Insp'i Rayyo 1

...in...spirit....in.....spire...in...spi...ration
...to infuse with enthusiasm
...en...thuse...en...Theos
...to be infused by God
...in ancient times, people chanted "Ole...ole..ole" when an artist gave an inspiring performance, according to writer Elizabeth Gilbert. It literally meant "I see God". That is exactly how I feel when I am inspired. It is to experience a glimpse of godliness in your spirit. We even have expressions in English to decribe it. We say things like, "...my spirit has been lifted...or; I feel so lighthearted..!"
Everytime I encounter something that inspires me, this is how it feels. I see a glimpse of God.

Insp'i Rayyo will be brief, flash blog entries where I share with you those things or people that give me "a glimpse of God". The word inspirayyo is Portuguese for inspiration. Such a happy word full of rhythm. You could dance and sing to the sound. Which is what inpiration does to me.

Meet Sibella Court, stylist, adventurer, hunter-gatherer of objects with stories and owner of The Society Inc. in Paddington, NSW. I just received her latest book, "Bowerbird - creating beautiful interiors with the things you collect". This is so clearly not a book commissioned by a publisher. This is a concentrate of Sibella's passion for collecting, styling and arranging handforged, found objects that she also displays in her home and in her shop. Her authenticity and enthusiasm is contagious. Beautifully photographed by her brother Chris, this book is one of my treasures.

Faces

Lately I've been focusing a lot on drawing the face. I am mesmerized by the symmetry and proportion of the human face. There's a formula to achieving these proportions and if you follow the formula, you are able to create a portrait. Not only that, but every drawing renders a different face, just by making slight changes to the shape of the eyes, the nose, the eyebrows and the mouth.

Something wonderful occurs when you start shading the face, for the human skin is able to reflect the colors of its surroundings. The real magic happens when the eyes are colored and shaded. In an instant, there is life and light and emotion. And you suddenly understand the old saying, "the eyes are the windows of the soul".