taught were a great foundation. The processes though are lengthy and time consuming. Personally I prefer to work directly with materials to see what they do and allow designs to evolve naturally. Painting is a step in a new direction allowing me to sketch out ideas and see how colours, light and texture work in different scenarios. I photograph things pretty much most days. I have a plethora of inspirational scenes and landscapes to use... that is until I can get out and about exploring the country in my art bus. In the meantime, I also have about thirty boxes of scrap cullet glass from the studio of my old tutor to sort through and file with the glass that I already have. It’s a big job and may take me a while. #stainedglassart #stainedglass #glassart #glassartinteriors #glassdesign #creativeexplorations https://www.instagram.com/p/CjdYok1KZUl/?igshid=NGJjMDIxMWI=

[georgina-lester]

So .... I have done a thing! Earlier this year I bought an ex-nhs minibus! It has kept me somewhat preoccupied over the last few months. The intention is to convert it into a mobile art studio camper van. I definitely want to do more of my art and writing and I definitely want to see more of the country and maybe even visit a friend or two in Europe sometime. I crave being able to explore more, breathe the mountain air of different parts of this country, stop where the views and mood inspire and indulge in my creativity. I spent ages looking at different vehicles but they have been complete rubbish or devastatingly expensive. Instinct often hinted heavily at a multitude of sins hidden by hippy rainbows and fantastical fantasy pictures. Perhaps budget was the issue but when I looked at the super expensive motorhomes I was equally appalled by the bland designs and the proliferation of grey on absolutely everything. I love colour! The only option was to do the conversion myself. Right now the bus has been pretty much stripped bare. My parents’ garage is full of a mountain of insulation, sound deadening, solar bits, kitchen bits and kits for setting things up. Over the coming months, I’ll be gradually rebuilding the interior to be like a mini-home. After much hunting and seeing some ghastly examples, I bit the bullet and bought this at auction. No test drives allowed. You can only hear the engine running and spend time peeking and poking into every crack and corner you can find. All inspections had to be done AFTER I had put down hard earned cash and driven it home. My team mates were very thorough sniffing and examining every tiny detail. The boys were convinced that this was bought just for them. All tests passed with flying colours! They are happy! #vanconversion #vanlife #explore #vanconversions #exploremore #adventure #vanlifeideas #livingsmall #vanlifemovement #vanlifeart #mobileartstudio #creativity #creativeadventures #writing https://www.instagram.com/p/Cjamix5KW2I/?igshid=NGJjMDIxMWI=

[georgina-lester]

One of the most intense and spectacular rainbows I’ve seen in a while. What fascinates me are the different tones of grey on the cloudy sky. I’m sure there’s a scientific explanation for the way that the band between the bows is so much darker than the rest of the sky. I think that I might have to try to paint this. Hmm my fingers are twitching all ready to play. I’d love to incorporate rainbows in my glass work but not the garish primary colours that most artists and designers use. I’m intrigued as to how to create the iridescent hints of these colours that somehow gives the sky a subtle sheen. At some point I’d like these to evolve into other products. Time will tell which stay the course and which get eclipsed by better designs ideas. #raining #rainbowart #photographyart #inspiringnature #magicalskies #rainbows https://www.instagram.com/p/CjYR_ggqZYk/?igshid=NGJjMDIxMWI=

[georgina-lester]

Another painting experimenting with the Sennelier oil sticks. Inspired by sea views of Carmarthanshire rather than actual views, this is another doodle just getting a feel for what these oil bars do. Oil bars develop a skin when left to sit. I think that you’re supposed to peel them off but I’ve purposely incorporated them into the texture of the paint. Not sure if this is finished or not. I’ll see how I feel about it in a few days. I love colour and I especially love the iridescent effect that you get with layers of oil paints. There’s a richness to them that I just can’t seem to get with any other medium. I’m definitely finding playing with paint relaxing and very grounding in between building a new business and trying to organise a mountain of stuff. It’s a very fine sort of self care that restores body and soul. Remembering the peace I feel by the sea also helps. 30cm x 40cm oil on canvas #consciousart #mindfulrelaxation #playingwithpaint #oilpaintingoncanvas #seascapepainting #blue https://www.instagram.com/p/CjVLsxnq3_Q/?igshid=NGJjMDIxMWI=

[georgina-lester]

I know it’s been a while but I’m still here - sorting, planning, reorganising, writing and just generally figuring out what I want to do next. There’s a lot of catching up to do if indeed it is even relevant for you to know the details. I bought some rather delicious oil sticks some time ago but I’ve only just given myself permission to play with them. This is a small doodle just to see what they do and how they behave and I’m in love!! I’ve only got a basic set of primary colours - I need to make them work before I justify buying the £150 of 12 bars or the even bigger £350 set but I don’t think it will be long before I can’t resist the temptation. My intentions are to just play with light, colour and texture as a prelude to getting back into my glass work. #creativity #artistsoninstagram #arts #oilpainting #landscapepainting https://www.instagram.com/p/CjSpQsQKrAe/?igshid=NGJjMDIxMWI=

[georgina-lester]

What if space was not silent? What if sound travelled across the vacuum and we were able to hear the planets, moons and asteroids dancing their way across the universe? What if, when we floated in space, we could hear the moon orbiting around the earth? And the sounds of the boiling mass of the sun could be picked up across the galaxy? Each time it rose we would hear the roar of its arrival. It would be beyond deafening. It would be soul crushing. Thank goodness for space between us. The world has become so loud. Billions of multimedia channels all broadcast noise. Singing, shouting, lamenting, crying, laughing, praying, prying, educating, ranting, sharing, chanting, debating, discussing noise. What if the space race is not a hunger to explore new territories and new adventures? What if it is mankind’s collective desire for space? What if thoughts were not silent? And we were actually able to hear the millions of beliefs and fantastical concerns that go through everybody’s heads? It would be beyond deafening. It would be soul crushing. Thank goodness for space between us. Thoughts are not quiet. I often work in the dead of night when the darkness envelops the daily mind chatter in sleep. Space is not silent either. Electromagnetic waves have their own sounds creating their own eerie intergalactic symphony. Everything pulses with energy. Winter Solstice marks the time of year when darkness reaches its zenith of dominance. It rules the winter skies above us and the dark barren earth at our feet. Be still and listen. May your Winter Solstice be blessed with the silence to hear the rhythm of your soul. May you feel the dormant earth beneath to feel the stillness within your being. May you expand into the void left by summer’s warmth to feel the space within. May you be enveloped in the deepest velvet of darkness... So that you may see your own light shine. . #wintersolstice #loveyourself #nature #naturesinspiration #lightofdarkness #winterwisdom #darknight #solstice https://www.instagram.com/p/CXv7UsoI23Z/?utm_medium=tumblr

[georgina-lester]

I’m too old to be fussed with fakes and fools who profess loyalty, understanding and affection but whose actions speak a deeper truth of mistrust, disloyalty and suspicion. There comes a time when truth resonates so deeply that it is impossible to turn back and be who we were before. Empowerment comes when we can discern when we hear truth spoken. Daily meditation brings flow and alignment. Alignment leads to inspired action which becomes so much more efficient and effective than flailing in busy-ness. Alignment also brings people with the right energy and intentions which align to our own. So ... I’m too old to not live in harmony with my own life purpose; too jaded by false facades and fake gods; too weary of battling with others’ fears, suspicions and misapprehensions; above all too enlightened to not know the difference between truth and lies. The hardest lesson for me has been to learn to trust my gut, my intuition and not always believe what I hear. I’m getting better at that. More like my cats. They have always known what is true too. From now on the energy needs to be right. For us to work, be or socialise together I must feel the truth of what you say. I’m an empath by the way, so you cannot get away with saying what you think that I want to hear. Energy doesn’t lie. I hear the words that are left unspoken clearer than you think although your secrets are yours to keep. I will not judge you for your fears and vulnerabilities or condemn you for not knowing all the answers or for making what you deem as mistakes. For those of us brave enough to reveal the core of who we really are, the more likely we will enjoy the discoveries as we allow the great unfolding of our unique artistry and our shared story. I see you! Let the adventures begin. . . . . #truth #energy #energydoesntlie #resonance #vulnerability #empathy #consciousness #consicousbusiness #alignment #purpose https://www.instagram.com/p/CW6sEChIP7S/?utm_medium=tumblr

[georgina-lester]

Autumnal fire blazes across the garden. The early morning sun bellows shafts of sharp light into flaming trees. There is a quality to the light that ignites the soul. It makes you want to breathe deeply taking the crisp air into the depths of your lungs, right down to the tips of your toes. Gold leaves drift slowly to the ground chased by invisible spiralling streamers. They make me pause to acknowledge a sense of completion. The journey has been a much longer one than the tumultuous times we have witnessed recently. They have been the culmination of many choices made long ago. This has been about how to surrender. To trust. To allow the Universe to guide us along the path of least resistance. The vision remains true. The divine satnav has got us thus far in the most efficient way possible. Some aspects have been more challenging than others. However, we cannot deny that we have passed some stupendous milestones in a very short period of time. Meetings planned for the new year beckon with light, enthusiasm and fun. Conscious, awakened and deliberate, I see adventures in community, collaboration, consciousness, leadership, connection, creativity and innovation. I can’t wait to paint more pictures of what else I can see. On the weekend, the wind stripped the trees bare. They stand naked and exposed. Their sap has already retreated deep into the soil as we too step into winter. Deep rest and recuperation is needed to restore body and soul as we prepare for the new era to begin. Spring will bring sun-opened windows and doors, deep cleaning and shoots of new growth. For now though, as any good gardener, we will enjoy creating the framework and preparing ground for what is yet to come. The shifting weather paints rainbows across our new views. Jewels rise up from the corner of the garden painting the vision of the phoenix yet to rise. Or is it rising already? . . . #surrender #loa #attraction #transfornation #change #trust #trusttheprocess #universe #consciousliving #consciousnessshift https://www.instagram.com/p/CW3Jj63Kytj/?utm_medium=tumblr

[georgina-lester]

The devastation rolls on as the number of trees being felled rises. Fifty beautiful beings have fallen in this tragic chainsaw massacre! Mother nature has herself chosen a radical thinning of overcrowded trees. She has been much bolder and braver than we could ever be. Despite the reign of chaos, new vistas reveal interesting perspectives of the house. Suddenly rainbows and fireworks are no longer hidden by a giant wall of green. The town lights glimmer in the distance. The light from the town hall clock sits like a full moon amongst the roof tops. The sleeping beauty rises & the castle is awakened. Our windows frame ever changing autumnal palettes of red, rust and gold against a backdrop of the deep green of the evergreens. The iridescent bronze & orange of the surrounding mountains beckon with memories of walking through crisp bracken & dried heathers. I mourn the loss of the magnificent walnut that waved at me through my bedroom window every morning. The view that has been revealed though is compensation enough. The interplay of lines and colours of the now visible beech, Scots pine, sycamore, silver birch and the giant redwoods look stunning. I am mesmerised. Rooms in the house have developed an eerie glow. Reflected light from the north facing windows has uplifted the spirit of our home. It’s like someone has left a light on. The expansion of the views and the luminous quality of the air around us, echo the unfamiliar territory that we are now in. It’s only when the burdens have gone do you realise just how much they overshadowed everything else. The sense of obligation has been far too heavy for far too long. This will likely change our lives forever. There is no going back but why would we when the views of freedom before us are so much clearer and brighter than before? 2022 feels like a year for emergence, growth and brilliance. We can see the rainbows now! . . . . . #rainbows #light #future #hope #2022 #emergence https://www.instagram.com/p/CWloeyOI60p/?utm_medium=tumblr

[georgina-lester]

A tsunami of devastation sweeps through the garden. The whining growl of chainsaws lay to rest several giant, aged ash trees wasted by disease. They do not go quietly. The trees look deceptively vibrant with lusciously rich green leaves that wave in greeting as I look out from my eerie each morning. But they’re ‘not waving but drowning’! As they fall, they crack & explode with loud bangs before landing heavily on the wet lawn. Small grey patches on curling leaves belie a much deeper & more deadly problem. They are rotting from the inside; flawed, vulnerable & very fragile. We watch a single leaf cluster from a tree yet to be felled, slowly & gracefully dance its last dance, falling like a tear back to the earth. It poignantly illustrates our sadness but also our hope. Seasons follow cycles of birth, death & rebirth. Clearing the old allows the dawn to bring fresh energy & new opportunities. It’s a paradox of emotions both tragic & exhilarating. The cats play on the felled beasts. It seems to be no coincidence that the trauma of losing so many trees pounds hard on the heels of our recent big changes. This time of transformation has been more than cutting out the dead wood but eliminating the growth weakened by doubt & uncertainty. Spaces left behind sway in the breeze like ghosts of what was. We can now begin to see other trees. Forced to become unbalanced & distorted, they had to crawl out from under the shadow of their neighbouring giants. As we become accustomed to the new views we can see how the more unique specimen trees can expand into the void enabling them to fulfill their true potential. As with the business, what was tangential growth can be reshaped, & encouraged to take pride of place as we evolve our ideas & expand our creativity. The spaciousness & the light it creates gives breath to old ideas waiting. A new take on the phoenix rising from the ashes perhaps. . . . #phoenixashes #transformation #change #positivechange #ashtrees #gardening #newfuture (at Llanfoist) https://www.instagram.com/p/CVNJs8pIu2O/?utm_medium=tumblr

[georgina-lester]

Why does everything have to be dumbed down? Going on holiday meant that I had a TV. I watched it for a while, once I’d worked out how to switch it on. It’s been at least 15 years. I’m horrified at how programmes and most particularly adverts are designed to factor to the lowest common denominator. I had to switch it off & get out. Portmeirion has long been on my wish list of places to visit. I love the eccentric collection of buildings quirkily constructed on the edge of a magnificent estuary. Sir Clough Williams-Ellis’s legacy was proving that a “beautiful site can be developed without spoiling it”. It’s a superb example of this. The heart of my inner unfledged property developer flutters with excitement. The romanticism of the architecture, the colourful array of styles of the buildings is intriguing. I love seeing the interplay of lines created by spiralling steps leading to the very erect uprights of walls set into the rugged cliff face. Interesting sculptures stand tall on monumental plinths, intricate plantings & clever landscaping sympathetically enhance the natural lay of the land. Despite this I felt disturbed & irritated. On arrival the ticket seller had given me a map to find gifts & food. She described the place as a holiday park. The buildings each had a story & yet I have no idea what they might be. The guide book only appeared as I was leaving. Too much information is dumbed down, made small and insignificant. How are we to effect massive change if we treat our society as mindless idiots? How can Williams-Ellis’s message be heard if we only feed visitors ice creams & treat them like fools? Where are the architects conferences? Developer workshops? Planning seminars? Creative retreats? How can we make the massive shifts we need to stop climate change, support humanity, eradicate poverty? How are we to protect the very environment we need to survive, if we behave as if the worlds’ population is too stupid to get it? We can do better. . . . #portmerion #nottoostupid #effectingchange #change #itsnecessarytochange #climatechange #architecture #environment https://www.instagram.com/p/CU16ocjIvGk/?utm_medium=tumblr

[georgina-lester]

Gates intrigue me. They’re generally just a practical means to go from one defined area to another. Some have the allure of something much more magical inviting us to explore. I looked at the path I’d just climbed. The old iron gate, an accidental echo of an ancient portal, is framed by two great guardian oaks. I had not noticed that I’d stepped through the portal until I looked back. So many times in life we don’t appreciate the significance of the changes we’ve been through until we turn to see how far we’ve come. Seven years ago everything that I knew had become so broken that I lost everything. My dreams were buried in the many graves of family pets who were the bedrock of the love and sanity in our home. The home was lost too. This was a portal so vast I could not see its summit. I was then teaching people that no business could ever succeed unless it was imbued with the very essence of soul authenticity. Ironically no matter how I slaved over my business, nothing worked. I was not doing MY soul work. And it was making me sick. So many rugs were pulled out from underneath me that I could have opened a carpet shop. My inner victim had a field day. But then I gained the world. The new can only breathe into space created by letting go of what no longer serves us. Only then can we create a life that supports us wholeheartedly. I now find myself staying at a place belonging to a friend who had stayed with me seven years ago to the day. This cycle is now complete. The energy of our world right now feels indescribably huge. How we adapt is going to impact the centuries to come and the legacy we leave. It is up to us to choose what is right for us. A breeze stirs the branches of the great oaks. The portal breathes out a rush of blessings confirming it’s time to build the new dream and a new home. I’m grateful to have traveled so far. . . . . #transitions #1000miles #personalgrowth #happiness #nature #success #mindfulness #transformation #mindset #motivation #positivity https://www.instagram.com/p/CUwi1JXoIqL/?utm_medium=tumblr

[georgina-lester]

I gave up trying to get online. The Universe was conspiring to unplug me from everything. I’ve really loved following the prescription to immerse myself in the wilds of remote beaches, rugged mountain tops & winding forest paths. There’s nothing better than a rustic desk sanded by wind & time offering the perfect writing space. Non-digitised sounds of real birds, white running water & wind high in the trees serenade my words. There’s a primordial energy that makes me feel at home. Signposted walks designed to coax people out of their plugged-in routines gently guide the weary & worn out into the forest. I applaud the accessibility but... The prescribed routes feel restrictive especially when they are marked by signs forbidding the adventurous from hugging trees & dancing in the fairy glades. I spent my youth exploring the woodlands and wide landscapes of the mountain behind our house. It was an exhilarating quest to see what was up the next hill or over the next horizon. The shape of the land & the trails mapped by generations of farmers, villagers, priests & vagrands soon became familiar. Familiarity though did not quench the thirst for discovery. Drawn to the spaces in between I sought out the wild uncharted glens & moorlands where there was no evidence of human existence. The mountain revealed her secrets just for me. Years later, signposts & public maps led to an invasion of marauding picnickers & blaring radios that choked the voices of the earth. I resented the intrusion, the pollution. It was my mountain. I felt she resented it too. The wild child is still within me looking for the spaces & unexplored horizons between what is known. Artistically, spiritually, creatively, I have to push out those boundaries of possibilities, carve my own paths consciously in tune with who I need to be in this extraordinary era in which we live in now. The wild child probably needs to grow up now ... into the wild woman! I think that it is my duty, don't you? . . . #wildchild #rewilding #rewildingyou #nature #lifeonpurpose #purposeful #mindfulness #naturemeditations https://www.instagram.com/p/CUsxeWmouUN/?utm_medium=tumblr

[georgina-lester]

I yearn for the salty breath of the ocean & the healing caresses of the sea. Regular meditation helps re-callibrating me back to me. So too does strolling, sitting & drinking in the energy of wide open spaces. There’s nothing so restorative as just watching the world go by. Upturned faces openly embrace the warmth of the sun. A couple suddenly turn & point at something in the distance. A ball is chased gleefully by a bevvy of Lowri terriers. A lone woman looks for treasures as her reflection scissors across wet sands. The perpetual rhythm of the waves soothes with its reminders to relax, let go & just be. A distant roar thunders past. It’s an unrecognisable beast of train, plane & juggernaut combined but I can see no evidence of any of those things. My feet sink into the softness of wet sand. Tree stumps rooted in ancient history memorialise the space between land & ocean; an ever shifting demarcation of old meeting new. The thundering roar passes again. I watch the waves in their unceasing pursuit to manifest their own natural potential. Crystal clear waters catch the light & decorate the sandy ripples below with a transient finery. Patterns in nature fascinate as they endure. Four jets fly over in formation. The sounds now make sense. They act as a timely reminder that higher forces are at play in our world today. The relentless waves of change are carving new landscapes everywhere & we need to be so much more mindful. Technology is speeding along its path of advancement. An integral part of our every day, it constantly listens, learns & evolves. We must be conscious that it is us humans that sets it upon its path. Every day is a choice; is it a day for war or for peace? This is more than teaching a child not to swear. It is a path of demonstrating & so leading in compassion & empathy. A toddler skips across shell-filled pools. A timely reminder to play in the light of innocence & joyful simplicity. . . . . #joy #joyofchange #mindfulness #ai #technology https://www.instagram.com/p/CUISxNLoVsI/?utm_medium=tumblr

[georgina-lester]

Hedges scribe their messages across the green landscapes as deftly as Chinese calligraphers make their ink-filled brushes dance across the empty white scapes of their scrolls. The blank canvas is as wide as the sky & as deep as the ocean. The whiteness demands more than the superficial daubs of paint pulled from a colourful palette of whim & fantasy. It expects inspirations as vast as the Universe but as intimate as the secret whispers held on our tongue. The first lines sketched must be scribed with a conviction in the vision. Strong trees do not grow in soils of doubt. We may not know how to paint the final picture or how many layers of colour must be plied to convey the depths of intent. What is the vision? What is the message? What is the legacy? Artists will sketch ideas practicing their art over years of observation, experimentation & study. Each iteration merely a rehearsal for the next. Ultimately the message for all of us is “BE ME!” No dialogue, debate or discourse designed to divert. Simple but this level of truth trembles with its own terrors. Never mind the concerns that no one will buy the painting & the emaciated artist ends their days starved of appreciation & recognition. There are deeper fears than this. The choice for truth means that there is no one person or circumstance to blame for never having fully manifested our most magnificent potential. Who can ever be brave enough to follow that path? Fear & uncertainty push out the boundaries of self belief. They expand possibilities. I too must have faith in the years of repeated practice as I have toiled over one mission or another. I need to trust the master within to paint the first brushstrokes with confidence. As I write this a new path appears & I know where I must go next. I’m not sure how to get there but I trust that the way will become clear. One step at a time. One moment at a time. One brushstroke at a time. . . . . . . #truth #pathofpurpose #newlife #transitions #transformation #change https://www.instagram.com/p/CUDBsmzo90Z/?utm_medium=tumblr